An Act To Amend the Law That Increases the Number of Franklin County Commissioners
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 1852
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: RILEY
Amends: 30-A MRSA §66-B

Legislative Document
No. 1852
H.P. 1323
House of Representatives, August 26, 2019
An Act To Amend the Law That Increases the Number of Franklin 
County Commissioners
(EMERGENCY)
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative RILEY of Jay.  (GOVERNOR'S BILL)
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, this legislation authorizes the Franklin County commissioners to submit a 
referendum question to the voters of Franklin County in the statewide election to be held 
in November 2019; and
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore,
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  30-A MRSA §66-B, sub-§4-A, ¶B, as enacted by PL 2019, c. 362, §2 
and affected by §3, is amended to read:
B.  For purposes of the reapportionment and redistricting conducted in accordance 
with the Constitution of Maine, Article IX, Section 25, Franklin County is divided 
into 5 districts. The redistricting must reflect 5 commissioner districts for Franklin 
County and in addition must align as closely as practicable with the following:
(1)  Commissioner District Number 1, in the County of Franklin, consists of the 
minor civil divisions and unorganized territories of Temple, Wilton and the 
portion of Farmington located on the west side of the Sandy River of Chesterville 
and Jay.  The term of office of the commissioner from this district expires in 
2024 2026 and every 4 years thereafter.
(2)  Commissioner District Number 2, in the County of Franklin, consists of the 
portion of Farmington located on the east side of the Sandy River.  The term of 
office of the commissioner from this district expires in 2024 and every 4 years 
thereafter.
(3)  Commissioner District Number 3, in the County of Franklin, consists of the 
minor civil divisions and unorganized territories of Avon, Carthage, Coplin, 
Eustis, North Franklin, Phillips, Rangeley, Rangeley Plantation, Sandy River, 
South Franklin, Strong, Weld and West Central Franklin.  The term of office of 
the commissioner from this district expires in 2024 and every 4 years thereafter.
(4)  Commissioner District Number 4, in the County of Franklin, consists of the 
minor civil divisions and unorganized territories of Carrabassett Valley, Dallas, 
East Central Franklin, Industry, Kingfield, New Sharon, New Vineyard and 
Wyman Township. The term of office of the commissioner from this district 
expires in 2026 and every 4 years thereafter.
(5)  Commissioner District Number 5, in the County of Franklin, consists of the 
minor civil divisions of Chesterville and Jay and unorganized territories of 
Temple, Wilton and the portion of Farmington located on the west side of the 
Sandy River.  The term of office of the commissioner from this district expires in 
2026 2024 and every 4 years thereafter.
Sec. 2.  PL 2019, c. 362, §3  is amended to read:
Sec. 3.  Referendum; effective date.  This Act takes effect 90 days after its 
approval only for the purpose of permitting its submission by the county commissioners 
of Franklin to the legal voters of the county by ballot at the next general statewide 
election to be held in November 2019.  The method of voting and the conduct of the 
referendum are governed by the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 21-A, and the county 
commissioners or county administrators shall perform the duties of the Secretary of State 
prescribed by Title 21-A in the same manner as the county commissioners are required to 
do in the case of a county bond referendum election held pursuant to Title 30-A, section 
938.  The subject matter of this Act must be reduced to the following question:
"Do you favor increasing the number of Franklin County commissioner 
districts from 3 to 5 and staggering the terms of the 5 county 
commissioners following redistricting conducted pursuant to the Maine 
Constitution in 2021?"
The voters shall indicate their opinion on this question by a cross or check mark placed 
against the word "Yes" or "No."  Before becoming effective, this Act must be approved 
by a majority of the legal voters casting ballots at the general election, and the total 
number of votes cast for and against the acceptance of this Act at the election must equal 
or exceed 50% of the total number of votes cast in the county for Governor at the last 
gubernatorial election.
The result of a referendum must be declared by the county commissioners or county 
administrators and due certificate filed with the Secretary of State within 10 days after the 
date of the election.
This Act takes effect for all purposes upon approval of the referendum held in accordance 
with this section.
Sec. 3.  Contingent effective date.  That section of this Act that amends the 
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 30-A, section 66-B, subsection 4-A, paragraph B takes 
effect only upon approval of the referendum held in accordance with Public Law 2019, 
chapter 362, as amended by this Act.
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect September 19, 2019.
SUMMARY
Public Law 2019, chapter 362 increases the number of Franklin County 
commissioners, subject to referendum by the voters of Franklin County.  This bill amends 
that law to authorize submission of the referendum question to voters of Franklin County 
in the statewide election to be held in November 2019.  This bill also makes technical 
changes to the designations of new County Commissioner Districts Number 1 and 
Number 5.