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RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine To Change the Schedule for Redistricting
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, 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 19832013, 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. First, §3  is amended to read:
Section 3. Submission of reapportionment plan to Clerk of House; Legislature's action on commission's plan. The apportionment plan of the commission established under Article IV, Part Third, Section 1-A shall be submitted to the Clerk of the House no later than 120 calendar days after the convening of the LegislatureJune 1st of the year in which apportionment is required. In the preparation of legislation implementing the plan, the commission, following a unanimous decision by commission members, may adjust errors and inconsistencies in accordance with the standards set forth in this Constitution, so long as substantive changes are not made. The Legislature shall enact the submitted plan of the commission or a plan of its own by a vote of 2/3 of the Members of each House within 30 calendar days after the plan of the commission is submittedby June 11th of the year in which apportionment is required. Such action shall be subject to the Governor's approval as provided in Article IV, Part Third, Section 2.
In the event that the Legislature shall fail to make an apportionment within 130 calendar days after convening by June 11th, the Supreme Judicial Court shall, within 60 days following the period in which the Legislature is required to act, but fails to do so, make the apportionment. In making such apportionment, the Supreme Judicial Court shall take into consideration plans and briefs filed by the public with the court during the first 30 days of the period in which the court is required to apportion.
The Supreme Judicial Court shall have original jurisdiction to hear any challenge to an apportionment law enacted by the Legislature, as registered by any citizen or group thereof. If any challenge is sustained, the Supreme Judicial Court shall make the apportionment.
 
Constitution,   Art. IV, Pt. Second, §2  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 19832013, 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.
The apportionment plan of the commission established under Article IV, Part Third, Section 1-A shall be submitted to the Secretary of the Senate no later than 120 calendar days after the convening of the Legislature June 1st of the year in which apportionment is required. In the preparation of legislation implementing the plan, the commission, following a unanimous decision by commission members, may adjust errors and inconsistencies in accordance with the standards set forth in this Constitution, so long as substantive changes are not made. The Legislature shall enact the submitted plan of the commission or a plan of its own by a vote of 2/3 of the Members of each House, within 30 calendar days after the plan of the commission is submitted by June 11th of the year in which apportionment is required. Such action shall be subject to the Governor's approval as provided in Article IV, Part Third, Section 2.
In the event that the Legislature shall fail to make an apportionment within 130 days after convening by June 11th, the Supreme Judicial Court shall, within 60 days following the period in which the Legislature is required to act but fails to do so, make the apportionment. In making such apportionment, the Supreme Judicial Court shall take into consideration plans and briefs filed by the public with the court during the first 30 days of the period in which the court is required to apportion.
The Supreme Judicial Court shall have original jurisdiction to hear any challenge to an apportionment law enacted by the Legislature, as registered by any citizen or group thereof. If any challenge is sustained, the Supreme Judicial Court shall make the apportionment.
 
Constitution,   Art. IX  is amended by adding after Section 23 the following:
Section 24.  Reapportionment.  Congressional districts must be reapportioned as follows.
1. Procedure.   Beginning in 2021 and every 10 years thereafter, when the Secretary of State has received notification of the number of congressional seats to which the State is entitled and the Federal Decennial Census population count is final, the Legislative Apportionment Commission, established every 10 years pursuant to Article IV, Part Third, Section 1-A, shall review the existing congressional districts. If the districts do not conform to Supreme Judicial Court guidelines, the commission shall reapportion the State into congressional districts.
In making such a reapportionment, the commission shall ensure that each congressional district is formed of compact and contiguous territory and crosses political subdivisions the least number of times necessary to establish districts as equally populated as possible. The commission shall submit its plan to the Clerk of the House of Representatives no later than June 1st of the year in which apportionment is required. The Legislature shall enact the submitted plan of the commission or a plan of its own in regular or special session by a vote of 2/3 of the members of each House by June 11th of the year in which apportionment is required to the Clerk of the House of Representatives. This action is subject to the Governor's approval, as provided in Article IV, Part Third, Section 2.
2. Court apportionment.   If the Legislature fails to make an apportionment by June 11th, the Supreme Judicial Court shall make the apportionment within 60 days following the period in which the Legislature is required to act but fails to do so. In making the apportionment, the Supreme Judicial Court shall take into consideration plans and briefs filed by the public with the court during the first 30 days of the period in which the court is required to apportion.
3. Judicial review.   The Supreme Judicial Court has original jurisdiction to hear any challenge to an apportionment law enacted by the Legislature, as registered by any citizen or group of citizens. If a challenge is sustained, the Supreme Judicial Court shall make the apportionment.
Section 25.  Apportionment of county commissioner districts.  County commissioner districts must be apportioned as follows.
1. Redistricting, generally.   Beginning in 2021 and every 10 years thereafter, the apportionment commission established under Article IV, Part Third, Section 1-A shall review the existing county commissioner districts and, as necessary, reapportion those districts in each county to establish as nearly as practicable equally populated districts. The Speaker of the House of Representatives is responsible for calling the commission together to review the county commissioner districts. No action may be taken by the commission without a quorum of 7.
A. The apportionment commission shall divide the number of commissioners in each county into the number of inhabitants of the county, excluding 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 county commissioner district. Each county commissioner district must be formed of contiguous and compact territory and must 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 must be drawn within the municipal boundaries. Any population remainder within the municipality must be included in a district drawn to cross the municipal boundary as long as the population remainder within the municipality is contiguous to another municipality or municipalities included in the district. Any county that already meets the standards and guidelines for equally populated districts, as established by this section, this Constitution and the Constitution of the United States, need not be reapportioned.
B. Interested parties from each county may submit redistricting plans for the commission to consider. Those plans must be submitted to the commission no later than 30 calendar days after the commission is called together by the Speaker of the House of Representatives under this subsection. The commission may hold public hearings on plans affecting each county.
C. The commission shall submit its plan to the Clerk of the House of Representatives no later than June 1st of the year in which apportionment is required. The Clerk of the House of Representatives shall submit to the Legislature, no later than January 15, 2022, and every 10th year thereafter, one legislative document to reapportion the county commissioner districts based on the plan submitted by the apportionment commission. The Legislature must enact the submitted plan or a plan of its own in regular or special session by a vote of 2/3 of the members of each House within 30 calendar days after the plan is submitted to it by the Clerk of the House of Representatives. This action is subject to the Governor's approval, as provided in Article IV, Part Third, Section 2.
2. Supreme Judicial Court.   If the Legislature fails to make an apportionment within the 30 calendar days, the Supreme Judicial Court shall make the apportionment within 60 calendar days following the period in which the Legislature is required to act but fails to do so. In making the apportionment, the Supreme Judicial Court shall consider plans and briefs filed by the public with the court during the first 30 days of the period in which the court is required to apportion.
; and be it further
Constitutional referendum procedure; form of question; effective date. Resolved:  That the municipal officers of this State shall notify the inhabitants of their respective cities, towns and plantations to meet, in the manner prescribed by law for holding a statewide election, at a statewide election held in the month of November following the passage of this resolution, to vote upon the ratification of the amendment proposed in this resolution by voting upon the following question:
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.