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Amend the bill in section 1 in subsection 3 in paragraph N in the last line (page 2, line 6 in L.D.) by inserting after the following: "armory;" the following: 'and'
Amend the bill in section 1 in subsection 3 in paragraph O in the last line (page 2, line 11 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "; and" and inserting the following: '.'
Amend the bill in section 1 in subsection 3 by striking out all of paragraph P (page 2, lines 12 to 15 in L.D.)
Amend the bill by inserting after section 8 the following:
‘Sec. 9. 37-B MRSA §601,  as amended by PL 1999, c. 288, §1, is further amended to read:
§ 601. Home established; purpose
There must be public homes for veterans in Maine known as "Maine Veterans' Homes." In addition to the existing 120-bed home located in Augusta, a 120-bed home located in Scarborough, a home not to exceed 40 beds located in Caribou, a home located in Bangor not to exceed 120 beds, of which 40 beds are dedicated to senile dementia patients, and a home located in South Paris not to exceed 90 beds, of which 30 beds are dedicated to senile dementia patients, may be constructed if federal Veterans' Administration funds are available to meet part of the costs of each facility for construction or operation. In addition, a home located in Machias not to exceed 60 beds may be constructed if federal Veterans' Administration funds or funds from any other state, federal or private source are available to meet part of the costs of the facility for construction or operation, except that the Machias home may not begin operation prior to July 1, 1995 and the construction and funding of the Machias home may not in any way jeopardize the construction, funding or financial viability of any other home. The Maine Veterans' Homes also are authorized to provide nonnursing facility care and services to Maine veterans if approved by appropriate state and federal authorities. The Board of Trustees of the Maine Veterans' Homes shall plan and develop the Machias home and any nonnursing facility care and services using any funds available for that purpose, except for the Augusta facility's funded depreciation account. The Maine Veterans' Homes are authorized to construct community-based outpatient clinics for Maine veterans in cooperation with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and may construct and operate veterans hospice facilities, veterans housing facilities and other facilities authorized by the Board of Trustees of the Maine Veterans' Homes, using available funds.  Any funds loaned to the Maine Veterans' Homes for operating purposes from the funded depreciation accounts of the Maine Veterans' Homes must be reimbursed from any funds received by the Maine Veterans' Homes and available for that purpose. The primary purpose of the Maine Veterans' Homes is to provide support and care for honorably discharged veterans who served on active duty in the United States Armed Forces for no less than 180 daysor who served in the Reserves of the United States Armed Forces on active duty for other than training purposes or are entitled to retired pay under 10 United States Code, Chapter 1223 regardless of the age of such persons.
Sec. 10. 37-B MRSA §703, sub-§2-C  is enacted to read:
 
2-C.  Emergency management exercise.     "Emergency management exercise" means a focused practice activity that places participants in a simulated situation requiring them to function in the capacity that would be expected of them in a real event and is conducted to test an organization's plans and policies to evaluate an organization's capability to execute one or more portions of its response or contingency plans and to train personnel.
Sec. 11. 37-B MRSA §704,   as amended by PL 2005, c. 634, §11, is further amended by adding at the end a new paragraph to read:
The director shall develop and conduct an annual statewide program of emergency management exercises to test the policies and plans of the state, county and local emergency management agencies. The program must address all disasters identified pursuant to section 783, subsection 1.’
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section number to read consecutively.
 
SUMMARY
This amendment removes the authority to sell the armory in Brewer as provided in the bill. It also defines "emergency management exercise" and requires the Director of the Maine Emergency Management Agency to develop and conduct a program of annual emergency management exercises. This amendment also authorizes the Maine Veterans’ Homes to develop community outpatient clinics as well as hospice and housing facilities for veterans. The amendment also clarifies who the Maine Veterans' Homes support and care for as their primary purpose.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)