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An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue for Educational Opportunities for Underserved Regions of the State
Preamble.  Two thirds of both Houses of the Legislature deeming it necessary in accordance with the Constitution of Maine, Article IX, Section 14 to authorize the issuance of bonds on behalf of the State of Maine to provide funds as described in this Act,
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. Authorization of bonds. The Treasurer of State is authorized, under the direction of the Governor, to issue bonds in the name and on behalf of the State in an amount not exceeding $27,100,000 for the purposes described in section 5 of this Act. The bonds are a pledge of the full faith and credit of the State. The bonds may not run for a period longer than 10 years from the date of the original issue of the bonds.
Sec. 2. Records of bonds issued; Treasurer of State. The Treasurer of State shall ensure that an account of each bond is kept showing the number of the bond, the name of the successful bidder to whom sold, the amount received for the bond, the date of sale and the date when payable.
Sec. 3. Sale; how negotiated; proceeds appropriated. The Treasurer of State may negotiate the sale of the bonds by direction of the Governor, but no bond may be loaned, pledged or hypothecated on behalf of the State. The proceeds of the sale of the bonds, which must be held by the Treasurer of State and paid by the Treasurer of State upon warrants drawn by the State Controller, are appropriated solely for the purposes set forth in this Act. Any unencumbered balances remaining at the completion of the project in this Act lapse to the Office of the Treasurer of State to be used for the retirement of general obligation bonds.
Sec. 4. Interest and debt retirement. The Treasurer of State shall pay interest due or accruing on any bonds issued under this Act and all sums coming due for payment of bonds at maturity.
Sec. 5. Disbursement of bond proceeds; allocations from General Fund bond issue. The proceeds of the sale of the bonds authorized under this Act must be expended as designated in the following schedule under the direction and supervision of the agencies and entities set forth in this section.

UNIVERSITY OF MAINE SYSTEM		
		
University of Maine		

Provides funds to expand regional resource centers to meet rural kindergarten to grade 12 equipment and training needs for teacher professional development in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Total	$3,000,000	

University of Maine at Augusta		

Provides funds to upgrade classrooms, laboratories, equipment and other capital infrastructure to support health degree programs such as nursing and medical laboratory, dental and veterinary technicians.

Total	$2,000,000	

University of Maine at Farmington		

Provides funds to upgrade the Ricker Hall science laboratory and classroom complex including laboratories, equipment, the building envelope and geothermal heating, ventilation and air conditioning.

Total	$2,000,000	

University of Maine at Fort Kent		

Provides funds for infrastructure inprovements to support information technology, science and nursing laboratories and wildlife and fisheries sciences.

Total	$2,100,000	

University of Maine at Machias		

Provides funds for laboratory and science building upgrades to advance economic development in rural Washington County.

Total	$2,200,000	

University of Maine at Presque Isle		

Provides funds to upgrade campus science laboratories and equipment, install interactive technology and make other infrastructure improvements to enhance the teaching of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Total	$2,000,000	

University of Southern Maine		

Provides funds for the renovation to modern standards of 6 laboratories on the Portland and Gorham campuses.

Total	$3,000,000	

MAINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM		
		
Central Maine Community College		

Provides funds for mobile laptop computer carts and computers and a van with a ramp and shelves.

Total	$390,000	

Eastern Maine Community College		

Provides funds for wireless connectivity, video conferencing, installation of interactive white board classrooms, the upgrade and refurbishment of computer laboratories, mobile laptop computer carts and computers and a van with a ramp and shelves.

Total	$290,000	

Kennebec Valley Community College		

Provides funds for new desktop computers, netbook and laptop computer mobile laboratories, upgrades to core infrastructure, software licenses, video conferencing, a classroom wing addition and a van with a ramp and shelves.

Total	$5,463,000	

Northern Maine Community College		

Provides funds for mobile laptop computer carts and computers, a van with a ramp and shelves, instructional equipment to upgrade classrooms including interactive white boards, heating, ventilation and technology upgrades in the Christie Complex and renovation of the welding facility and classroom equipment.

Total	$1,759,000	

Southern Maine Community College		

Provides funds for equipment for computer classrooms, upgrades to software that allows for teaching over the Internet, mobile laboratories for health sciences and welding, mobile laptop computer carts and computers and a van with a ramp and shelves.

Total	$680,000	

Washington County Community College		

Provides funds for wireless access, the conversion and upgrade of the lecture hall electronic environment, the renovation of and construction of an addition to Howland Hall and equipment for a new computer systems technology program.

Total	$1,920,000	

York County Community College		

Provides funds for a video conferencing system, mobile laptop computer carts and computers and a van with a ramp and shelves.

Total	$298,000	
 
Sec. 6. Contingent upon ratification of bond issue. Sections 1 to 5 do not become effective unless the people of the State ratify the issuance of the bonds as set forth in this Act.
Sec. 7. Appropriation balances at year-end. At the end of each fiscal year, all unencumbered appropriation balances representing state money carry forward. Bond proceeds that have not been expended within 10 years after the date of the sale of the bonds lapse to the Office of the Treasurer of State to be used for the retirement of general obligation bonds.
Sec. 8. Bonds authorized but not issued. Any bonds authorized but not issued within 5 years of ratification of this Act are deauthorized and may not be issued, except that the Legislature may, within 2 years after the expiration of that 5-year period, extend the period for issuing any remaining unissued bonds for an additional amount of time not to exceed 5 years.
Sec. 9. Referendum for ratification; submission at election; form of question; effective date. This Act must be submitted to the legal voters of the State at a statewide election held in the month of November following passage of this Act. 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, to vote on the acceptance or rejection of this Act by voting on the following question:
 
"Do you favor a $27,100,000 bond issue to improve and enhance the University of Maine System and the Maine Community College System by upgrading equipment and facilities to serve the underserved regions of the State?"
 
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 a 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 a majority of the legal votes are cast in favor of this Act, the Governor shall proclaim the result without delay and this Act becomes effective 30 days after the date of the proclamation.
The Secretary of State shall prepare and furnish to each city, town and plantation all ballots, returns and copies of this Act necessary to carry out the purposes of this referendum.
 
SUMMARY
The funds provided by this bond issue, in the amount of $27,100,000, will be used to improve equipment and facilities at the University of Maine System and the Maine Community College System to better serve the underserved regions of the State.