Resolve, To Establish the Commission To Strengthen and Align the Services Provided to Maine's Veterans
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 0721
Committee Amendment CA_A_H255 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "H .. to H.P. 497, L.D. 721, "Resolve, To Establish 
the Commission To Strengthen and Align the Services Provided to Maine's Veterans" 
Amend the resolve by striking out all of section 2 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 2. Commission membership. Resolved: That the commission consists of 
members appointed as follows: 
I. Three members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate who are 
either veterans of military service or members of the Joint Standing Committee on 
Veterans and Legal Affairs; 
2. Four members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the 
House of Representatives who are either veterans of military service or members of the 
Joint Standing Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs; 
3. 
The Commissioner of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management or the 
commissioner's designee; 
4. 
Three members appointed by the President of the Senate, representing both 
genders, including a member who is 30 years of age or younger and a member who is 65 
years of age or older. Members appointed under this subsection must have experience in: 
A. Developing, implementing or advising on veterans' affairs policy; 
B. Representing a vetenms' service organization; or 
C. Providing services to veterans as part of a nonprofit organization; and 
5. 
Two members appointed by the Speaker of the Houiie of Representatives, 
including a member who is between 30 and 40 years of age and a member who is 
between 41 and 64 years of age. Members appointed under this subsection must have 
experience in: 
A. Developing, implementing or advising on veterans' affairs policy; or 
B. Providing services to veterans as part of a nonprofit organization; and be it 
further' 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
~ <0-
~\':i 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 497, 1.D. 721 
Amend the resolve by striking out all of section 3. 
Amend the resolve by striking out all of sections 6 and 7 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 6. Duties. Resolved: That the commission shall: 
1. 
Review the services provided by the State to veterans for the purpose of 
identifying gaps, duplications and inefficiencies; 
2. 
Consider methods and strategies for improving the State's engagement and 
communication with veterans of the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq; 
3. Identify gaps and insufficiencies in the provision of health care and mental health 
care services to veterans through both state and federal programs and consider ways in 
which the State can improve health care and mental health care services for veterans 
where insufficiencies or gaps in federal resources or state services exist; 
4. Study how to better align community, state and federal services and resources for 
veterans who are facing the problem of homelessness; 
5. 
Study how the State can develop and implement a campaign and marketing 
strategy to better communicate with veterans and military retirees regarding attending 
colleges in the State and to better attract veterans and military retirees to live and work in 
the State; 
6. Study how the State can encourage partnerships with businesses, industry groups 
and nonprofit ol'ganizations to' improve veterans' employment, career and volunteer 
opportunities; 
7. 
Make recommendations to the Commissioner of Defense, Veterans and 
Emergency Management concerning practices or rules regarding services and programs 
for veterans; 
8. Work with the Commissioner of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management 
to develop a multiyear plan that identifies priorities and suggests initiatives to strengthen 
and align services provided to veterans in the State; 
9. Make recOlmnendations to the Joint Standing Committee on Veterans and Legal 
Affairs concerning changes to services and programs for veterans; and 
. 
10. Study other critical veterans' issues that arise as agreed upon by the commission; 
and be it further 
Sec. 7. Staff assistance. Resolved: . That the Office of Policy and Legal Analysis 
shall provide necessary staffing services to the commission as approved by the 
Legislative Council; and be it further' 
Amend the resolve in section 8 in the first line (page 3, line 1 in L.D.) by striking out 
the following: "December 2, 2015" and inserting the following: 'January 15, 2016' 
Amend the resolve by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
section number to read consecutively. 
, Page 2 - 127LR0400(02).,.1 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" (1" to H.P. 497, L.U. 721 
SUMMARY 
This amendment changes the membership of the Commission To Strengthen and 
Align the Services Provided to Maine's Veterans to better comply with study guidelines 
and assigns a more specific list of duties for the commission with regard to identifying 
insufficiency of services required for and provided to Maine veterans. The amendment 
also extends the commission's reporting date to the Joint Standing Committee on 
Veterans and Legal Affairs from December 2,2015 to January 15,2016 and states that 
staffing will be provided to the commission by the Office of Policy and Legal Analysis. 
. FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: OS/25115 
;:bac 
Ll) 721 
LR 400(02) 
Resolve, To Establish the Commission To Strengthen and Align the Services Provided to Maine's 
Veterans 
\ 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment 'A' ( H 
~J.5 5 j 
, 
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Legislative Cost/Study 
Legislative Cost/Study 
The general operating expenses of this study are projected to be $3,750 in fiscal year 2015-16. The Legislature's 
proposed budget includes $10,006 in fiscal year 2015-16 for legislative studies. Whether this amount is sufficient to 
fund all studies will depend on the number of studies authorized by the Legislative Council and the Legislature. The 
additional costs of providing staffing assistance to the study during the interim can be absorbed utilizing existing 
budgeted staff resources, Tfmore than 4 meetings are held during the interim the estimated cost for each additional 
meeting is projected to be $875 per meeting for legislative per diem and expenses. 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Additional costs to the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management can be absorbed within 
existing blldgeted resources. 
LR0400(02) - Fiscol Note - Page 1 of 1