LD149 • 2025

RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Provide for the Popular Election of the Attorney General

Elections

Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor: Representative Billy Bob Faulkingham
Last action: 2025-06-09
Official status: Reports Read Motion by Senator BALDACCI of Penobscot to ACCEPT the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report FAILED . Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 424 Yeas 17 - Nays 17 - Excused 1 - Absent 0 Subsequently, The Minority Ought Not To Pass Report ACCEPTED in concurrence. Placed in Legislative Files (DEAD)
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Provide for the Popular Election of the Attorney General

RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Provide for the Popular Election of the Attorney General Sponsor: Representative Billy Bob Faulkingham Reference committee: State and Local Government Latest committee action: Reported Out; OTP-AM/ONTP

What This Bill Does

RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Provide for the Popular Election of the Attorney General Sponsor: Representative Billy Bob Faulkingham Reference committee: State and Local Government Latest committee action: Reported Out; OTP-AM/ONTP

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

C-A (H-529)

Filed

Plain English: Page 1 - 132LR0421(02) COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 1 L.D.

Page 1 - 132LR0421(02) COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 1 L.D.
149 2 Date: (Filing No.
H- ) 3STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT 4 Reproduced and distributed under the direction of the Clerk of the House.
5STATE OF MAINE 6HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 7132ND LEGISLATURE 8FIRST SPECIAL SESSION 9 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT “ ” to H.P.

Bill History

2025-06-09 House
Reports READ . Motion of Representative SALISBURY of Westbrook to ACCEPT the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report FAILED . ROLL CALL NO. 375 (Yeas 66 - Nays 79 - Absent 4 - Excused 2) On motion of Representative SALISBURY of Westbrook, the Minority Ought Not to Pass Report was ACCEPTED . Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
2025-06-09 Senate
Reports Read Motion by Senator BALDACCI of Penobscot to ACCEPT the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report FAILED . Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 424 Yeas 17 - Nays 17 - Excused 1 - Absent 0 Subsequently, The Minority Ought Not To Pass Report ACCEPTED in concurrence. Placed in Legislative Files (DEAD)
2025-06-05 Committee
Reported Out; OTP-AM/ONTP
2025-04-23 Committee
Work Session Held
2025-04-23 Committee
Voted; Divided Report
2025-01-14 Committee
Referred to Committee on State and Local Government.

Official Summary Text

RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Provide for the Popular Election of the Attorney General
Sponsor:
Representative Billy Bob Faulkingham
Reference committee:
State and Local Government
Latest committee action:
Reported Out; OTP-AM/ONTP

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Printed on recycled paper
132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 149
H.P. 82 House of Representatives, January 14, 2025
RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of
Maine to Provide for the Popular Election of the Attorney General
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative FAULKINGHAM of Winter Harbor.
Cosponsored by Representatives: ARDELL of Monticello, CAMPBELL of Orrington, LIBBY
of Auburn, MCINTYRE of Lowell, MORRIS of Turner, SMITH of Palermo, THORNE of
Carmel, TUELL of East Machias.

Page 1 - 132LR0421(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. IX, §11 is amended to read:
5Section 11. Attorney General. The Attorney General shall be chosen biennially
6 by joint ballot popular election on the same date and in the same manner as provided by
7 this Constitution for the election of the Senators and Representatives in convention.
8 Vacancy in said office occurring when the Legislature is not in session, may be filled by
9 appointment by the Governor, subject to confirmation as required by this Constitution for
10 Justices of the Supreme Judicial Court.
11Constitutional referendum procedure; form of question; effective date.
12Resolved: That the municipal officers of this State shall notify the inhabitants of their
13 respective cities, towns and plantations to meet, in the manner prescribed by law for holding
14 a statewide election, at a statewide election held in the month of November following the
15 passage of this resolution, to vote upon the ratification of the amendment proposed in this
16 resolution by voting upon the following question:
17 "Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to provide that the
18 Attorney General be elected by the people biennially in the same manner
19 as members of the Senate and the House of Representatives?"
20 The legal voters of each city, town and plantation shall vote by ballot on this question
21 and designate their choice by a cross or check mark placed within the corresponding square
22 below the word "Yes" or "No." The ballots must be received, sorted, counted and declared
23 in open ward, town and plantation meetings and returns made to the Secretary of State in
24 the same manner as votes for members of the Legislature. The Governor shall review the
25 returns. If it appears that a majority of the legal votes are cast in favor of the amendment,
26 the Governor shall proclaim that fact without delay and the amendment becomes part of
27 the Constitution of Maine on the date of the proclamation.
28Secretary of State shall prepare ballots. Resolved: That the Secretary of State
29 shall prepare and furnish to each city, town and plantation all ballots, returns and copies of
30 this resolution necessary to carry out the purposes of this referendum.
31SUMMARY
32 This resolution proposes a constitutional amendment that provides for popular election
33 beginning in 2026 of the Attorney General biennially in the manner currently provided for
34 Senators and Representatives.
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