An Act To Make Changes to Boards and Commissions Concerning Membership, Appointments and Terms
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 0904
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: VALENTINO, BEAULIEU, CROCKETT, HINCK, COURTNEY, PATRICK, PLOWMAN
Amends: 5 MRSA §12006, 5 MRSA §12016, 5 MRSA §12017, 5 MRSA §12018

Legislative Document 
No. 904 
H.P. 663 
House of Representatives, March 8, 2011 
An Act To Make Changes to Boards and Commissions Concerning 
Membership, Appointments and Terms 
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed. 
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative VALENTINO of Saco. 
Cosponsored by Representatives: BEAULIEU of Auburn, CROCKETT of Bethel, HINCK of 
Portland, Senators: COURTNEY of York, PATRICK of Oxford, PLOWMAN of Penobscot. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  5 MRSA §12006, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2009, c. 369, Pt. A, §11, is 
further amended to read: 
2.  Legislative repeal of inactive boards.  The Secretary of State shall submit 
suggested legislation to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over state government matters on or before January 30th in the first regular 
session of each biennium to repeal those boards that have not reported on their activities 
to the Secretary of State under this section or section 12005-A during either of the prior 2 
calendar years or have been inactive during the preceding 24 months.  The suggested 
legislation also must include provisions to repeal any board that has had vacancies in 2/3 
or more of its membership for more than one year.  The joint standing committee of the 
Legislature having jurisdiction over state government matters may submit legislation to 
the first regular session of each biennium to repeal those boards. 
Sec. 2.  5 MRSA §12016 is enacted to read: 
§12016.  Vacancies 
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if the term of an appointed member of a 
board has expired and a replacement has not been appointed, that member may serve no 
more than an additional 12 months as a board member unless the member is reappointed. 
Sec. 3.  5 MRSA §12017 is enacted to read: 
§12017.  Term limits 
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a member of a board may serve a 
maximum of 4 terms as a member of that board or the maximum number of terms as 
provided by the law governing that board, whichever is less. 
Sec. 4.  5 MRSA §12018 is enacted to read: 
§12018.  Posting of vacancies 
The clerk of a board shall notify the Secretary of State as soon as a vacancy on the 
board occurs.  The Secretary of State shall maintain a publicly accessible website to post 
all vacancies on all boards.  A posting of a vacancy must include brief information about 
the board, qualifications required for the member, the length of the member's term and 
contact information for the appointing authority. 
SUMMARY 
This bill makes the following changes to boards and commissions established by the 
Legislature. 
1.  The suggested legislation currently required by law to be submitted by the 
Secretary of State to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction 
over state government matters must include provisions to repeal any board that has had 
vacancies in 2/3 or more of its membership for more than one year.  The number of 
vacancies and the length of those vacancies are already included in the annual report from 
each board to the Secretary of State. 
2.  A member whose appointed term has expired and for whom no replacement 
member has been appointed may serve no more than an additional 12 months without 
formal reappointment. 
3.  A member of a board may serve no more than 4 terms on that board or the number 
of terms as provided by the statute governing the board, whichever is less. 
4.  The clerk of a board shall notify the Secretary of State of vacancies.  The 
Secretary of State shall post all vacancies on a publicly accessible website.  The posting 
must include brief information about the board, the requirements for the member, the 
length of the member's term and contact information for the appointing authority.