Whereas, this legislation needs to take effect before the expiration of the 90-day period to allow the Lincoln and Sagadahoc Multicounty Jail Authority to issue bonds in a timely fashion; 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 §1851, sub-§4 is enacted to read:

4.__Establishment.__The Lincoln and Sagadahoc Multicounty Jail Authority is established as a public body corporate and politic and a public instrumentality of the counties, and the exercise by the authority of the powers conferred by this chapter must be deemed and held to be the performance of essential governmental functions.

Sec. 2. Retroactivity. That section of this Act that enacts the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 30-A, section 1851, subsection 4 applies retroactively to December 8, 2003.

Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this Act takes effect when approved.

SUMMARY

This bill provides for the establishment of the Lincoln and Sagadahoc Multicounty Jail Authority as a public body corporate and politic and a public instrumentality of the counties.