An Act to Improve
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 2151
Committee Amendment CA_A_S580 (Senate)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT " f\" to S.P. 872, L.D. 2151, "An Act to Improve
Access to Affordable Prescription Dmgs in Underserved Areas"
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following:
'Resolve, to Improve Access to Affordable Prescription Drugs in Underserved Areas*
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and inserting the following:
'Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, federally qualified health centers serve rural and other underserved areas,
delivering health care that would otherwise be inaccessible to residents of those areas; and
Whereas, the number of retail pharmacies and the hours of operation of retail
pharmacies in underserved areas of the State have been dramatically reduced in recent years
due to workforce challenges and other economic challenges; and
Whereas, federally qualified health centers can compensate for the decline in
availability of retail pharmacies and for the restrictive practices of prescription drug
manufacturers only by developing or expanding their capacity to provide retail pharmacy
services as part of their health center services, yet existing health center revenues and
resources are insufficient to support such development and expansion; and
Whereas, it is therefore essential to provide immediate funding support for federally
qualified health centers to develop and expand retail pharmacy capacity in this State to
address the critical shortage of access to affordable prescription drugs; and
Whereas» in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now,
therefore, be it
See. 1. Department of Health and Human Services to distribute funding to
expand retail pharmacy services in federally qualified health centers.
Page I - 132LR2736(02)
COMMIHEE AMENDMENT
ROS
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT"^ " to S.P. 872, L.D. 2151
Resolved: That the Department of Health and Human Services, referred to in this section
as "the department," shall distribute funding to expand retail and mobile pharmacy services
in federally qualified health centers in accordance with this section. No later than December
15, 2026, upon the receipt of a proposal to expand pharmacy services and a proposed
budget ftom a federally qualified health center eligible under this section, the department
shall grant the funds appropriated under section 3 to the following 9 federally qualified
health centers that serve residents of the State in niral and underserved communities m the
following amounts to support the planning, designing, construction and expansion of one
or more licensed retail or mobile pharmacies as part of the federally qualified health center's
services:
1. Bucksport Regional Health Center, $302,648;
2, Community Clinical Services. $444,445;
3. Eastport Health Care, $444,445;
4. Fish River Rural Health, $444,445;
5. Hamngton Family Health Center, $444,445;
6. HealthReach Community Health Centers, $444,445;
7. Maine Mobile Health Program, $150,000;
8. Penobscot Community Health Care, $444,445; and
9. St, Croix Regional Family Health Center, $444,445.
Upon issuance of funding pursuant to this section, the department shall promptly
implement a change in scope adjustment pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 22,
section 3174-V, subsection 4 to reflect the ongoing costs for the federally qualified health
center receiving the funding of operating expanded or improved pharmacy services. Any
unused funds not granted by the department to a federally qualified health center as
provided in this section lapse to the unappropriated surplus of the General Fund.
See. 2. Report from Maine Primary Care Association. Resolved: That, no
later than Febmary 15, 2027, the Maine Primary Care Association shall submit a report to
the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health coverage,
insurance and financial services matters on the grant funds provided to the federally
qualified health centers identified in section 1, including information on the status of
implementation of the proposals to expand retail and mobile pharmacy services, an updated
proposal budget and an accounting of any money spent.
See. 3. Appropriations and allocations. Resolved: That the following
appropriations and allocations are made.
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF
Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention 0143
Initiative: Provides one-time funding in fiscal year 2026-27 for the Department of Health
and Human Services, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention to grant funds to 9
federally qualified health centers to expand retail pharmacy services.
GENERAL FUND 2025-26 2026-27
AHOther $0 $3,563,763
Page2"132LR2736(02)
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
ROS
COMMnTEE AMENDMBNT " ^\" to S.P. 872, L.D. 2151'
GENERAL FUND TOTAL $0 $3,563,763
Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in tho preamble, this legislation
takes effect when approved.'
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconseoutive Part letter or section
number to read consecutively.
SUMMARY
This amendment, which is the majority report of the committee, replaces the bill, which
is a concept draft, with a resolve. The amendment provides funding to the Department of
Health and Human Services, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention to expand
retail and mobile pharmacy services in federally qualified health centers. The amendment
directs the department to, no later than December 15, 2026 and upon the receipt of a
proposal to expand pharmacy services and a proposed budget, grant funds in specified
amounts to 9 federally qualified health centers that serve residents of the State in rural and
underserved communities to support the planning, designing, construction and expansion
of one or more licensed retail or mobile pharmacies as part of the services offered by those
federally qualified health centers. The amendment requires the Maine Primary Care
Association to, no later than February 15, 2027, report to the joint standing committee of
the Legislature having jurisdiction over health coverage, insurance and financial services
matters on the grant funds provided to the federally qualified health centers, including
information on the status of implementation of the proposals to expand retail and mobile
pharmacy services, an updated proposal budget and an accounting of any money spent.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)
Page3-132LR2736(02)
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Revised: 03/12/26 ^Kt-
LD 2151 LR 2736(02)
An Act to Improve Access to Affordable Prescription Drugs in Underserved Areas
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment 'pv( S
Committee: Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services
Fiscal Note Required! Yes
Fiscal Note
Projections FY Projections FY
FY 2025-26 FY 2026-27 2027-28 2028-29
Net Cost (Savings)
General Fund $0 $3,563,763 $0 $0
Appropriations/AIIocations
General Fund $0 $3,563,763 $0 $0
Fiscal Detail and Notes
The bill includes a one-time General Fund appropriation to the Department of Health and Human Services of $3,563,763 in
fiscal year 2026-27 for (he Maine Center of Disease Control and Prevention to grant funds to 9 federally qualified health centers
to expand retail pharmacy services,
LR2736(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1