An Act To Enhance the Protection of Maine Families from Terrorism and Natural Disasters
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 2044
Committee: Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Amends: 3 MRSA §959, 5 MRSA §1532, 5 MRSA §12004-I, 37-B MRSA §709, 20-A MRSA §1590, 22 MRSA §10-A, 37-B MRSA §704, 8 MRSA §745

Legislative Document 
No. 2044 
S.P.789 
In Senate, March 2, 2006 
An Act To Enhance the Protection of Maine Families from 
Terrorism and Natural Disasters 
(EMERGENCY) 
Reported by Senator STRIMLING of Cumberland for the Task Force to Study Maine's 
Homeland Security Needs pursuant to Resolve 2005, chapter 126. 
Reference to the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety suggested and ordered 
printed under Joint Rule 218. 
PrillfeJ on n:t:yclt'u paper 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted 
as emergencies; and 
Whereas, the State I s emergency preparedness efforts need to 
be supported to ensure that the State has the tools necessary to 
protect our citizens from terrorism and natural disasters; 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 enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 3 MRSA §959. sub-§I. 1JD, as amended by PL 2003, c. 
600, §1, is further amended to read: 
D. 
The joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over criminal justice and public safety matters 
shall use the following list as a guideline for scheduling 
reviews: 
(1) 
Department 
of 
Public 
Safety, 
except 
for 
the 
division 
designated 
by 
the 
Commissioner 
of 
Public 
Safety to enforce the law relating to the manufacture, 
importation, storage, transportation and sale of all 
liquor 
and 
to 
administer 
those 
laws 
relating 
to 
licensing and the collection of taxes on malt liquor 
and 
wine 
and 
the 
Emergency 
Services 
Communication 
Bureau, in 2001; aRe 
(2) 
Department of Corrections in 2011T; and 
(3) 
The Maine Emergency Management Agency within the 
Department 
of 
Defense, 
Veterans 
and 
Emergency 
Management in 2008. 
Sec. 2. 3 MRSA §959, sub-§I, 1JJ, as amended by PL 2003, c. 600, 
§l, is further amended to read: 
J. 
The joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over legal and ye~e~aRs~ veterans affairs shall 
use the following schedule as a guideline for scheduling 
reviews: 
(2) 
State Liquor and Lottery Commission in 2007; 
Page l-LR3140(1) 
(3) 
The 
division within the 
Department 
of 
Public 
Safety designated by the Commissioner of Public Safety 
to 
enforce 
the 
law 
relating 
to 
the 
manufacture, 
importation, storage, transportation and sale of all 
liquor 
and 
to 
administer 
those 
laws 
relating 
to 
licensing and the collection of taxes on malt liquor 
and wine in 2007; and 
(4) 
Department 
of 
Defense, 
Veterans 
and 
Management in 2011, 
except for the Maine 
Management Agency within the department. 
Emergency 
Emergency 
Sec. 3. 5 MRSA § 1520, sub-§ 1, 1(B, as amended by PL 2005, c. 
12, Pt. SS, §4, is further amended to read: 
B. 
The Chief Information Officer, in conjunction with the 
agencies 
using 
the 
statewide 
radio 
and 
network 
system, 
operating as 
a 
board that may 
be 
referred to as 
"the 
Statewide 
Radio 
Network 
Board, " 
shall 
establish 
the 
following: 
( 1) 
Standards for statewide radio and network system 
operations; 
(2) 
Specifications for systems and components to be 
acquired by the State; and 
(3) 
Standards for the exemption or waiver of state 
agencies from the requirements of this section. 
By 
January 
15, 
2002, 
standards 
must 
be 
statewide 
radio 
and 
network 
system 
usage 
agencies not exempted under subparagraph (3). 
developed 
for 
by all state 
Sec. 4. 5 MRSA §1532, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 2, Pt. 
A, §5 and affected by §14, is amended to read: 
2. Expenditures from fund. 
Except as otherwise provided in 
this section, amounts in the stabilization fund may be expended 
only to offset a General Fund revenue shortfall, except that the 
Goyernor is authorized to transfer to the Disaster Relief Fund, 
~stablished in Title 37-B, section 745, up to $3,000,000, as long 
as the transfer does not create a balance in the fund of more 
than $3,000,000. 
Sec. 5. 5 MRSA §12004-I, sub-§91 is enacted to read: 
.2L. 
Emergency 
Management 
Homeland 
Security 
Advisory 
Not 
Authorized 
37-B MRSA 
§709 
Council 
Sec. 6. 20-A MRSA §1590S, sub-§5 is enacted to read: 
5. 
Emergency generators. 
The state board may approve only 
those 
proposed 
school 
construction projects 
that 
have 
been 
designed to include backup energy generators or that are wired 
for portable energy generators, thus enabling those schools to be 
used as public shelters. 
Sec. 7. 22 MRSA §10-A is enacted to read: 
SIO-A. 
Coordination and reporting on e~nditure of funds 
pertaining to homeland security and bioterrorism 
prevention 
The Director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and 
Prevention shall coordinate in a mutually agreed upon manner with 
the Director of the Maine Emergency Management Agency within the 
Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management on the 
~lanning and expenditure of all federal funds received by the 
Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention for homeland 
security emergency preparedness purposes or for the prevention of 
bioterrorism and provide a report annually, beginning December 
15, 2006, to the Homeland Security Advisory Council established 
in Title 
37-B, 
section 
709. 
The 
advisor 
for 
the 
Homeland 
Security Advisory Council shall report by January 15th of each 
year, beginning in 2007, on the expenditure of such funds to the 
joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction 
over health and human services matters and the joint standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over criminal 
justice and public safety matters. 
The report must include, but 
is not limited to, the amount of funds expended in the prior 
year, 
the purpose of those expenditures, the effect of those 
expenditures on homeland security and bioterrorism prevention and 
the plans for coordination with the Maine Emergency Management 
Agency for the expenditure of the funds received or anticipated 
for such purposes in the 2 years following submission of the 
report. 
Sec. S. 37-B MRSA §704, as amended by PL 2003, c. 510, Pt. A, 
§33, is further amended to read: 
§704. Director; duties 
The 
Maine 
Emergency 
Management 
Agency, 
as 
previously 
established and in this chapter called the "agency," saall-se is 
under the supervision of the Director of the Maine Emergency 
Management Agency, 
who in this chapter saa.,l.J.--se is called the 
"director." 
The 
director 
must 
be 
qualified 
by 
education, 
training or experience in the emergency management profession and 
is appointed by the Governor, subject to review by the joint 
standing committee of the Legislature haying jurisdiction over 
criminal justice and public safety matters and confirmation by 
the Legislature. 
The director serves at the pleasure of the 
Governor. 
The director may employ technical, clerical, stenographic, 
administrative 
and 
operative assistants 
and other 
personnel, 
subject to the Civil Service Law, 
and make expenditures, with 
approval of the commissioner, that are necessary to carry out the 
purposes of this chapter. 
The 
directorT-~}&ot--~e-~~-eiFee~ieB-~-eeB~Fe~-~--~Re 
eemmissieBeFT 
is 
responsible 
administratiyely 
to 
the 
commissioner, retains direct access to the Goyernor in the case 
of an emergency and is responsible for notifying the Goyernor and 
the 
commissioner 
of 
all 
emergencies. 
The 
director 
is 
the 
executive head of the agency and is responsible for carrying out 
the 
program 
for 
emergency 
management. 
The 
director 
shall 
represent 
the 
Governor 
on 
all 
matters 
pertaining 
to 
the 
comprehensive emergency management program and the disaster and 
emergency response of the State: shall coordinate the activities 
of all organizations for emergency management within the State; 
shall 
maintain 
liaison 
with 
and 
cooperate 
with 
emergency 
management and public safety agencies and organizations of other 
states, the Federal Government and foreign countries, and their 
political subdivisions; prior to the annual meeting required in 
section 782, subsection 4, shall provide to each of the local 
emergency 
management 
organizations 
of 
the 
State 
an 
annual 
assessment of each organization's degree of emergency management 
capability and any other information pertinent to ensuring the 
public's welfare 
and 
safety within 
the 
local 
organization's 
jurisdiction; 
and 
has 
additional 
authority, 
duties 
and 
responsibilities as may be prescribed by the commissioner or the 
Governor. 
The director SRa~~ ~ 
not require any political subdivision 
to 
participate 
in 
any 
program 
of 
nuclear 
civil 
protection 
planning. 
The director, 
in consultation with the Office 
Medical 
Examiner, 
shall 
prepare 
a 
plan 
for 
the 
identification and disposition of human remains in a 
The Office of Chief Medical Examiner is responsible for 
of the plan, with full cooperation and assistance from 
members of the emergency management forces. 
of Chief 
recovery, 
disaster. 
execution 
all other 
This plan must be reviewed and updated as necessary. 
The 
director shall see that the plan and the reviews receive suitable 
dissemination on a timely basis. 
The director shall conduct periodic assessments at least 
once every 2 years, beginning January 15, 2007, of the use of 
public safety radio frequencies in emergency situations to ensure 
that first responders obtain sufficient training to understand 
and comply with adopted protocols and procedures. 
The 
director 
shall 
develop 
and 
produce 
emergency 
preparedness 
public 
service 
announcements 
to 
be 
broadcast 
regularly on local broadcasting networks to educate and inform 
members of the public. 
Sec. 9. 37-B MRSA §§708 and 709 are enacted to read: 
S108. 
Legislative jurisdiction 
The 
joint standing 
committee 
of 
the Legislature 
having 
jurisdiction over criminal justice and public safety matters has 
jurisdiction over 
matters pertaining 
to 
the 
agency 
and 
the 
director. 
S109. 
HOmeland Security Advisory COUDcil 
The Homeland Security Advisory CounciL as established in 
Title 5, section 12004-1, subsection 91 and referred to in this 
section as 
"the council," 
shall advise the 
Governor 
on the 
coordination of homeland security activities of state agencies 
and the most effective use of grant funds. 
1. 
Membership. 
The council is composed of the following 6 
members: 
A. 
The director: 
B. 
The 
Commissioner 
of Defense, 
Veterans 
and 
Emergency 
Management: 
C. 
The Commissioner of Public Safety: 
D. 
The 
Director 
of 
the 
Bureau 
of 
Health within 
the 
Department of Health and Human Services; 
E. 
The Chief of the State Police within the Department of 
Public Safety; and 
F. 
A representative of the Governor. 
The director is the chair of the council. 
The Commissioner of 
Defense. Veterans and Emergency Management is the advisor of the 
council. 
2. 
Duties of council. 
The council shall; 
A. 
Advise the Governor with regard to the vulnerability of 
the State to terrorist activity: 
B. 
Advise the Governor with regard to the adequacy of the 
plans to enhance homeland security: 
C. 
Ensure that the homeland security activities of state 
agencies are coordinated: 
D. 
Adyise the Governor with regard to the implementation of 
state programs using federal 
funds 
and administration of 
federal grants for homeland security, in order to ensure 
coordination among agencies and the most effective use of 
grant funds: 
E. 
Advise the Governor with regard to the appropriateness 
of the federal homeland security threat advisory level for 
the State. based upon intelligence gathered in the State and 
from federal sources: 
F. 
Advise 
the 
Governor with regard to 
the appropriate 
response to any terrorist threat: and 
G. 
Periodically advise 
an 
emergency response 
team with 
pertinent 
information 
that 
could 
assist 
in 
the 
team's 
response to an event. 
3. 
Procedures. 
The council shall meet; 
A. 
At times and places as determined by the chair or the 
Governor 
and 
with 
assistance 
from 
state 
agencies 
as 
necessary and appropriate for the council's execution of its 
responsibilities as described in subsection 2; 
B. 
Either in person or via telecommunication. as determined 
by the chair, immediately upon notification that the federal 
homeland security threat advisory level will be changed, in 
order to develop a 
recommendation to the Governor of the 
appropriate threat advisory level for the State and actions 
to be taken in the State; and 
C. 
At the call of the chair or at the call of the Governor 
at any time the Governor requires the advice of the council. 
The state response to any suspected terrorist event must be 
coordinated through the State Emergency Operations Center, 
in 
accordance with a state emergency operations plan as described in 
subsection 4, 
paragraph A. 
Meetings of the council are not 
public proceedings for purposes of Title L 
chapter 13, but may 
be open to the public at the discretion of the chair. 
Documents 
collected or produced by the council are not public records for 
the purposes of Title 1, chapter 13. 
4. 
Resources and support. 
The agency shall provide staff 
and 
administrative 
sypport 
to 
the 
coyncil 
from 
existing 
resoyrces. 
The agency is the coordinating agency within State 
Government 
for 
homeland 
secyrity 
operational 
preparedness, 
response, recovery and mitigation. 
As the coordinating agency, 
the agency shall: 
A. 
Develop and maintain a state emergency operations plan, 
which must incorporate by reference any internal operational 
plans 
developed 
by 
other 
state 
agencies 
for 
emergency 
response: 
B. 
Coordinate the State Emergency Operations Center with 
the coyncil: 
C. 
Coordinate with other state agencies in the development 
of their emergency response plans: 
D. 
Administer 
the 
review 
and 
approval 
of 
all 
grant 
applications 
developed 
by 
local 
and state agencies 
for 
homeland security funds: and 
E. 
Administer homeland security grant fynds. 
Sec. 10. 37-8 MRSA §745, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 439, §1, 
is amended to read: 
§745. Disaster Re1ief Fund 
1. 
Fund estab1ished. 
There 
Relief Fund, referred to in this 
administered by the agency. 
is established 
section as "the 
the Disaster 
fund," to be 
2. 
Sources of fund. 
The following must be paid into the 
fund: 
A. 
All money appropriated for inclusion in the fund; 
B. 
All interest from investment of the fund; aBe 
C. 
Any other money deposited in the fund to implement the 
provisions of this subchapterT~ 
D. 
Any 
money transferred into the fund 
from the Maine 
Budget Stabilization Fund, established in Title 5, section 
3. 
Use of fund. 
The fund must be the 
~il's'" ~ 
resource 
used when section 742 or 744 is invoked. 
The fund may also be 
used for the purpose of matching federal funds in the event of a 
federally declared disaster. 
4. 
Fund balance. 
The 
fund's 
balance 
may 
not 
exceed 
$3,000,000. 
No more than $3,000,000 may be deposited into or 
expended from the fund within a state fiscal year. 
Any amount, 
including interest, that accrues in excess of $3,QQQ,QQQ must be 
transferred 
by 
the 
State 
Controller 
to 
the 
Maine 
Budget 
Stabilization Fund, established in Title 5, section 1532. 
5. 
Annual report. 
The director shall submit 
a written 
report 
by 
January 
15, 
20Q7 
and 
annually thereafter 
to 
the 
Governor 
and 
the 
Legislature 
on 
the 
fund's 
balance 
and 
expenditures. 
Sec. 11. Radio frequency coordination for emergency planning. 
The 
Statewide Radio Network Board, referenced in the Maine Revised 
Statutes, Title 5, section 1520, subsection 1, paragraph B, shall 
develop protocols and procedures for radio frequency coordination 
throughout the State during major emergencies and shall include 
participation by 
and 
obtain 
memoranda 
of 
understanding 
from 
various stakeholders, including: 
the Maine Emergency Management 
Agency; the Maine Fire Chiefs Association; the Maine Chiefs of 
Police 
Association; 
the 
Maine 
Fire 
Protection 
Services 
Commission; 
the 
Maine Sheriffs' 
Association; 
the Maine State 
Police; 
the 
Department 
of 
Public 
Safety; 
federal 
first 
responders; Maine Emergency Medical Services; the Maine Hospital 
Association; and local public works and utilities. 
The Statewide 
Radio Network Board shall allocate no fewer than 6 public safety 
band radio frequencies to be used as multijurisdictional, county 
and state disaster channels. 
The Director of the Maine Emergency 
Management 
Agency 
shall 
develop 
a 
communications 
plan 
for 
multijurisdictional. regional and statewide disasters to ensure 
interoperability that includes participation with both public and 
pr i vate expected response partners and local, county, state and 
federal stakeholders. 
The Statewide Radio Network Board and the 
Maine Emergency Management Agency shall report by September 18, 
2006 to the Task Force to Study Maine's Homeland Security Needs 
on their progress in obtaining memoranda of understanding from 
the 
various 
stakeholders 
and 
the 
need 
for 
training 
first 
responders in the area of radio frequency use and operation. 
Sec. 12. 
Community outreach for emergency planning. 
The 
Director 
of 
the 
Maine 
Emergency 
Management 
Agency 
shall 
coordinate with the Commissioner of Education to perform an 
assessment of the 
number 
of 
Maine public 
schools that have 
adopted an all-hazards approach to emergency preparedness. 
The 
Director 
of 
the 
Maine 
Emergency 
Management 
Agency 
and 
the 
Commissioner of Education shall coordinate their efforts for 
community 
outreach 
for 
all-hazards 
emergency 
planning. 
The 
Director of the Maine Emergency Management Agency shall report by 
September 18, 2006 to the Task Force to Study Maine' s Homeland 
Security Needs on the extent to which public schools have adopted 
an 
all-hazards 
approach 
to 
emergency 
preparedness 
and 
shall 
provide recommendations on how these plans should be improved. 
Sec. 13. Emergency notification systems, evacuation plans and 
shelters. 
The Director of the Maine Emergency Management Agency 
shall 
survey Maine 
communities 
to gather 
information on 
the 
following: 
the types of emergency notification systems that are 
in place throughout the State; evacuation plans for nursing homes 
currently adopted throughout the State; and shelter capabilities 
throughout the State, with a focus on determining how shelters 
are 
designed 
to 
accommodate 
popUlations 
with 
special 
needs, 
particularly 
persons 
with 
disabilities. 
The 
director 
shall 
report by September 18, 2006 to the Task Force to Study Maine's 
Homeland Security Needs on the results of this survey and shall 
provide recommendations for improvement in these areas. 
Sec. 14. Emergency plans in public schools. 
The Commissioner of 
Education shall determine methods 
for 
incorporating emergency 
plans 
within 
the 
elementary 
and 
secondary 
public 
school 
curriculum. 
The commissioner shall report by January 15, 2007 on 
the 
commissioner's 
findings 
and 
recommended 
changes 
to 
the 
curriculum to the joint standing committee of the Legislature 
having jurisdiction over education and cultural affairs and the 
joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction 
over criminal justice and public safety matters. 
Sec. 15. Report on hospital surge capacity. 
The Director of the 
Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, in conjunction 
with the Maine Hospital Association, 
shall update its recent 
survey 
of 
emergency 
health 
system 
capacity 
in 
Maine. 
The 
Director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 
in 
coordination 
with 
the 
Director 
of 
the 
Maine 
Emergency 
Management 
Agency 
and 
the 
Maine 
Hospital 
Association, 
shall 
develop 
recommendations 
to 
address Maine's 
acute medical 
and 
public 
health 
surge 
capacity 
and shall provide a report on these recommendations by September 
18, 
2006 to the Task Force to Study Maine's Homeland Security 
Needs. 
Sec. 16. Report on local health officers. 
The Director of the 
Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, in conjunction 
with 
stakeholders 
and 
interested 
parties, 
shall 
study 
the 
qualifications and duties of local health officers in Maine and 
develop recommendations for enhancing the role of local health 
officers in emergency preparedness. plans. 
The Director of the 
Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention shall report by 
September 18, 2006 to the Task Force to Study Maine's Homeland 
Security 
Needs 
on 
the 
results 
of 
this 
study 
and 
proposed 
recommendations. 
Sec. 17. Regional resource centers. 
The Director of the Maine 
Center 
for 
Disease 
Control 
and 
Prevention 
shall 
work 
with 
stakeholders to ensure that the regional resource centers are 
provided sufficient 
funding 
resources 
to 
meet 
the 
goals 
of 
hospital and health system providers. 
The Director of the Maine 
Center for Disease Control and Prevention shall report to the 
Task 
Force 
to 
Study Maine's 
Homeland Security Needs 
on 
the 
results 
of 
the 
federal 
Health 
Resources 
and 
Services 
Administration grant 
and contract with the 
regional 
resource 
centers and on proposed recommendations by September 18, 2006 and 
to 
the 
joint 
standing 
committee 
of 
the 
Legislature 
having 
jurisdiction over health and human services matters and the joint 
standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over 
criminal justice and public safety matters by January 15, 2007. 
Sec. 18. Application. 
The Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, 
section 15908, subsection 5 applies to those school construction 
projects during the 2006-2007 biennium that were funded through 
state bonds or the Maine Municipal Bond Bank, and that have also 
received both voter approval at a public referendum pursuant to 
Title 20-A, 
section 15904 and design approval from the State 
Board of Education after the effective date of this Act. 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the 
preamble, this Act takes effect when approved. 
SUMMARY 
This bill represents the interim recommendations of the Task 
Force 
to 
Study Maine's 
Homeland 
Security Needs. 
This bill 
authorizes the Governor to bring the balance of the Disaster 
Relief Fund up to $3,000,000. 
It requires that any interest that 
accrues in the fund in excess of $3,000,000 be transferred by the 
State Controller to the Maine Budget Stabilization Fund. 
The 
bill also provides that the Disaster Relief Fund may be used for 
the purpose of matching federal funds in the event of a federally 
declared disaster. 
This bill requires the Director of the Maine Center for 
Disease Control and Prevention within the Department of Health 
and Human Services to coordinate with the Department of Defense, 
Veterans 
and 
Emergency Management, 
Maine 
Emergency Management 
Agency on the planning and expenditure of federal funds received 
by the center for homeland security or bioterrorism prevention. 
The bill also requires the advisor of the Homeland Security 
Advisory 
Council 
to 
report 
annually 
to 
the 
joint 
standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and 
human services matters and the joint standing committee of the 
Legislature having jurisdiction over criminal justice and public 
safety matters on the use of those funds. 
This 
bill places 
all 
matters 
pertaining 
to 
the 
Maine 
Emergency 
Management 
Agency 
and 
its 
director 
under 
the 
jurisdiction of the joint standing committee of the Legislature 
having 
jurisdiction over 
criminal 
justice 
and 
public 
safety 
matters 
and 
assigns 
that 
committee 
the 
responsibility 
of 
reviewing 
that 
agency 
under 
the 
provisions 
of 
the 
State 
Government Evaluation Act. 
The bill requires that the Director 
of 
the 
Maine 
Emergency 
Management 
Agency 
be 
qualified 
by 
education, training or experience in the emergency management 
profession, appointed by the Governor, subject to review by the 
joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction 
over criminal justice and public safety matters and confirmation 
by the Legislature. 
It also provides that the director shall 
represent 
the 
Governor 
on 
all 
matters 
pertaining 
to 
the 
comprehensive emergency management program and the disaster and 
emergency response of the State. 
It requires the director to 
conduct 
periodic 
assessments 
of 
the 
use 
of 
state 
radio 
frequencies in emergencies and directs the director to develop 
and produce emergency preparedness public service announcements 
to be broadcast regularly on local broadcasting networks. 
This 
bill requires the director to survey Maine communities to gather 
information on the types of emergency notification systems that 
are in place throughout the State, evacuation plans for nursing 
homes 
currently 
adopted 
throughout 
the 
State 
and 
shelter 
capabilities throughout the State, with a focus on determining 
how shelters are designed to accommodate populations with special 
needs, particularly persons with disabilities. 
This bill directs the Statewide Radio Network Board, which 
consists of the Chief Information Officer and agencies using the 
statewide radio and network 
system, 
to develop protocols' and 
procedures for frequency coordination throughout the State during 
emergencies and to obtain memoranda of understanding from certain 
stakeholders. 
The bill requires the Statewide Radio Network 
Board to report to the Task Force to Study Maine's Homeland 
Security Needs 
on its progress 
by 
September 
18, 
2006. 
It 
clarifies that the Chief Information Officer and other agencies 
using the statewide radio and network system may operate as a 
board to establish standards for statewide radio and network 
system operations. 
The 
bill directs 
the 
Director 
of 
the 
Maine 
Emergency 
Management 
Agency 
to 
coordinate 
with 
the 
Commissioner 
of 
Education to perform an assessment of the number of Maine public 
schools that have adopted an all-hazards approach to emergency 
preparedness and requires the director and the commissioner to 
coordinate their efforts for community outreach for all-hazards 
emergency planning. 
The bill requires the director to report by 
September 18, 2006 to the Task Force to Study Maine's Homeland 
Security Needs with its findings and recommendations. 
This bill 
also requires that all new schools be designed to include backup 
energy generators or be wired for portable energy generators, 
thus enabling their use as public shelters. 
This bill also requires the Commissioner of Education to 
determine methods for incorporating emergency plans within the 
elementary and secondary public school curriculum. 
It requires 
the commissioner to report by January 15, 2007 with findings and 
proposed 
recommended 
changes 
to 
the 
curriculum to 
the 
joint 
standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over 
education and cultural affairs and the joint standing committee 
of the Legislature having jurisdiction over criminal justice and 
public safety matters. 
Finally, 
this bill directs the Maine Center for Disease 
Control and Prevention, in conjunction with the Maine Hospital 
Association, 
to update its survey of emergency health system 
capaci ty in the State and to report to the Task Force to Study 
Maine's Homeland Security Needs on the results of this study and 
recommendations to address surge capacity by September 18, 2006. 
It also requires the Director of the Maine Center for Disease 
Control and Prevention to work with stakeholders to ensure that 
the regional resource centers are provided sufficient funding and 
requires the director to study the qualifications of local health 
officers and develop recommendations for enhancing their role in 
emergency preparedness plans. 
It requires the director to report 
to the Task Force to Study Maine's Homeland Security Needs on the 
resul ts of this study and proposed recommendations by September 
18, 2006 and to the joint standing committee of the Legislature 
having jurisdiction over health and human services matters and 
the 
joint 
standing 
committee 
of 
the 
Legislature 
having 
jurisdiction over criminal justice matters by January 15, 2007.