Resolve, To Study Obesity and Methods To Decrease the Cost of Health Care and Increase the Public Health
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 0471
Committee Amendment CA_A-SA_A_S281 (Senate)

SENATE 
AMENDMENT "A" to COMMITTEE 
AMENDMENT 
"A" to H.P. 
363, L.D. 471, "Resolve, To Study Obesity and Methods To Decrease 
the Cost of Health Care and Increase the Public Health" 
Amend the amendment by inserting after the first indented 
paragraph and before section 1 the following: 
'Emergency preamble. 
Whereas, Acts 
Legislature 
do 
not 
become 
effective 
adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; 
and 
until 
and 
resolves 
of 
the 
days 
after 
Whereas, obesity has grown to epidemic proportions in Maine, 
with resultant health care costs; and 
Whereas, sound nutritional standards are available but not 
widely known, understood or applied; and 
Whereas, the benefits of regular exercise are generally 
known, but the percentage of the population that engages in daily 
exercise in Maine is drastically low; and 
Whereas, 
it 
is 
immediately 
necessary 
to 
develop 
recommendations 
to develop effective public health policy to 
address the health problems caused by obesity and to apply the 
benefits of sound nutrition and regular exercise more broadly; and 
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' 
Page l-LR0602(6) 
SENATE AMENDMENT 
oil S. 
ao\& 
SENATE 
AMENDMENT "A" to COMMITTEE 
AMENDMENT "A" 
L.D. 471 
to H.P. 
363, 
Further amend the amendment by striking out all of section 5 
and inserting in its place the following: 
'Sec. 5. Staff assistance. Resolved: 
That, upon approval from 
the Legislative Council, the Office of Policy and Legal Analysis 
shall provide necessary staffing services to the commission; and 
be it further' 
Further amend the amendment in section 7 in the 3rd line 
(page 4, line 49 in amendment) by striking out the following: 
"December 1" and inserting in its place the following: 
'December 
3' 
Further amend the amendment in section 7 in the 4th line 
(page 4, line 50 in amendment) by striking out the following: 
"legislation" and inserting in its place the following: 
'a bill' 
Further amend the amendment by striking out all of section 9 
and inserting in its place the following: 
'Sec. 9. Funding. Resolved: 
That the commission shall seek 
outside funds to fully fund all costs of the commission. 
If 
sufficient outside funding has not been received by August 15, 
2003 to fully fund all costs of the commission, no meetings are 
authorized and 
no 
expenses of any kind may 
be incurred or 
reimbursed. 
Contributions to support the work of the commission 
may not be accepted from any party having a pecuniary or other 
vested interest in the outcome of the matters being studied. 
Any 
person, other than a state agency, desiring to make a financial 
or in-kind contribution must certify to the Legislative Council 
that it has no pecuniary or other vested interest in the outcome 
of the study. 
Such certification must be made in the manner 
prescribed by the Legislative Council. 
All contributions are 
subject to 
approval 
by 
the Legislative Council. 
All 
funds 
accepted must be forwarded to the Executive Director of the 
Legislative Council along with an accounting record that includes 
the amount of funds, the date the funds were received, from whom 
the funds were received and the purpose of and any limitation on 
the 
use 
of 
those 
funds. 
The 
Executive 
Director 
of 
the 
Legislative 
Council 
administers 
any 
funds 
received 
by 
the 
commission. 
The executive director shall notify the chairs of 
the commission when sufficient funding has been received; and be 
it further' 
Further amend the amendment by inserting after section 10 
and before the summary the following: 
'Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the 
preamble, this resolve takes effect when approved. ' 
SENATE AMENDMENT 
~,~ 
~ 
SENATE AMENDMENT 
.. A.. to COMMITTEE 
AMENDMENT 
"A" to H. P . 
363, 
L.D. 471 
SUMMARY 
This 
amendment 
adds 
an emergency preamble 
and emergency 
clause and allows the commission to seek staff assistance from 
the Legislative Council or from the Office of Policy and Legal 
Analysis assistance. 
The amendment changes the reporting date 
from December 1, 2003 to December 3, 2003. 
The amendment also 
allows the commission to seek outside funding to fully fund 
itself, except it may not accept funds from any party having a 
vested interest in the outcome. 
All contributions are subject to 
Legislative Council approval. 
~~ 
SPONSORED BY: 
(Senator GAGNON) 
COUNTY: 
Kennebec 
SENATE AMENDMENT