1. Advisory committee established. The Essential Support Workforce Advisory Committee, as established in Title 5, section 12004‑I, subsection 54‑E and referred to in this chapter as "the advisory committee," is established to advise the Legislature, the Governor and state agencies on the State's shortage of essential support workers.
[PL 2021, c. 688, §2 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. A, §98 (RAL).]
2. Membership. The advisory committee consists of 14 members, appointed as follows:
A. One member of the Senate, appointed by the President of the Senate; [PL 2021, c. 688, §2 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. A, §98 (RAL).]
B. One member of the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker of the House; [PL 2021, c. 688, §2 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. A, §98 (RAL).]
C. The Commissioner of Health and Human Services or the commissioner's designee; [PL 2021, c. 688, §2 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. A, §98 (RAL).]
D. The Commissioner of Labor or the commissioner's designee; [PL 2021, c. 688, §2 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. A, §98 (RAL).]
E. One member representing an organization providing services to persons with intellectual disabilities and autism who is a member of a statewide association of providers of services to persons with intellectual disabilities and autism, appointed by the President of the Senate; [PL 2021, c. 688, §2 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. A, §98 (RAL).]
F. One member representing a facility-based long-term care provider who is a member of a statewide association of facility-based long-term care providers, appointed by the President of the Senate; [PL 2021, c. 688, §2 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. A, §98 (RAL).]
G. One member representing a service coordination agency for people receiving home-based and community-based long-term care, appointed by the President of the Senate; [PL 2021, c. 688, §2 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. A, §98 (RAL).]
H. One member representing an organization providing statewide homemaker services through a state-funded, independent, support service program, appointed by the President of the Senate; [PL 2021, c. 688, §2 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. A, §98 (RAL).]
I. One member representing an institution of higher education engaged in workforce development, appointed by the President of the Senate; [PL 2021, c. 688, §2 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. A, §98 (RAL).]
J. One member representing a career and technical education center or region, appointed by the Speaker of the House; [PL 2021, c. 688, §2 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. A, §98 (RAL).]
K. One member representing an organization promoting independent living for persons with disabilities, appointed by the Speaker of the House; [PL 2021, c. 688, §2 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. A, §98 (RAL).]
L. One member who is an essential support worker, appointed by the Speaker of the House; [PL 2021, c. 688, §2 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. A, §98 (RAL).]
M. One member representing a statewide advocacy association that broadly advocates for people who are entitled to receive essential support worker services, appointed by the Speaker of the House; and [PL 2021, c. 688, §2 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. A, §98 (RAL).]
N. One member representing an organization providing services to persons with behavioral health challenges who is a member of a statewide association of providers of services to persons with behavioral health challenges, appointed by the Speaker of the House. [PL 2021, c. 688, §2 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. A, §98 (RAL).]
[PL 2021, c. 688, §2 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. A, §98 (RAL).]
3. Meetings. The advisory committee may meet as often as necessary but shall meet not fewer than 3 times a year.
[PL 2021, c. 688, §2 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. A, §98 (RAL).]
4. Chairs. At its first meeting, the advisory committee shall select a chair and vice-chair from among its members and may select a new chair and vice-chair annually.
[PL 2021, c. 688, §2 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. A, §98 (RAL).]
5. Terms of appointments. Members of the advisory committee, except for Legislators, are appointed for terms of 3 years and may serve beyond their designated terms until their successors are appointed. The terms of appointment of Legislators run concurrently with their respective legislative terms of office.
[PL 2021, c. 688, §2 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. A, §98 (RAL).]
6. Legislative members not entitled to compensation. Notwithstanding Title 3, section 2 or any other law to the contrary, legislative members are not entitled to per diem pay or expenses for any advisory committee meetings the member attends.
[PL 2021, c. 688, §2 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. A, §98 (RAL).]
7. Staffing. The Department of Labor shall provide staff support for advisory committee meetings and may provide other support to the advisory committee. To the extent funding is available, the advisory committee may contract for staff services as needed.
[PL 2021, c. 688, §2 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. A, §98 (RAL).]
8. Duties and powers. The advisory committee shall:
A. Collaborate with the Department of Labor, the Department of Health and Human Services, the State's institutions of higher education, the State's adult education programs and career and technical education centers and regions and any other state agencies to examine staffing level needs in the essential support workforce, including entities funded by the State and through the MaineCare program; [PL 2021, c. 668, §2 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. A, §98 (RAL).]
B. Make recommendations to state agencies and the Legislature related to recruitment and retention of essential support workers; [PL 2021, c. 668, §2 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. A, §98 (RAL).]
C. Monitor essential support worker shortages and the expansion of the essential support workforce to examine if actions taken to promote expansion in the essential support workforce have been successful; [PL 2021, c. 668, §2 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. A, §98 (RAL).]
D. Make recommendations to the Department of Labor, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Legislature and other state agencies regarding additional research needed to further the expansion of the essential support workforce; [PL 2021, c. 668, §2 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. A, §98 (RAL).]
E. Collect data related to the essential support workforce; [PL 2021, c. 668, §2 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. A, §98 (RAL).]
F. Examine benefit cliff effects on essential support workers and recommend and develop a pilot project to mitigate benefit cliff effects on essential support workers; and [PL 2021, c. 688, §2 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. A, §98 (RAL).]
G. Make recommendations to the Legislature, including any suggested legislation. [PL 2021, c. 688, §2 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. A, §98 (RAL).]
[PL 2021, c. 688, §2 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. A, §98 (RAL).]
9. Departments to provide updates. The Department of Labor and the Department of Health and Human Services shall provide quarterly updates to the advisory committee regarding their efforts to expand the State's essential support workforce.
[PL 2021, c. 688, §2 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. A, §98 (RAL).]
10. Report to Legislature. Beginning January 1, 2023 and annually thereafter, the advisory committee shall submit a report to the joint standing committees of the Legislature having jurisdiction over labor matters and health and human services matters on its activities under this chapter.
[PL 2021, c. 688, §2 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. A, §98 (RAL).]
11. Funding. The advisory committee may seek, accept and expend outside funding to carry out its duties. The advisory committee may accept funds from the Federal Government pursuant to the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, Public Law 117-2, to the extent the funds are eligible to be used for the purposes of the advisory committee in accordance with federal law and regulations.
[PL 2021, c. 688, §2 (NEW); RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. A, §98 (RAL).]
