Sec. 7. 34-B MRSA §5608, sub-§2, as amended by PL 1993, c. 410, Pt. CCC, §42, is further amended to read:

2. Duties. The government of the persons receiving services shall work closely with the division and the Office of Advocacy and Adult Protective Services to promote the interests and welfare of all residents in the facility.

Sec. 8. Report. The Department of Behavioral and Developmental Services shall study the effectiveness of the organizational structure of the new Office of Advocacy and Adult Protective Services and submit a report to the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services on or before July 1, 2004. The report must include its recommendations for any necessary additional or amending legislation affecting the organizational structure of the Office of Advocacy and Adult Protective Services, taking into consideration the anticipated effects of any legislation proposed by the Department of Behavioral and Developmental Services and the Department of Human Services to merge. The Department of Behavioral and Developmental Services shall provide a copy of the report to the Consumer Advisory Board and to the Special Master in the Community Consent Decree case in advance of the report's submission to the committee.

Sec. 9. Transition provisions.

1. The Office of Advocacy and Adult Protective Services within the Department of Behavioral and Developmental Services is the successor in every way to the powers, duties and functions of the former Office of Advocacy.

2. All existing rules, regulations and procedures in effect, in operation or promulgated in or by the Office of Advocacy or any of its administrative units or officers are hereby declared in effect and continue in effect until rescinded, revised or amended by the proper authority.

3. All existing contracts, agreements and compacts currently in effect in the Office of Advocacy continue in effect.

4. Any positions authorized and allocated subject to the personnel laws to the former Office of Advocacy are transferred to the Office of Advocacy and Adult Protective Services and may continue to be authorized.

5. All records, property and equipment previously belonging to or allocated for the use of the former Office of Advocacy