Legislative Document No. 1733 H.P. 1235 House of Representatives, May 14, 2019
An Act To Ensure Comprehensive Interdepartmental Planning, Coordination and Collaboration on Aging Policy
(EMERGENCY)
Reference to the Committee on Health and Human Services suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT Clerk
Presented by Representative FAY of Raymond.
Printed on recycled paper 1 Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 2 become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
3 Whereas, the establishment of the position of Director of Aging and the State 4 Commission on Aging before the expiration of the 90-day period is necessary to provide 5 increased coordination of policy and planning related to older adults in Maine; and
6 Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 7 the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 8 immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 9 therefore,
10 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
11 Sec. 1. 1 MRSA §71, sub-§7-B is enacted to read: 12 7-B. Older individuals; references to. In the construction of statutes, references to 13 older individuals must be applied as provided in this subsection. 14 A. In preparing any legislation that amends a section or larger division of statutes, 15 the Revisor of Statutes is authorized to change any terms that refer to "elderly," 16 "elder" or "senior" individuals to refer instead to "older" individuals. The Revisor of 17 Statutes may not otherwise alter the sense, meaning or effect of any statute. 18 Sec. 2. 1 MRSA §93, sub-§12 is enacted to read: 19 12. Older individuals; references to. A term in a statutory unit that is otherwise 20 being corrected pursuant to this section that refers to "elderly," "elder" or "senior" 21 individuals may be changed to refer to "older" individuals, and any grammatical changes 22 necessary to properly implement this change may be made.
23 Sec. 3. 2 MRSA §6, sub-§4, as amended by PL 2015, c. 267, Pt. RRR, §2 and Pt. 24 IIII, §1, is further amended to read:
25 4. Range 88. The salaries of the following state officials and employees are within 26 salary range 88: 27 Director, Bureau of Air Quality; 28 Director, Bureau of Water Quality; 29 Director, Bureau of Land Resources; 30 Director, Bureau of Remediation and Waste Management; 31 Deputy Commissioner, Environmental Protection; 32 Director, Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation; and 33 Deputy Chief of the State Police.; and 34 Director of Aging.
Page 1 - 129LR1181(01)-1 1 Sec. 4. 5 MRSA §3109 is enacted to read: 2 §3109. Director of Aging
3 1. Established. There is established within the office the position of Director of 4 Aging to ensure the people of the State can live healthy, engaged and secure lives as they 5 age in their homes and in community settings.
6 2. Appointment. The Director of Aging is appointed by the Governor and serves at 7 the pleasure of the Governor.
8 3. Duties. The Director of Aging shall: 9 A. Oversee the planning and policy development for all functions and activities 10 conducted or supported in the State that relate to aging and older adults and family 11 care partners of older adults; 12 B. Promote intergovernmental collaboration in meeting aging policy objectives 13 established in Title 22, section 5103 and manage the coordination of multiple-agency 14 initiatives related to policy objectives; 15 C. Encourage and assist in the development of coordinated use of existing and new 16 resources and services relating to the State's older population; 17 D. Oversee necessary research and planning related to aging and the needs of older 18 adults in the State; 19 E. Advise the Governor and Commissioner of Health and Human Services on the 20 preparation of and provisions to be included in the comprehensive state plan under 21 Title 22, section 5106, subsection 4 and collaborate with all relevant state agencies to 22 ensure that the creation of the comprehensive state plan addresses all aspects of the 23 objectives and purposes of the declaration of objectives in Title 22, section 5103. 24 The Director of Aging shall work with: 25 (1) The Commissioner of Transportation or the commissioner's designee to 26 identify objectives to be included in the comprehensive state plan related to 27 meeting the transportation needs of older adults in the State; 28 (2) The Director of the Maine State Housing Authority or the director's designee 29 to identify objectives to be included in the comprehensive state plan related to 30 meeting the housing needs of older adults in the State; 31 (3) The Commissioner of Labor or the commissioner's designee to identify 32 objectives to be included in the comprehensive state plan related to meeting 33 employment and vocational services needs of older adults in the State; 34 (4) The Commissioner of Economic and Community Development or the 35 commissioner's designee to identify objectives to be included in the 36 comprehensive state plan that address community development goals to meet the 37 needs of older adults in the State and enhance their opportunities for economic 38 prosperity; and
Page 2 - 129LR1181(01)-1