PLEASE NOTE: Legislative Information cannot perform research, provide legal advice, or interpret Maine law. For legal assistance, please contact a qualified attorney.
An Act To Require Public Health Impact Statements for Certain Legislation
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  3 MRSA c. 39  is enacted to read:
CHAPTER 39
PUBLIC HEALTH IMPACT STATEMENTS
§ 1111. Definitions
As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.
 
1.  Committee.     "Committee" means a joint standing committee of the Legislature.
 
2.  Department.     "Department" means the Department of Health and Human Services.
 
3.  Impact statement.     "Impact statement" means a public health impact statement that details potential positive and negative public health effects and considerations necessary to the decision-making process regarding legislation and provides practical recommendations to increase positive health effects and minimize negative health effects of the legislation.
§ 1112.  Public health impact statements
When requested by the chairs of a committee, the department shall prepare and provide to the committee an impact statement for the legislation being considered by the committee. The department shall provide the impact statement no later than the work session scheduled for that legislation.
 
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services, when requested by the chairs of a joint standing committee of the Legislature, to prepare and provide a public health impact statement for legislation before the committee. The public health impact statement must include the potential positive and negative public health effects of the legislation and considerations necessary to the decision-making process regarding the legislation and provide practical recommendations to increase the positive health effects and minimize negative health effects of the legislation.