An Act To Legalize and Tax Marijuana
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 1453
Committee Amendment CA_A_H527 (House)
Committee: Criminal Justice and Public Sa

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,A " 
to H.P. 1067, L.D. 1453, Bill, "An Act To 
Legalize and Tax Marijuana" 
Amend the bill by adding after Part F the following: 
'PARTG 
Sec. G-l. Contingent effective date; certification. This Act takes effect only 
if federal law is amended to remove marijuana from the list of scheduled drugs. The 
Secretary of State shall certify to the Governor that federal law has changed to remove 
marijuana as a scheduled drug within 30 days of the effective date of the federal law 
change, and shall provide a copy of the certification to the Revisor of Statutes. 
PARTH 
Sec. H-l. Statutory referendum procedure; submission at election; form 
of question; effective date. This Act must be submitted to the legal voters of the State 
at a statewide election held in the month of November following passage of this Act. The 
municipal officers of this State shall notify the inhabitants of their respective cities, towns 
and plantations to meet, in the manner prescribed by law for holding a statewide election, 
to vote on the acceptance or rejection of this Act by voting on the following question: 
"Do you favor legalizing and taxing marijuana when marijuana is no 
longer a scheduled drug under federal law?" 
The legal voters of each city, town and plantation shall vote by ballot on this question 
and designate their choice by a cross or check mark placed within a corresponding square 
below the word "Yes" or "No." 
The ballots must be received, sorted, counted and 
declared in open ward, town and plantation meetings and returns made to the Secretary of 
State in the same manner as votes for members of the Legislature. The Governor shall 
review the returns. If a majority of the legal votes are cast in favor of this Act, the 
Governor shall proclaim the result without delay and this Act becomes effective 30 days 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
~. 
~s 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 'A" to H.P. 1067, L.D. 1453 
after the date of the proclamation or 30 days after the possession of marijuana is not a 
crime under federal law, whichever occurs later. 
The Secretary of State shall prepare and furnish to each city, town and plantation all 
ballots, returns and copies of this Act necessary to carry out the purposes of this 
referendum.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment is the minority report of the Joint Standing Committee on Criminal 
Justice and Public Safety. 
This amendment adds a referendum question and a contingent effective date section 
to the bill, requiring 2 things to happen before the legislation becomes effective: 
1. 
The voters in the next general election in November vote in favor of the 
legislation; and 
2. Federal law is amended to remove marijuana from the list of scheduled drugs. 
The Secretary of State is required to certify the results of the referendum as well as 
when the federal law is changed. This legislation takes effect 30 days after the later of 
the 2 actions takes place. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Referendum Costs 
Approved: 06/0 III 1 frac. 
LD 1453 
LR 131(02) 
An Act To Legalize and Tax Marijuana 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment A" 
Committee: Criminal Justice and Public Safety 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Current biennium cost increase - General Fund 
MonthlY ear 
Election Type 
Question 
Nov-II 
General 
Referendum 
Length 
Standard 
The Secretary of State's budget includes sufficient funds to accommodate one ballot of average length for the general 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
If approved by the voters, legalizing the sale of marijuana and establishing a 7% rate of taxation on all sales of 
marijuana for commercial purposes or medical use will increase General Fund revenue by an estimated $2,470,000 
and increase revenue sharing by $130,000 annually. Maine Revenue Services will require a one-time General Fund 
appropriation of$IOO,OOO to create and implement a new system of taxation for the commercial or medical use of 
manJuana. 
Legalizing marijuana, if approved by the voters, will result in a loss of General Fund fine revenue estimated to be in 
excess of $1 ,000,000 per year. The state will also experience a decrease in judicial, indigent legal services and 
correctional costs. The amounts cannot be determined at this time. The additional costs to the Department of the 
Attorney General can be absorbed utilizing existing budgeted resources. 
The bill creates the Community Policing Grant Program Fund within the Department of Public Safety. The 
department will require a $500 Other Special Revenue Funds allocation to be able to spend any money deposited into 
the Fund. 
LRO l31 (02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1