House rejects constitutional cut in Legislature size

AUGUSTA – House lawmakers Friday rejected a proposed constitutional amendment to reduce the size of the Legislature and set aside a separate proposal seeking to extend legislative term limits.

Despite the endorsement of a majority of members on the State and Local Government Committee, the measure to trim the Legislature was defeated in the full House of Representatives by a vote of 72-55.

Debate in the House, which rejected another legislative downsizing initiative last month, was extended and pitted arguments for cost savings and efficiency against warnings of diluted democracy.

Currently, the Maine House has 151 members and the Senate membership numbers 35. The proposal taken up Friday would drop House membership by 19 to 132 and shrink Senate membership by two to 33.

Such “modest” changes, said Democratic Rep. Christopher Babbidge of Kennebunk, could save money, make redistricting easier and cheaper, send a message that lawmakers are committed to efficiency, and head off efforts for more drastic reductions that might undermine the Legislature’s ability to continue to function as a part-time citizen-Legislature.

Maine’s Legislature is tied for sixth-largest in the nation while the state’s population is ranked only 40th, Babbidge said.

A number of representatives from rural areas, however, and a few more urban-situated allies complained that reducing the number of legislative districts would make some so geographically big that lawmakers would be hard-pressed to keep in touch with constituents.

Several critics of the proposal also said what works elsewhere might not be best for Maine.

Democratic Rep. Andrea Boland of Sanford suggested that estimated savings for the reduction plan would amount to a mere dollar per person statewide.

“Once again the rural areas [of Maine] are being punished,” fumed Republican Rep. James Annis of Dover-Foxcroft.

The House vote sent the measure along to the Senate, where two members – one Republican and one Democrat – had signed on with the State and Local Committee majority on a 9-4 vote.

To reach referendum voters, a proposed constitutional amendment would need to win supermajorities of at least two-thirds in both the House and Senate.

The other proposal, to lengthen term limits, was tabled when it came up for a vote in the House on Friday, a day after it won a vote of approval in the Senate.

An initial version of the bill sought to repeal term limits altogether as long as voters approve. Legislators are now limited to four consecutive terms of two years each in either the House or Senate.

An amended version adopted Thursday by the Senate doesn’t seek to get rid of term limits completely. Instead, it would extend the allowable number of consecutive terms from four to six.

It also leaves the matter up to voters. The change would not apply to lawmakers who are currently in their fourth terms.

The bill was tabled at the request of House Republican Leader Josh Tardy of Newport. It faces further votes in both chambers.