An Act To Allow School Budget Validation Referenda To Be Held on a Saturday

Emergency preamble. Whereas,  acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and

Whereas,  current law prohibits a municipality from conducting a school budget validation referendum on a Saturday; and

Whereas,  many municipalities schedule and hold referendum questions on a Saturday as a matter of custom or historical tradition; and

Whereas,  the residents of a municipality and their elected leaders are most qualified to determine which day of the week may be best suited for holding any referendum; and

Whereas,  in some cases the provisions of a municipal charter may effectively require a municipal referendum to be conducted on a Saturday; and

Whereas,  the 2009 school budget validation referenda around the State will be conducted prior to the adjournment of this Legislature; 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,

Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §1486, sub-§2,  as amended by PL 2007, c. 668, §19, is further amended to read:

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