Sec. 1. 34-B MRSA c. 1, sub-c. 2-B is enacted to read:

SUBCHAPTER 2-B

DOROTHEA DIX AWARD

§1301.__Dorothea Dix Award

The commissioner shall establish the Dorothea Dix Award, which recognizes and honors outstanding achievement in improving policies pertaining to people living with mental illness or mental disabilities.__The award must be made on April 4th of each odd-numbered year at the Dorothea Dix Center for Public Service.__ The Governor shall present the award.

1.__Eligibility.__A person who is a Maine resident or has direct long-standing ties with Maine is eligible to win the award.

2.__Dorothea Dix Award Selection Committee; established.__The Dorothea Dix Award Selection Committee, known in this subchapter as "the committee," is established and consists of the following 4 members:

A.__One member must be a representative of an organization that advocates for people with mental illness and their families, chosen by the Governor;

B.__One member must be from an organization that advocates for the legal rights of people living with disabilities, chosen by the President of the Senate;

C.__One member must be from an organization that advocates for people with mental disabilities, chosen by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and

D.__One member must be a representative from an organization that advocates for children living with mental illness or mental disabilities, chosen by the Attorney General.

2.__Selection procedure.__Any person may nominate a candidate for the award.__The committee shall develop a review and selection procedure.

Sec. 2. 34-B MRSA §3201, as enacted by PL 1983, c. 459, §7, is amended to read:

§3201. Maintenance