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132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST SPECIAL SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 1331
H.P. 866 House of Representatives, March 27, 2025
RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of
Maine Regarding When the Governor May Call the Legislature into
Session
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative MORRIS of Turner.
Cosponsored by Representatives: DRINKWATER of Milford, FAULKINGHAM of Winter
Harbor, FLYNN of Albion, GREENWOOD of Wales, LIBBY of Auburn, SMITH of Palermo,
TUELL of East Machias, Senator: TIMBERLAKE of Androscoggin.
Page 1 - 132LR2345(01)
1Constitutional amendment. Resolved: Two thirds of each branch of the
2 Legislature concurring, that the following amendment to the Constitution of Maine be
3 proposed:
4Constitution, Art. V, Pt. First, §13 is amended to read:
5Section 13. Convene the Legislature on extraordinary occasions, and
6adjourn it in case of disagreement; may change the place of meeting. The
7 Governor may, on extraordinary occasions, convene the Legislature, except that if the
8 Legislature has adjourned without day, the Governor may not convene the Legislature until
9 90 days after the Legislature adjourned without day; and in case of disagreement between
10 the 2 Houses with respect to the time of adjournment, adjourn them to such time, as the
11 Governor shall think proper, not beyond the day of the next regular session; and if, since
12 the last adjournment, the place where the Legislature were next to convene shall have
13 become dangerous from an enemy or contagious sickness, may direct the session to be held
14 at some other convenient place within the State.
15Constitutional referendum procedure; form of question; effective date.
16Resolved: That the municipal officers of this State shall notify the inhabitants of their
17 respective cities, towns and plantations to meet, in the manner prescribed by law for holding
18 a statewide election, at a statewide election held in the month of November following the
19 passage of this resolution, to vote upon the ratification of the amendment proposed in this
20 resolution by voting upon the following question:
21 "Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to provide that if the
22 Legislature has adjourned without specifying a date to return, the Governor
23 may not convene the Legislature until 90 days after the Legislature
24 adjourned without specifying a date to return?"
25 The legal voters of each city, town and plantation shall vote by ballot on this question
26 and designate their choice by a cross or check mark placed within the corresponding square
27 below the word "Yes" or "No." The ballots must be received, sorted, counted and declared
28 in open ward, town and plantation meetings and returns made to the Secretary of State in
29 the same manner as votes for members of the Legislature. The Governor shall review the
30 returns. If it appears that a majority of the legal votes are cast in favor of the amendment,
31 the Governor shall proclaim that fact without delay and the amendment becomes part of
32 the Constitution of Maine on the date of the proclamation.
33Secretary of State shall prepare ballots. Resolved: That the Secretary of State
34 shall prepare and furnish to each city, town and plantation all ballots, returns and copies of
35 this resolution necessary to carry out the purposes of this referendum.
36SUMMARY
37 This resolution proposes to amend the Constitution of Maine to provide that if the
38 Legislature has adjourned without day, the Governor may not convene the Legislature until
39 90 days after the Legislature adjourned without day.
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