An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Improve Maine's Housing Stock and Reduce Heating Costs and Oil Consumption
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 1341
Committee: Appropriations and Financial Affairs
Sponsors: HILL, DION, VALENTINO, WOODSOME

Legislative Document 
No. 1341 
S.P. 487 
In Senate, April 16, 2015 
An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Improve 
Maine's Housing Stock and Reduce Heating Costs and Oil 
Consumption 
Reference to the Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by Senator HILL of York. 
Cosponsored by Representative DION of Portland and 
Senators: VALENTINO of York, WOODSOME of York. 
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 $30,000,000 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 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 rehabilitate and modernize the State's multifamily housing and 
market rate single-family housing stock through improvements in weatherization and 
energy efficiency of building envelopes and heating equipment. The Efficiency 
Maine Trust shall provide funding for projects that lower residential heating demand 
and are fuel-neutral and may include, but are not limited to, energy efficiency 
improvements to residential buildings and upgrades to efficient heating systems as 
determined by the Efficiency Maine Trust Board. Funds must be awarded to residents 
of the State or entities based in the State to leverage private funds on at least a 2-to-1 
basis and may be spent over a period of no more than 4 years. 
EFFICIENCY MAINE TRUST 
Provides funds to rehabilitate and modernize the State's low-income housing stock 
with up to 4 housing units through improvements in weatherization and energy 
efficiency of building envelopes and heating equipment. The Maine State Housing 
Authority may not provide funding for fuel-switching except to achieve an overall 
reduction of energy demand and increases in efficiency. Funds may be spent over a 
period of no more than 3 years. 
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 
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 $30,000,000 bond issue to provide $23,000,000 in funds 
to leverage private funds on at least a 2-to-1 basis to modernize the 
State's 
market 
rate 
housing 
stock 
through 
improvements 
in 
weatherization and energy efficiency of building envelopes and heating 
equipment and to provide $7,000,000 in funds to rehabilitate and 
modernize the State's low-income housing stock with up to 4 housing 
units through improvements in weatherization and energy efficiency of 
building envelopes and heating equipment?" 
Total 
$23,000,000
MAINE STATE HOUSING 
AUTHORITY 
Total 
$7,000,000
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 $30,000,000, will be used to 
provide $23,000,000 in funds to leverage private funds on at least a 2-to-1 basis to 
modernize the State's market rate housing stock through improvements in weatherization 
and energy efficiency of building envelopes and heating equipment and to provide 
$7,000,000 in funds to rehabilitate and modernize the State's low-income housing stock 
with up to 4 housing units through improvements in weatherization and energy efficiency 
of building envelopes and heating equipment.