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Law Providing GA for Asylum Seekers Target of People's Veto Effort

AUGUSTA, Maine - In the event the Maine Supreme Court declines to consider the status of dozens of bills that have been sitting on Gov. Paul LePage's desk, or that the court sides with Attorney General Janet Mills in her opinion that the governor missed his 10-day deadline to act on them, former state lawmaker Stavros Mendros has a plan b.Mendros and several current lawmakers have filed an application for what's known as a "people's veto" to overturn the new law that allows asylum seekers to continue receiving General Assistance for up to two years. The bill is one of 70 that took effect that the governor thought he still had time to veto.

"I've learned in my life that it's always good to have a plan b," Mendros says. "So I put it (the application) in just in case we need to do it that way, take it to the voters. I know it's a strong issue in Lewiston and pretty much everywhere that I've seen in the state."

To be successful, Mendros would need to gather more than 61,000 signatures to get the matter put up for statewide vote in November. And, if they are, Kristen Muszynski of the Secretary of State's Office says that would put the General Assistance law on hold. It was scheduled to take effect 90 days after the Legislature adjourns for the session, which could be at the end of this week.

"If they get enough signatures - they need to get the 10 percent of the total of the last gubernatorial election - So if they get enough of those signatures and submit them to our elections' folks then there would be a stay on the effectiveness of the law until people get to vote on the citizens' veto."

Muszynski says the vote would either be scheduled for November or for June.

Alain Nahimana, an immigrant rights organizer for the Maine Peoples' Alliance, said the proposed referendum "unfairly targets...a small group of vulnerable people" who cost a small amount in the state budget.  He says the campaign itself could easily cost more than the assistance.