Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 1449
Committee Amendment CA_A_S211 (Senate)
Amends: 25 MRSA §1501

12lST LEGISLATURE 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to S.P. 481, L.D. 1449, Bill, "An 
Act Regarding the State Police Command Staff" 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting 
clause and before the summary and inserting in its place the 
following: 
'Sec. I. 25 MRSA §1501, as amended by PL 1997, c. 657, §1, is 
further amended to read: 
§lS01. Chief; deputy; members of force; rules and regulations 
The 
Commissioner of Public Safety, with the advice 
and 
consent of the Governor and subject to review by the joint 
standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over 
criminal justice matters and to confirmation by the Legislature, 
shall 
appoint 
a 
Chief 
of 
the 
State 
Police, 
as 
heretofore 
appointed, to serve for a term of 4 years unless removed for 
cause. 
The 
appointment must 
be 
made 
from 
the 
commissioned 
officer ranks of the State Police. 
The Chief of the State Police 
may be removed by impeachment or by the Governor on the address 
of both branches of the Legislature. 
The Chief of the State Police sRall-se ~ the executive head 
of the Bureau of State Police, as heretofore established, and 
shall execute the duties of Ris the office under the direction 
and 
subject to 
the 
approval 
of 
the 
Commissioner 
of 
Public 
Safety. 
In the absence of the Commissioner of Public Safety, the 
Page l-LR1877(3) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to S.P. 481, L.D. 1449 
Chief of the State Police shall assume the duties and shall-have 
h2..§. the authority of the commissioner, except that he-shall-have 
the Chief of the State Police has no authority to change any 
general rules and regulations unless he the Chief of the State 
Police is serving in the capacity of acting commissioner as a 
result of the death, 
removal, 
extended leave of 
absence or 
resignation of the commissioner. 
Subject to 
the 
approval 
of 
the 
Commissioner 
of 
Public 
Safety, the chief may appoint 6 one commissioned 9~~ieeFs officer 
of the State Police to act as the chief's 4ep~~ies deputy and 2 
commissioned officers of the State Police to act as the chief's 
majors, all of whom serve at the pleasure of the chief. 
Subject 
to the Civil Service Law, 
the Chief of the State Police may 
enlist suitable persons as members of the State Police to enforce 
the law and employ such other employees as may be necessary. 
The 
Chief of the State Police shall make 
rules, 
subject to the 
approval of the State Civil Service 
Appeals 
Board, 
for 
the 
discipline and control of the State Police. 
If a deputy chief or 
major is removed or fails to be reappointed for any reason other 
than malfeasance of office and, at that time, does not have at 
least aQ-yeaFs the number of years of creditable service wi~h-~he 
S~a~e-P9liee necessary for a service retirement benefit pursuant 
to Title 5, section 17851. subsection 4, the deputy chief or 
major must be reinstated at the commissioned rank held at the 
time of the appointment with all the rights and privileges as 
provided by law and personnel rules. 
It is the intent of the Legislature that the Governor may in 
his the Governor's discretion appoint the same person to serve as 
Commissioner of Public Safety and Chief of the Maine State 
Police. 
In this event, the Governor shall appoint the Chief of 
the State Police shal±-&e-~~~-~h&-GeveFBeF, subject to 
review by the J9iB~-.s-t.a£Q4£4jJ-~~~-ee--on--St;a&e--G9veFRJReB~ joint 
standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over 
criminal justice and public safety matters and to confirmation by 
the Legislature, to serve at the pleasure of the Governor. Such 
appointment may be made from the commissioned officer membership 
of the State Police. In the event that the Commissioner of Public 
Safety and the Chief of the State Police are the sanik person, the 
commissioner shall may receive only the salary designated 'for the 
Commissioner of Public Safety.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment is the majority report of the Joint Standing 
Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety and replaces the 
bill. 
The amendment maintains the language from the bill that 
reflects the number of years of creditable service for a full 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to S.P. 481, L.D. 1449 
service retirement benefit has increased from 20 to 
The amendment also amends the law to reflect that only 
deputy 
may 
be 
appointed, 
instead of 
2, 
which 
the 
authorizes. 
The amendment also makes technical changes. 
years. 
one chief 
law 
now 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT