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132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST SPECIAL SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 1738H.P. 1156House of Representatives, April 22, 2025
An Act to Establish the Biohazard Waste Disposal Grant Program
to Support Public Health Efforts in the State
Reference to the Committee on Health and Human Services suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative RANA of Bangor.
Cosponsored by Senator INGWERSEN of York and
Representatives: DAIGLE of Fort Kent, DEBRITO of Waterville, GRAHAM of North
Yarmouth, MCCABE of Lewiston, SHAGOURY of Hallowell, ZAGER of Portland, Senator:
MOORE of Washington. Page 1 - 132LR2340(01)
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2 is amended to read:
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6 is enacted to read:
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9 referred to in this section as "the program," is established to fund hypodermic apparatus
10 mitigation and collection efforts in community settings. The Maine Center for Disease
11 Control and Prevention, referred to in this section as "the center," shall administer the
12 program, subject to available funding resources. The center may hire staff to oversee and
13 manage the program, including but not limited to: data collection, building community
14 partnerships or coalitions and developing public education campaigns related to the
15 program. Subject to available funding resources, the center shall dispense funds on a
16 quarterly basis to selected applicants.
17The center shall make grants under the program available to:
18 A. Community-based organizations, including hypodermic apparatus exchange
19 programs certified pursuant to section 1341; and
20 B. Municipalities, including municipal health departments.
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22 program that includes, but is not limited to:
23 A. Criteria to demonstrate community need;
24 B. A narrative description of the proposed project, including goals and objectives, as
25 determined by the office; and
26 C. Budgetary requirements, projected outcomes and a data collection plan.
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28 involve one or more of the following:
29 A. Addressing geographic areas with a documented increase in calls for service
30 regarding improperly discarded hypodermic apparatuses;
31 B. A demonstrated collaborative approach involving community stakeholders; and
32 C. Innovative or evidence-based strategies to increase access to biohazard waste
33 disposal programming.
34Grant funds must be used:
35 A. To purchase and install disposal boxes suitable for indoor and outdoor use in
36 locations strategically identified to maximize use and reduce biohazard exposure risk; Page 2 - 132LR2340(01)
1 B. For appropriate permanent disposal of collected hypodermic apparatuses by an in-
2 state facility in good standing with the Department of Environmental Protection and
3 applicable compliance-related standards or certifications;
4 C. To hire and train staff of the grantee to collect and dispose of improperly discarded
5 hypodermic apparatuses; and
6 D. For other innovative or evidence-based strategies designed to mitigate and prevent
7 improper disposal of hypodermic apparatuses.
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9 summarizing grant program outcomes, including recommendations for improvements or
10 additional funding needs. The reporting period begins on November 1st and ends on
11 October 31st. The report may be included in the report under section 1341, subsection 3 or
12 submitted at the same time annually.
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14 This bill establishes the Biohazard Waste Disposal Grant Program within the
15 Department of Health and Human Services, Maine Center for Disease Control and
16 Prevention.
17 The purpose of the program is to disseminate grant funds to community organizations
18 seeking to develop or enhance community hypodermic apparatus mitigation and disposal
19 efforts. The center is required to establish grant guidelines and selection requirements, as
20 well as to submit an annual report to the Legislature.
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