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132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 507S.P. 225 In Senate, February 11, 2025
An Act to Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue to Fund LifeFlight
of Maine
Received by the Secretary of the Senate on February 7, 2025. Referred to the Committee
on Appropriations and Financial Affairs pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator STEWART of Aroostook.
Cosponsored by Representative MATLACK of St. George and
Senators: BALDACCI of Penobscot, BERNARD of Aroostook, FARRIN of Somerset,
MOORE of Washington, Representatives: BUNKER of Farmington, CLOUTIER of Lewiston,
LAJOIE of Lewiston, STOVER of Boothbay. Page 1 - 132LR1510(01)1
2 accordance with the Constitution of Maine, Article IX, Section 14 to authorize the issuance
3 of bonds on behalf of the State of Maine to provide funds as described in this Act,
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6 direction of the Governor, to issue bonds in the name and on behalf of the State in an
7 amount not exceeding $13,485,000 for the purposes described in section 5 of this Act. The
8 bonds are a pledge of the full faith and credit of the State. The bonds may not run for a
9 period longer than 10 years from the date of the original issue of the bonds.
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11 shall ensure that an account of each bond is kept showing the number of the bond, the name
12 of the successful bidder to whom sold, the amount received for the bond, the date of sale
13 and the date when payable.
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15 may negotiate the sale of the bonds by direction of the Governor, but no bond may be
16 loaned, pledged or hypothecated on behalf of the State. The proceeds of the sale of the
17 bonds, which must be held by the Treasurer of State and paid by the Treasurer of State
18 upon warrants drawn by the State Controller, are appropriated solely for the purposes set
19 forth in this Act. Any unencumbered balances remaining at the completion of the project
20 in this Act lapse to the Office of the Treasurer of State to be used for the retirement of
21 general obligation bonds.
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23 due or accruing on any bonds issued under this Act and all sums coming due for payment
24 of bonds at maturity.
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26 proceeds of the sale of the bonds authorized under this Act must be expended as designated
27 in the following schedule under the direction and supervision of the agencies and entities
28 set forth in this section.
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31 Provides funds to LifeFlight of Maine to assist hospitals in rebuilding helipads to
32 improve access to critical emergency medical services.
Total
$4,150,000
33 Provides funds to LifeFlight of Maine to assist hospitals and airports to establish
34 refueling depots to improve timely access to critical emergency medical services.
Total $2,160,000
36 Provides funds to LifeFlight of Maine to upgrade its statewide communication system
37 to improve coordination of multiple agencies providing critical emergency medical
38 services.
Total $875,000
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1 Provides funds to LifeFlight of Maine to replace 10 of 16 automated weather stations at
2 hospitals, airports and islands.
Total $1,300,000
3 Provides funds to LifeFlight of Maine to purchase an airplane for emergency transport.
Total $5,000,000
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6 become effective unless the people of the State ratify the issuance of the bonds as set forth
7 in this Act.
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10 unencumbered appropriation balances representing state money carry forward. Bond
11 proceeds that have not been expended within 10 years after the date of the sale of the bonds
12 lapse to the Office of the Treasurer of State to be used for the retirement of general
13 obligation bonds.
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15 within 5 years of ratification of this Act are deauthorized and may not be issued, except
16 that the Legislature may, within 2 years after the expiration of that 5-year period, extend
17 the period for issuing any remaining unissued bonds for an additional amount of time not
18 to exceed 5 years.
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21 a statewide election held in the month of November following passage of this Act. The
22 municipal officers of this State shall notify the inhabitants of their respective cities, towns
23 and plantations to meet, in the manner prescribed by law for holding a statewide election,
24 to vote on the acceptance or rejection of this Act by voting on the following question:
25 "Do you favor a $13,485,000 bond issue to provide funds to LifeFlight of
26 Maine to improve emergency aviation infrastructure, including hospital
27 helipads, fuel systems, automated weather observation systems and
28 communications systems, to improve the safety of and access to critical
29 emergency medical services?"
30 The legal voters of each city, town and plantation shall vote by ballot on this question
31 and designate their choice by a cross or check mark placed within a corresponding square
32 below the word "Yes" or "No." The ballots must be received, sorted, counted and declared
33 in open ward, town and plantation meetings and returns made to the Secretary of State in
34 the same manner as votes for members of the Legislature. The Governor shall review the
35 returns. If a majority of the legal votes are cast in favor of this Act, the Governor shall
36 proclaim the result without delay and this Act becomes effective 30 days after the date of
37 the proclamation.
38 The Secretary of State shall prepare and furnish to each city, town and plantation all
39 ballots, returns and copies of this Act necessary to carry out the purposes of this
40 referendum.
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2 The funds provided by this bond issue, in the amount of $13,485,000, will be used to
3 improve emergency aviation infrastructure, including hospital helipads, fuel systems,
4 automated weather observation systems, communications systems and emergency
5 transport, to improve the safety of and access to critical emergency medical services.
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