An Act To Add 2 Mental Health Advocates to the State Board of Corrections
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 0478
Committee: Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Sponsors: MITCHELL, WHEELER, BRANNIGAN, DAVIS, GERZOFSKY, NUTTING, LAJOIE
Amends: 34-A MRSA §1802

Legislative Document 
No. 478 
S.P. 181 
In Senate, February 10, 2009 
An Act To Add 2 Mental Health Advocates to the State Board of 
Corrections 
Reference to the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by President MITCHELL of Kennebec. 
Cosponsored by Representative WHEELER of Kittery and 
9t8(J~ 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Senators: BRANNIGAN of Cumberland, DAVIS of Cumberland, GERZOFSKY of 
Cumberland, NUTTING of Androscoggin, Representative: LAJOIE of Lewiston. 
Printed on recycled paper 
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 34-A MRS A §1802, sub-§l, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 653, Pt. A, §30, is 
amended to read: 
1. Appointments. The board consists of -9 11 members who are appointed by the 
Governor. Each appointment is subjectto review by the joint standing committee of the 
Legislature having jurisdiction over criminal justice and public safety matters and to 
confirmation by the Senate, except those members appointed pursuant to paragraph C. 
The following provisions govern member qualifications: 
A. One member must be a sitting sheriff selected from a list of 3 nominations 
submitted to the Governor by a statewide organization representing sheriffs; 
B. One member must be a sitting county commissioner selected from a list of 3 
nominations submitted to the Governor by a statewide __ Qrganization representing 
county commissioners; 
C. Two members must be representatives of the executive branch and at least one of 
the 2 must be from the department; 
D. One member must be a municipal official selected from a list of 3 nomination~ . 
submitted to the Governor by a statewide organization representing elected and 
appointed municipal officers and officials; arui 
E. The remaining4 Four members must be broadly representative of the public and 
the geographical regions of the State. One of the 4 members appointed under this 
paragraph must be selected from a list of 3 nominations submit~ed to the Governor by 
a statewide organization representing county commissioners. A member appointed 
under this paragraph may not be an elected state or county official or municipal 
officer and may not derive income in substantial portion from work as an employee 
Qf a state, county or municipal government or in the field of corrections":; and 
F. Two members must be mental health advocates, one selected from a list of 3 
nominations submitted to the Governor by the President of the Senate and one 
selected from a list of 3 nominations submitted to the Governor by the Speaker of the 
House of Representatives. 
Sec. 2. 34-A MRSA §1802, sub-§7, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 653, Pt. A, §30, is 
amended to read: 
7. Quorum. Two-thirds of the members of the board constitute a quorum for 
purposes of voting, 2/3 of the members constitute a quorum for purposes of rulemaking 
and';" .1 members constitute a quorum for subcommittee hearings held by the board that 
do not involve decision making. 
SUMMARY 
This bill adds 2 mental health advocates to the State Board of Corrections. The bill 
also changes the quorum from 3 to 4 members for subcommittee hearings held by the 
board that do not involve decision making. 
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