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, as amended by CR 2011, c. 1, is further 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, beginning with the 128th Legislature and thereafter, the House of Representatives shall consist of 101 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 2013 2015, and also the Legislature which convenes in 2021 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, beginning with the 128th Legislature and thereafter, the Senate shall consist of 25 members, 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 as amended by CR 2011, c. 1, is further 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 2013 2015, and also the Legislature which shall convene in the year 2021 and every tenth 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.

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 to amend the Constitution of Maine to reduce the size of the House of Representatives from 151 members to 101 members and the size of the Senate from no more than 35 members and no less than 31 members to 25 members. Under the resolution, the proposal would be presented to the voters for their approval at a statewide election held in the month of November following the passage of this resolution, and after voter approval, the Legislature that convenes in 2015 would submit a reapportionment plan to implement the reduction in the size of the Legislature. The reduction in the size of the legislative body takes effect with the 128th Legislature.