An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Strengthen University of Maine System Workforce Education and Innovation
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 1526
Committee: Appropriations and Financial Affairs
Sponsors: PIERCE, DIAMOND, DUNPHY, WHITE, BENNETT, DAUGHTRY, JACKSON, SANBORN

Legislative Document
No. 1526
H.P. 1130
House of Representatives, April 19, 2021
An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Strengthen 
University of Maine System Workforce Education and Innovation
Received by the Clerk of the House on April 15, 2021.  Referred to the Committee on 
Appropriations and Financial Affairs pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant 
to Joint Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative PIERCE of Falmouth.
Cosponsored by Senator DIAMOND of Cumberland and
Representatives: DUNPHY of Old Town, WHITE of Waterville, Senators: BENNETT of 
Oxford, DAUGHTRY of Cumberland, President JACKSON of Aroostook, SANBORN 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 $75,000,000 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.
UNIVERSITY OF MAINE SYSTEM
Provides funds to modernize infrastructure at the University of Maine through 
renovation and replacement approved by the University of Maine System Board of 
Trustees in order to expand and enhance undergraduate and graduate engineering 
education, computing and information science in support of Maine employer needs.  
Bond funds will be matched by at least $75,000,000 in private funds.
Total 
 $35,000,000
Provides funds for the new construction of a graduate and professional center on the 
University of Southern Maine's Portland campus approved by the University of Maine 
System Board of Trustees that will support the State's only law school and other in-
demand integrated professional programs in business, public and health policy and 
engineering.  Bond funds will also support the removal of the existing University of 
Maine School of Law and be matched by at least $55,000,000 in private funds.
Total 
 $20,000,000
Provides funds for renovations, energy efficiencies and improvements of classrooms, 
laboratories and other infrastructure that supports workforce attraction, development and 
retention in education and training programs connected to high-growth occupations at 
the University of Maine at Augusta, University of Maine at Farmington, University of 
Maine at Fort Kent, University of Maine at Machias and University of Maine at Presque 
Isle as approved by the University of Maine System Board of Trustees.
Total 
 $20,000,000
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 $75,000,000 bond issue to be matched by at least 
$130,000,000 in private funds to modernize public university facilities 
statewide in order to expand access to affordable education and training 
for high-demand Maine careers?"
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 $75,000,000, will be used to 
modernize facilities at all University of Maine System campuses in order to leverage at 
least $130,000,000 in private matching funds and expand and enhance integrated education 
and professional training for fields including engineering, computing, information science, 
business and law.