Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 0299
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: JONES, CHENETTE, CHIPMAN, EVANGELOS, GILBERT, HICKMAN, KUSIAK, NADEAU, NOON

Legislative Document 
No. 299 
H.P. 208 
House of Representatives, February 7, 2013 
RESOLUTION,  Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of 
Maine To Require the State Share of Education Funding To Be at 
Least Fifty-five Percent of the Total Cost and One Hundred Percent 
of the Cost of Special Education 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative JONES of Freedom. 
Cosponsored by Representatives: CHENETTE of Saco, CHIPMAN of Portland, 
EVANGELOS of Friendship, GILBERT of Jay, HICKMAN of Winthrop, KUSIAK of 
Fairfield, NADEAU of Winslow, NOON of Sanford. 
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. VIII, Pt. First, §3 is enacted to read: 
Section 3.  State share of education costs.  The Legislature shall appropriate 
sufficient state funds to cover at least 55% of the total state and local cost of funding 
public education from kindergarten to grade 12 and 100% of the state and local cost of 
providing all special education services mandated under federal and state law, rule or 
regulation. 
; 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 require the 
Legislature to provide sufficient state funds to cover at least 55% of the 
total state and local cost of funding public education from kindergarten to 
grade 12 and 100% of the state and local cost of special education?" 
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 the date of the proclamation; 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 require the 
Legislature to appropriate sufficient state funds to cover at least 55% of the total state and 
local cost of funding public education from kindergarten to grade 12 and 100% of the 
state and local costs of special education as approved pursuant to citizen-initiated 
legislation in 2004.