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An Act To Clarify the Operation of the Maine Commission for Community Service
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  5 MRSA §7502, sub-§4  is enacted to read:
 
4.   Meetings.     The commission may hold up to 4 meetings a year.
Sec. 2. 5 MRSA §7504, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 54, §1, is amended to read:
§ 7504.Staff and administrative services
The State Planning Officeoffice of the Secretary of State shall provide staff and administrative services as follows.
 
1. Executive director.   The Director of the State Planning OfficeSecretary of State with the advice and consent of the commission shall hire an executive director as a member of the State Planning OfficeSecretary of State's staff. The executive director oversees day-to-day operations of the commission, hires staff members with the approval of the commission and the Director of the State Planning Office,Secretary of State and carries out other responsibilities as directed by the commission.
 
2. Administrative services.   The State Planning Officeoffice of the Secretary of State shall provide the executive director and the commission with continuing administrative support as appropriate. The State Planning OfficeSecretary of State may establish a dedicated account on behalf of the commission to receive funds contributed by private and public agencies for use solely for commission purposes; additional General Fund money may not be appropriated for the administrative purposes of the commission.
Sec. 3.  5 MRSA §7505  is enacted to read:
§ 7505. Participating individuals
A community service program receiving grants from or facilitated by the commission may not charge any fees to individuals participating or volunteering in that program.
Sec. 4. Review formula. The Joint Standing Committee on State and Local Government shall review the local funding requirements for national service programs preselected by the Maine Commission for Community Service pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, section 7503, subsection 4 to determine whether participation in these programs creates a fiscal burden for municipalities by December 1, 2011. The committee may submit a bill related to the funding requirements to the Second Regular Session of the 125th Legislature.
 
SUMMARY
This bill makes changes to the Maine Commission for Community Service. It allows the commission to hold no more than 4 meetings a year. It moves the administrative support for the commission from the Executive Department, State Planning Office to the office of the Secretary of State and prohibits the use of General Fund money for the administrative operations of the commission. It prohibits community service programs receiving grants from the commission from charging fees to participating individuals. It requires the Joint Standing Committee on State and Local Government to review the local funding requirements for national service programs to determine whether participation in these programs creates a fiscal burden for municipalities by December 1, 2011. The committee may submit a bill related to the funding requirements in the Second Regular Session of the 125th Legislature.