C.__The commissioner shall determine rates of reimbursement that include allowable administrative costs and that use available resources to maximize wages and benefits for personal care assistants and hours of services for consumers.

9.__Rulemaking.__The commissioner shall adopt rules to implement this section.__Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined by Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A, except that rules regarding consumer cost sharing under subsection 4 are major substantive rules as defined by that subchapter.

Sec. WW-3. Resolve 2003, c. 113, §1 is amended to read:

Sec. 1. Review and report. Resolved: That the Department of Human Services, Bureau of Elder and Adult Services work with the Direct-care Worker Coalition that has been meeting to discuss the recruitment and retention of direct-care workers in the field of long-term care. The department shall report back to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters by January 15, 2005. The department shall invite the participation of consumers, and representatives of consumers, including consumers who utilize the program of state-funded consumer-directed personal care assistance services pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 26, section 1412-H, a representative of the Maine Independent Living Center, organizations representing personal assistants, direct-care workers, representatives of providers of long-term care services and other interested parties. The work of the coalition must include options for achieving parity with other programs providing long-term care services to adults and children with developmental disabilities, a review of data on wages and benefits, an explanation of administrative expenses of agencies providing or coordinating long-term care services, priorities for achieving funding and recommendations for legislation. The work of the coalition must include a review of the program of state- funded consumer-directed personal care assistance services and the recruitment and retention of personal care assistants employed in or through those programs. The joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters may report out legislation to the First