An Act to Establish the Biohazard Waste Disposal Grant Program to Support Public Health Efforts in the State

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STATE OF MAINE
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IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE
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H.P. 1156 - L.D. 1738
An Act to Establish the Biohazard Waste Disposal Grant Program to
Support Public Health Efforts in the State
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 22 MRSA c. 252-A, headnote is amended to read:
CHAPTER 252-A
HYPODERMIC APPARATUS EXCHANGE PROGRAMS AND BIOHAZARD
WASTE DISPOSAL GRANT PROGRAM
Sec. 2. 22 MRSA §1342 is enacted to read:
§1342. Biohazard Waste Disposal Grant Program
1. Grant program established. The Biohazard Waste Disposal Grant Program,
referred to in this section as "the program," is established to fund hypodermic apparatus
mitigation and collection efforts in community settings. The Maine Center for Disease
Control and Prevention shall administer the program, subject to available funding
resources. The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention may hire staff to oversee
and manage the program, including but not limited to: data collection, building community
partnerships or coalitions and developing public education campaigns related to the
program. Subject to available funding resources, the Maine Center for Disease Control and
Prevention shall dispense funds on a quarterly basis to selected applicants.
2. Fund established. The Biohazard Waste Disposal Grant Program Fund is
established within the department as a nonlapsing fund for the purposes specified in this
section. The fund consists of any money received as contributions, grants or appropriations
from private and public sources. The fund, to be accounted for within the department, must
be held separate and apart from all other money, funds and accounts.
3. Eligibility. The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention shall make grants
under the program available to:
LAW WITHOUT
GOVERNOR'S
SIGNATURE

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A. Community-based organizations, including hypodermic apparatus exchange
programs certified pursuant to section 1341; and
B. Municipalities, including municipal health departments.
4. Matching funds from opioid settlement resources. A municipality that receives
opioid settlement funds and submits an application for funding under the program shall
contribute matching funds from its opioid settlement allocation equal to the amount
requested from the program. The matching funds must be dedicated to eligible uses as
described in subsection 7.
5. Application process. The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention shall
develop an application process for the program that includes, but is not limited to:
A. Criteria to demonstrate community need;
B. A narrative description of the proposed project, including goals and objectives, as
determined by the office;
C. Budgetary requirements, projected outcomes and a data collection plan; and
D. For a municipality required to provide matching funds pursuant to subsection 4,
documentation of the amount and source of matching funds, including a signed
attestation that the matching funds are derived from opioid settlement allocations and
will be used in accordance with subsection 7.
6. Funding prioritization. The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention
shall give funding priority to applications that involve one or more of the following:
A. Addressing geographic areas with a documented increase in calls for service
regarding improperly discarded hypodermic apparatuses;
B. A demonstrated collaborative approach involving community stakeholders; and
C. Innovative or evidence-based strategies to increase access to biohazard waste
disposal programming.
7. Use of funds. Grant funds must be used:
A. To purchase and install disposal boxes suitable for indoor and outdoor use in
locations strategically identified to maximize use and reduce biohazard exposure risk;
B. For appropriate permanent disposal of collected hypodermic apparatuses by an in-
state facility in good standing with the Department of Environmental Protection and
applicable compliance-related standards or certifications;
C. To hire and train staff of the grantee to collect and dispose of improperly discarded
hypodermic apparatuses; and
D. For other innovative or evidence-based strategies designed to mitigate and prevent
improper disposal of hypodermic apparatuses.
8. Annual report. The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention shall submit
a report annually to the Legislature summarizing grant program outcomes, including
recommendations for improvements or additional funding needs. The reporting period
begins on November 1st and ends on October 31st. The report may be included in the report
under section 1341, subsection 3 or submitted at the same time annually.
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Sec. 3. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and
allocations are made.
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF
Biohazard Waste Disposal Grant Program Fund N547
Initiative: Provides allocations to establish a fund and authorize expenditures.
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 2025-26 2026-27
All Other $500 $500
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OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL $500 $500