Court Opinion

ID: 9699984
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 21:02:19.794183+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:21:01.886814
License: Public Domain

POMEROY, Justice
(concurring).
I join in both the opinion of Mr. Justice Godfrey and that of Mr. Justice Wernick. I see no inconsistency in the two.
The rationale described by Mr. Justice Wernick for his conclusion that an emergency bill is outside the “amended form, substitute or recommendation . . . ” directive of section 18 and could render an initiated bill moot, might at first blush give rise to fears that some legislature at some time might thwart the people’s effort to achieve their will by use of the initiative provision of our constitution. This, it might be feared, would result if the Legislature labeled as an emergency measure that which was not truly an emergency.
A reading of Morris v. Goss, 147 Me. 89, 98, 83 A.2d 556, 561 (1951) will quickly dissipate such fear.
In that case this court said:
“In examining the sufficiency of an emergency preamble the question of whether or not the Legislature has expressed (to wit, made an allegation of) a fact or facts is a question of law. Whether or not such fact or facts can constitute an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution is likewise a question of law. These questions of law may be reviewed by this Court.” (Emphasis in original.)
Not only must we ascribe good will to legislative bodies, but it is now abundantly clear that this court remains the final arbiter of the question whether or not an emergency exists. Thus, the people’s right to an initiative is judicially protected.