LD 1393
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Page 2 of 4 An Act To Provide for Meaningful Public Input in the Maine Administrative Proce... Page 4 of 4
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LR 1077
Item 1

 
B. A rule may not be adopted unless the adopted rule is
consistent with the terms of the proposed rule, except to
the extent that the agency determines that it is necessary
to address concerns raised in comments about the proposed
rule, or specific findings are made supporting changes to
the proposed rule. The agency shall maintain a file for
each rule adopted that must include, in addition to other
documents required by this Act, testimony, comments, the
names of persons who commented and the organizations they
represent and information relevant to the rule and
considered by the agency in connection with the
formulation, proposal or adoption of a rule. If an agency
determines that a rule that the agency intends to adopt is
substantially different from the proposed rule, the agency
shall request comments from the public concerning the
changes from the proposed rule. The agency may not adopt
the rule for a period of 30 days from the date comments are
requested pursuant to this paragraph. Notice of the
request for comments must be published by the Secretary of
State in the same manner as notice for proposed or adopted
rules.

 
C. If the adoption under this subsection is final
adoption of a major substantive rule under subchapter II-A
2-A, the agency must include in its written statement
citation of the legislative act authorizing final adoption
of that rule; or, if authorization is the result of
failure of the Legislature to act under section 8072,
subsection 7, the agency must indicate that fact and
identify the date the agency filed the rule for review
under section 8072.

 
Sec. 5. 5 MRSA §8052, sub-§5-B is enacted to read:

 
5-B.__Rules affecting social and mental health services.__In
adopting rules, an agency proposing rules that affect social
and mental health services provided to the State or its
citizens through, but not limited to, the Department of Human
Services, the Department of Behavioral and Developmental
Services, the Department of Corrections and the Department of
Education shall seek to reduce any economic burdens or
reduction in services by taking into account the resources
available to those agencies.__An agency shall seek to reduce
any economic burdens through flexible or simplified reporting
requirements if they are applicable.

 
Sec. 6. 5 MRSA §8052, sub-§6, as amended by PL 1993, c. 362, §3, is
further amended to read:

 
6. Effective date. No rule, except emergency rules adopted
under section 8054, becomes effective until at least 5 days
after


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