Signed by Governor Janet Mills

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires the state legislature to assess the racial impact of pending legislation.

Highlights:

• Defines "legislative committee" as a joint standing committee of the Legislature, a joint select committee of the Legislature, a task force, commission or council, or any other committee established by the Legislature and composed wholly or partly of Legislators to conduct legislative business (Sec. 1.A).

• Defines "racial impact statement" as an assessment of the potential impact that legislation could have on historically disadvantaged racial populations (Sec. 1.B).

• In making determinations, the Legislative Council will consider the following (Sec. 2-1):

• What has been done in other states to accomplish the development and use of racial impact statements;

• What data, analysis or other information is needed to produce a racial impact statement and what the best source of that data, analysis or other information is, such as, but not limited to, an executive branch department or agency;

• Specific policy areas that would benefit from the use of racial impact statements, including, but not limited to, education; health care; employment, including wages; housing, including homeownership; and criminal justice and public safety;

• The costs of implementing the use of racial impact statements, either on a limited basis, such as for certain committees, policy areas or instruments, such as committee or floor amendments, or for all joint standing committees and all legislation; and

• Anything else the Legislative Council considers relevant.

• Requires the Legislative Council analyze the following the determine the scope of pilot projects (Sec. 2-2):

• Which joint standing committees will participate in the pilot project, which must be at least one but not more than;

• What legislation, such as bills, committee amendments and floor amendments, will be subject to racial impact statement review;

• What standards will be used to review legislation;

• What resources or adjustments to the committee process will be needed to facilitate the inclusion of racial impact statements;

• The cost required to implement such a pilot project;

• Information or other resources needed to compile racial impact statements; and

• Any other information relevant to the Legislative Council.

• The following is required of a report created by pilot project committees (Sec. 2-3):

• The number of pieces of legislation and the types of legislation for which racial impact statements were requested and used;

• How the racial impact statements were obtained or developed;

• The amount of time, both as an average and individually, needed to develop each racial impact statement; and

• The cost, if any, to the joint standing committee from obtaining or developing racial impact statements.

Full Bill Text