Maine Legislature
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The Maine Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maine. It is a bicameral body composed of the Maine House of Representatives and the Maine Senate. It meets in the state's capital, Augusta.
The House of Representatives consists of one-hundred and fifty-one members, each chosen from a single-member district. The Senate includes a varying number of members, which may under the Constitution be thirty-one, thirty-three, or thirty-five; the present number is thirty-five. Also, there are two nonvoting Senators representing the Penobscot Nation and the Passamaquoddy Tribe.
In order to be a member of Representative, be no less than twenty-one years old, have been for five years a citizen of the United States, have been a resident of the State for one year, and for the 3 months next preceding the time of this person's election shall have been, and, during the period for which elected, continue to be, a resident in the district represented. Senatorial qualifications are the same, save that they must be at least twenty-one years old.
Legislative elections are held in November of every even-numbered year. The terms for both Houses are two years.
The Assembly is headed by the Speaker, while the Senate is headed by the President.
The Legislature has the power to make laws, subject to a veto by the Governor. The Legislature, however, by a vote of two-thirds in each house, may override the veto. The Legislature also has the power to propose constitutional amendments by a vote of two-thirds in each house; the proposal must be approved by a majority of voters in a referendum in order to be passed.
External links
- Maine Legislature (http://janus.state.me.us/legis/)
- Maine House of Representatives (http://janus.state.me.us/legis/)
- Maine Senate (http://www.state.me.us/legis/senate/)