APPROVED CHAPTER
JUNE 28, 2023 342
BY GOVERNOR PUBLIC LAW
STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-THREE
_____
H.P. 154 - L.D. 233
An Act to Ensure Efficiency in the Review of Petitions by the Secretary of
State by Clarifying Deadlines Related to Those Petitions
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §905, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2017, c. 277, §6, is further
amended to read:
1. Secretary of State. The Secretary of State shall review all petitions filed in the
Department of the Secretary of State for a people's veto referendum under the Constitution
of Maine, Article IV, Part Third, Section 17, or for a direct initiative under the Constitution
of Maine, Article IV, Part Third, Section 18.
The Secretary of State shall determine the validity of the petition and issue a written
decision stating the reasons for the decision within 30 business days from the date of filing
of a written petition in the Department of the Secretary of State under the Constitution of
Maine, Article IV, Part Third, Section 17 or 18, except as provided in paragraph A.
A. In an even-numbered general election year, if a written petition is filed in the
Department of the Secretary of State under the Constitution of Maine, Article IV, Part
Third, Section 17 or 18 within the 30 calendar days preceding the general election or
within the 30 calendar days following the general election, the Secretary of State shall
determine the validity of the petition and issue a written decision stating the reasons
for the decision within 30 business days after the 30th calendar day following the
general election.
The Secretary of State may invalidate a petition if the Secretary of State is unable to verify
the notarization of that petition.
Page 1 - 131LR1140(03)


Statutes affected:
Bill Text LD 233, HP 154: 21-A.905
Bill Text ACTPUB , Chapter 342: 21-A.905