An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue for Educational Opportunities for Underserved Regions of the State
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 0874
Committee: Appropriations and Financial Affairs
Sponsors: ALFOND, WAGNER, JACKSON, TRAHAN, LOVEJOY, NELSON

Legislative Document 
No. 874 
S.P. 278 
In Senate, March 8, 2011 
An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue for Educational 
Opportunities for Underserved Regions of the State 
Reference to the Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
JOSEPH G. CARLETON, JR. 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by Senator ALFOND of Cumberland. 
Cosponsored by Representative WAGNER of Lewiston and 
Senators: JACKSON of Aroostook, TRAHAN of Lincoln, Representatives: LOVEJOY of 
Portland, NELSON of Falmouth. 
Preamble.  Two thirds of both Houses of the Legislature deeming it necessary in 
accordance with the Constitution of Maine, Article IX, Section 14 to authorize the 
issuance of bonds on behalf of the State of Maine to provide funds as described in this 
Act, 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  Authorization of bonds.  The Treasurer of State is authorized, under the 
direction of the Governor, to issue bonds in the name and on behalf of the State in an 
amount not exceeding $27,100,000 for the purposes described in section 5 of this Act.  
The bonds are a pledge of the full faith and credit of the State.  The bonds may not run for 
a period longer than 10 years from the date of the original issue of the bonds. 
Sec. 2.  Records of bonds issued; Treasurer of State. The Treasurer of State 
shall ensure that an account of each bond is kept showing the number of the bond, the 
name of the successful bidder to whom sold, the amount received for the bond, the date of 
sale and the date when payable. 
Sec. 3.  Sale; how negotiated; proceeds appropriated.  The Treasurer of State 
may negotiate the sale of the bonds by direction of the Governor, but no bond may be 
loaned, pledged or hypothecated on behalf of the State.  The proceeds of the sale of the 
bonds, which must be held by the Treasurer of State and paid by the Treasurer of State 
upon warrants drawn by the State Controller, are appropriated solely for the purposes set 
forth in this Act.  Any unencumbered balances remaining at the completion of the project 
in this Act lapse to the Office of the Treasurer of State to be used for the retirement of 
general obligation bonds. 
Sec. 4.  Interest and debt retirement.  The Treasurer of State shall pay interest 
due or accruing on any bonds issued under this Act and all sums coming due for payment 
of bonds at maturity. 
Sec. 5.  Disbursement of bond proceeds; allocations from General Fund 
bond issue.  The proceeds of the sale of the bonds authorized under this Act must be 
expended as designated in the following schedule under the direction and supervision of 
the agencies and entities set forth in this section. 
Provides funds to expand regional resource centers to meet rural kindergarten to 
grade 12 equipment and training needs for teacher professional development in 
science, technology, engineering and mathematics. 
UNIVERSITY OF MAINE SYSTEM 
University of Maine 
Total 
$3,000,000
Provides funds to upgrade classrooms, laboratories, equipment and other capital 
infrastructure to support health degree programs such as nursing and medical 
laboratory, dental and veterinary technicians. 
Provides funds to upgrade the Ricker Hall science laboratory and classroom complex 
including laboratories, equipment, the building envelope and geothermal heating, 
ventilation and air conditioning. 
Provides funds for infrastructure inprovements to support information technology, 
science and nursing laboratories and wildlife and fisheries sciences. 
Provides funds for laboratory and science building upgrades to advance economic 
development in rural Washington County. 
Provides funds to upgrade campus science laboratories and equipment, install 
interactive technology and make other infrastructure improvements to enhance the 
teaching of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. 
University of Maine at Augusta 
Total 
$2,000,000
University of Maine at Farmington 
Total 
$2,000,000
University of Maine at Fort Kent 
Total 
$2,100,000
University of Maine at Machias 
Total 
$2,200,000
University of Maine at Presque Isle 
Total 
$2,000,000
Provides funds for the renovation to modern standards of 6 laboratories on the 
Portland and Gorham campuses. 
Provides funds for mobile laptop computer carts and computers and a van with a 
ramp and shelves. 
Provides funds for wireless connectivity, video conferencing, installation of 
interactive white board classrooms, the upgrade and refurbishment of computer 
laboratories, mobile laptop computer carts and computers and a van with a ramp and 
shelves. 
Provides funds for new desktop computers, netbook and laptop computer mobile 
laboratories, upgrades to core infrastructure, software licenses, video conferencing, a 
classroom wing addition and a van with a ramp and shelves. 
University of Southern Maine 
Total 
$3,000,000
MAINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE 
SYSTEM 
Central Maine Community College 
Total 
$390,000
Eastern Maine Community College 
Total 
$290,000
Kennebec Valley Community College 
Total 
$5,463,000
Northern Maine Community College 
Provides funds for mobile laptop computer carts and computers, a van with a ramp 
and shelves, instructional equipment to upgrade classrooms including interactive 
white boards, heating, ventilation and technology upgrades in the Christie Complex 
and renovation of the welding facility and classroom equipment. 
Provides funds for equipment for computer classrooms, upgrades to software that 
allows for teaching over the Internet, mobile laboratories for health sciences and 
welding, mobile laptop computer carts and computers and a van with a ramp and 
shelves. 
Provides funds for wireless access, the conversion and upgrade of the lecture hall 
electronic environment, the renovation of and construction of an addition to Howland 
Hall and equipment for a new computer systems technology program. 
Provides funds for a video conferencing system, mobile laptop computer carts and 
computers and a van with a ramp and shelves. 
Sec. 6.  Contingent upon ratification of bond issue.  Sections 1 to 5 do not 
become effective unless the people of the State ratify the issuance of the bonds as set 
forth in this Act. 
Sec. 7.  Appropriation balances at year-end.  At the end of each fiscal year, all 
unencumbered appropriation balances representing state money carry forward.  Bond 
proceeds that have not been expended within 10 years after the date of the sale of the 
Total 
$1,759,000
Southern Maine Community College 
Total 
$680,000
Washington County Community College 
Total 
$1,920,000
York County Community College 
Total 
$298,000
bonds lapse to the Office of the Treasurer of State to be used for the retirement of general 
obligation bonds. 
Sec. 8.  Bonds authorized but not issued.  Any bonds authorized but not issued 
within 5 years of ratification of this Act are deauthorized and may not be issued, except 
that the Legislature may, within 2 years after the expiration of that 5-year period, extend 
the period for issuing any remaining unissued bonds for an additional amount of time not 
to exceed 5 years. 
Sec. 9.  Referendum for ratification; 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 a $27,100,000 bond issue to improve and enhance the 
University of Maine System and the Maine Community College System 
by upgrading equipment and facilities to serve the underserved regions of 
the State?" 
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 
after the date of the proclamation. 
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 
The funds provided by this bond issue, in the amount of $27,100,000, will be used to 
improve equipment and facilities at the University of Maine System and the Maine 
Community College System to better serve the underserved regions of the State.