An Act To Amend Various Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management Laws
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 1088
Committee Amendment CA_A_H199 (House)
Amends: 37-B MRSA §601, 37-B MRSA §703

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A " 
to H.P. 806, L.D. 1088, Bill, "An Act To 
Amend Various Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management Laws" 
Amend the bill in section I in subsection 3 in paragraph N in the last line (page 2, 
line 6 in L.D.) by inserting after the following: "armory;" the following: 'and' 
Amend the bill in section I in subsection 3 in paragraph 0 in the last line (page 2, 
line II in L.D.) by striking out the following: "; and" and inserting the following: '~' 
Amend the bill in section I in subsection 3 by striking out all of paragraph P (page 2, 
lines 12 to IS in L.D.) 
Amend the bill by inserting after section 8 the following: 
'Sec. 9. 37-B MRSA §601, as amended by PL 1999, c. 288, § I, IS further 
amended to read: 
§601. Horne established; purpose 
There must be public homes for veterans in Maine known as "Maine Veterans' 
Homes." In addition to the existing 120-bed home located in Augusta, a 120-bed home 
located in Scarborough, a home not to exceed 40 beds located in Caribou, a home located 
in Bangor not to exceed 120 beds, of which 40 beds are dedicated to senile dementia 
patients, and a home located in South Paris not to exceed 90 beds, of which 30 beds are 
dedicated to senile dementia patients, may be constructed if federal Veterans' 
Administration funds are available to meet part of the costs of each facility for 
construction or operation. In addition, a home located in Machias not to exceed 60 beds 
may be constructed if federal Veterans' Administration funds or funds from any other 
state, federal or private source are available to meet part of the costs of the facility for 
construction or operation, except that the Machias home may not begin operation prior to 
July I, 1995 and the construction and funding of the Machias home may not in any way 
jeopardize the construction, funding or financial viability of any other home. The Maine 
Veterans' Homes also are authorized to provide nonnursing facility care and services to 
Maine veterans if approved by appropriate state and federal authorities. The Board of 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
,..,t." 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,,~ " to H.P. 806, L.D. 1088 
Trustees of the Maine Veterans' Homes shall plan and develop the Machias home and any 
nonnursing facility care and services using any funds available for that purpose, except 
for the Augusta facility's funded depreciation account. The Maine Veterans' Homes are 
authorized to construct community-based outpatient clinics for Maine veterans in 
cooperation with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and may construct and 
operate veterans hospice facilities, veterans housing facilities and other facilities 
authorized by the Board of Trustees of the Maine Veterans' Homes, using available funds. 
Any funds loaned to the Maine Veterans' Homes for operating purposes from the funded 
depreciation accounts of the Maine Veterans' Homes must be reimbursed from any funds 
received by the Maine Veterans' Homes and available for that purpose. The primary 
purpose of the Maine Veterans' Homes is to provide support and care for honorably 
discharged veterans who served on active duty in the United States Armed Forces :fef..tle 
less than 180 days or who served in the Reserves of the United States Armed Forces on 
active duty for other than training purposes or are entitled to retired pay under 10 United 
States Code, Chapter 1223 regardless of the age of such persons. 
Sec. 10. 37-B MRSA §703, sub-§2-C is enacted to read: 
2-C. Emergency management exercise. "Emergency management exercise" means 
a focused practice activity that places participants in a simulated situation requiring them 
to function in the capacity that would be expected of them in a real event and is 
conducted to test an organization's plans and policies to evaluate an organization's 
capability to execute one or more portions of its response or contingency plans and to 
train personnel. 
Sec. 11. 37-B MRS A §704, as amended by PL 2005, c. 634, §II, is further 
amended by adding at the end a new paragraph to read: 
The director shall develop and conduct an annual statewide program of emergency 
management exercises to test the policies and plans of the state, county and local 
emergency management agencies. The program must address all disasters identified 
pursuant to section 783, subsection 1.' 
Amend the biII by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment removes the authority to sell the armory in Brewer as provided in 
the bill. It also defines "emergency management exercise" and requires the Director of 
the Maine Emergency Management Agency to develop and conduct a program of annual 
emergency management exercises. This amendment also authorizes the Maine Veterans' 
Homes to develop community outpatient clinics as well as hospice and housing facilities 
for veterans. The amendment also clarifies who the Maine Veterans' Homes support and 
care for as their primary purpose. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 04125/07 frac:.. 
LD 1088 
LR 990(02) 
An Act To Amend Various Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management Laws 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment ,,4 " 
Committee: Legal and Veterans Affairs 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
LR0990(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1