LD 1137
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Page 1 of 2 An Act to Clarify the Relationship between State Agencies and Faith-based Organ... LD 1137 Title Page
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LR 2258
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contractor to provide assistance or that accepts forms of
disbursement on the basis that the organization has a religious
character.

 
Contracts between state agencies, boards or commissions and
religious organizations for the provision of goods or services
must ensure that:

 
1.__Independence of religious organization.__A religious
organization with a contract described in this subchapter retains
its independence from federal, state and municipal governments,
including the religious organization's control over the
definition, development, practice and expression of its religious
beliefs.__State agencies, boards or commissions may not require a
religious organization to alter its form of internal governance
or to remove religious art, icons, scripture or other symbols in
order to be eligible to contract to provide assistance or to
accept forms of disbursement funded under any program or public
contract.

 
2.__Alternative providers.__If a person who applies for or
receives goods, services or disbursements objects to the
religious character of the organization or institution from which
the person receives or would receive assistance funded under any
program, the state agency, board or commission shall provide the
person, within a reasonable period of time after the date of the
objection, with assistance from an alternative provider that is
accessible to the person, if an alternative provider is
available, and the value of which is not less than the value of
assistance that the person would have received from the religious
organization.__Organizations shall provide notice to people
receiving assistance of the right to object under this
subsection.

 
3.__Employment practices.__A religious organization's
exemption provided under Section 702 of the Civil Rights Act of
1964 Public Law 88-352; 78 STAT. 255; 42 United States Code,
Section 2000 e-l(a), regarding employment practices is not
affected by its participation in or receipt of funds from
programs described in this subchapter.__Nothing in this
subchapter allows religious organizations to discriminate in
employment practices on the basis of race, age, color, sex or
national origin.

 
4.__Prohibition against discrimination in rendering
assistance.__Except as otherwise provided by law, a religious
organization may not discriminate against a person with respect
to rendering assistance funded under any program on the basis of
religion, a religious belief or refusal to participate in a
religious practice or on the basis of race, age, color, sex or
national origin.

 
5.__Accounting for funds.__Except as provided for in
subsection 6, any religious organization that contracts to
provide goods, services or assistance funded under any program is
subject to the same rules as other contractors to account in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for the
use of the funds provided under the program.

 
6.__Limitation on audits.__If a religious organization
segregates into separate accounts public funds provided under the
programs contracted for pursuant to this subchapter, only the
programs funded by financial assistance provided with these funds
are subject to financial and performance audits.

 
7.__Appeals.__Appeals of the decisions of the commissioner or
director of a state agency, board or commission may be made to
the Commissioner of Administrative and Financial Services in
accordance with section 1825-E that governs bid appeal procedures
or the rules established pursuant to section 1831.

 
8.__Limitation on expenditures.__No funds provided directly to
institutions or organizations to provide services and to
administer programs may be spent for sectarian worship,
instruction or proselytization.__This subsection does not apply
to the contracting for the services of chaplains by a public
body.

 
Sec. 2. 22 MRSA §6-D is enacted to read:

 
§6-D.__Liaisons to faith-based organizations

 
The commissioner shall designate one department employee in
each of the department's service delivery regions established
under this chapter to serve as a liaison to faith-based
organizations in the region that may have the ability to provide
community services for persons in need of public assistance
pursuant to Title 5, chapter 155, subchapter III.__The
commissioner shall ensure that the primary functions of each
employee designated as a liaison are to:

 
1.__Communicate need for services.__Communicate with faith-
based organizations regarding the need for private community
services to benefit persons in need of assistance under public
programs administered by the department;

 
2.__Promote involvement.__Promote the involvement of faith-
based organizations working to meet community needs for
assistance; and

 
3.__Coordinate with other agencies.__Coordinate the
department's efforts to promote involvement of faith-based

 
organizations in providing community services with similar
efforts of other state agencies.

 
SUMMARY

 
This bill clarifies the relationship between state agencies
and faith-based organizations in the provision of contracted
goods or services, particularly goods or services provided under
the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 22. The bill also specifies
the limitations on such contracts and requires the Commissioner
of Human Services to designate a liaison to faith-based
organizations in each service delivery region.


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