Resolve, to Create a Task Force to Implement the 1991 Report of the President's and Speaker's Blue Ribbon Commission on Children and Families
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 0965
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: O'BRIEN, BENNETT

Legislative Document 
No. 965 
H.P.722 
House of Representatives, February 25, 2003 
Resolve, to Create a Task Force to Implement the 1991 Report of 
the President's and Speaker's Blue Ribbon Commission on Children 
and Families 
(EMERGENCY) 
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Representative O'BRIEN of Augusta. 
Cosponsored by Senator BENNETT of Oxford. 
Printed on recycled paper 
7l/~111.~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Emergency preamble. 
Whereas, Acts 
and 
Legislature 
do 
not 
become 
effective 
until 
adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
resolves 
of 
the 
days 
after 
Whereas, 
the 
study 
required 
by 
this 
resolve 
initiated before the gO-day period expires in order 
study may 
be 
completed 
and 
a 
report submitted for 
legislative session; and 
must 
be 
that the 
the next 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts 
create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of 
Maine 
and 
require 
the 
following 
legislation 
as 
immediately 
necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and 
safety; now, therefore, be it 
Sec. 1. Task force established. Resolved: 
That the Task Force to 
Implement the 1991 Report of the President's and Speaker's Blue 
Ribbon Commission on Children and Families, referred to in this 
resolve as the "task force," is established; and be it further 
Sec. 2. Task force membership. Resolved: 
That the task force 
consists of 10 members as follows: 
A. 
The President of the Senate; 
B. 
The Speaker of the House; 
C. 
The Majority Leader of the Senate; 
D. 
The Assistant Majority Leader of the Senate; 
E. 
The Minority Leader of the Senate; 
F. 
The Assistant Minority Leader of the Senate; 
G. 
The Majority Leader of the House of Representatives; 
H. 
The 
Assistant 
Majority 
Leader 
of 
the 
House 
of 
Representatives; 
• 
I. 
The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives; and 
J. 
The 
Assistant 
Minority 
Leader 
Representatives; and be it further 
of 
the 
House 
of 
Sec. 3. Chairs. Resolved: 
That the President of the Senate 
and the Speaker of the House of Representatives are the chairs of 
the task force; and be it further 
Page l-LR0012 (1) 
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Sec. 4. Convening of task force. Resolved: 
That the chairs shall 
call and convene the first meeting of the task force no later 
than 45 days after adjournment of the First Regular Session of 
the 121st Legislature; and be it further 
Sec. 5. Duties. Resolved: 
That the task force shall create a 
plan to implement the recommendations of the 1991 Report of the 
President's and Speaker's Blue Ribbon Commission on Children and 
Families: and be it further 
Sec. 6. Staff assistance. Resolved: 
That, upon 
Legislative Council, 
the Office of Policy and 
shall provide necessary staffing services to the 
be it further 
approval of the 
Legal Analysis 
task force: and 
Sec. 7. Compensation. Resolved: 
That the members of the task 
force 
are entitled to 
receive 
the 
legislative per 
diem, 
as 
defined by the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 3, section 2, and 
reimbursement for travel and other necessary expenses related to 
their attendance at meetings of the commission: and be it further 
Sec. 8. Report. Resolved: 
That the task force shall submit 
its 
report, 
together 
with 
any 
recommended 
implementing 
legislation, to the Joint Standing Committee on State and Local 
Government no later than November 3, 2003. 
The task force is not 
authorized 
to 
introduce 
legislation. 
Following 
receipt 
and 
review of the report, the joint standing committee may report out 
a bill to the Second Regular Session of the 121st Legislature. 
If the task force requires an extension of time to complete its 
report, it may apply to the Legislative Council, which may grant 
the extension: and be it further 
Sec. 9. Task force budget. Resolved: 
That the chairs of the 
task force, 
with assistance from the task force staff, shall 
administer the task force's budget. 
Within 10 days after its 
first meeting, 
the task force shall present a 
work plan and 
proposed budget to the Legislative Council for its approval. 
The 
task force may not incur expenses that would result in the task 
force exceeding its approved budget. 
Upon request from the task force, the Executive Director of 
the Legislative Councilor the 
Executive Director's designee 
shall promptly provide the task force chair and staff with a 
status report on the task force budget, expenditures incurred and 
paid and available funds. 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the 
preamble, this resolve takes effect when approved. 
SUMMARY 
This resolve creates the Task Force to Implement the 1991 
Report of the President's and Speaker's Blue Ribbon Commission on 
Children and Families. 
The task force's membership consists of 
the Speaker of the House, the President of the Senate and the 
House and Senate majority and minority leaders. 
The task force 
is required to report to the joint standing committee of the 
Legislature having jurisdiction over state and local government 
matters by November 3, 2003. 
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