Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

APPROVED                 CHAPTER
                                                                 JULY 31, 2023                 126
                                                                 BY GOVERNOR              RESOLVES
                                  STATE OF MAINE
                                          _____
                          IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
                      TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-THREE
                                          _____
                                  H.P. 665 - L.D. 1029
Resolve, to Establish a Commission to Commemorate the 250th Anniversary
                     of the Founding of the United States
    Sec. 1. Commission established. Resolved: That the Maine Semiquincentennial
Commission, referred to in this resolve as "the commission," is established.
    Sec. 2. Commission membership. Resolved: That the commission consists of
15 members as follows:
    1. The Secretary of State, or the Secretary of State's designee;
    2. The State Historian, or the State Historian's designee;
    3. The Chair of the Maine State Cultural Affairs Council, or the chair's designee;
    4. The State Archivist, or the State Archivist's designee;
    5. The Director of the Maine State Museum, or the director's designee;
    6. The State Librarian, or the State Librarian's designee;
   7. A representative of a statewide organization to promote tourism in the State,
appointed by the President of the Senate;
    8. A representative of a statewide organization that promotes arts and culture in the
State, appointed by the President of the Senate;
     9. A representative of a history museum or historical society, appointed by the Speaker
of the House;
    10. A representative of a statewide humanities organization that uses humanities as a
tool for positive change in the State's communities, appointed by the Speaker of the House;
    11. A representative of a statewide organization that promotes and enhances the value
of Maine libraries, appointed by the Secretary of State;
    12. A representative of the historic preservation profession, appointed by the Secretary
of State;
   13. A representative of prekindergarten to grade 12 education and adult education,
appointed by the Governor;
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    14. A representative of local government, appointed by the Governor; and
    15. One member, appointed by the Speaker of the House, who is a member of a
federally recognized Indian nation, tribe or band in the State based on the joint
recommendation of the tribal governments of the Mi'kmaq Nation, the Houlton Band of
Maliseet Indians, the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Motahkomikuk, the Passamaquoddy Tribe
at Sipayik and the Penobscot Nation. If these tribal governments do not make a unanimous
joint recommendation, the Speaker of the House shall appoint a member of a federally
recognized Indian nation, tribe or band in the State and rotate the appointment among each
federally recognized Indian nation, tribe or band in the State in accordance with section 3.
   In addition to the 15 members under this section, the Governor, the President of the
Senate and the Speaker of the House serve as ex officio members of the commission.
     Sec. 3. Appointment terms. Resolved: That appointed members are appointed
for terms that expire December 31, 2026; a vacancy is filled in the same manner as the
original appointment. If the member who represents a federally recognized Indian nation,
tribe or band in the State appointed under section 2, subsection 15 is not the unanimous
joint recommendation of the tribal governments, the member appointed serves coincident
with the term of the Legislature during which the member was appointed but may continue
to serve until the member's replacement is appointed. The Speaker of the House, in making
subsequent appointments under section 2, subsection 15, shall rotate the appointment
among each federally recognized Indian nation, tribe or band in the State.
    Sec. 4. Appointments; chair; convening of commission. Resolved: That all
appointments must be made no later than 30 days following the effective date of this
resolve. The appointing authorities shall notify the Secretary of State once all appointments
have been completed. When appointment of all members is complete, the Secretary of
State shall call and convene the first meeting of the commission no later than December 1,
2023. The Secretary of State shall name 5 members to constitute an executive committee,
which shall act as chair of the commission. The Secretary of State, with advice from the
commission, also may appoint honorary members and shall establish an advisory council
composed of people who are especially interested in the celebration of the United States
Semiquincentennial.
    Sec. 5. Duties. Resolved: That the commission shall develop and coordinate the
commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America,
referred to in this resolve as "the commemoration," through educational and historical
events, activities and programs throughout the State. All agencies of the State and political
subdivisions of the State shall cooperate with the commission and may grant funds,
property and services to the commission to carry out the purposes of this resolve. To carry
out the purposes of this resolve the commission may:
    1. Enter into contracts that have been approved by the Secretary of State and the
Attorney General;
    2. Adopt an official flag, seal or other emblem for the commemoration, copyright an
official flag, seal or emblem in the name of the State and, with the approval of the Secretary
of State, lease or sell the title or right to use the official flag, seal or emblem upon terms
determined by the commission. Any revenue from the lease or sale of the title or right to
use an official flag, seal or emblem under this subsection must be credited to the fund
established in section 12; and
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    3. Accept donations of money, property or services and the cooperation of the Federal
Government and state, civic, patriotic and historical groups and educational institutions.
Any donations of money under this subsection must be credited to the fund established in
section 12.
    Sec. 6. Proclamation. Resolved: That the Governor shall issue a proclamation
inviting the people of the State and of the United States to participate in and observe the
commemoration.
    Sec. 7. Staff assistance. Resolved: That the Secretary of State may employ
administrative staff to serve the commission.
    Sec. 8. Expenses. Resolved: That the executive committee established under
section 4 shall draft a commission budget and may pay necessary expenses of the
commission from the fund established under section 12. The Secretary of State may request
additional appropriations from the Legislature for necessary expenses of the commission.
    Sec. 9. Compensation. Resolved: That a member of the commission may receive
reimbursement for necessary expenses related to the performance of the member's duties
on the commission.
    Sec. 10. Meetings. Resolved: That the commission may hold up to 5 meetings a
year, one of which must be a public hearing. The executive committee established under
section 4 may request authority and the Secretary of State may grant authority for additional
meetings.
    Sec. 11. Report. Resolved: That the commission shall submit an annual report to
the Governor and the Legislature on its activities.
    Sec. 12. Maine Semiquincentennial Fund. Resolved: That the Maine
Semiquincentennial Fund, referred to in this resolve as "the fund," is established. The fund
is administered by the Department of the Secretary of State on behalf of the commission.
Balances in the fund may not lapse and must be carried forward and used for the purposes
of this resolve. The commission may accept and deposit in the fund money from
appropriations and private and public sources. The Treasurer of State shall invest
unexpended money in the fund and all proceeds of these investments accrue to the fund.
The fund terminates on December 31, 2027 and any unexpended balance in the fund on
December 31, 2027 must be transferred to the General Fund.
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