An Act To Promote Independence and Facilitate Employment for Visually Impaired or Blind Individuals by Investing in an Effective Vision Rehabilitation System
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 0564
Committee Amendment CA_A_H122 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDlVlENT A" to H.P. 402, L.D. 564, Bill, "An Act To 
Promote Independence and Facilitate Employment for Visually Impaired or Blind 
Individuals by Investing in an Effective Vision Rehabilitation System" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'Resolve, To Establish a Working Group of Stakeholders To Review the Current 
and Future Needs of Blind and Visually Impaired Individuals and To Establish 
Long-term Solutions To Fund Those Needs' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and before the summary and 
inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. Working group to review current and future needs of blind and 
visually impaired individuals. Resolved: That the Commissioner of Labor shall 
establish within existing resources a working group of stakeholders to review the current 
and future needs of blind and visually impaired individuals. The stakeholder group must 
include representatives from the Department of Labor, Catholic Charities Maine, The Iris 
Network, the Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired, the Department of Education, 
the Disability Rights Center and other interested parties. The group shall assess the 
current and future needs of blind and visually impaired individuals to determine the costs 
of those needs and to design a solution that will work to meet those needs; and be it 
further 
Sec. 2. Reporting date established. Resolved: That the Commissioner of 
Labor shall report the working group's findings, including the proposed oversight of the 
Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired, to the Joint Standing Committee on Labor 
and the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs by January 31, 
2010.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill with a resolve that authorizes the establishment of a 
working group funded within existing resources of the Department of Labor to study the 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
" .• ~' 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,11 " 
to H.P. 402, L.D. 564 
current and future needs of blind and visually impaired individuals, detennine the costs of 
those needs and design a solution to meet those needs. The group shall report its findings 
to the Joint Standing Committee on Labor and the Joint Standing Committee on 
Education and Cultural Affairs by January 31,2010. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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Revised: 04/14/09 .::w-ac::.. 
LD564 
LR 1485(02) 
An Act To Promote Independence and Facilitate Employment for Visually Impaired or Blind 
Individuals by Investing in an Effective Vision Rehabilitation System 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment ,A, 
Committee: Labor 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
This legislation requires the Department of Labor to establish a working group within existing resources. Because the 
resources within the Department of Laqor that are available to conduct the study and provide staff support to the 
worldng group are funded entirely with federal dollars, the Department may not be able to provide sufficient staffing 
without incurring additional General Fund costs. 
Additional costs to the Department of Education and the Disability Rights Center associated with participating in the 
required review can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
LRI485(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1