Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 0669
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: CAREY, McCABE

Legislative Document 
No. 669 
H.P. 499 
House of Representatives, February 17, 2011 
RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of 
Maine To Change the Number of Members of the Legislature, the 
Length of Legislative Sessions and the Requirements for 
Introduction of Bills in a Second Regular Session 
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed. 
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative CAREY of Lewiston. 
Cosponsored by Representative: McCABE of Skowhegan. 
Constitutional amendment. Resolved: Two thirds of each branch of the 
Legislature concurring, that the following amendment to the Constitution of Maine be 
proposed: 
Constitution, Art. IV, Pt. First, §2 is amended to read: 
Section 2.  Number of Representatives; biennial terms; division of the 
State into districts for House of Representatives.  The House of Representatives 
shall consist of 151 101 members, to be elected by the qualified electors, and hold their 
office 2 years from the day next preceding the first Wednesday in December following 
the general election.  The Legislature which convenes in 1983 and every 10th year 
thereafter shall cause the State to be divided into districts for the choice of one 
Representative for each district.  The number of Representatives shall be divided into the 
number of inhabitants of the State exclusive of foreigners not naturalized according to the 
latest Federal Decennial Census or a State Census previously ordered by the Legislature 
to coincide with the Federal Decennial Census, to determine a mean population figure for 
each Representative District.  Each Representative District shall be formed of contiguous 
and compact territory and shall cross political subdivision lines the least number of times 
necessary to establish as nearly as practicable equally populated districts.  Whenever the 
population of a municipality entitles it to more than one district, all whole districts shall 
be drawn within municipal boundaries.  Any population remainder within the 
municipality shall be included in a district with contiguous territory and shall be kept 
intact. 
Constitution, Art. IV, Pt. Second, §1 is amended to read: 
Section 1.  Number of Senators.  The Senate shall consist of an odd number of 
Senators, not less than 31 nor more than 35 17 members, elected at the same time and for 
the same term as Representatives by the qualified electors of the districts into which the 
State shall be from time to time divided. 
Constitution, Art. IV, Pt. Third, §1 is amended to read: 
Section 1.  To meet annually; power of Legislature to convene itself at 
other times; extent of legislative power.  The Legislature shall convene on the first 
Wednesday of December following the general election in what shall be designated the 
Wednesday of December in the following year; and shall further convene on the first 
Wednesday after the first Tuesday of January in the subsequent even-numbered year in 
what shall be designated the second regular session of the Legislature; provided, 
however, that the business of the second regular session of the Legislature shall be 
limited to budgetary matters; legislation in the Governor's call; legislation of an 
emergency nature admitted by the Legislature; legislation referred to committees for 
study and report by the Legislature in the first regular session; and legislation presented to 
the Legislature by written petition of the electors under the provisions of Article IV, Part 
Third, Section 18, which shall adjourn no later than the 3rd Wednesday in August.  The 
Legislature shall enact appropriate statutory limits on the length of the first regular 
session and of the second regular session number of legislative days.  The Legislature 
may convene at such other times on the call of the President of the Senate and Speaker of 
the House, with the consent of a majority of the Members of the Legislature of each 
political party, all Members of the Legislature having been first polled.  The Legislature, 
with the exceptions hereinafter stated, shall have full power to make and establish all 
reasonable laws and regulations for the defense and benefit of the people of this State, not 
repugnant to this Constitution, nor to that of the United States. 
; and be it further 
Constitutional referendum procedure; form of question; effective date. 
Resolved:  That 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, at a statewide election held in the month of November 
following the passage of this resolution, to vote upon the ratification of the amendment 
proposed in this resolution by voting upon the following question: 
"Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to decrease the number of 
members of the Legislature, extend the length of legislative sessions and remove the 
requirements for introduction of bills in a second regular session beginning with the 
127th Legislature?" 
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 the 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 it appears that a majority of the legal votes are cast in favor of the 
amendment, the Governor shall proclaim that fact without delay and the amendment 
becomes part of the Constitution of Maine on January 1, 2013 and applies first to the 
127th Legislature; and be it further 
Secretary of State shall prepare ballots. Resolved: That the Secretary of State 
shall prepare and furnish to each city, town and plantation all ballots, returns and copies 
of this resolution necessary to carry out the purposes of this referendum. 
SUMMARY 
This resolution proposes to amend the Constitution of Maine to reduce the number of 
members of the Senate to 17 and the number of members of the House of Representatives 
from 151 to 101 beginning with the 127th Legislature.  The resolution also proposes to 
extend the length of legislative sessions and remove the requirements for introduction of 
bills in a second regular session.