| HP0123 LD 144 |
First Regular Session - 124th Maine Legislature Text:
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LR 75 Item 1 |
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RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine To Reduce the Size of the Legislature
Constitutional amendment. Resolved: Two thirds of each branch of the Legislature concurring, that the following amendment to the Constitution of Maine be proposed:
Constitution, Art. IV, Pt. First, §2 is amended to read:
Section 2. Number of Representatives; biennial terms; division of the State into districts for House of Representatives. The House of Representatives shall consist of 151 members, except that, for the Legislature that convenes in 2013 and thereafter, the House of Representatives shall consist of 115 members, to be elected by the qualified electors, and hold their office 2 years from the day next preceding the first Wednesday in December following the general election. The Legislature which convenes in 1983 2011 and every 10th year thereafter shall cause the State to be divided into districts for the choice of one Representative for each district. The number of Representatives shall be divided into the number of inhabitants of the State exclusive of foreigners not naturalized according to the latest Federal Decennial Census or a State Census previously ordered by the Legislature to coincide with the Federal Decennial Census, to determine a mean population figure for each Representative District. Each Representative District shall be formed of contiguous and compact territory and shall cross political subdivision lines the least number of times necessary to establish as nearly as practicable equally populated districts. Whenever the population of a municipality entitles it to more than one district, all whole districts shall be drawn within municipal boundaries. Any population remainder within the municipality shall be included in a district with contiguous territory and shall be kept intact.
Constitution, Art. IV, Pt. Second, §1 is amended to read:
Section 1. Number of Senators. The Senate shall consist of an odd number of Senators, not less than 31 nor more than 35, except that, for the Legislature that convenes in 2013 and thereafter, the Senate shall consist of an odd number of Senators, not less than 27 nor more than 31, elected at the same time and for the same term as Representatives by the qualified electors of the districts into which the State shall be from time to time divided.
Constitution, Art. IV, Pt. Second, §2, first ¶ is amended to read:
Section 2. Submission of reapportionment plan to Secretary of Senate; Legislature's action on commission's plan; division of State into Senatorial Districts; division by Supreme Judicial Court. The Legislature which shall convene in the year 1983 2011 and every 10th year thereafter shall cause the State to be divided into districts for the choice of a Senator from each district, using the same method as provided in Article IV, Part First, Section 2 for apportionment of Representative Districts.
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 the 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 it appears that a majority of the legal votes are cast in favor of the amendment, the Governor shall proclaim that fact without delay and the amendment becomes part of the Constitution of Maine on the date of the proclamation; and be it further
Secretary of State shall prepare ballots. Resolved: That the Secretary of State shall prepare and furnish to each city, town and plantation all ballots, returns and copies of this resolution necessary to carry out the purposes of this referendum.
SUMMARY
This resolution proposes a constitutional amendment to reduce the size of the House of Representatives from 151 members to 115 members and the size of the Senate from no more than 35 members to no more than 31 members. Under the resolution, the proposal would be presented to the voters for their approval in November 2010, and after voter approval the Legislature that convenes in 2011 would submit a reapportionment plan to implement the reduction in the size of the Legislature. The reduction in the size of each legislative body takes effect in 2013.