An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Commission To Strengthen and Align the Services Provided to Maine's Veterans Regarding Enhancements to the Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 1612
Committee Amendment CA_A_H584 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 1100, L.D. 1612, Bill, "An Act To 
Implement the Recommendations of the Commission To Strengthen and Align the 
Services Provided to Maine's Veterans Regarding Enhancements to the Bureau of Maine 
Veterans' Services" 
Amend the bill in section 3 in subsection 7 in the first paragraph in the 8th line (page 
4, line 2 in L.D.) by inserting after the following: "program." the following: 'Upon request 
of the director, agencies required to enter into memoranda of understanding with the 
director include, but are not limited to, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles under the 
Department of the Secretary of State, the Bureau of Parks and Lands under the 
Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Foi:estzy. the Department of Inland 
Fisheries and Wildlife, the Department of Health and Human Services, the University of 
Maine System and the Maine Community College System.' 
Amend the bill in section 3 in subsection 7 in the last paragraph in the 3rd line (page 
4, line 15 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "Maine Army National Guard or Maine 
Air National Guard" and inserting the following: 'Army National Guard or Air National 
Guard' 
Amend the bill in section 3 in subsection 8 in the first paragraph in the last line (page 
4, line 22 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "is capable of'' and inserting the 
following: 'supports the bureau in meeting the following objectives' 
Amend the bill in section 3 in subsection 8 in paragraph C in the last line (page 4, line 
in L.D.) by inserting after the following: "members;" the following: 'and' 
Amend the bill in section 3 in subsection 8 by striking out paragraphs D and E (page 
4, lines 27 to 30 in L.D .) and inserting the following: 
'D. Providing efficient and timely customer service to veterans seeking assistance 
from the bureau.' 
Amend the bill by striking out all of sections 4 and 5 and inserting the following: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
v..OYS 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 1100, L.D. 1612 
'Sec. 4. Director of the Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services to establish 
mobile Veterans Service Officer positions. No later than October 15, 2016, the 
Director of the Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services within the Department of Defense, 
Veterans and Emergency Management shall establish 2 additional Veterans Service 
Officer positions within the bureau. The positions may not be assigned exclusively to a 
particular region or office within the State but must be used to assist veterans in the State 
where the demand for services is greatest, as determined by the director. 
Sec. 5. Appropriations and allocations. 
The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
DEFENSE, VETERANS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT 
OF 
Veterans Services 0110 
Initiative: Establishes headcount for one Veterans Outreach Specialist position. 
GENERAL FUND 
POSITIONS - LEGISLATIVE COUNT 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
Veterans Services 0110 
2015-16 
0.000 
$0 
2016-17 
1.000 
$0 
Initiative: Provides funding for 2 Veterans Services Officer positions and related costs. 
GENERAL FUND 
POSITIONS - LEGISLATIVE COUNT 
Personal Services 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
Veterans Services 0110 
2015-16 
0.000 
$0 
$0 
$0 
2016-17 
2.000 
$162,516 
$28,000 
$190,516 
Initiative: Provides funding for the purchase and maintenance of an electronic case 
management system. 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
Veterans Services 0110 
2015-16 
$0 
$0 
2016-17 
$80,000 
$80,000 
Initiative: Provides funding to implement a marketing and outreach program for veterans. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 1100, L.D. 1612 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
DEFENSE, VETERANS AND EMERGENCY 
MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF 
DEPARTMENT TOTALS 
GENERAL FUND 
DEPARTMENT TOTAL-ALL FUNDS 
SUMMARY 
2015-16 
$0 
$0 
2015-16 
$0 
$0 
2016-17 
$75,000 
$75,000 
2016-17 
$345,516 
$345,516 
This amendment specifies the agencies with which the Director of the Bureau of 
Maine Veterans' Services within the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency 
Management is authorized to enter into memoranda of understanding to help achieve the 
marketing and outreach program objectives outlined in the bill. The amendment specifies 
that the records management system is intended to help the bureau meet certain 
outcomes. 
The bill states that the system itself must be capable of meeting those 
outcomes. It also removes the requirement that the records management system be 
capable of identifying burial locations on maps of the Maine Veterans' Memorial 
Cemetery System. 
The amendment strikes the provision in the bill that requires a 
veterans' service organization that receives funds from the Coordinated Veterans 
Assistance Fund to provide the Director of the Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services with 
data demonstrating that the funds are being used to assist veterans in filing claims with 
the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. It also strikes the provision in the bill 
that requires the director to regularly conduct an assessment of the number and 
geographic distribution of veteran service officers employed by the bureau. Finally, the 
amendment adds an appropriations and allocations section that provides for funding for 
the records management system required by the bill, 2 additional veterans service officers 
to be employed by the bureau and funding to make permanent the position of Veterans 
Outreach Specialist, which is currently a 2-year contracted position. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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Revised: 03/21/16 
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LD 1612 
LR 2675(02) 
An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Commission To Strengthen and Align the Services 
Provided to Maine's Veterans Regarding Enhancements to the Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment 1'i' { H-s<2>Lf) 
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 
$345,516 
$0 
$345,516 
Projections 
FY 2017-18 
$395,383 
$395,383 
Projections 
FY 2018-19 
$403,075 
$403,07"'4'·"' 
The bill includes a General Fund appropriation of $345,516 to the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency 
Management in fiscal year 2016-17 for an electronic case management system, 2 Veterans Services Officer positions 
and a marketing and outreach program. It also establishes headcount but no funding for one Veterans Outreach 
Specialist position which will not begin until an existing contract for similar services expires. 
Additional costs to the University of Maine System and the Maine Community College System to enter into the 
required memorandum of understanding can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
LR2675(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1