Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 0795
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Sponsors: HICKMAN, JACKSON, ACKLEY, ALLEY, AUSTIN, BABBIDGE, BABINE, BAILEY, BEEBE-CENTER, BERRY, BROOKS, BRYANT, CARDONE, CEBRA, COLLINGS, COOPER, CRAVEN, CROCKETT, DAUGHTRY, DENK, DODGE, DOUDERA, DUNPHY, EVANGELOS, FARNSWORTH, FAULKINGHAM, FAY, FECTEAU, FOLEY, GATTINE, GRAMLICH, HANDY, HARNETT, HEPLER, HOBBS, HUBBELL, INGWERSEN, JORGENSEN, KESSLER, LANDRY, MADIGAN, MAREAN, MARTIN, MATLACK, MEYER, MOONEN, MORALES, NADEAU, O'CONNOR, O'NEIL, ORDWAY, PEBWORTH, PERRY, PIERCE, PLUECKER, RISEMAN, SHARPE, SKOLFIELD, STANLEY, SYLVESTER, TALBOT ROSS, TEPLER, TERRY, TIPPING, WADSWORTH, WARREN, ZEIGLER, BELLOWS, BLACK, BREEN, CARPENTER, CARSON, CHENETTE, CHIPMAN, CLAXTON, GRATWICK, HERBIG, LIBBY, MIRAMANT, VITELLI

Legislative Document
No. 795
H.P. 583
House of Representatives, February 12, 2019
RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of 
Maine To Establish a Right to Food
Reference to the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry suggested and 
ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative HICKMAN of Winthrop.
Cosponsored by President JACKSON of Aroostook and
Representatives: ACKLEY of Monmouth, ALLEY of Beals, AUSTIN of Skowhegan, BABBIDGE of 
Kennebunk, BABINE of Scarborough, BAILEY of Saco, BEEBE-CENTER of Rockland, BERRY of 
Bowdoinham, BROOKS of Lewiston, BRYANT of Windham, CARDONE of Bangor, CEBRA of Naples, 
COLLINGS of Portland, COOPER of Yarmouth, CRAVEN of Lewiston, CROCKETT of Portland, 
DAUGHTRY of Brunswick, DENK of Kennebunk, DODGE of Belfast, DOUDERA of Camden, DUNPHY 
of Old Town, EVANGELOS of Friendship, FARNSWORTH of Portland, FAULKINGHAM of Winter 
Harbor, FAY of Raymond, FECTEAU of Augusta, FECTEAU of Biddeford, FOLEY of Biddeford, 
GATTINE of Westbrook, GRAMLICH of Old Orchard Beach, HANDY of Lewiston, HARNETT of 
Gardiner, HEPLER of Woolwich, HOBBS of Wells, HUBBELL of Bar Harbor, INGWERSEN of Arundel, 
JORGENSEN of Portland, KESSLER of South Portland, LANDRY of Farmington, MADIGAN of 
Waterville, MAREAN of Hollis, MARTIN of Eagle Lake, MARTIN of Sinclair, MATLACK of St. George, 
McCREA of Fort Fairfield, McCREIGHT of Harpswell, McDONALD of Stonington, MEYER of Eliot, 
MOONEN of Portland, MORALES of South Portland, NADEAU of Winslow, O'CONNOR of Berwick, 
O'NEIL of Saco, ORDWAY of Standish, PEBWORTH of Blue Hill, PERRY of Calais, PIERCE of 
Falmouth, PLUECKER of Warren, RISEMAN of Harrison, SHARPE of Durham, SKOLFIELD of Weld, 
STANLEY of Medway, SYLVESTER of Portland, TALBOT ROSS of Portland, TEPLER of Topsham, 
TERRY of Gorham, TIPPING of Orono, WADSWORTH of Hiram, WARREN of Hallowell, ZEIGLER of 
Montville, Senators: BELLOWS of Kennebec, BLACK of Franklin, BREEN of Cumberland, CARPENTER 
of Aroostook, CARSON of Cumberland, CHENETTE of York, CHIPMAN of Cumberland, CLAXTON of 
Androscoggin, GRATWICK of Penobscot, HERBIG of Waldo, LIBBY of Androscoggin, MIRAMANT of 
Knox, SANBORN, H. of Cumberland, VITELLI of Sagadahoc.
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. I, §25 is enacted to read:
Section 25.  Rights to food and food sovereignty and freedom from 
hunger.  All individuals have a natural, inherent and unalienable right to food, including 
the right to acquire, produce, process, prepare, preserve and consume the food of their 
own choosing by hunting, gathering, foraging, farming, fishing, gardening and saving and 
exchanging seeds or by barter, trade or purchase from sources of their own choosing, for 
their nourishment, sustenance, bodily health and well-being, as long as an individual does 
not commit trespassing, theft, poaching or other abuses of private property rights, public 
lands or natural resources in the acquisition of food; furthermore, all individuals have a 
fundamental right to be free from hunger, malnutrition, starvation and the endangerment 
of life from the scarcity of or lack of access to nourishing food.
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 declare that all 
individuals have a natural, inherent and unalienable right to acquire, 
produce, process, prepare, preserve and consume and to barter, trade and 
purchase the food of their own choosing for their own nourishment, 
sustenance, bodily health and well-being?"
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.
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 constitutional resolution declares that all individuals have a natural, inherent and 
unalienable right to acquire, produce, process, prepare, preserve and consume and to 
barter, trade and purchase the food of their own choosing for their own nourishment, 
sustenance, bodily health and well-being.