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An Act To Add 2 Mental Health Advocates to the State Board of Corrections
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 34-A MRSA §1802, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 653, Pt. A, §30, is amended to read:
 
1. Appointments. The board consists of 911 members who are appointed by the Governor. Each appointment is subject to review by the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over criminal justice and public safety matters and to confirmation by the Senate, except those members appointed pursuant to paragraph C. The following provisions govern member qualifications:
 
A. One member must be a sitting sheriff selected from a list of 3 nominations submitted to the Governor by a statewide organization representing sheriffs;
 
B. One member must be a sitting county commissioner selected from a list of 3 nominations submitted to the Governor by a statewide organization representing county commissioners;
 
C. Two members must be representatives of the executive branch and at least one of the 2 must be from the department;
 
D. One member must be a municipal official selected from a list of 3 nominations submitted to the Governor by a statewide organization representing elected and appointed municipal officers and officials; and
 
E. The remaining 4Four members must be broadly representative of the public and the geographical regions of the State. One of the 4 members appointed under this paragraph must be selected from a list of 3 nominations submitted to the Governor by a statewide organization representing county commissioners. A member appointed under this paragraph may not be an elected state or county official or municipal officer and may not derive income in substantial portion from work as an employee of a state, county or municipal government or in the field of corrections.; and
 
F.  Two members must be mental health advocates, one selected from a list of 3 nominations submitted to the Governor by the President of the Senate and one selected from a list of 3 nominations submitted to the Governor by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Sec. 2. 34-A MRSA §1802, sub-§7, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 653, Pt. A, §30, is amended to read:
 
7. Quorum. Two-thirds of the members of the board constitute a quorum for purposes of voting, 2/3 of the members constitute a quorum for purposes of rulemaking and 3 4 members constitute a quorum for subcommittee hearings held by the board that do not involve decision making.
 
SUMMARY
This bill adds 2 mental health advocates to the State Board of Corrections. The bill also changes the quorum from 3 to 4 members for subcommittee hearings held by the board that do not involve decision making.