An Act To Establish the Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial and Ethnic Populations
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 0777
Committee: Labor and Housing
Sponsors: TALBOT ROSS, JACKSON, BROOKS, GATTINE, HARNETT, HICKMAN, NEWELL, TEPLER, WARREN, CARSON
Amends: 5 MRSA §12004-I, 5 MRSA §25001

Legislative Document
No. 777
H.P. 582
House of Representatives, February 12, 2019
An Act To Establish the Permanent Commission on the Status of 
Racial and Ethnic Populations
Reference to the Committee on Labor and Housing suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative TALBOT ROSS of Portland.
Cosponsored by President JACKSON of Aroostook and
Representatives: BROOKS of Lewiston, GATTINE of Westbrook, HARNETT of Gardiner, 
HICKMAN of Winthrop, NEWELL of the Passamaquoddy Tribe, TEPLER of Topsham, 
WARREN of Hallowell, Senator: CARSON of Cumberland.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  5 MRSA §12004-I, sub-§74-J is enacted to read:
74-J.  
Sec. 2.  5 MRSA Pt. 31 is enacted to read:
PART 31
PERMANENT COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF RACIAL AND ETHNIC 
POPULATIONS
CHAPTER 631
PERMANENT COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF RACIAL AND ETHNIC 
POPULATIONS
§25001.  Commission established
The Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial and Ethnic Populations, 
established by section 12004-I, subsection 74-J and referred to in this chapter as "the 
commission," is an independent commission.  The commission shall promote, carry out 
and coordinate programs designed to improve opportunities for racial and ethnic 
populations in the State.
§25002.  Membership
The commission consists of:
1.  Members of the Senate.  Two members of the Senate appointed by the President 
of the Senate, including one member from each of the 2 parties holding the largest 
number of seats in the Legislature; 
2.  Members of the House of Representatives.  Three members of the House of 
Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House, including members from each of 
the 2 parties holding the largest number of seats in the Legislature; and
3.  Public members.  The following members representing the public:
A.  A representative of a community economic development organization appointed 
by the President of the Senate;
B.  A representative of an economic policy organization appointed by the Speaker of 
the House;
Racial and Ethnic 
Populations
Permanent 
Commission on the 
Status of Racial and 
Ethnic Populations
Not Authorized
MRSA §25001
C.  The district director of the Maine District Office of the United States Small 
Business Administration, or the district director's designee;
D.  The president of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce or its successor 
organization, or the president's designee;
E.  Two members of the public that represent racial and ethnic populations in the 
State, one of whom is appointed by the President of the Senate and one of whom is 
appointed by the Speaker of the House; and
F.  Three members of the public appointed by the Governor representing each of the 
following: the elderly, low-income people and youth.
The commission shall invite the participation, as a voting member, of a representative of 
a federally recognized Indian tribe in the State.
In making appointments, the Governor, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the 
House shall consider and appoint residents of the State who have a knowledge of 
problems facing racial and ethnic populations in the State, who have experience in 
advocacy relating to racial and ethnic populations' issues and who provide leadership in 
programs or activities that improve opportunities for racial and ethnic populations. The 
members of the commission must be chosen from throughout the State, and the majority 
of members must be members of racial and ethnic populations.
§25003.  Term of office
Members of the commission are appointed for 2-year terms.  A member may serve 
multiple terms.
Members of the commission may serve after the expiration of their terms until their 
successors have taken office.  The Governor, the President of the Senate and the Speaker 
of the House may terminate the membership of their respective appointees for good 
cause.  The reason for the termination must be communicated in writing to a member 
whose membership is terminated.  The membership of any member of the commission 
must be terminated if the member is absent from 3 consecutive meetings without 
communicating good cause to the chair of the commission.
§25004.  Vacancies
A member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for 
which the member's predecessor was appointed serves only for the remainder of that term 
and must be appointed by the same appointing authority.  Any vacancy on the 
commission does not affect its powers.
§25005.  Chair
The Governor shall select a chair from among the members of the commission.  The 
chair is authorized to appoint subcommittees.
§25006.  Powers and duties
The commission shall advise and consult with the Governor and the Legislature 
about, and assist them in improving, opportunities for historically disadvantaged racial 
and ethnic populations in the State by:
1.  Research; policy proposals.  Carrying out research necessary to determine the 
status of historically disadvantaged racial and ethnic populations in the State and 
considering policy proposals. The commission shall:
A.  Study income levels of and opportunities available to historically disadvantaged 
racial and ethnic populations in the State and examine quantitative and qualitative 
data associated with those populations regarding business ownership, household 
assets, debts and income, housing, employment and access to inherited wealth, capital 
and benefits; and
B.  Consider policy proposals to diversify business ownership to include historically 
disadvantaged racial and ethnic populations in the State and to bridge the gaps in 
wealth acquisition, including, but not limited to, proposals to:
(1)   Develop a program to provide to aspiring and new business owners technical 
assistance workshops and training on topics such as the creation of business 
plans, accessing capital and funding and securing job training;
(2)  Provide assistance to vendors to become registered with the State and create 
a clearinghouse to serve as a resource for state-registered vendors seeking 
government contracts; and
(3)  Establish an office to coordinate the educational and technical assistance 
needs of emerging small businesses and to provide information to small 
businesses seeking to open, operate or expand their businesses;
2.  Activities.  Promoting and coordinating activities on state and local levels 
designed to meet the problems of historically disadvantaged racial and ethnic populations 
in the State;
3.  Advocate.  Serving as an advocate for historically disadvantaged racial and ethnic 
populations in making recommendations on proposed budgetary, legislative and policy 
actions to the Governor, the Legislature and other officials of the State and the Federal 
Government with respect to state and federal policies, programs and other activities 
affecting or relating to historically disadvantaged racial and ethnic populations in the 
State;
4.  Information.  Informing the public about the presence or absence of opportunities 
for historically disadvantaged racial and ethnic populations in the State;
5.  Meetings.  Conducting public hearings, conferences, workshops and other such 
meetings to obtain information about, discuss and publicize the needs of and solutions to 
the problems of historically disadvantaged racial and ethnic populations; and
6.  Reports.  Beginning January 1, 2020 and biennially thereafter, reporting to the 
Governor and the Legislature concerning the work and interests of the commission.
The commission may accept funds from the Federal Government, from a political 
subdivision of the State or from an individual, a foundation or a corporation and may 
expend funds for purposes that are consistent with this chapter.  Funds received under this 
section must be deposited in a nonlapsing Other Special Revenue Funds account within 
the Department of the Secretary of State to support the work of the commission.
§25007.  Meetings
The commission shall meet at the call of the chair not less than 4 times each year.
§25008.  Staff support
The Secretary of State shall provide staffing support as required.
Sec. 3.  Initial members.  Notwithstanding the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, 
section 25003, of those public members first appointed to the Permanent Commission on 
the Status of Racial and Ethnic Populations, one appointed by the Governor, one 
appointed by the President of the Senate and one appointed by the Speaker of the House 
must be appointed for one-year terms.  The term of office of each member must be 
designated at the time of appointment.
Sec. 4.  Initial report.  No later than January 1, 2020, the Permanent Commission 
on the Status of Racial and Ethnic Populations established in the Maine Revised Statutes, 
Title 5, section 12004-I, subsection 74-J shall submit a report that includes the 
commission's findings and recommendations on the commission's research and 
consideration of policy proposals pursuant to Title 5, section 25006, subsection 1, 
including suggested legislation, for presentation to the Second Regular Session of the 
129th Legislature.
SUMMARY
This bill creates the Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial and Ethnic 
Populations to promote, carry out and coordinate programs designed to improve 
opportunities for racial and ethnic populations.