Whereas, the Maine Military Authority is encountering substantial difficulties in executing its cooperative agreements with the United States Department of Defense, National Guard Bureau because it is not absolutely clear that the Maine Military Authority is part of the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management, Military Bureau; and

Whereas, the Military Bureau employs close to 200 employees at the former Loring Air Force Base and the Maine Military Authority is funded solely by federal funds; and

Whereas, the Military Bureau plans to bid on a large federal contract within the next few months before nonemergency legislation would take effect and clarification in this Act will facilitate the continued operation and expansion of the Maine Military Authority; and

Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

Sec. 1. 37-B MRSA §391, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 374, §8, is amended to read:

§391. Maine Military Authority established

The Maine Military Authority is established as a body corporate and politic and a public instrumentality of the State Military Bureau, and the exercise of the powers conferred by this chapter is deemed and held to be the performance of essential governmental functions. The authority consists of the Maine Readiness Sustainment Maintenance Center and shall report to the Adjutant General. The authority exists for the purpose of, but is not limited to, operating the Maine Readiness Sustainment Maintenance Center, which maintains, rebuilds, repairs, stores and manufactures equipment for the United States Department of Defense, National Guard Bureau, and maintaining, rebuilding, repairing, storing and manufacturing equipment for the State and its political subdivisions, for the United States Department of the Army, Department of the Air Force, Department of the Navy and Department of the Treasury and for foreign governments in