CHAPTER 411

H.P. 1131 - L.D. 1542

An Act To Effectively Separate Children's Homes from Adult

Residential Care Facilities Regarding Fire Safety

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

Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §8103, as amended by PL 2001, c. 515, §1 and c. 596, Pt. B, §19 and affected by §25, is further amended to read:

§8103. Fire safety; inspections for children's homes

1. Procedures. All procedures and other provisions included in section 7904-A, subsections 1 and 2, for boarding care facilities also apply to children's homes, except that the written statement referred to in section 7904-A, subsection 1 need not be furnished annually by the Commissioner of Public Safety to the department for a facility licensed as a family foster home or a specialized children's home. In these instances an inspection must be performed every 2 years.

1. Procedures. All procedures and other provisions included in section 7855, subsections 1 and 2 for residential care facilities also apply to children's homes, except that the written statement referred to in section 7855, subsection 1 need not be furnished annually by the Commissioner of Public Safety to the department when a children's home serves only one or 2 children.

1-A.__Inspection required.__Except as provided in subsection 2, the department may not issue a license to operate to a children's home until the department has received from the Commissioner of Public Safety a written statement signed by one of the officials designated under Title 25, section 2360, 2391 or 2392 to make fire safety inspections.__This statement must indicate that the children's home has complied with applicable fire safety provisions referred to in Title 25, section 2452.