§1510-A. Certain claims against the State
1.
Claims against state agency.
A state agency may hear and decide any claim of $2,000 or less against it, or any of its agents, except a claim that may be submitted under the Maine Tort Claims Act, Title 14, chapter 741, or under another specific statutory provision. Any agency paying all or part of a claim heard under this subsection shall make payment as soon as practicable from currently available agency funds and, if no funds are then available, from agency funds from the following fiscal year. An agency deciding a claim under this subsection shall make its final decision, and reasons for the decision, in writing and shall, as soon as practicable, send a copy of that decision to the claimant by certified mail.
These claims include, but are not limited to, claims for damage or injury caused by patients, inmates, prisoners in the care or custody of the Department of Health and Human Services or of any institution administered by a department or by children in the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services.
[PL 1993, c. 468, §1 (AMD); PL 1995, c. 560, Pt. K, §82 (AMD); PL 1995, c. 560, Pt. K, §83 (AFF); PL 2001, c. 354, §3 (AMD); PL 2003, c. 689, Pt. B, §6 (REV).]
2.
Claims against the State decided by the State Claims Commission.
A claim under this section may be submitted to the State Claims Commission and heard and decided by it, if:
A.
The claim was submitted under subsection 1 to a state agency which refused to hear it;
[PL 1977, c. 624, §2 (NEW).]
B.
The claim was submitted under subsection 1 to a state agency and no final decision was made within 90 days of submission; or
[PL 1977, c. 624, §2 (NEW).]
C.
The claim cannot be submitted under a specific statutory provision other than subsection 1 because the claimant, as a result of an action or omission of a state agency or state agent, has not complied with time limits contained in that specific statutory provision.
[PL 1987, c. 395, Pt. A, §19 (AMD).]
Any payment resulting from a decision of the State Claims Commission on a claim submitted to it under this subsection shall be paid as soon as practicable by the state agency or agencies found responsible by the State Claims Commission or, if there is no clearly identifiable responsible state agency, the payment shall be paid from the state contingent fund.
[PL 1987, c. 395, Pt. A, §19 (AMD).]
3.
Appeal from departmental decisions.
Any claim disapproved in whole or part by a state agency hearing that claim under subsection 1 may be appealed to the State Claims Commission within 30 days from the disapproval or partial disapproval. The State Claims Commission shall hear de novo any claim so appealed.
Any payment resulting from a decision of the State Claims Commission on a claim submitted to it under this subsection shall be paid by the state agency or agencies found responsible by the State Claims Commission or, if there is no clearly identifiable responsible state agency, the payment shall be paid from the state contingent fund.
[PL 1987, c. 395, Pt. A, §19 (AMD).]
4.
Appeal from State Claims Commission decision.
Any party aggrieved by an award of the State Claims Commission may appeal therefrom to the Superior Court within 30 days after the date of the receipt of the notice of the award. The appeal shall be taken by filing a complaint setting forth, as in other civil matters, substantially the facts upon which the case shall be tried. Service shall be made on the opposing party and the State Claims Commission by sending a true copy of the complaint by registered or certified mail within the time limit set out in this subsection. The complaint shall be filed in the Superior Court for the county where one or more of the parties reside or have their principal place of business or where the activity or property which is the subject of the proceeding is located. The court's determination shall be de novo and without a jury or, if all parties agree, by a referee or referees.
[PL 1987, c. 395, Pt. A, §19 (AMD).]
5.
Jurisdiction over claims prior to January 4, 1977.
The jurisdiction of the State Claims Commission over claims subject to this section includes those claims which have arisen prior to January 4, 1977, unless they have been ruled upon by the Governor and Executive Council or by the Legislature prior to January 4, 1977.
[PL 1987, c. 395, Pt. A, §19 (AMD).]
6.
Hearings.
Hearings on claims submitted under subsection 2 or appeals made under subsection 3 must be held at a time and place that the State Claims Commission determines. The chair shall assign either one or 3 members to hear and determine each claim. Hearings on claims under this section that are properly submitted to the State Claims Commission must be held in accordance with chapter 375. The decision of the commission must include the reasons for the findings.
[RR 2023, c. 2, Pt. B, §49 (COR).]
7.
Different procedures.
A claim submitted under this section shall not be disapproved solely because a claim based on the same facts was submitted under a different statutory procedure and was disallowed.
[PL 1977, c. 624, §2 (NEW).]
8.
Rules; report.
The commission may adopt rules to implement this section. The commission shall, on or before January 30th of each year, report to the Legislature on all claims filed pursuant to this section.
[PL 1987, c. 395, Pt. A, §19 (AMD).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1977, c. 624, §2 (NEW). PL 1979, c. 672, §2 (AMD). PL 1983, c. 553, §2 (AMD). PL 1987, c. 395, §A19 (AMD). PL 1993, c. 468, §1 (AMD). PL 1995, c. 560, §K82 (AMD). PL 1995, c. 560, §K83 (AFF). PL 2001, c. 354, §3 (AMD). PL 2003, c. 689, §B6 (REV). RR 2023, c. 2, Pt. B, §49 (COR).