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An Act To Amend the Laws Governing Involuntary Hospitalization Procedures
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  15 MRSA §2211-A, sub-§3-A  is enacted to read:
 
3-A.  Authorization of hospitalization.   When a person who is hospitalized in a psychiatric hospital under the provisions of Title 34-B, chapter 3 is sentenced to serve a straight term of imprisonment or a split sentence in a county jail, the person must remain hospitalized as long as continued hospitalization is appropriate under Title 34-B, chapter 3. The sheriff shall promptly process the person to initiate execution of the sentence in a manner that disrupts the person's hospitalization as little as possible. The provisions of this section apply as if the person had been transferred to the hospital after beginning serving the sentence at the county jail.
Sec. 2.  34-B MRSA §3861-A  is enacted to read:
§ 3861-A. Notification of hospitalization
When a person who is hospitalized in a psychiatric hospital under the provisions of this chapter is sentenced to serve a straight term of imprisonment or a split sentence in a county jail, the chief administrative officer of the hospital shall notify the sheriff of the county jail so that, in accordance with the provisions of Title 15, section 2211-A, the sheriff may process the person to serve the sentence while hospitalized and the person may remain in the hospital until ready for discharge.
Sec. 3. 34-B MRSA §3864, sub-§5, ¶A, as amended by PL 2005, c. 519, Pt. BBBB, §9 and affected by §20, is further amended to read:
 
A. The District Court shall hold a hearing on the application not later than 14 days from the date of the application. The District Court may separate the hearing on commitment from the hearing on involuntary treatment.
 
(1) On a motion by any party, the hearing on commitment may be continued for cause for a period not to exceed 10 additional days.
 
(1-A) On a motion by any party or by the court on its own motion, the hearing on involuntary treatment may be continued for cause for a period not to exceed 21 days from the date of entry of the order on the application for commitment.
 
(2) If the hearing on commitment is not held within the time specified, or within the specified continuance period, the court shall dismiss the application and order the person discharged forthwith.
 
(2-A) If the hearing on involuntary treatment is not held within the time specified, or within the specified continuance period, the court shall dismiss the application for involuntary treatment.
 
(3) In computing the time periods set forth in this paragraph, the Maine Rules of Civil Procedure apply.
Sec. 4.  34-B MRSA §3871, sub-§3-A  is enacted to read:
 
3-A.  Discharge limited.   A psychiatric hospital may not discharge a person committed under section 3864 solely because the person is placed in execution of a sentence in a county jail.
 
Effective September 12, 2009