An Act to Develop a Pilot Progi am to Provide Legal Representation to Families m the Child Protection System
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 1240
Committee Amendment CA_A_H163 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ''A " to HP 788, L D 1240, "An Act to Develop a 
Pilot Progi am to Provide Legal Representation to Families m the Child Protection System" 
Amend the bill by msertmg after section 2 the followmg 
'Sec. 3. Appropriations and allocations. The followmg appropnat10ns and 
allocations are made 
INDIGENT LEGAL SERVICES, MAINE COMMISSION ON 
Maine Commission on Indigent Legal Services Z112 
Imtiative Appropriates one-time fundmg for the design and admmistratlon of a 2-year pilot 
program begmnmg October 1, 2023 to provide legal counsel and ielated advocacy services 
to mdigent parents and custodians m Androscoggm, Franklm and Oxford counties who 
have become the subject of a child protection mvest1gat10n by the Department of Health 
and Human Services 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
Maine Commission on Indigent Legal Services Z112 
2023-24 
$225,000 
$225,000 
2024-25 
$300,000 
$300,000 
Imt1at1ve Appropnates one-time fundmg to establish and operate a "wa1mline" to p10v1de 
mformat1on and referrals to parents and custodians statewide who ate subject to child 
protect10n mvestigat1ons and to screen parents and custodians for eligibility to receive pilot 
program services 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
Maine Commission on Indigent Legal Services Zl12 
2023-24 
$112,500 
$112,500 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
2024-25 
$150,000 
$150,000 
act> 1 
~ 2 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT :,.4-" to HP 788, L D 1240 
Imtlative Appropriates one-time funding for attorney re1n1bursement for indigent legal 
services and related advocacy services provided to pilot program part1c1pants m their 
deahngs with the Department of Health and Human Services and on other civil legal issues 
related to the participants' child protection matters 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
Maine Commission on Indigent Legal Services Zll2 
2023-24 
$281,250 
$281,250 
2024-25 
$375,000 
$375,000 
Initiative Appropriates one-time funding to contract for an independent evaluation of the 
pilot progiam to provide legal counsel and related advocacy services to indigent parents 
and custodians in Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties who have become the 
subJect of a child protection mvestigation by the Department of Health and Human 
Services 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
INDIGENT LEGAL SERVICES, MAINE 
COMMISSION ON 
DEPARTMENT TOTALS 
GENERAL FUND 
DEPARTMENT TOTAL-ALL FUNDS 
2023-24 
$93,750 
$93,750 
2023-24 
$712,500 
$712,500 
2024-25 
$125,000 
$125,000 
2024-25 
$950,000 
$950,000 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part lettei or section 
number to read consecutively 
SUMMARY 
This amendment, which is the minority report of the committee, adds an appropriattons 
and allocat10ns section 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved 04/27/23 feac::,. 
LD 1240 
LR675(02) 
An Act to Develop a Pilot Program to Provide Legal Representation to Families in the Child Protection 
System 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment ''A" ~/ -/ 6~ 
Committee: Judiciary 
/""J l! 
Net Cost (Savings) 
General Fund 
~ppropriations/Allocations 
General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY2023-24 
FY2024-25 
$712,500 
$950,000 
$712,500 
$950,000 
Projections 
FY2025-26 
$237,500 
$237,500 
Projections 
FY 2026-27 
$0 
$0 
This bill requires the Mame Commiss10n on Indigent Legal Services to establish a 2-year pilot prog1am to p1ovide 
legal representation and related advocacy services to mdigent parents and custodians residmg m three counties who 
have become the subJect of a child protection mvestigation by the Department of Health and Human Services and to 
provide a "warmhne" for parents and custodians statewide The bill mcludes one-time General Fund appropriations of 
$712,500 m fiscal year 2023-24 and $950,000 m fiscal year 2024-25 to the Mame Commission on Indigent Legal 
Services to design and nnplement the program, reimburse attorneys for mdigent legal services provided, operate the 
warmline and conduct an mdependent evaluat10n of the program These estimates assume the 2-year program 1s m 
effect from October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2025 
Any add1t10nal costs to the Department of Health and Human Services to partner with Mame Comm1ss10n on Indigent 
Legal Services to design and evaluate the pilot program and ensure that parents and custodians who fall w1th111 the 
target populat10n are made aware of the program are expected to be mmor and can be absorbed within existmg 
budgeted res om ces 
LR0675(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1