An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Invest in Maine's Rail Infrastructure and Expand Passenger Rail Service
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 0535
Committee: Appropriations and Financial Affairs
Sponsors: SHEATS, CLAXTON, LIBBY, BICKFORD, BROOKS, CLOUTIER, CRAVEN, HANDY, MELARAGNO, DIAMOND

Legislative Document
No. 535
H.P. 392
House of Representatives, January 31, 2019
An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Invest in 
Maine's Rail Infrastructure and Expand Passenger Rail Service
Reference to the Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative SHEATS of Auburn.
Cosponsored by Senator CLAXTON of Androscoggin, Senator LIBBY of Androscoggin and
Representatives: BICKFORD of Auburn, BROOKS of Lewiston, CLOUTIER of Lewiston, 
CRAVEN of Lewiston, HANDY of Lewiston, MELARAGNO of Auburn, Senator: 
DIAMOND of Cumberland.
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 $50,000,000 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 
projects 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 repair and reconstruct state-owned railroad lines.
Provides funds to improve infrastructure on the railway crossing at Royal Junction in 
the Town of Yarmouth.
TRANSPORTATION, DEPARTMENT 
OF
Total
$24,000,000
Provides funds to improve the railroad line between the cities of Auburn and 
Lewiston and the City of Portland.
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 $50,000,000 bond issue to invest in Maine's rail 
infrastructure and expand passenger rail service?"
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.
Total
$16,000,000
Total
$10,000,000
SUMMARY
The funds provided by this bond issue, in the amount of $50,000,000, will be used to 
repair and reconstruct state-owned railroad lines, improve infrastructure on a railway 
crossing in the Town of Yarmouth and improve the railroad line between the cities of 
Lewiston and Auburn and the City of Portland.