Resolve, Establishing the East-west Highway Study Commission To Oversee Further Study or Planning for an East-west Highway
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 1304
Committee: Transportation
Sponsors: McCABE, JACKSON, CAREY

Legislative Document 
No. 1304 
H.P. 931 
House of Representatives, April 2, 2013 
Resolve, Establishing the East-west Highway Study Commission To 
Oversee Further Study or Planning for an East-west Highway 
Reference to the Committee on Transportation suggested and ordered printed. 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative McCABE of Skowhegan. 
Cosponsored by Senator JACKSON of Aroostook and 
Representative: CAREY of Lewiston. 
Sec. 1.  East-west Highway Study Commission established.  Resolved:  
That the East-west Highway Study Commission, referred to in this resolve as "the 
commission," is established to oversee all state participation in plans for and development 
of an east-west highway; and be it further 
Sec. 2.  Commission membership.  Resolved:  That the commission consists of 
members as follows: 
1.  Four members appointed by the President of the Senate as follows: 
A.  Two members of the Senate from the party holding the largest number of seats in 
the Senate; 
B.  One member of the Senate from the party holding the 2nd largest number of seats 
in the Senate; and 
C.  One member of the public who resides in the vicinity of the proposed east-west 
highway; 
2.  Six members appointed by the Speaker of the House as follows: 
A.  Two members of the House of Representatives from the party holding the largest 
number of seats in the House; 
B.  One member of the House of Representatives from the party holding the 2nd 
largest number of seats in the House; 
C.  Two members of the public who reside in the vicinity of the proposed east-west 
highway; and 
D.  One member of the public who has expertise in rail transportation; and 
3.  The Commissioner of Transportation or the commissioner's designee; and be it 
further 
Sec. 3.  Chairs.  Resolved:  That the first-named Senate member is the Senate 
chair and the first-named House of Representatives member is the House chair of the 
commission; and be it further 
Sec. 4.  Appointments; convening of commission.  Resolved:  That all 
appointments must be made no later than 30 days following the effective date of this 
resolve.  The appointing authorities shall notify the Executive Director of the Legislative 
Council once all appointments have been completed.  After appointment of all members, 
the chairs shall call and convene the first meeting of the commission.  If 30 days or more 
after the effective date of this resolve a majority of but not all appointments have been 
made, the chairs may request authority and the Legislative Council may grant authority 
for the commission to meet and conduct its business; and be it further 
Sec. 5.  Duties.  Resolved:  That the commission shall consider the costs and 
benefits of a wide range of options and not limit its analysis to the financial feasibility of 
a new highway or highway upgrade project, and that alternative methods of achieving any 
benefits of a new highway, including rail services, must also be presented to the public 
for comment and analyzed in the work of the commission.  The commission shall hold at 
least 3 regional public hearings along the route of the proposed east-west transit corridor.  
All documents, including emails, attachments, letters, contracts, reports, records, notes, 
summaries, working papers, plans, interoffice and intraoffice memoranda, drafts or any 
other materials created, received or transmitted by the commission are subject to public 
review and are not confidential under any provision of Maine law; and be it further 
Sec. 6.  Staff assistance.  Resolved:  That the Legislative Council shall provide 
necessary staffing services to the commission; and be it further 
Sec. 7.  Report.  Resolved:  That, no later than January 15, 2014, the commission 
shall submit a preliminary report that includes its findings and recommendations and, no 
later than October 15, 2014, a final report to the Joint Standing Committee on 
Transportation. 
SUMMARY 
This resolve establishes the East-west Highway Study Commission to oversee further 
study of an east-west highway.