An Act To Meet the Emergeu.cy Needs of Maine Veterau
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 1985
Committee: Legal and Veterans Affairs
Sponsors: EDMONDS, BENOIT, BOWMAN, MARTIN, MITCHELL, TURNER, CUMMINGS, PINGREE, WEBSTER
Amends: 37-B MRSA §505

Legislative Document 
No. 1985 
S.P.779 
December 18, 2007 
An Act To Meet the Emergeu.cy Needs of Maine Veterau 
(EMERGENCy) 
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
203. 
Received by the Secretary of the Senate on December 18,2007. Referred to the Committee 
on Legal and Veterans Affairs pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed. 
Presented by President EDMONDS of Cumberlancl. ~ 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Cosponsored by Senators: BENOIT ofSagadahoc, BOWMAN of York, MARTIN of 
Aroostook, MITCHELL of Kennebec, TURNER of Cumberland, Representatives: Speaker 
CUMMINGS of Portland, PINGREE of North Haven, WEBSTER of Freeport. 
Printed on recycled paper 
I 
II 
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, necessary emergency assistance to veterans in need of funds must be 
provided before the end of the legislative session; 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. 37-B MRSA §505, sub-§l-A,~, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 439, Pt. QQ, 
§2, is amended to read: 
B. 
The bureau may provide a grant of emergency assistance not to exceed ~ 
$5,000 to a veteran who suffers an emergency, such as the loss of that veteran's home 
to fire, flood or hurricane, that is not fully compensable by insurance; illness or the 
illness of an immediate family member; or a similar emergency. No more than 
$-l-;QOO $10,000 in emergency assistance may be provided to a veteran in any 12-
month period. For the purposes of this paragraph, "veteran" has the same meaning as 
"eligible veteran" in section 504, subsection 4, paragraph A-I. 
Sec. 2. Appropriations and allocations. 
The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
DEFENSE, VETERANS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT 
OF 
Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services 
Initiative: Provides funding for emergency assistance to veterans. 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
2007-08 
$0 
$0 
2008-09 
$250,000 
$250,000 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited In the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved. 
SUMMARY 
This bill increases from $500 to $5,000 the amount of a grant that may be made by 
the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management, Bureau of Maine 
Veterans' Services to a veteran who suffers an emergency, such as the loss of that 
Page I - 123LR3357(OI)-1 
veteran's home to fire, flood or hurricane, that is not fully compensable by insurance, or 
an illness or the illness of an immediate family member or similar emergency. It also 
provides an appropriation of $250,000 to fund the grants.