APPROVED CHAPTER
JUNE 16, 2023 212
BY GOVERNOR PUBLIC LAW
STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-THREE
_____
H.P. 187 - L.D. 289
An Act to Amend the Laws Governing the Advisory Committee on the Fund
to Address PFAS Contamination
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §12004-I, sub-§2-I, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 635, Pt. XX, §1, is
amended to read:
2-I.
Agriculture Advisory Committee on the Fund To Expenses and 7 MRSA
Address PFAS Contamination Legislative Per Diem §320‑L
and Expenses for
Legislators/Expenses
Only for Other
Members
Sec. 2. 7 MRSA §320-L, first ¶, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 635, Pt. XX, §2, is
amended to read:
The Advisory Committee on the Fund To Address PFAS Contamination is established
pursuant to Title 5, section 12004‑I, subsection 2‑I to make recommendations to the
department regarding administration of the fund and to report to the Legislature. In order
to develop recommendations for the department, the advisory committee may form
working groups that include and seek input from subject matter experts from the public and
private sectors to deliberate issues relating to the purposes of the fund as described in
section 320‑K, subsection 4, including, but not limited to, health monitoring, short-term
financial aid for farmers, research priorities, solar siting, long-term environmental
monitoring and land acquisition.
Sec. 3. 7 MRSA §320-L, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 635, Pt. XX, §2, is
amended by amending the first blocked paragraph to read:
The 7 members of the public appointed by the commissioner serve on the advisory
committee for terms of 3 years. Members may be appointed for consecutive terms.
Members who are Legislators are appointed for the duration of the legislative terms of
Page 1 - 131LR1088(03)
office for which they were appointed, except that at the end of the term, members who are
Legislators continue to serve until a successor is appointed.
Sec. 4. 7 MRSA §320-L, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 635, Pt. XX, §2, is
amended to read:
3. Reports Proceedings of the advisory committee. The advisory committee shall
hold at least 2 public hearings annually to seek input from the public on efforts to meet the
purposes of the fund. All proceedings of the advisory committee are public proceedings
within the meaning of Title 1, chapter 13, subchapter 1. Notwithstanding Title 1, section
403, subsection 6, all records of proceedings of the advisory committee are public and
subject to the requirements of Title 1, section 403, subsection 2. The advisory committee
shall report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over
agricultural matters and the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction
over environmental matters annually, beginning March 1, 2023, on the input from subject
matter experts under subsection 1 and members of the public on issues relating to the
purposes and the use of the fund. The joint standing committee of the Legislature having
jurisdiction over agricultural matters and the joint standing committee of the Legislature
having jurisdiction over environmental matters may report out legislation related to each
annual report to the Legislature in the session when the report is received.
Sec. 5. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and
allocations are made.
AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY, DEPARTMENT OF
DACF Administration 0401
Initiative: Provides allocations to reimburse expenses of advisory committee members.
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 2023-24 2024-25
Personal Services $2,310 $2,310
__________ __________
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL $2,310 $2,310
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Statutes affected:
Bill Text LD 289, HP 187: 7.320
Bill Text ACTPUB , Chapter 212: 5.12004, 7.320