Source: https://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/rules/notices/2019/010919.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 20:17:58+00:00

Document:
CONCISE SUMMARY: By the end of January, 2019, the Secretary of State must file an annual report to the Governor and the Joint Standing Committee on State and Local Government on the Administrative Procedure Act. The purpose of this ad is to solicit, from state agencies and the public, recommendations for improvements to the rule-making process. We will include a summary on these recommendations in the report. Please submit comments via e-mail or U.S. postal.
AGENCY CONTACT PERSON: Don Wismer, APA Coordinator, Department of Secretary of State, 101 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333. Telephone: (207) 624-7650. Fax: (207) 287-6545. E-mail: Don.Wismer@Maine.gov .
BRIEF SUMMARY: Entering into a promise or agreement to pay for campaign goods or services must be disclosed as a debt in campaign finance reports. In the annual disclosure statements of personal income sources, the Commission may require officials to enter a category for a gift, such as transportation or conference fees.
CONTACT PERSON FOR THIS FILING / SMALL BUSINESS IMPACT INFORMATION: Katie Feliciano, Commission Assistant, Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices, 135 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333. Telephone: (207) 287-4179. Email: Katie.Feliciano@Maine.gov .
COMMISSION RULEMAKING LIAISON: Jonathan.Wayne@Maine.gov .
BRIEF SUMMARY: This proposed rulemaking establishes the elver quota allocations for the 2019 season for individuals licensed under §§ 6505-A and 6302-A, and the method of calculating individual elver quota allocations for individuals licensed under 6505-A. 2019 allocations for individuals who held a license in 2018 will be the same as their 2018 allocations, plus any quota associated with licenses not renewed in 2018, or licenses suspended for the duration of the 2019 season, which will be distributed evenly to all license holders. This proposed rule-making also prohibits more than one elver dealer from engaging in the licensed activities at the same physical address, and requires that transfers from vehicles to permanent facilities include all the contents of the vehicle. Finally, the proposed rule establishes a process by which Maine Marine Patrol will monitor and seal the packing of elvers for export.
Hearing facilities: If you require accommodations due to disability, please contact Meredith Mendelson at (207) 624-6553.
CONTACT PERSON FOR THIS FILING / SMALL BUSINESS IMPACT INFORMATION: Amanda Ellis, 21 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333-0021. Telephone: (207) 624-6573. Fax: (207) 624-6024. TTY: (207) 624-6500 (Deaf/Hard of Hearing). Email: dmr.rulemaking@maine.gov .
BRIEF SUMMARY: This proposed rule-making clarifies the reporting requirement such that all directed herring trips must report daily using the herring.dmr@maine.gov landings email. Additionally, this regulation proposes a daily trip limit on state only permitted vessels directing on Atlantic herring of 6,600 pounds.
PUBLIC HEARING: January 29, 2019 at 4:00 p.m., DMR Conference Room - Marquardt Building, 32 Blossom Lane, Augusta. (Snow date scheduled for January 30, 2019 at 4:00 p.m.) Hearing facilities: If you require accommodations due to disability, please contact Meredith Mendelson at (207) 624-6553.
BRIEF SUMMARY: This proposed rulemaking clarifies the reporting requirements for all Atlantic menhaden fishery operations. This rule re-instates a personal use regulation for hook and line harvest. Fixed gear operations may operate under exemptions that allow for seven day harvesting practices.
PUBLIC HEARING: January 29, 2019 at 4:30 p.m., DMR Conference Room, Marquardt Building, 32 Blossom Lane, Augusta. (Snow date scheduled for January 30, 2019 at 4:30 p.m.) Hearing facilities: If you require accommodations due to disability, please contact Meredith Mendelson at (207) 624-6553.
BRIEF SUMMARY: This routine technical rule defines the duties of the Treasurer, Program Manager, and other contractors in providing Maine’s ABLE program for the benefit of disabled Mainers, consistent with the requirements of the federal Achieving a Better Life Experience Act of 2014, Public Law 113-295.
CONTACT PERSON FOR THIS FILING / SMALL BUSINESS IMPACT INFORMATION / AGENCY RULEMAKING LIAISON: Matthew Colpitts, Deputy Treasurer, 39 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333. Telephone: (207) 624-7477. Fax: (207) 287-2367. TTY: Maine Relay 711. Email: Matthew.Colpitts@Maine.gov.
SUBSTANTIVE STATE OR FEDERAL LAW BEING IMPLEMENTED: federal Achieving a Better Life Experience Act of 2014, Public Law 113-295.
CONCISE SUMMARY: The Public Utilities Commission adopts a new rule to implement recently enacted legislation (P.L. 2017 ch. 428) that authorizes a grant program to assist dispatch centers consolidate into Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs).
CONCISE SUMMARY: The purpose of this filing is to repeal the Ch. 10 rule. Statutory authority for this rule is listed as: 5 MRS ch. 6 §95-B; 30-A MRS §1705. 30-A MRS §1705 has already been repealed. Title 5 ch. 6 details the duties of the State Archivist. State and Local Government records encompass both of these duties. However, it has become increasingly more and more difficult to meet the needs and demands of our local government constituents and develop proper guidance and procedures required due to the nature of the extensive rulemaking process when there are already specific guidelines written in statute with which both state and local government agencies must comply. State agencies are allowed to submit new schedules and amendments to the Records Management office at any time and have their submissions reviewed in a timely manner. Local government agencies must wait for a very lengthy process for any changes to occur. We have found no basis for why the local schedules are handled differently than the state agency or general state schedules. We have looked at the history of both the Archives Advisory Board minutes, the prior Local Government Board and County Boards and have not found any concrete evidence as to why this was put in place other than to give towns and/or the public the opportunity for input. However, this is also accomplished by having an appointed Board made up of people from various backgrounds and having public meetings where local records are discussed.
Local governments will continue to comply with Local Government Schedules created and issued by the Maine State Archives and follow those schedules under 5 MRS ch. 6 §95-B, which states: "Each local government official shall comply with the standards, procedures and regulations issued by the Archives Advisory Board." It is our plan to continue the local government standards and schedules regulated through the State Archivist and Board, as specified in statute. Ch. 10, Rules for Disposition of Local Government Records, will be replaced with Local Government Schedules. There will be no disruption in services to the municipalities as this will be an immediate change. Comprehensive design and direction will remain much the same as current Ch. 10 rules. Our overall mission is to make this a more efficient and effective process for all parties involved. Schedules will continue to be posted to our website, we will send electronic or paper documentation upon request and we will provide guidance and assistance as we do now.
ARCHIVES CONTACT PERSON: Tammy Marks, Maine State Archives, 230 State Street - 84 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04330. Telephone: (207) 287-5799. Email: Tammy.Marks@Maine.gov .
CONCISE SUMMARY: The Commissioner adopts this emergency rulemaking to implement a conservation closure in Machias and Little Machias Bays within the Machias Bay Rotational Area to protect Maine’s scallop resources from the risk of unusual damage and imminent depletion. The Department is concerned that continued harvesting for the duration of the 2018-19 fishing season in this small area will greatly reduce the abundance of the remaining broodstock as well as seed scallop resource that is essential to the ongoing recruitment, regrowth and recovery of the scallop resource. An immediate conservation closure is necessary to reduce the risk of unusual damage and imminent depletion of the scallop resource in a portion of the Machias Bay Rotational Area.
For these reasons, the Commissioner hereby adopts an emergency closure of Maine’s scallop fishery in these areas as authorized by 12 MRS §6171(3)(A).
DMR CONTACT PERSON: Melissa Smith (Telephone: (207) 624-6558), Department of Marine Resources, 21 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333-0021. Fax: (207) 624-6024. TTY: (888) 577-6690 (Deaf/Hard of Hearing). Email: Melissa.Smith@Maine.gov .
CONCISE SUMMARY: The Department is adopting this rule in accordance with PL 2017 ch. 459, An Act Making Certain Supplemental Appropriations and Allocations and Changing Certain Provisions of the Law Necessary to the Proper Operations of State Government (“Act”). This Act provides funding to increase personal care and related services provided under Section 19. The Act further directs the Department to “ensure that caps and limitations on home-based and community-based services are increased to reflect increases in reimbursement rates that result from this Part,” and that “A recipient of services may not experience a reduction in hours solely as a result of increased reimbursement” (Act, Sec. B-3).
The Department is adopting rules for Sec. 19 Ch. III, as directed in the Act, and increasing personal care and related rates, simultaneously with the adoption of these Ch. II rules. In accordance with the Act, therefore, this Ch. II rulemaking raises the program cap to $5,425.00 per member per month (Section 19.06(A)).
On October 9, 2018, the Department adopted the increased cap through emergency rulemaking. This rulemaking permanently adopts the emergency cap increase.
1. Adds a requirement for Electronic Visit Verification (“EVV”), consistent with the requirements of Section 12006 of the 21st Century CURES Act (PL 114-255), as codified in 42 USC §1396b(l)(1). THIS CHANGE REQUIRES CMS APPROVAL, BUT IS EFFECTIVE PENDING APPROVAL.
2. Adds an exception to the Limit of 40/hours week of service by an individual worker that is reimbursable. The exception is for a Member who is at risk for institutionalization unless the individual worker can be reimbursed for more than 40 hour/week. The provision sets forth criteria for the Department to consider in its evaluation of the request. The provision also adds that the Department’s decision must be in writing, and given to the Member. Members can appeal an adverse decision. This exception language is required pursuant to the Settlement Agreement in Roy v. Dept. of Health and Human Services, U.S. Dist. Ct., D. Me., Civil No. 1:16-cv-00592-NT. THIS CHANGE REQUIRES CMS APPROVAL BUT IS EFFECTIVE PENDING APPROVAL.
3. Deletes a provision in §19.02-3(H) that provided that a portion of the member capacity for this Section 19 service would be reserved for members eligible and participating in the Department’s Follow the Money (Homeward Bound) program. The Department is deleting this provision since there is no waiting list for the Section 19 service, and so it is unnecessary to reserve capacity. In addition, the Department will shortly submit an amendment to the Section 19 waiver which will significantly increase the number of funded openings for Section 19 services over the next five years. CMS HAS APPROVED THIS CHANGE.
OMS CONTACT PERSON: Rachel Posner, Comprehensive Health Planner, Division of Policy, 242 State Street - 11 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333-0011. Telephone: (207) 624-6951. Fax: (207) 287-1864. TTY users call Maine relay 711. Email: Rachel.Posner@Maine.gov .
CONCISE SUMMARY: The Department is adopting this routine technical rule in accordance with PL 2017 ch. 459 Part B, An Act Making Certain Supplemental Appropriations and Allocations and Changing Certain Provisions of the Law Necessary to the Proper Operations of State Government (“Act”). The Act requires the Department to amend its rules for reimbursement rates for home-based and community-based personal care and related services provided under the provisions of 10-144 CMR ch. 101, MaineCare Benefits Manual, Ch. III Section 19, Home and Community Benefits for the Elderly and for Adults with Disabilities and referenced in the February 1, 2016 report “Rate Review for Personal Care and Related Services: Final Rate Models” prepared for the Department by Burns & Associates, Inc. These increased rates will be effective retroactive to July 1, 2018.
On October 9, 2018, the Department adopted these rate increases via emergency rulemaking, with a retroactive effective date of July 1, 2018. In this rulemaking the Department is now permanently adopting these Section 19 rule changes.
The adopted rule increases rates for 30 procedure codes. In addition, the rule adds in the code and rate for Home Health Aide Visit—Home Health Services, which was inadvertently deleted during final adoption of this rule in January 2018.
These increased rates will be effective retroactive to July 1, 2018. The Department has determined that a retroactive increase to the beginning of the state fiscal year is appropriate, since the appropriation is intended for the entire fiscal year. The retroactive application comports with 22 MRS §42(8) which authorizes the Department to adopt rules with a retroactive application for a period not to exceed eight calendar quarters and there is no adverse financial impact on any MaineCare member or provider. In addition, the Department sought, and obtained approval, from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) to submit a waiver amendment making the rate changes retroactive to July 1, 2018.
In addition to this adopted rulemaking for Ch. III Section 19, the Department is simultaneously adopting rules for Ch. II Sec. 19, which rulemaking raises the program cap, in accordance with the Act.
CONCISE SUMMARY: This rule establishes the requirements for Non-governmental registration agents and resident agents pursuant to 29-A MRS §204. (Collectively, “registration agents.”) The rule sets forth requirements for training, equipment and software, reporting, inventory control, audit, and suspension and hearings for registration agents. A Non-governmental registration agent may be authorized to collect registration, title and related taxes and fees, and to issue registration credentials and indicia. A Non-governmental registration agent is authorized and required to transmit registration data to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. A registration agent may be authorized to process motor vehicle registrations, and annual and long term trailer registrations. A registration agent may be authorized to have plate and validation inventory, and to issue motor vehicle credentials.
The rule is being amended to clarify the definitions of Non-governmental registration agent and resident agent, to clarify certain training requirements, and to clarify certain office security requirements. The rule also is being amended to allow Non-governmental agents to develop their own computer processing systems with the permission of the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.
BMV CONTACT PERSON: Garry Hinkley, Bureau of Motor Vehicles, 29 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0029. Telephone: (207) 624-9055. Email: Garry.Hinkley@Maine.gov .
BMV RULEMAKING LIAISON: Leslie.Soares@Maine.gov .

References: §95
 §1705
 §1705
 §95
 §6171
 §1396
 v. 
 §19
 §42
 §204