An Act To O Implement the Recommendations of the Commission To Strengthen and Align the Services Provided to Maine's Veterans by Establishing an Interagency Council To Coordinate Services for Homeless Veterans
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 1611
Committee Amendment CA_A_H582 (House)
Amends: 30-A MRSA §5047, 30-A MRSA §5048

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 1099, L.D. 1611, Bill, "An Act To 
O 
Implement the Recommendations of the Commission To Strengthen and Align the 
Services Provided to Maine's Veterans by Establishing an Interagency Council To 
Coordinate Services for Homeless Veterans" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act To Address the Findings of the Commission To Strengthen and Align the 
Services Provided To Maine's Veterans Regarding Veterans Experiencing 
Homelessness' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the 
summary and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 30-A MRSA §5047, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2007, c. 600, §2, is 
further amended to read: 
1. 
Membership; chair. The council consists of .l-J 14 members appointed as 
follows: 
A. 
Six members appointed by the Governor, 2 from each of 3 regional homeless 
councils, based on nominations provided by the 3 regional homeless councils; 
B. The Director of the Maine State Housing Authority; 
C. Three members appointed jointly by the President of the Senate and the Speaker 
of the House, one from each of 3 regional homeless councils, based on nominations 
provided by the 3 regional homeless councils; 
D. One member representing the Office of the Governor, who serves as the chair; 
E. 
The Commissioner of Health and Human Services or the commissioner's 
designee; aBd 
F. The Commissioner of Corrections or the commissioner's designee.,.; and 
G. The Director of the Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services or the director's designee. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 1099, L.D. 1611 
Sec. 2. 30-A MRSA §5048, sub-§7, as amended by PL 2007, c. 600, §4, is 
further amended to read: 
7. 
Review, monitor and implement plans. On an annual basis, review and 
comment on plans submitted pursuant to Title 34-B, section 1221 and propose 
amendments and updates to and implement a plan to end homelessness; and 
Sec. 3. 30-A MRSA §5048, sub-§8, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 600, §5, is 
amended to read: 
8. Advise departments. Advise the Department of Corrections and the Department 
of Health and Buman Services on issues related to homelessness and other issues related 
to the duties of the council~; and 
Sec. 4. 30-A MRSA §5048, sub-§9 is enacted to read: 
9. Develop strategic plan regarding homelessness among veterans. Develop 
strategies to enhance coordination and communication among agencies and organizations 
that provide services that seek to place veterans in permanent housing and that seek to 
improve access to services known to support housing stability for veterans who are 
experiencing homelessness or veterans who are at risk of homelessness. The council shall 
develop and periodically review a strategic plan that: 
A. Establishes a baseline for homelessness in the State from which improvements 
can be measured. In determining the baseline, the council is not required to use the 
federal definition of homelessness and may include levels of housing instability or 
ranges of homelessness; 
B. Develops a method of measuring homelessness among veterans in the State to 
demonstrate whether efforts to reduce the number of homeless veterans in the State 
-......,,, 
have been successful; 
C. Identifies specific processes for improving communication among agencies that 
provide services to veterans, including services unrelated to homelessness, that will 
facilitate identification of veterans in need of housing assistance or veterans who may 
be at risk of homelessness and maximize resources available to address homelessness 
among veterans; and 
D. Develops a framework and timeline for determining progress of communication 
and coordination efforts targeting homelessness among veterans and the effectiveness 
of those efforts in reducing homelessness among veterans. 
The Director of the Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services shall periodically report to the 
council regarding the progress of implementing the strategies described in this subsection. 
Beginning February 1, 2018, the director shall report annually to the joint standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over veterans affairs on the 
implementation of the strategic plan. The report must include, but is not limited to, the 
effect of the strategic plan on homelessness among veterans based on the measurements 
required to be established by this subsection. 
Sec. 5. Development of initial strategic plan. By February 15, 2017, the 
Statewide Homeless Council, established in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 30-A, 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEEAMENDMENT"A"toH.P.1099,L.D.1611 
chapter 202, subchapter 5-A, shall develop an initial strategic plan pursuant to Title 30-A, 
section 5048, subsection 9. 
Sec. 6. Report to Legislature. By March 1, 2017, the Director of the Bureau of 
Maine Veterans' Services within the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency 
Management shall present the strategic plan developed pursuant to the Maine Revised 
Statutes, Title 30-A, section 5048, subsection 9, including a description of the process 
used to develop it, to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction 
over veterans affairs. 
Sec. 7. Director of the Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services to establish 
Veterans Service Officer position. No later than February 1, 2017, the Director of 
the Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services within the Department of Defense, Veterans and 
Emergency Management shall establish one additional Veterans Service Officer position 
within the bureau. Duties must include coordination of efforts to address homelessness 
among veterans in the State. 
Sec. 8. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
DEFENSE, VETERANS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT 
OF 
Veterans Services 0110 
Initiative: Provides funding for one Veterans Service Officer position and related costs. 
GENERAL FUND 
POSITIONS - LEGISLATIVE COUNT 
Personal Services 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
SUMMARY 
2015-16 
2016-17 
0.000 
1.000 
$0 
$81,258 
$0 
$10,000 
$0 
$91,258 
This amendment replaces the bill. 
Like the bill, the amendment implements a 
recommendation of the Commission To Strengthen and Align Services Provided to 
Maine's Veterans regarding homelessness among veterans by requiring coordination of 
agencies that provide services to veterans to maximize resources available to support 
stable, permanent housing for veterans at risk of homelessness. The bill establishes a new 
interagency council under the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency 
Management, Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services. The amendment requires an existing 
entity, the Statewide Homeless Council, to develop a strategic plan similar to the plan in 
the bill. The amendment also requires that the Director of the Bureau of Maine Veterans' 
Services report annually to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over veterans affairs regarding the implementation of the plan and its effect 
on homelessness among veterans. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,A,, to H.P. 1099, L.D. 1611 
The amendment also establishes an additional Veterans Service Officer position 
responsible in part for coordinating efforts to address homelessness among veterans in the 
State. The amendment also adds an appropriations and allocations section. 
FISCAL NOTE REQU1RED 
(See Attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
, __ 
Approved: 03/16/16 feac 
LD 1611 
LR 2678(02) 
An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Commission To Strengthen and Align the Services 
Provided to Maine's Veterans by Establishing an Interagency Council To Coordinate Services for 
Homeless Veterans 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "A' CH-58a) 
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs 
Net Cost (Savings) 
General Fund 
Appropriations/ Allocations 
General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY 2015-16 
FY 2016-17 
$0 
$91,258 
$0 
$91,258 
Projections 
FY 2017-18 
$91,696 
$91,696 
Projections 
FY 2018-19 
$94,207 
$94,207 
The bill includes a General Fund appropriation of$91,258 to the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency 
Management for one Veterans Service Officer position and related costs to coordinate efforts to address homelessness 
among veterans. 
Additional costs to the Maine State Housing Authority associated with implementing the requirements of this 
legislation can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
LR2678(02) - Fiscal Note - Page I of I