An Act To Amend the Veterans Service Laws
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 1208
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: LUCHINI
Amends: 37-B MRSA §4, 37-B MRSA §501, 37-B MRSA §502, 37-B MRSA §505

Legislative Document
No. 1208
H.P. 844
House of Representatives, March 28, 2017
An Act To Amend the Veterans Service Laws
Submitted by the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management pursuant 
to Joint Rule 204.
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative LUCHINI of Ellsworth.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  37-B MRSA §4, as repealed and replaced by PL 2013, c. 251, §2, is 
amended to read: 
§4.  Directors of bureaus 
1.  Maine Bureau of Veterans' Services.  The Director of the Maine Bureau of 
Maine Veterans' Services is appointed by the commissioner and serves at the pleasure of 
the commissioner. 
2.  Maine Emergency Management Agency.  The Director of the Maine Emergency 
Management Agency is appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the 
commissioner, reports administratively to the commissioner and serves at the pleasure of 
the Governor. 
The Director of the Maine Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services and the Director of 
the Maine Emergency Management Agency shall perform civilian duties as assigned by 
the commissioner or Governor. 
Sec. 2.  37-B MRSA §501, first ¶, as amended by PL 2015, c. 465, Pt. A, §2, is 
further amended to read: 
The Maine Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services, referred to in this chapter as the 
"bureau," is established and shall provide informational services, program assistance, 
memorial facilities and financial aid to veterans in the State and their dependents in order 
to ensure that they receive all entitlements due under the law, are relieved to the extent 
possible of financial hardship, receive every opportunity for self-improvement through 
higher education and are afforded proper recognition for their service and sacrifice to the 
Nation.  The bureau shall serve as the primary source of information for veterans in the 
State regarding all services, benefits and honors administered by the State and, to the 
maximum extent possible, services and benefits provided by the United States 
Department of Veterans Affairs, veterans' service organizations and other organizations 
dedicated to serving veterans. 
Sec. 3.  37-B MRSA §502, as amended by PL 1997, c. 455, §18, is further 
amended to read: 
§502.  Director of Maine Bureau of Veterans' Services 
The Director of the Maine Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services, referred to in this 
chapter as the "director," shall direct the operation of the bureau. 
Sec. 4.  37-B MRSA §505, sub-§1-A, as amended by PL 2009, c. 415, Pt. A, 
§§24 and 25, is repealed and the following enacted in its place: 
1-A.  Financial assistance.  The following provisions govern financial assistance to 
veterans. 
D.  The bureau may accept money in order to provide financial assistance to veterans.  
E.  The bureau may award grants to organizations that provide assistance to veterans 
in this State such as housing or emergency assistance. 
The department may adopt rules to implement this subsection.  Rules adopted pursuant to 
this paragraph are major substantive rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-
A. 
Sec. 5.  Maine Revised Statutes headnote amended; revision clause.  In the 
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 37-B, chapter 7, in the chapter headnote, the words "bureau 
of maine veterans' services" are amended to read "maine bureau of veterans' services" and 
the Revisor of Statutes shall implement this revision when updating, publishing or 
republishing the statutes. 
SUMMARY 
This bill makes the following changes to the laws governing veterans' services. 
1.  It changes the name of the Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services to the Maine 
Bureau of Veterans' Services. 
2.  It removes the authority of the bureau to provide grants of temporary and 
emergency cash assistance to veterans.  It authorizes the bureau to accept money to 
provide financial assistance to veterans and to award grants to organizations that provide 
assistance to veterans such as housing or emergency assistance.