An Act To Improve the Transparency of Decision-making Bodies of Publicly Funded Hospitals
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 0611
Committee Amendment CA_A_H444 (House)
Amends: 22 MRSA §1819-B

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to H.P. 424, L.D. 611, Bill, "An Act To 
Improve the Transparency of Decision-making Bodies of Publicly Funded Hospitals" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act To Improve the Transparency and Public Accountability of Hospitals' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the 
summary and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §1819-B is enacted to read: 
§1819-B. Annual public meeting 
1. Annual public meeting. A hospital licensed under this chapter shall, at least 
annually, conduct a public meeting to discuss issues relating to the operation of the 
hospital and concerns of the community with respect to the delivery of services at the 
hospital. 
2. Attendance. The hospital shall ensure that, at a minimum, the chief executive 
officer of the hospital, the chair of the hospital board of trustees and at least 51 % of the 
members of the hospital board of trustees are present at the meeting required under 
subsection 1 and available to respond to questions from members of the public. 
3. Open to public; provision of information; questions and issues. The hospital 
shall ensure that the meeting required under subsection 1 is open to members of the 
public and organized so as to provide the community served by the hospital with 
information about the operation of the hospital and to provide an opportunity for 
members of the public to ask questions and raise issues of concern to them. 
4. Notice. The hospital shall provide public notice of the meeting required under 
subsection 1: 
A. At least 14 days prior to the date of the meeting by posting written notice in the 
hospital in a conspicuous location that is available to the public and by publishing the 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
~~ 
.~~ 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P, 424, L.D, 611 
notice in a daily or weekly newspaper of general circulation in the service area of the 
hospital; and 
B. At least 30 days prior to the date of the meeting by posting notice on the hospital's 
publicly accessible website, 
5. Department website. The hospital shall provide notice of the meeting required 
under subsection 1 to the department at least 30 days prior to the date of the meeting. 
The department shall post notice of a hospital's annual public meeting on the department's 
publicly accessible website.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment is the minority report of the Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary. 
This amendment replaces the bill and changes the title, It amends the laws governing 
hospitals to require every hospital licensed in this State to hold at least annually a public 
meeting to discuss issues relating to the operation of the hospital and concerns of the 
community with respect to the delivery of services at the hospital. 
The chief executive officer of the hospital, the chair of the hospital board of trustees 
and at least 51 % of the members of the hospital board of trustees must attend the meeting 
and be available to respond to questions from members of the public. 
The meeting must be open to members of the public and organized so as. to provide 
the community served by the hospital with information about the operation of the hospital 
and to provide an opportunity for members of the public to ask questions and raise issues 
of concern to them. 
The hospital is directed to provide public notice of the meeting by posting notice at 
the hospital and publishing notice in the newspaper and on the hospital's publicly 
accessible website. The hospital is required to provide notice to the Department of 
Health and Human Services, and the department is directed to post the notice on the 
department's publicly accessible website. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 05/06/15 wac 
LD 611 
LR 1819(02) 
An Act To Improve the Transparency of Decision-making Bodies of Publicly Funded Hospitals 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment 'A' { H - y. Lf Lf ') 
Committee: Judiciary 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
The additional costs to the Department of Health and Human Services to update its website to have the ability to post 
hospital public notices regarding annual meetings is expected to be minor and can be absorbed within existing 
budgeted resources. 
LRI819(02) - Fiscal Note - Page I ofl