Whereas, state prisons and county jails are filled beyond available budgeted bed capacity; and

Whereas, this overcrowding imposes an imminent danger to the safety of inmates, corrections officers, law enforcement officers and the public; and

Whereas, this overcrowding is the direct cause of an escalation in the number of inmate suicides and in the type and number of injurious attacks on corrections officers, law enforcement officers and other inmates; and

Whereas, this overcrowding imposes a financial burden on Maine's taxpayers; and

Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

Sec. 1. 4 MRSA §422, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 1999, c. 780, §1, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:

1.__Coordinator of Diversion and Rehabilitation Programs.__The judicial branch shall employ a Coordinator of Diversion and Rehabilitation Programs.__The Coordinator of Diversion and Rehabilitation Programs is responsible for helping the judicial branch establish, staff, coordinate, operate and evaluate diversion and rehabilitation programs in the courts.

Sec. 2. 4 MRSA §422, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1999, c. 780, §1 and amended by PL 2001, c. 354, §3, is further amended to read:

2. Pass-through services. The Administrative Office of the Courts, with the assistance of the Drug Court Coordinator of Diversion and Rehabilitation Programs, may enter into cooperative agreements or contracts with:

A. The Department of Behavioral and Developmental Services, Office of Substance Abuse or other federal-licensed treatment providers or state-licensed treatment providers to provide substance abuse services for alcohol and drug treatment program participants. To the extent possible, the