Here is an update on the thirteen bills that we and other elder law advocates have supported during this legislative session.

LD 313, An Act to Permit Senior Citizens to Designate a Third Party to Receive Notice of Cancellation of Insurance Policies. This bill was voted out of committee 8-4 Ought to Pass as Amended. This bill has not been reported out of committee.

LD 388, An Act to Allow a Personal Representative to Obtain a Copy of a Death Certificate and to Direct the Department of Health and Human Services to Amend Its Rules Governing Vital Records Fees. This bill has been fully enacted by the House and Senate and signed by the Governor.

LD 401, An Act to Enhance Penalties for Senior Investors. This bill has been fully enacted by the House and Senate and signed by the Governor.

LD 642, An Act to Require Insurance Companies to Reissue Qualifying Long-Term Care Partnership Policies . This bill passed the first reading of the House and should pass with no problems.

LD 683, An Act to Enhance Long-Term Care Services for Maine Citizens . No action taken at this time.

LD 739, Resolve, to Amend the Rules Concerning Long-Term Care Services to Better Support Family Caregivers . No action taken at this time.

LD 787, An Act to Establish an Elder Victims Restitution Fund . No action taken at this time.

LD 818, Resolve, to Improve the Training and Retention of Maine's Professional Direct Care and Personal Services Workforce. This bill was voted Ought Not to Pass.

LD 899, An Act to Disclose Insurance Policy Options to Senior Citizens . This bill was voted Ought Not to Pass.

LD 939, An Act to Enhance Mandated Reporting and Prosecution of Elder Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation . No action taken at this time.

LD 1181, An Act to Increase Access to Vital Records . Upon request, the sponsor asked the Committee to vote this bill Ought Not to Pass. The Office of Vital Records will put in place a plan to educate municipal clerks about their current duty to provide death records to beneficiaries of a property right

LD 1186, An Act to Amend the Probate Code Relating to the Authority of the Probate Court to Approve Transfers from a Protected Person's Estate . This bill was voted unanimously Ought to Pass.

LD 1374, An Act to Protect Seniors and Incapacitated or Dependent Adults from Abuse . This bill passed out of the Judiciary Committee unanimous Ought to Pass.

As the 125th regular legislative session came to an end these bills and many others were finalized. The bills that were voted out of Committee "Ought to Pass" will then go before the House and Senate for final vote. The Appropriation's Committee, as part of budget deliberations, will decide how to handle the Governor's request to reduce the Medicare Buy-In program which will affect thousands of Maine's most needy elders. We oppose this effort.