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Page 1 - 132LR0350(05)
STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX
_____
S.P. 648 - L.D. 1640
An Act to Implement the Recommendations of the Gagetown Harmful
Chemical Study Commission and to Reestablish the Gagetown Harmful
Chemical Study Commission
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 37-B MRSA §518 is enacted to read:
§518. Base Gagetown Training Registry
1. Registry. The bureau shall establish the Base Gagetown Training Registry, referred
to in this section as "the registry," to collect and maintain data related to military service
and health conditions from individuals who voluntarily provide such data and who trained
at the Canadian military support base in Gagetown, New Brunswick, Canada, referred to
in this section as "Base Gagetown," as a member of the United States Armed Forces, as a
member of the reserve component of the United States Armed Forces or as a member of
the National Guard of any state and who are residents of this State or were residents of this
State at the time of training.
The bureau shall use the registry to support education and outreach efforts as described in
subsection 3 for issues directly related to the individuals described in this subsection and
may use the data collected and maintained pursuant to this subsection to conduct, either
within the bureau or through a contract with a public or private entity, research related to
the effects of chemical exposure on human health.
2. Data collection. To the extent possible, the bureau shall include in the registry the
following types of data for individuals described in subsection 1:
A. Complete name used while in military service;
B. Date of birth;
C. Dates of military service;
D. Branch of service and all unit assignments;
E. Military occupational specialty;
F. Dates during military service when the individual trained at Base Gagetown;
APPROVED
APRIL 16, 2026
BY GOVERNOR
CHAPTER
763
PUBLIC LAW
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G. Self-reported health conditions or diagnoses;
H. Cause of death, if applicable; and
I. Any additional information as determined by the bureau to support the goals of the
registry.
In the event that an individual is deceased, the individual's next of kin may provide the data
for inclusion in the registry. The bureau shall also include any information in any existing
data source created within the bureau related to Base Gagetown in the registry and in
conducting education and outreach as described in subsection 3.
3. Education and outreach. The bureau shall make all reasonable efforts to identify
eligible individuals for inclusion in the registry. These efforts must include the bureau's
contacting any individual who previously provided information to the bureau related to the
individual's military training at Base Gagetown regarding the registry under subsection 1
and offering the individual the opportunity to provide new or additional information to the
bureau for inclusion in the registry. The bureau shall also work with existing veterans'
service organizations, local medical centers operated by the United States Department of
Veterans Affairs, the Maine Veterans' Homes and other veterans' programs or organizations
in the State in order to increase awareness of the registry and the bureau's work, including
information on how to submit data for inclusion in the registry. The bureau shall also work
with the Maine National Guard in order to identify and share information regarding the
registry with individuals who are current members of the Maine National Guard and who
may have trained at or will train in the future at Base Gagetown.
The bureau may also contact another state's bureau of veterans' services or National Guard
in order to identify other National Guard units that may have members who are affected by
exposure to chemicals at Base Gagetown.
4. Confidentiality. All data within the registry under this section is confidential.
Disclosure of the data may be made only with the written consent of the individual who is
the subject of the data, or if that individual is deceased, the individual's next of kin and only
to a public or private entity, including the bureau, engaged in research related to the effects
of chemical exposure on human health.
5. Report. The director shall submit annually by February 15th to the joint standing
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over veterans affairs a report regarding
the status of the registry and information related to education and outreach efforts pursuant
to subsection 3, including outreach efforts with other states; any obstacles to data collection
or data verification; and any recommended next steps regarding the registry or the use of
data collected as a part of the registry. The joint standing committee of the Legislature
having jurisdiction over veterans affairs may report out a bill related to the report during
the legislative session in which the report is received.
Sec. 2. Gagetown Harmful Chemical Study Commission reestablished. The
Gagetown Harmful Chemical Study Commission, referred to in this section as "the study
commission," is established.
1. Notwithstanding Joint Rule 353, the study commission consists of 12 members
appointed as follows:
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A. Two members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate, including
members from each of the 2 parties holding the largest number of seats in the
Legislature;
B. Two members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the
House, including members from each of the 2 parties holding the largest number of
seats in the Legislature;
C. Two members who represent veterans' advocacy organizations, one appointed by
the President of the Senate and one appointed by the Speaker of the House;
D. One member who is a family member of a veteran who served at the Canadian
military support base in Gagetown, New Brunswick, Canada, appointed by the
President of the Senate;
E. One member with expertise processing veterans' claims for benefits related to
military service-related exposure to harmful chemicals, appointed by the Speaker of
the House;
F. Two members who served at the Canadian military support base in Gagetown, New
Brunswick, Canada and were exposed to harmful chemicals during their military
service, one appointed by the President of the Senate and one appointed by the Speaker
of the House; and
G. Two members with expertise in chemical engineering, environmental science or
human health and who have experience in those fields related to the effects of
hazardous chemicals on the environment or on human health, one appointed by the
President of the Senate and one appointed by the Speaker of the House.
2. The first-named Senate member is the Senate chair and the first-named House of
Representatives member is the House chair of the study commission.
3. All appointments must be made no later than 30 days following the effective date
of this Act. To the extent possible, members appointed to the study commission must be
the same as members appointed to the study commission pursuant to Resolve 2023, chapter
95. The appointing authorities shall notify the Executive Director of the Legislative
Council once all appointments have been completed. After appointment of all members,
the chairs shall call and convene the first meeting of the study commission. If 30 days or
more after the effective date of this Act a majority of but not all appointments have been
made, the chairs may request authority and the Legislative Council may grant authority for
the study commission to meet and conduct its business.
4. The study commission shall study the effects of exposure to harmful chemicals on
individuals who trained at the Canadian military support base in Gagetown, New
Brunswick, Canada as a member of the United States Armed Forces, as a member of the
reserve component of the United States Armed Forces or as a member of the National
Guard of any state.
5. The study commission may request information it determines necessary to complete
the study under subsection 4 from the United States Department of Defense and other
federal agencies.
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6. Notwithstanding Joint Rule 353, the Legislative Council shall provide necessary
staffing services to the study commission, except that Legislative Council staff support is
not authorized when the Legislature is in regular or special session.
7. No later than November 4, 2026, the study commission shall submit a report that
includes its findings and recommendations, including suggested legislation, for
presentation to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over
veterans affairs. The committee may report out a bill based on the recommendations to the
133rd Legislature in 2027.
Sec. 3. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and
allocations are made.
DEFENSE, VETERANS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT
OF
Veterans Services 0110
Initiative: Provides one-time funding for consulting costs to create the Base Gagetown
Training Registry, which will collect and maintain data related to military service and
health conditions from individuals who report this data and trained at the Canadian military
support base in Gagetown, New Brunswick, Canada. The fund does not lapse but must be
carried forward to be used for the purpose for which the fund was appropriated.
GENERAL FUND 2025-26 2026-27
All Other $0 $250,000
__________ __________
GENERAL FUND TOTAL $0 $250,000