Resolve, E~tablishing the Blue Ribbon Commission To Study Landlord and Tenant Issues
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 1080
Committee Amendment CA_A_H489 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "/+" to H.P. 747, L.D. 1080, "Resolve, E~tablishing 
the Blue Ribbon Commission To Study Landlord and Tenant Issues" 
Amend the resolve by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'Resolve, To Create a Working Group To Study Landlo'rd and Tenant Issues' 
Amend the resolve in the emergency preamble by striking out the 2nd indented 
paragraph (page 1, lines 3 and 4 in L.D.) and inserting the following: 
'Whereas, a working group to study issues related to landlords and tenants is created 
in this resolve and must issue its findings and report by December 2, 2009; and,' 
Amend the resolve by striking out all of sections 1 to 7 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. Working group established. Resolved: That the Attorney General or 
the Attorney General's designee shall convene a working group to study issues related to 
landlords and tenants as required in section 4. The Attorney General or the Attorney 
General's designee shall chair the working group and convene the first meeting of the 
working group, which must be no later than August 1, 2009; and be it further 
Sec. 2. Working group members. Resolved: That the working group under 
section 1 consists of the following 10 members: 
1. The Attorney General or the Attorney General's designee; 
2. The Director of the Maine State Housing Authority or the director's designee; 
3. Four members representing the following organizations: 
A. The State's designated protection and advocacy agency pursuant to the Maine 
Revised Statutes, Title 5, section 19502; 
B. A statewide nonprofit legal services organization that provides free legal services 
to the elderly; 
C. A statewide nonprofit legal services organization that provides free legal services 
to low-income persons; and 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to H.P. 747, L.D. 1080 
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statewide nonprofit legal services organization that provides free legal 
services, including administrative and legislative advocacy, to low:-income persons; 
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4. Four members representing organizations of landlords and housing managers in 
the State. 
. The Attorney General or the Attorney General's designee shall invite the 
participation of one member representing the District Court selected by the Chief Justice 
of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court; and be it further 
Sec. 3. Selection of members. Resolved: That, no later than 30 days following 
the effective date of this resolve, the organizations described in section 2 shall notify the 
Attorney General or the Attorney General's designee of the members selected for 
participation in the working group under section 1; and be it further 
Sec. 4. Duties. Resolved: That the working group under section 1 shall: 
1. 
Study the feasibility of providing heating fuel assistance and weatherization 
assistance for landlords who serve low-income tenants in certain economically distressed 
areas; 
2. Study the issue of keeping housing units in proper repair, including examining the 
laws regarding warranty of habitability to see if there is a way to have the law work more 
simply to resolve both minor and major problems; 
3. Study the issue of keeping tenants in their apartments in the event of a foreclosure; 
4. Examine the current laws regarding evictions both in lease and tenancies at will to 
determine if consolidating those laws into one statutory scheme is feasible and to 
determine if some minimal standards should apply to lease tenancies; 
5. Recommend changes to clarify and simplify the current law; and 
6. 
Consider any other issues pertaining to landlord and tenant issues that it 
determines to be relevant; and be it further 
Sec. 5. 
Notice to Legislature. Resolved: 
That the Attorney General shall 
provide written notice of working group under section 1 meetings and copies of any 
minutes of meetings to members of the Joint Standing Committee on Legal and Veterans 
Affairs and the Office of Policy and Legal Analysis; and be it further 
Sec. 6. Staffing assistance. Resolved: That the Attorney General shall provide 
necessary staffing services to the working group under section I. Upon the approval of 
the Legislative Council, the Office of Policy and Legal Analysis may provide drafting 
assistance with the preparation of recommended legislation. 
The drafting assistance 
provided by the Office of Policy and Legal Analysis may be provided only when the 
Legislature is not in session; and be it further 
Sec. 7. Report. Resolved: That, no later than January 15, 20 I 0, the working 
group under section 1 shall submit a report that includes its findings and 
recommendations, including suggested legislation, for presentation to the Joint Standing 
Committee on Legal and Veterans Affairs. The Joint Standing Committee on Legal and 
Veterans Affairs is authorized to introduce a bill related to the subject matter of the repOli 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,A "to H.P. 747, L.D. 1080 
to the Second Regular Session of the 124th Legislature upon receipt of the report; and be 
it further 
Sec. 8.' Appropriations and allocations. 
Resolved: 
That the following 
appropriations and allocations are made. 
. 
ATTORNEY GENERAL, DEPARTMENT OF THE 
Administration - Attorney General 0310 
Initiative: Provides one-time funds to contract for expert assistance in the area of landlord 
and tenant issues to provide the necessary staffing for the working group. 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
SUMMARY 
2009-10 
$10,000 
$10,000 
2010-11 
$0 
$0 
This amendment replaces the resolve and changes the title. The amendment directs 
the Attorney General to convene a working group to study qertain issues related to the 
laws governing landlords and tenants rather than establishing a blue ribbon commission 
with Legislators as proposed in the bill. The amendment requires the Attorney General to 
notify members of the Joint Standing Committee on Legal and Veterans Affairs of 
working group meetings and provide copies of minutes of meetings. The amendment 
requires the working group to report to the Joint Standing Committee on Legal and 
Veterans Affairs by January IS, 2010. It also adds an appropriations and allocations 
section. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: OS/28/09 frac::.. 
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LD 1080 
LR 688(03) 
Resolve, Establishing the Blue Ribbon Commission To Study Landlord and Tenant Issues 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "If.' 
Net Cost (Savings) 
General Fund 
Appropriations/Allocations 
General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Committee: Legal and Veterans Affairs 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
2009-10 
2010-11 
$10,000 
$0 
$10,000 
$0 
Projections 
2011-12 
$0 
$0 
Projections 
2012-13 
$0 
$0 
This bill includes a General Fund appropriation of $10,000 in fiscal year 2009-10 for the Department of the Attorney 
General to contract for expert assistance in the area of landlord and tenant issues in order to provide the necessary 
staffing to the working group. 
Additional costs to the Maine State Housing Authority to serve on the working group and the costs to the Legislature 
to provide drafting assistance can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
LR0688(03) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1 
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