PART NNNN

Sec. NNNN-1. Blue Ribbon Commission on Mental Health. The Blue Ribbon Commission on Mental Health, referred to in this Part as "the commission," is established for the purpose of making recommendations regarding the design of a mental health system that maximizes resources, creates efficiencies, ensures high-quality service and reduces or eliminates direct mental health services only as a last resort during severe budget crises.

1. Membership. The commission consists of 17 members:

2. Appointments; chair. All appointments must be made no later than 30 days following the effective date of this Part. The appointing authorities shall notify the Executive Director of the Legislative Council once all appointments have been completed. The first-named Senate member and the first-named House of Representatives member are cochairs of the commission and shall call and convene the first meeting of the commission no later than September 1, 2008.

3. Duties. The commission shall complete an assessment of the State’s mental health system and suggest measures to maximize resources, create efficiencies, ensure high-quality service and design a system that reduces or eliminates direct mental health services only as a last resort during severe budget crises.

4. Authorized number of meetings; public comment. The commission is authorized to hold 8 meetings, including at least one meeting at which the commission provides an opportunity for public comment.

5. Report. By April 1, 2009, the commission shall submit a report of its findings, together with any necessary implementing legislation, to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters. The joint standing committee may report out a bill during the First Regular Session of the 124th Legislature concerning the findings and recommendations of the commission.

6. Extension. If the commission requires a limited extension of time to complete its study and make its report, it may apply to the Legislative Council, which may grant an extension.

7. Compensation. The legislative members of the commission are entitled to receive the legislative per diem, as defined in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 3, section 2, and reimbursement for travel and other necessary expenses related to their attendance at authorized meetings of the commission. Public members not otherwise compensated by their employers or other entities that they represent are entitled to receive reimbursement of necessary expenses and a per diem equal to the legislative per diem for their attendance at authorized meetings of the commission.

8. Outside funding for consultant. The commission may seek outside funds to fund the costs of contracting with a consultant or expert to provide support to the commission. Contributions to support the work of the commission may not be accepted from any party having pecuniary or other vested interest in the outcome of the matters being studied. Any person, other than a state agency, desiring to make a financial or in-kind contribution must certify to the Legislative Council that is has no pecuniary or other vested interest in the outcome of the study. Such certification must be made in the manner prescribed by the Legislative Council. All contributions are subject to approval by the Legislative Council. All funds accepted must be forwarded to the Executive Director of the Legislative Council along with an accounting record that includes the amount of funds, the date the funds were received, from whom the funds were received and the purpose of and any limitation on the use of those funds. The Executive Director of the Legislative Council shall administer any funds received by the commission. The Executive Director of the Legislative Council shall notify the chair of the commission when sufficient funding has been received.

9. Staffing. The Department of Health and Human Services shall provide staffing assistance to the commission.

10. Commission meetings. The meetings of the commission are public proceedings and records of the commission are public records as defined in the laws governing freedom of access in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 1, chapter 13, subchapter 1.

Sec. NNNN-2. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.

LEGISLATURE

Study Commissions - Funding 0444

Initiative: Appropriates funds for the Blue Ribbon Commission on Mental Health.

GENERAL FUND	2007-08	2008-09
Personal Services	$0	$5,280
All Other	$0	$17,200
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$0	$22,480

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