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Amend the bill in section 3 in subsection 7 in the first paragraph in the 8th line (page 4, line 2 in L.D.) by inserting after the following: "program." the following: 'Upon request of the director, agencies required to enter into memoranda of understanding with the director include, but are not limited to, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles under the Department of the Secretary of State, the Bureau of Parks and Lands under the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the Department of Health and Human Services, the University of Maine System and the Maine Community College System.'
Amend the bill in section 3 in subsection 7 in the last paragraph in the 3rd line (page 4, line 15 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "Maine Army National Guard or Maine Air National Guard" and inserting the following: 'Army National Guard or Air National Guard'
Amend the bill in section 3 in subsection 8 in the first paragraph in the last line (page 4, line 22 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "is capable of" and inserting the following: 'supports the bureau in meeting the following objectives'
Amend the bill in section 3 in subsection 8 in paragraph C in the last line (page 4, line 26 in L.D.) by inserting after the following: "members;" the following: 'and'
Amend the bill in section 3 in subsection 8 by striking out paragraphs D and E (page 4, lines 27 to 30 in L.D.) and inserting the following:
 
‘D. Providing efficient and timely customer service to veterans seeking assistance from the bureau.’
Amend the bill by striking out all of sections 4 and 5 and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 4. Director of the Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services to establish mobile Veterans Service Officer positions.  No later than October 15, 2016, the Director of the Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services within the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management shall establish 2 additional Veterans Service Officer positions within the bureau. The positions may not be assigned exclusively to a particular region or office within the State but must be used to assist veterans in the State where the demand for services is greatest, as determined by the director.
Sec. 5. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.
 
DEFENSE, VETERANS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF
 
Veterans Services 0110
 
Initiative: Establishes headcount for one Veterans Outreach Specialist position.

GENERAL FUND	2015-16	2016-17	
POSITIONS - LEGISLATIVE COUNT	0.000	1.000	
			
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$0	$0	

Veterans Services 0110
 
Initiative: Provides funding for 2 Veterans Services Officer positions and related costs.

GENERAL FUND	2015-16	2016-17	
POSITIONS - LEGISLATIVE COUNT	0.000	2.000	
Personal Services	$0	$162,516	
All Other	$0	$28,000	
			
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$0	$190,516	

Veterans Services 0110
 
Initiative: Provides funding for the purchase and maintenance of an electronic case management system.

GENERAL FUND	2015-16	2016-17	
All Other	$0	$80,000	
			
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$0	$80,000	

Veterans Services 0110
 
Initiative: Provides funding to implement a marketing and outreach program for veterans.

GENERAL FUND	2015-16	2016-17	
All Other	$0	$75,000	
			
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$0	$75,000	

DEFENSE, VETERANS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF			
DEPARTMENT TOTALS	2015-16	2016-17	
			
GENERAL FUND	$0	$345,516	
			
DEPARTMENT TOTAL - ALL FUNDS	$0	$345,516	
 
’
 
SUMMARY
This amendment specifies the agencies with which the Director of the Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services within the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management is authorized to enter into memoranda of understanding to help achieve the marketing and outreach program objectives outlined in the bill. The amendment specifies that the records management system is intended to help the bureau meet certain outcomes. The bill states that the system itself must be capable of meeting those outcomes. It also removes the requirement that the records management system be capable of identifying burial locations on maps of the Maine Veterans' Memorial Cemetery System. The amendment strikes the provision in the bill that requires a veterans' service organization that receives funds from the Coordinated Veterans Assistance Fund to provide the Director of the Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services with data demonstrating that the funds are being used to assist veterans in filing claims with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. It also strikes the provision in the bill that requires the director to regularly conduct an assessment of the number and geographic distribution of veteran service officers employed by the bureau. Finally, the amendment adds an appropriations and allocations section that provides for funding for the records management system required by the bill, 2 additional veterans service officers to be employed by the bureau and funding to make permanent the position of Veterans Outreach Specialist, which is currently a 2-year contracted position.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)