An Act To Limit Consent Regarding Land Transfers to the Federal Government
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 1828
Committee Amendment CA_A_S496 (Senate)
Amends: 1 MRSA §15, 1 MRSA §15-B

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A "to S.P. 733, L.D. 1828, Bill, "An Act To Limit 
Consent Regarding Land Transfers to the Federal Government" 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the 
summary and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 1 MRSA §15 is amended to read: 
§15. 
Consent of Legislature to acquisition of land by United States for public 
buildings; record of conveyances; tract or contiguous tracts of 40 acres or 
more 
In accordance with the Constitution of the United States, Article 1, Section VIII, 
Clause 17, and Acts of Congress in such cases provided, the consent of the Legislature is 
given to the acquisition by the United States, or under its authority, by purchase, 
condemnation or otherwise, of any land in this State required for the erection of 
lighthouses or for sites for customhouses, courthouses, post offices, arsenals or other 
public buildings, or to the acquisition of a tract or contiguous tracts of land the total of 
which does not exceed 40 acres in area for any other purposes of the government. A tract 
or contiguous tracts of land the total of which exceeds 40 acres in area may not be 
acquired by the United States for a purpose not specifically authorized in this section 
unless consent thereto is granted by the Legislature by an affirmative vote of a majority 
of the members of each house of the Legislature. Deeds and conveyances or title papers 
for the same shall must be recorded upon the land records of the county or registry district 
in which the land so conveyed may lie; and in like manner may be recorded a sufficient 
description by metes and bounds, courses and distances, of any tracts and legal divisions 
of any public lands belonging to the United States set apart by the general government for 
either of the purposes before mentioned, by an order, patent or other official paper so 
describing such land. 
Sec. 2. 1 MRSA §15-B is enacted to read: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A "to S.P. 733, L.D. 1828 
§lS-B. Trust lands 
Notwithstanding section 15, in accordance with the Constitution of the United States, 
Article 1, Section VIII, Clause 17, and Acts of Congress in such cases provided, the 
consent of the Legislature is given for the acquisition of land to be held in trust by the 
Secretary of the Interior of the United States for the benefit of the Passamaquoddy Tribe, 
the Penobscot Nation, the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians or the Aroostook Band of 
Micmacs pursuant to applicable state or federal law.' 
SU~ARY 
This amendment is the minority report of the Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary. 
The amendment changes the bill to state that the Legislature'S consent is not provided 
when the Federal Government acquires a tract or contiguous tracts of land the total of 
which exceeds 40 acres for any purpose other than the specific purposes listed in the 
current law. An affirmative vote of a majority of the members of each house of the 
Legislature is required to consent to such an acquisition. 
The amendment provides that the changes do not limit the Legislature's consent to 
acquisition by the Federal Government of land to be held in trust for the benefit of the 
Passamaquoddy Tribe, the Penobscot Nation, the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians or the 
Aroostook Band of Micmacs pursuant to applicable state or federal law. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT