Source: http://legislature.maine.gov/legis/statutes/30-A/title30-Asec4451.html
Timestamp: 2016-05-29 07:42:56
Document Index: 130744131

Matched Legal Cases: ['§45', '§5', '§8', '§16', '§5', '§8', '§16', '§8', '§16', '§45', '§10', '§27', '§29', '§8', '§16', '§8', '§16', '§7', '§7', '§8', '§16', '§7', '§8', '§16', '§50', '§80', '§45', '§10', '§5', '§15', '§5', '§14', '§27', '§29', '§8', '§16']

Subchapter 5: ENFORCEMENT OF LAND USE REGULATIONS HEADING: PL 1989, C. 104, PT. A, §45 (NEW)
1. Certification required; exceptions. A municipality may not employ any individual to perform the duties of a code enforcement
officer who is not certified by the former State Planning Office or the Department of Economic and Community Development,
Office of Community Development, except that:
A. An individual other than an individual appointed as a plumbing inspector has 12 months
after beginning employment to be trained and certified as provided in this section; [1997, c. 296, §5 (AMD).]
B. Whether or not any extension is available under paragraph A, the Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of Community Development may waive this requirement for up to one year if the certification requirements cannot
be met without imposing a hardship on the municipality employing the individual; [2011, c. 655, Pt. FF, §8 (AMD); 2011, c. 655, Pt. FF, §16 (AFF).]
C. An individual may be temporarily authorized in writing by the Department of Health
and Human Services, Division of Health Engineering to be employed as a plumbing inspector
for a period not to exceed 12 months; and [2009, c. 213, Pt. M, §5 (AMD).]
D. An individual whose certification has expired or is about to expire may be temporarily
authorized in writing by the Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of Community Development to extend that individual's certification for a period not to exceed 12 months in
cases where the necessary training or examination is suspended under subsection 3-B,
paragraph E. [2011, c. 655, Pt. FF, §8 (AMD); 2011, c. 655, Pt. FF, §16 (AFF).]
2011, c. 655, Pt. FF, §8 (AMD); 2011, c. 655, Pt. FF, §16 (AFF)
2. Penalty. Any municipality that violates this section commits a civil violation for which
a forfeiture of not more than $100 may be adjudged. Each day in violation constitutes
1989, c. 104, Pt. A, §45 (NEW); 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §10 (NEW)
2-A. Code enforcement officer; definition and duties. As used in this subchapter, "code enforcement officer" means a person certified
under this section and employed by a municipality to enforce all applicable laws and
ordinances in the following areas:
2011, c. 613, §27 (AMD); 2011, c. 613, §29 (AFF); 2011, c. 655, Pt. FF, §8 (AMD); 2011, c. 655, Pt. FF, §16 (AFF)
3. Training and certification of code enforcement officers. In cooperation with code enforcement officer professional associations, the Maine
Community College System, the Department of Environmental Protection, the Department
of Health and Human Services and the Department of Public Safety, except as otherwise
provided in paragraph H, the Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of Community Development shall establish a continuing education program for individuals engaged in code enforcement.
This program must provide basic training in the technical and legal aspects of code
enforcement necessary for certification. The basic training program must include
training to provide familiarity with the laws and ordinances related to the structure
and practice of the municipal code enforcement office, municipal planning board and
appeals board procedures, application review and permitting procedures, inspection
procedures and enforcement techniques.
H. If funding is not available to support the training and certification program authorized
under this subsection, the Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of Community Development shall discontinue training and certification activities related to laws and ordinances
referenced in subsection 2-A, paragraphs A and B and shall adopt by routine technical
rules under Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A a program to register code enforcement
officers that meet training and education qualifications. The Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of Community Development shall publish the list of persons registered for code enforcement who have submitted
evidence of required qualifications. Persons registered under this paragraph must
meet the requirements for training and certification under this subchapter. The Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of Community Development shall consult with the Department of Health and Human Services for the purposes of
carrying out training and certification activities related to laws and ordinances
referenced in subsection 2-A, paragraphs C and D. Within one month of discontinuation
of training and certification under this paragraph, the Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of Community Development shall report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction
over appropriations and financial affairs and the joint standing committee of the
Legislature having jurisdiction over state and local government matters a recommendation
for funding the training and certification program or for further changes in program
requirements. [2011, c. 655, Pt. FF, §8 (AMD); 2011, c. 655, Pt. FF, §16 (AFF).]
3-A. Training and certification of inspectors in the Maine Uniform Building and Energy
Code. In accordance with the training and certification requirements developed pursuant
to Title 10, section 9723, the Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of Community Development shall provide the training necessary to certify municipal building officials, local
code enforcement officers and 3rd-party inspectors.
3-B. Maine Code Enforcement Training and Certification Fund. The Maine Code Enforcement Training and Certification Fund, referred to in this section
as "the fund," is established as a nonlapsing fund to support training and certification
programs administered by the Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of Community Development for code enforcement officers, local plumbing inspectors, municipal building officials
and 3rd-party inspectors in accordance with this subchapter.
A. Beginning July 1, 2009, and each year thereafter on July 1st, the funds identified
in section 4215, subsection 4 for training and certifying local plumbing inspectors
must be transferred to the fund. [2009, c. 213, Pt. M, §7 (NEW).]
B. Beginning July 1, 2009, and each year thereafter on July 1st, the funds identified
in Title 25, section 2374 for training and certifying municipal building officials,
local code enforcement officers and 3rd-party inspectors must be transferred to the
fund. [2009, c. 213, Pt. M, §7 (NEW).]
C. The Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of Community Development shall place in the fund any money it receives from grants to support the requirements
of this subchapter. [2011, c. 655, Pt. FF, §8 (AMD); 2011, c. 655, Pt. FF, §16 (AFF).]
D. Funds related to code enforcement training and certification may be expended only
in accordance with allocations approved by the Legislature and solely for the administration
of this subchapter. Any balance remaining in the fund at the end of any fiscal year
may not lapse but must be carried forward to the next fiscal year. [2009, c. 213, Pt. M, §7 (NEW).]
E. If the fund does not contain sufficient money to support the costs of the training
and certification provided for in this subchapter, the Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of Community Development may suspend all or reduce the level of training and certification activities. [2011, c. 655, Pt. FF, §8 (AMD); 2011, c. 655, Pt. FF, §16 (AFF).]
4. Examination. The Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of Community Development shall conduct at least one examination each year to examine candidates for certification
at a time and place designated by it. The Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of Community Development may conduct additional examinations to carry out the purposes of this subchapter.
5. Certification standards. The Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of Community Development shall adopt routine technical rules under Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A to
establish the qualifications, conditions and licensing standards and procedures for
the certification and recertification of individuals as code enforcement officers.
A code enforcement officer need only be certified in the areas of actual job responsibilities.
The rules established under this subsection must identify standards for each of the
areas of training under subsection 2-A, in addition to general standards that apply
to all code enforcement officers.
6. Certification; terms; revocation. The Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of Community Development shall certify individuals as to their competency to successfully enforce ordinances
and other land use regulations and permits granted under those ordinances and regulations
and shall issue certificates attesting to the competency of those individuals to act
as code enforcement officers. Certificates issued by the former State Planning Office or the Department of Economic and Community
Development, Office of Community Development are valid for 6 years unless revoked by the District Court. An examination is not
required for recertification of code enforcement officers. The Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of Community Development shall recertify a code enforcement officer if the code enforcement officer successfully
completes at least 12 hours of approved training in each area of job responsibility
during the 6-year certification period.
A. The District Court may revoke the certificate of a code enforcement officer, in accordance
with Title 4, chapter 5, when it finds that:
(2) Reasonable care, judgment or the application of a duly trained and knowledgeable
code enforcement officer's ability was not used in the performance of the duties of
(3) The code enforcement officer is incompetent or unable to perform properly the
duties of the office. [1999, c. 547, Pt. B, §50 (AMD); 1999, c. 547, Pt. B, §80 (AFF).]
B. Code enforcement officers whose certificates are invalidated under this subsection
may be issued new certificates provided that they are newly certified as provided
in this section. [1989, c. 104, Pt. A, §45 (NEW); 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §10 (NEW).]
7. Other professions unaffected. This subchapter may not be construed to affect or prevent the practice of any other
1991, c. 163, (AMD)
1989, c. 104, §§A45,C10 (NEW). 1989, c. 878, §A87 (AMD). 1991, c. 163, (AMD). 1997, c. 296, §§5-7 (AMD). 1999, c. 547, §§B50,78 (AMD). 1999, c. 547, §B80 (AFF). 2003, c. 20, §OO2 (AMD). 2003, c. 20, §OO4 (AFF). 2003, c. 689, §B6 (REV). 2007, c. 699, §§15-17 (AMD). 2009, c. 213, Pt. M, §§5-9 (AMD). 2009, c. 261, Pt. A, §14 (AMD). 2011, c. 613, §27 (AMD). 2011, c. 613, §29 (AFF). 2011, c. 655, Pt. FF, §8 (AMD). 2011, c. 655, Pt. FF, §16 (AFF). The Revisor's Office cannot provide legal advice or