Sec. 1. 30-A MRSA c. 307 is enacted to read:

CHAPTER 307

SELF-GOVERNANCE FOR UNORGANIZED AREAS

§7601.__Self-governance for unorganized areas

The citizens of the unorganized towns, plantations or deorganized municipalities within a county have the right to establish a single town within that county for the purpose of self-governance.__In order to establish a town for unorganized towns, plantations or deorganized municipalities within a county, the conditions under this section must be met.

1.__Petition submitted.__A petition requesting a public referendum vote to establish a town under this chapter must be submitted to the commissioners of the county in which the petitioners reside.__The petition must be signed by at least 10% of the number of registered voters in the unorganized areas of the county who voted in the last gubernatorial election and who are residents of the unorganized areas.__The county commissioners shall certify the petition signatures within 45 days of the submission of the petition.__Having certified that a minimum number of eligible voters have signed the petition, the commissioners shall within 15 days call a public hearing for the purposes of discussing the establishment of a town for the residents of unorganized areas within that county.

2.__Public vote.__Within 45 days of the public hearing on the proposal to establish a town for the unorganized areas within a county under subsection 1, the county commissioners shall hold a public referendum vote within the unorganized areas of that county on the following question:

"Do you favor creating a single town within the County of (name of county) for the purposes of providing self- governance to residents who live within the unorganized areas of the County of (name of county) ?"

3.__Certification and declaration.__Within 15 days of the completion of the public referendum vote under subsection 2, the county commissioners shall certify the results.__In the event that residents vote in favor of the question, the county commissioners shall so declare in writing to the Secretary of State and forward an original copy of the referendum certification to the Office of the Secretary of State.

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