An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue for Infrastructure To Improve Transportation and Internet Connections
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 2134
Committee: Appropriations and Financial Affairs
Sponsors: GATTINE, BREEN, DUNPHY

Legislative Document
No. 2134
H.P. 1524
House of Representatives, March 5, 2020
An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue for Infrastructure 
To Improve Transportation and Internet Connections
Reference to the Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative GATTINE of Westbrook.  (GOVERNOR'S BILL)
Cosponsored by Senator BREEN of Cumberland and
Representative: DUNPHY of Old Town.
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:
PART A
Sec. A-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 $105,000,000 for the purposes described in section 5 of this Part.  
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. A-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. A-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 Part.  Any unencumbered balances remaining at the completion of the project 
in this Part lapse to the Office of the Treasurer of State to be used for the retirement of 
general obligation bonds.
Sec. A-4.  Interest and debt retirement.  The Treasurer of State shall pay 
interest due or accruing on any bonds issued under this Part and all sums coming due for 
payment of bonds at maturity.
Sec. A-5.  Disbursement of bond proceeds from General Fund bond issue.  
The proceeds of the sale of the bonds authorized under this Part 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 improve highways and bridges statewide, including the Madawaska 
International Bridge replacement project and associated utility relocation costs, and 
for the department's municipal partnership initiative and associated activities.
TRANSPORTATION, DEPARTMENT 
OF
Total
$90,000,000
Provides funds for multimodal facilities or equipment related to transit, freight and 
passenger railroads, aviation, ports, harbors, marine transportation and active 
transportation projects and associated activities.
Sec. A-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 Part.
Sec. A-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. A-8.  Bonds authorized but not issued.  Any bonds authorized but not 
issued within 5 years of ratification of this Part 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. A-9.  Referendum for ratification; submission at election; form of 
question; effective date.  This Part must be submitted to the legal voters of the State at 
a statewide election held in November 2020.  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 Part by voting on the following question:
"Do you favor a $105,000,000 bond issue for improvement of highways 
and bridges statewide and for multimodal facilities or equipment related 
to transit, freight and passenger railroads, aviation, ports, harbors, marine 
transportation and active transportation projects, to be used to match an 
estimated $275,000,000 in federal and other funds?"
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 Part, the 
Governor shall proclaim the result without delay and this Part 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 Part necessary to carry out the purposes of this 
referendum.
Total
$15,000,000
PART B
Sec. B-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 $15,000,000 for the purposes described in section 6 of this Part.  
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. B-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. B-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 Part.  Any unencumbered balances remaining at the completion of the project 
in this Part lapse to the Office of the Treasurer of State to be used for the retirement of 
general obligation bonds.
Sec. B-4.  Interest and debt retirement.  The Treasurer of State shall pay 
interest due or accruing on any bonds issued under this Part and all sums coming due for 
payment of bonds at maturity.
Sec. B-5.  Disbursement of bond proceeds.  The ConnectME Authority, in 
consultation with the Department of Economic and Community Development, shall 
oversee the disbursement of bond proceeds and matching funds authorized pursuant to 
this Part.
Sec. B-6.  Allocations from General Fund bond issue.  The proceeds of the 
sale of the bonds authorized under this Part must be expended as designated in the 
following schedule.
Provides funds to the ConnectME Authority, as established in the Maine Revised 
Statutes, Title 5, section 12004-G, subsection 33-F, for investments in high-speed 
internet infrastructure in unserved and underserved areas.
Sec. B-7.  Contingent upon ratification of bond issue.  Sections 1 to 6 do not 
become effective unless the people of the State ratify the issuance of the bonds as set 
forth in this Part.
CONNECTME AUTHORITY
Total
$15,000,000
Sec. B-8.  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. B-9.  Bonds authorized but not issued.  Any bonds authorized but not 
issued within 5 years of ratification of this Part 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. B-10.  Referendum for ratification; submission at election; form of 
question; effective date.  This Part must be submitted to the legal voters of the State at 
a statewide election held in November 2020.  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 Part by voting on the following question:
"Do you favor a $15,000,000 bond issue to invest in high-speed internet 
infrastructure for unserved and underserved areas, to be used to match up 
to $30,000,000 in federal, private, local or other funds?"
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 Part, the 
Governor shall proclaim the result without delay and this Part 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 Part necessary to carry out the purposes of this 
referendum.
SUMMARY
The funds provided by the bond issue under Part A, in the amount of $105,000,000, 
will be used for improvement of highways and bridges statewide and for multimodal 
facilities or equipment related to transit, freight and passenger railroads, aviation, ports, 
harbors, marine transportation and active transportation projects, to be matched by an 
estimated $275,000,000 in federal and other funds.
The funds provided by the bond issue under Part B, in the amount of $15,000,000, 
will be used for investments in high-speed internet infrastructure for unserved and 
underserved areas, to be matched by up to $30,000,000 in federal, private, local or other 
funds.