An Act To Establish the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 0236
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: PERCY, ADAMS, AYOTTE, BEAUDOIN, BLANCHARD, BLODGETT, BOLAND, BRIGGS, CAMPBELL, CHASE, CLARK, CLEARY, COHEN, DILL, FITTS, FLETCHER, GIFFORD, GILES, HAYES, HINCK, HUNT, JONES, LAJOIE, LEWIN, MARTIN, MAZUREK, PETERSON, PIEH, PINGREE, PRESCOTT, SMITH, STRANG BURGESS, THERIAULT, VALENTINO, VAN WIE, WAGNER, WATSON, WELSH, ALFOND, BARTLETT, BOWMAN, BRYANT, GOODALL, HOBBINS, JACKSON, SIMPSON
Amends: 5 MRSA §12004-J, 5 MRSA §7029

Legislative Document 
No. 236 
H.P.190 
House of Representatives, January 23,2009 
An Act To Establish the Permanent Commission on the Status of 
Women 
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Representative PERCY of Phippsburg. 
Cosponsored by Senator SCHNEIDER -of Penobscot and 
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1/1. 7J1~~{ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: ADAMS ofPOliland, AUSTIN -GfGray, AYOTTE of Caswell, BEAUDOIN 
of Biddeford, BLANCHARD of Old Town, BLODGETT of Augusta, BOLAND of Sanford, 
BRIGGS of Mexico, CAMPBELL of Newfield, CHASE of Wells, CLARK of Millinocket, 
CLEARY of Houlton, COHEN of Portland, DILL of Cape Elizabeth, FITTS of Pittsfield, 
FLETCHER of Winslow, GIFFORD of Lincoln, GILES of Belfast, HAYES of Buckfield, 
HILL ofY-ork, HINCK of Portland, HUNT of Buxton, JONES of Mount Vernon, LAJOIE of 
Lewiston, LEWIN of Eliot, MARTIN of Orono, MAZUREK of Rockland, PETERSON of 
Rumford, PIEH of Bremen, Speaker PINGREE of North Haven, PRESCOTT of Topsham, 
SMITH of Monmouth, STRANG BURGESS of Cumberland, THERIAULT of Madawaska, 
VALENTINO of Saco, VAN WIE of New Gloucester, WAGNER of Lyman, WATSON of 
Bath, WELSH of Rockport, Senators: ALFOND of Cumberland, BARTLETT of Cumberland, 
BOWMAN of York, BRYANT of Oxford, GOODALL of Sag ada hoc, HOBBINS of York, 
JACKSON of Aroostook, SIMPSON of Androscoggin. 
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Be it enacted by the People ofthe State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 5 MRSA c. 371-A is enacted to read: 
CHAPTER 371-A 
PERMANENT COMLVHSSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN 
§7029. Commission established 
The Permanent Commission on the Status of Women, established by section 12004-J, 
subsection 17 and referred to in this chapter as "the commission," is an independent 
commission. The commission shall promote, carry out and coordinate programs designed 
to improve opportunities for women in the State. 
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§7030. Membership 
The commission consists of 17 members, including 9 appointed by the Governor, 4 
appointed by the President of the Senate and 4 appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
Representatives. 
In making these appointments, the Governor, the President of the 
Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall consider and appoint 
residents of the State who have a knowledge of problems facing women in the State and 
who provide leadership in programs or activities that are carried out. to improve 
opportunities for women. 
The members of the commission must be chosen from 
throughout the State and must include but are not limited to representatives of minority, 
low-income, youth and elderly groups. The President of the Senate shall appoint at least 
one member who represents the interests of minorities. The Speaker of the House of 
Representatives shall appoint at least one member who represents the interests of the 
elderly. The Governor shall appoint at least one member who represents the interests of 
low-income people and at least one.member who represents the interests of youth. 
§7030-A. Term of office 
Members of the commission are appointed for 2-year terms, except that, of those 
members fIrst appointed, 4 appointed by the Governor, 2 appointed by the President of 
the Senate and 2 appointed by the Speaker of the House must be appointed for one-year 
terms. The term of offIce of each member must be' designated: at the time ofappomtIIient. 
Members ofthe commissionrhay serve after. the expiration of their terms until. their 
. successors have taken offIce .• The Governor, the President of the Senate and the Speaker 
of the House -may terminate. the membership of their respective appointees for good 
cause .. The reason for the termination must be, communicated, in writing to' a member 
whose membership is terminated. The membership of any. member of the commission 
must betemiinated if the member 'is absent -from 3 consecutive meetings· without 
communicatmg -good cause to the ~hair of the commis~ion. 
§7030-B. Vacancies 
A member appointed to fIll a·vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for 
which the member's predecessor,was appointed serves only for the remainder of that term 
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and must be appointed by the same appointing authority. 
Any vacancy on the 
commission does not affect its powers .. 
§7030-C. Chair 
The Governor shall select from among the members of the commission a chair and a 
vice-chair, both of whom shall serve for one year. These selections must be made each 
year prior to the first meeting of the commission. The chair is authorized to appoint 
subcommittees. 
§7030-D. Powers and duties 
The COlTIlTIlSSlOn shall advise and consult with the Governor and the Legislature 
about, and assist them in improving, opportunities for women in the State by: 
1. Research. Carrying out research programs necessary to determine the status of 
women in the State; 
2. 
Activities. 
Promoting and coordinating activities on state and local levels 
designed to meet the problems of women in the State; 
3. Advocate. Serving as an advocate for women in making recommendations on 
proposed budgetary, legislative and policy actions to the Governor, the Legislature and 
other officials of the State and the Federal Government with respect to state and federal 
policies, programs and other activities affecting or relating to women in the State; 
4. Information. Informing the public about the presence or absence of opportunities 
for women in the State; 
5. Meetings. Conducting public hearings, conferences, workshops and other such 
meetings to obtain information about, discuss and publicize the needs of and solutions to 
the problems of women; 
6. 
Reports. 
Making a biennial report to the Governor and the Legislature 
concerning the work and interests of the commission; and 
7. 
Executive director. 
Establishing and filling the position of the Executive 
Director of the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women. 
§7030-E. Meetings; compensation 
The commission shall meet at the call of the chair not less than 4 times each year. 
Members are compensated as provided in chapter 379. 
§7030-F. Staff; funding 
The commission is authorized to employ staff and consultants and to accept and use 
any funding available to it in carrying out the purposes of this chapter. 
Sec. 2. 5 MRSA §12004-J, sub-§17 is enacted to read: 
: 
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17. 
Women 
Pennanent 
Expenses Only 
Commission on the 
Status of Women 
SUMMARY 
MRSA §7029 
This bill creates the Pennanent Commission on the Status of Women based on the 
law that created the Maine Commission for Women, which was repealed by Public Law 
1991, chapter 622, Part S, sections 5 and 18. 
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