Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 1734
Committee Amendment CA_A_H758 (House)
Amends: 24-A MRSA §2736-C

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "~,, to H.P. 1242, L.D. 1734, 
Act To Increase Accessibility to Health Insurance" 
Bill, ";m 
Amend the bill by inserting after the title and before the 
enacting clause the following: 
'Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted 
as emergencies; and 
Whereas, persons who have legally immigrated to Maine are 
being denied access to private health insurance; and 
Whereas, the definition of "legally domiciled" in current 
insurance law needs to be broadened to allow persons who have 
legally immigrated to Maine and reside in Maine to have access to 
individual health insurance; and 
Whereas, this legislation will expand the definitions in the 
insurance law so that persons who have legally immigrated will 
now be eligible for individual health insurance; 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,' 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT .. a 
.. to H.P. 1242, L.D. 1734 
Further amend the bill by striking out everything after the 
enacting clause and before the summary and inserting in its place 
the following: 
'Sec. 1. 24-A MRSA §2736-C, sub-§I, llC-l, as amended by PL 
1999, c. 256, Pt. C, §l, is repealed and the following enacted in 
its place: 
C-l. 
"Legally domiciled" means a person who lives in this 
State and who satisfies the criteria contained in 2 of the 
following subparagraphs. 
(1) 
The person has a motor vehicle operator's license 
or nondriver identification card from this State. 
( 2) 
The person has a valid passport or visa and is 
lawfully admitted to the United States. 
(3) 
The person is registered to vote in this State. 
(4) 
The person has a permanent dwelling place in this 
State. 
(5) 
The 
person 
submits 
a 
written 
sworn affidavit 
declaring that person's intent to reside in this State. 
(6) 
The person files an income tax return for this 
State that declares the person is a Maine resident. 
A person may establish that that person is legally domiciled 
in this 
State 
by 
providing 
evidence 
of other 
relevant 
criteria associated with residency. 
A child is legally 
domiciled in this State if at least one of the child's 
parents or the child's legal guardian is legally domiciled 
in this State. 
A person with 
a 
developmental or other 
disability that prevents that person from obtaining a motor 
vehicle operator's license. registering to vote or filing an 
income tax return is legally domiciled in this State by 
living in this State. 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the 
preamble, this Act takes effect when approved.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill. 
The amendment amends the 
definition of "legally domiciled" so that a person is required to 
satisfy 2 
of 
criteria before becoming eligible to purchase 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A 
.. to H.P. 1242, L.D. 1734 
individual health insurance coverage. 
The amendment also expands 
the 
criteria 
for 
eligibility 
to 
purchase 
health 
insurance 
coverage to include a valid passport or visa, a sworn affidavit 
declaring a person's intent to reside in this State and a state 
identification card in lieu of a driver's license. 
The amendment also adds an emergency preamble and emergency 
clause. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT