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An Act To Change the Membership of the Maine Commission on Domestic and Sexual Abuse To Include More Tribal Members
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 19-A MRSA §4013, sub-§1, ¶A, as amended by PL 2009, c. 257, §1, is further amended to read:
 
A. The Governor shall name the chair from among the following members:
 
(1) Two membersOne member, appointed by the Governor, who are representativesis a representative of the statewide coalition of domestic violence projects;
 
(1-A) Two membersOne member, appointed by the Governor, who are representativesis a representative of the statewide coalition of sexual assault centers;
 
(2) One member, appointed by the Governor, who is a representative of the mental health profession;
 
(3) One member, appointed by the Governor, who is a representative of victims of domestic violence;
 
(3-A) One member, appointed by the Governor, who is a representative of victims of sexual assault;
 
(4) Two members, appointed by the Governor, one of whom has experience representing victims of domestic abuse, who are attorneys with experience in domestic relations cases;
 
(5) One member, appointed by the Governor, who was a victim of domestic abuse and used the court system;
 
(5-A) One member, appointed by the Governor, who was a victim of sexual assault and used the court system;
 
(6) One member, appointed by the Governor, who is a district attorney or assistant district attorney;
 
(7) One member, appointed by the Governor, who is chief of a municipal police department or the chief's designee;
 
(8) One member, appointed by the Governor, who is a county sheriff or the sheriff's designee;
 
(8-A) One member, appointed by the Governor, who is the statewide coordinatorexecutive director of a statewide coalition to end domestic violence;
 
(8-B) One member, appointed by the Governor, who is the executive director of a statewide coalition against sexual assault;
 
(8-C) The Attorney General or the Attorney General's designee;
 
(8-D) The Chief of the Maine State Police or the chief's designee;
 
(9) The Commissioner of Public Safety or the commissioner's designee;
 
(9-A) The Commissioner of Health and Human Services or the commissioner's designee;
 
(9-C) The Commissioner of Education or the commissioner's designee;
 
(9-D) The Commissioner of Labor or the commissioner's designee;
 
(9-E) The Commissioner of Corrections or the commissioner's designee;
 
(9-F) One member, appointed by the Governor, who has experience working in batterers' intervention programs;
 
(10) Up to 64 members-at-large, appointed by the Governor;
 
(11) Up to 4 members, appointed by the Governor, representing underserved populations; and
 
(12) One member, appointed by the Governor, who is a tribal member and provides services through a tribal program to tribal members who are victims of domestic or sexual violence.;
 
(13) One member, appointed by the Governor, who is an executive director of a tribal coalition against sexual assault and domestic violence;
 
(14) One member, appointed by the Governor, who is chief of a tribal police department or the chief's designee;
 
(15) One member, appointed by the Governor, who is a representative of a tribal court; and
 
(16) One member, appointed by the Governor, who is a representative of tribal government.
Sec. 2. Transition. Notwithstanding the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 19-A, section 4013, subsection 1, paragraph A, the members of the Maine Commission on Domestic and Sexual Abuse serving immediately prior to the effective date of this Act continue to serve as members of the commission for the terms for which they were appointed until the Governor appoints their successors.
 
SUMMARY
This bill changes the membership of the Maine Commission on Domestic and Sexual Abuse by:
1. Reducing the representation of the statewide coalition of domestic violence projects from 2 members to one member;
2. Reducing the representation of the statewide coalition of sexual assault centers from 2 members to one member;
3. Allowing the member who is a chief of a municipal police department to appoint a designee to serve on the commission;
4. Allowing the member who is a county sheriff to appoint a designee to serve on the commission;
5. Correcting the description of a member from the statewide coordinator of a statewide coalition to end domestic violence to the executive director of a statewide coalition to end domestic violence;
6. Reducing the number of at-large members from 6 to 4; and
7. Adding 4 new members, all of whom are appointed by the Governor, one of whom is an executive director of a tribal coalition against sexual assault and domestic violence, one of whom is chief of a tribal police department or the chief's designee, one of whom is a representative of a tribal court and one of whom is a representative of tribal government.