Resolve, to Create the Commission to Improve the Oversight of the Long-term Care System

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132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 980
S.P. 399 In Senate, March 11, 2025
Resolve, to Create the Commission to Improve the Oversight of the
Long-term Care System
Reference to the Committee on Health and Human Services suggested and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator TEPLER of Sagadahoc.
Cosponsored by Representative SHAGOURY of Hallowell and
Senators: BAILEY of York, INGWERSEN of York, MOORE of Washington, RENY of
Lincoln, Representatives: ARFORD of Brunswick, FOLEY of Wells.

Page 1 - 132LR0954(01)
1Sec. 1. Commission established. Resolved: That the Commission to Improve
2 the Oversight of the Long-term Care System, referred to in this resolve as "the
3 commission," is established.
4Sec. 2. Commission membership. Resolved: That, notwithstanding Joint Rule
5 353, the commission consists of 9 voting members as follows:
6 1. One member of the Senate, appointed by the President of the Senate;
7 2. One member of the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker of the
8 House;
9 3. The executive director of the long-term care ombudsman program under the Maine
10 Revised Statutes, Title 22, section 5106, subsection 11-C;
11 4. One representative of the memory care industry, appointed by the Governor;
12 5. One representative of the private nonmedical institution industry, appointed by the
13 Governor;
14 6. One representative of the nursing home industry, appointed by the Governor;
15 7. The executive director of an agency that advocates for elders in the State; and
16 8. Two members of the public who have family members who are currently in a long-
17 term care facility, appointed by the President of the Senate.
18Sec. 3. Chairs. Resolved: That the Senate member is the Senate chair and the
19 House of Representatives member is the House chair of the commission.
20Sec. 4. Appointments; convening of commission. Resolved: That all
21 appointments must be made no later than 30 days following the effective date of this
22 resolve. The appointing authorities shall notify the Executive Director of the Legislative
23 Council once all appointments have been completed. After appointment of all members,
24 the chairs shall call and convene the first meeting of the commission. If 30 days or more
25 after the effective date of this resolve a majority of but not all appointments have been
26 made, the chairs may request authority and the Legislative Council may grant authority for
27 the commission to meet and conduct its business.
28Sec. 5. Duties; meetings. Resolved: That the commission shall meet monthly
29 and at least 6 times and shall study and make recommendations on the following:
30 1. The adequacy of the State's system of inspections for long-term care facilities;
31 2. Improvement of the laws and rules governing the long-term care industry through
32 simplification;
33 3. Best practices in other states regarding long-term care industry regulation;
34 4. The recommendations of the Commission To Study Long-term Care Workforce
35 Issues, as established by Public Law 2019, chapter 343, and the results of those
36 recommendations; and
37 5. The creation of more effective institutions of long-term care.
Page 2 - 132LR0954(01)
1Sec. 6. Staff assistance. Resolved: That, notwithstanding Joint Rule 353, the
2 Office of Policy and Legal Analysis and the Office of Program Evaluation and Government
3 Accountability shall provide staffing services to the commission.
4Sec. 7. Report. Resolved: That, notwithstanding Joint Rule 353, no later than
5 March 1, 2026, the commission shall submit a report that includes its findings and
6 recommendations, including suggested legislation, for presentation to the Joint Standing
7 Committee on Health and Human Services. The joint standing committee may report out
8 legislation based on the findings and recommendations in the report to the Second Regular
9 Session of the 132nd Legislature.
10SUMMARY
11 This resolve creates the Commission to Improve the Oversight of the Long-term Care
12 System to study and make recommendations on the current status of and improvements to
13 long-term care facilities and the long-term care industry in the State. The resolve requires
14 the commission to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Joint
15 Standing Committee on Health and Human Services by March 1, 2026 and authorizes the
16 joint standing committee to submit legislation based on the findings and recommendations
17 in the report to the Second Regular Session of the 132nd Legislature.
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