An Act To Improve and Modernize the Authority of Local Health Inspectors
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 1592
Committee: Health and Human Services
Sponsors: COOPER, CRAVEN, GATTINE, GIDEON, MASTRACCIO, SANBORN, GRATWICK, WOODBURY
Amends: 22 MRSA §2499-A

Legislative Document 
No. 1592 
H.P. 1163 
House of Representatives, December 30, 2013 
An Act To Improve and Modernize the Authority of Local Health 
Inspectors 
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
203. 
Received by the Clerk of the House on December 23, 2013.  Referred to the Committee on 
Health and Human Services pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint 
Rule 401. 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative COOPER of Yarmouth. 
Cosponsored by Senator CRAVEN of Androscoggin and 
Representatives: GATTINE of Westbrook, GIDEON of Freeport, MASTRACCIO of Sanford, 
SANBORN of Gorham, Senators: GRATWICK of Penobscot, WOODBURY of Cumberland. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  22 MRSA §2499-A is enacted to read: 
§2499-A.  Local health inspector training for limited inspections 
The department shall train local health inspectors for the purpose of performing 
limited inspections for health and safety violations. Notwithstanding section 2499, 
subsection 2, a local health inspector who successfully completes training under this 
section may perform inspections of establishments licensed under this chapter for health 
and safety violations that pose an imminent threat to the public health and welfare.  If a 
local health inspector performs an inspection pursuant to this section and finds a health 
and safety violation that poses an imminent threat to the public health and welfare, the 
local health inspector shall order the immediate and temporary closing of the 
establishment.  An order to temporarily close an establishment issued by a local health 
inspector pursuant to this section remains in effect until the department issues an order 
requiring the establishment to remain closed or allowing the establishment to reopen.  An 
inspection conducted pursuant to this section and an order issued pursuant to that 
inspection do not affect the requirement of a determination of compliance with this 
chapter every 2 years as required by section 2497.  The department shall adopt rules to 
implement this section.  Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules 
as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
SUMMARY 
This bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services to train local health 
inspectors to perform limited inspections for health and safety violations of 
establishments such as restaurants and lodging places.  The bill requires a local health 
inspector who performs an inspection and finds a health and safety violation that poses an 
imminent threat to the public health and welfare to order the immediate and temporary 
closing of the establishment. The bill provides that an order to temporarily close an 
establishment issued by a local health inspector remains in effect until the department 
issues an order requiring the establishment to remain closed or allowing the establishment 
to reopen.  The bill provides that an inspection conducted by a local health inspector and 
an order issued pursuant to that inspection do not affect the requirement of a 
determination of compliance with state licensing requirements every 2 years as required 
by current law.  The bill requires the department to adopt routine technical rules to 
implement the new training provision.