Resolve, To Facilitate the Protection of Public Health through Increased Subsurface Wastewater Inspections

Sec. 1. Department of Health and Human Services; report. Resolved: That, on or before January 15, 2020, the Department of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Department of Environmental Protection, shall submit a report to the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources that contains the following information:

1. A description of the time frame for adoption of rules pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 22, section 42, subsections 3 and 3-B regarding minimum standards for septic system inspections and the qualifications and training required for certification as a septic system inspector by the Department of Health and Human Services and the time frame for implementation of a revised septic system inspector certification program consistent with those new rules following their adoption;

2. If available, an estimate of the number of individuals currently performing septic system inspections in the State, including an estimate of the total number of such individuals who have been certified by the Department of Health and Human Services under the current septic system inspector certification program, as well as an estimate of the number of septic system inspections that are performed in the State in any given calendar year;

3. An assessment by the Department of Health and Human Services of the ability of the State's septic system inspection industry to meet an increased demand for septic system inspections if the Legislature were to amend the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 30-A, section 4216 to require a person purchasing any property on which a septic system is located to have the system inspected prior to purchase, subject to the same exceptions currently included in section 4216. The assessment must, if applicable, include specific proposals to address any identified issues with the industry's ability to meet such increased demand; and

4. Recommendations regarding the need for increased resources or funding for the Department of Health and Human Services to address issues raised by the implementation by the department of a revised septic system inspector certification program described in subsection 1 or by the implementation by the Legislature of the proposal described in subsection 3, as well as any other recommendations relating to the department's administration of the laws and rules regarding septic system inspections and certification of septic system inspectors.

After reviewing the report under this section, the committee may report out a bill related to the information contained in the report to the Second Regular Session of the 129th Legislature.