02-344-1 Me. Code R. § 5
The Board may issue an advisory ruling pursuant to 5 M.R.S.A., §9001 concerning the applicability to an existing factual situation of any statutes or rule it administers. Each request shall be reviewed individually by the Board to determine whether an advisory ruling is appropriate. The Board may, at its discretion, decline the request for an advisory ruling. An advisory ruling is not legally binding upon the Board pursuant to 5 M.R.S.A., §9001 of the Administrative Procedure Act.
A request for an advisory ruling shall be submitted to the Board in writing and shall set forth in detail all facts pertinent to the question. The Board may require the submission of additional information as necessary to complete a factual background for a ruling by the Board.
An advisory ruling shall be in writing and shall include a statement of facts or assumptions, or both, upon which the ruling is based. The statement, without reference to other documents, shall be sufficiently detailed to apprise the reader of the basis of the opinion. A ruling shall be rendered with the assent of four members of the Board. An advisory ruling shall be signed by the Chairperson of the Board, shall be identified specifically as an advisory ruling, and shall be numbered serially.
An advisory ruling shall be mailed to the requesting party and a copy shall be kept by the Board Administrator. An advisory ruling is a public document and shall be available for public inspection during the normal working hours of the Board. In addition, the Board, as it deems appropriate, may otherwise publish or circulate an advisory ruling.
02-344 C.M.R. ch. 1, § 5