An Act To Provide Revenue to Veterans' Organizations and the Maine Veterans' Memorial Cemetery System Care Fund from Table Game Revenue
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 0169
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: PATRICK, LONGSTAFF, JACKSON, TUTTLE, BEAULIEU, BRIGGS, FOWLE, KINNEY, SAUCIER, SCHNECK
Amends: 8 MRSA §1036, 37-B MRSA §512, 37-B MRSA §514

Legislative Document 
No. 169 
S.P. 58 
In Senate, January 31, 2013 
An Act To Provide Revenue to Veterans' Organizations and the 
Maine Veterans' Memorial Cemetery System Care Fund from Table 
Game Revenue 
(EMERGENCY) 
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed. 
DAREK M. GRANT 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by Senator PATRICK of Oxford. 
Cosponsored by Representative LONGSTAFF of Waterville and 
Senators: JACKSON of Aroostook, TUTTLE of York, Representatives: BEAULIEU of 
Auburn, BRIGGS of Mexico, FOWLE of Vassalboro, KINNEY of Limington, SAUCIER of 
Presque Isle, SCHNECK of Bangor. 
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, veterans of this State are experiencing difficult times and services to 
which they are entitled should be provided without delay; and 
Whereas, enactment of legislation establishing the Coordinated Veterans Assistance 
Grant Fund, which will aid veterans in need, must take place before July 1, 2013; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore, 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  8 MRSA §1036, sub-§2-C, ¶D, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 417, §10, is 
amended to read: 
D.  Two percent of net table game income must be deposited into an account held by 
the board for distribution to charitable nonprofit organizations that were eligible to 
conduct beano games and games of chance in accordance with Title 17, chapters 
13-A and 62.  The account is nonlapsing and no distributions may be made from the 
account before July 1, 2013 the Coordinated Veterans Assistance Grant Fund 
established in Title 37-B, section 514. 
Sec. 2.  37-B MRSA §512, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 2009, c. 471, §1, is amended 
to read: 
1.  Maine Veterans' Memorial Cemetery System Care Fund establishment; 
purpose.  The Maine Veterans' Memorial Cemetery System Care Fund, known in this 
section as "the fund," is established for the purpose of ensuring ongoing care and 
maintenance of veterans' graves within the Maine Veterans' Memorial Cemetery System 
after plot interment allowances for burials within the system are no longer received from 
the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.  The fund is established from deposits 
of 1/3 of the funds received from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs for 
plot interment allowances and from annual deposits from the Coordinated Veterans 
Assistance Grant Fund established by section 514.  The fund may also accept private and 
public donations.  The fund is separate from other perpetual care or cemetery 
maintenance funds that support veterans' cemeteries and were established prior to the 
effective date of this section. 
Sec. 3.  37-B MRSA §514 is enacted to read: 
§514.  Coordinated Veterans Assistance Grant Fund; establishment; purpose 
The Coordinated Veterans Assistance Grant Fund, referred to in this section as "the 
fund," is established to provide grants to veterans' service organizations.  The grants must 
be used to provide a veterans' service officer at a veterans' hospital, to assist organizations 
that provide transportation to veterans receiving medical services at a veterans' hospital 
and to provide funding to organizations that assist veterans who are homeless.  The fund 
must also be used to make an annual deposit to the Maine Veterans' Memorial Cemetery 
System Care Fund described in section 512.  The deposit made to the Maine Veterans' 
Memorial Cemetery System Care Fund from the fund may not exceed 25% of the annual 
revenue received by the fund from table game wagers at a commercial track in 
accordance with Title 8, section 1036, subsection 2-C, paragraph D.  The bureau shall 
adopt rules to implement the issuance of grants to veterans' service organizations for the 
purposes described in this section.  Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine 
technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
Sec. 4.  Gambling Control Board to transfer funds.  Within 30 days after the 
effective date of this Act, all funds that are held by the Gambling Control Board within 
the Department of Public Safety for distribution to charitable nonprofit organizations 
pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 8, section 1036, subsection 2-C, paragraph 
D must be transferred to the Coordinated Veterans Assistance Grant Fund established in 
Title 37-B, section 514. 
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved. 
SUMMARY 
Current law requires 2% of the net table game income generated at a casino with a 
commercial track to be held by the Department of Public Safety, Gambling Control Board 
for distribution to charitable nonprofits eligible to conduct beano or games of chance.  
This bill changes that distribution, instead directing the income to the Coordinated 
Veterans Assistance Grant Fund, which is established in the bill to give grants to assist 
veterans' service organizations and to make an annual deposit to the Maine Veterans' 
Memorial Cemetery System Care Fund.