Legislative Document No. 1554 S.P. 489 In Senate, April 16, 2019
Resolve, Establishing a Commission To Reform Child Protective Services
(AFTER DEADLINE)
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 205. Reference to the Committee on Judiciary suggested and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator DIAMOND of Cumberland. Cosponsored by Senators: BELLOWS of Kennebec, CARPENTER of Aroostook.
Printed on recycled paper 1 Sec. 1. Commission established. Resolved: That the Commission To Reform 2 Child Protective Services, referred to in this resolve as "the commission," is established.
3 Sec. 2. Commission membership. Resolved: That the commission consists of 4 13 members appointed as follows:
5 1. Three members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate, including 6 no more than 2 members from the party holding the largest number of seats in the Senate 7 and no more than one member from the party holding the 2nd largest number of seats in 8 the Senate; and
9 2. Ten members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the 10 House of Representatives, including no more than 6 members from the party holding the 11 largest number of seats in the House of Representatives and no more than 4 members 12 from the party holding the 2nd largest number of seats in the House of Representatives.
13 In making their appointments under this section, the President of the Senate and the 14 Speaker of the House of Representatives shall consider including members of the Joint 15 Standing Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety and the Joint Standing 16 Committee on Health and Human Services. Nothing in this section precludes the 17 appointment of a member who is not a member of the party holding the largest number of 18 seats or the 2nd largest number of seats in the chamber.
19 Sec. 3. Chairs. Resolved: That the first-named Senate member is the Senate 20 chair and the first-named House of Representatives member is the House chair of the 21 commission.
22 Sec. 4. Appointments; convening of commission. Resolved: That all 23 appointments must be made no later than 30 days following the effective date of this 24 resolve. The appointing authorities shall notify the Executive Director of the Legislative 25 Council once all appointments have been completed. After appointment of all members, 26 the chairs shall call and convene the first meeting of the commission. If 30 days or more 27 after the effective date of this resolve a majority of but not all appointments have been 28 made, the chairs may request authority and the Legislative Council may grant authority 29 for the commission to meet and conduct its business.
30 Sec. 5. Duties. Resolved: That the commission shall study and hold public 31 hearings on reforms to the laws governing the protection of vulnerable children in state 32 care.
33 Sec. 6. Staff assistance. Resolved: That the Legislative Council shall provide 34 necessary staffing services to the commission, except that Legislative Council staff 35 support is not authorized when the Legislature is in regular or special session. The chairs 36 of the committee may request technical assistance from appropriate sources whenever 37 necessary.
38 Sec. 7. Report. Resolved: That, notwithstanding Joint Rule 353, no later than 39 February 1, 2020, the commission shall submit a report that includes its findings and
Page 1 - 129LR2480(01)-1 1 recommendations, including suggested legislation, for presentation to the Second Regular 2 Session of the 129th Legislature.
3 SUMMARY 4 This resolve establishes the Commission To Reform Child Protective Services. The 5 commission is required to submit a report, including suggested legislation, for 6 presentation to the Second Regular Session of the 129th Legislature.
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