Resolve, Establishing the Conanission To Study Eliminating the Normal Retirement Age for Corrections Officers and Mental Health Workers Further amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the summary and inserting in its place the following: Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and Legislature do not become effective until adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and resolves of the days after Whereas, the Commission to Study Eliminating the Normal Retirement Age for Corrections Officers and Mental Health Workers is established to address problems of inconsistency in retirement benefits and the need for earlier retirement for corrections officers and mental health workers; and Whereas, the study must be initiated before the 90-day period expires in order that the study may be completed and a report submitted in time for submission to the next legislative session; and Page l-LR0129(2) COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 0748
Committee Amendment CA_A_S68 (Senate)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,A" to S.P. 246, L.D. 748, Bill, "An 
Act Requiring Equal Retirement Benefits for Corrections Officers 
and Mental Health Workers with 25 Years of State Service" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting 
the following: 
'Resolve, Establishing the Conanission To Study Eliminating the 
Normal Retirement Age for Corrections Officers and Mental Health 
Workers' 
Further amend the bill by striking out everything after the 
enacting clause and before the summary and inserting in its place 
the following: 
'Emergency preamble. 
Whereas, acts 
and 
Legislature 
do 
not 
become 
effective 
until 
adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
resolves 
of 
the 
days 
after 
Whereas, the 
Commission 
to 
Study Eliminating the 
Normal 
Retirement Age for Corrections Officers and Mental Health Workers 
is established to address problems of inconsistency in retirement 
benefits and the need for earlier retirement for corrections 
officers and mental health workers; and 
Whereas, the 
study must 
be 
initiated before 
the 
90-day 
period expires in order that the study may be completed and a 
report submitted in time for submission to the next legislative 
session; and 
Page l-LR0129(2) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,A, to S.P. 246, L.D. 748 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts 
create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of 
Maine 
and 
require 
the 
following 
legislation 
as 
immediately 
necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and 
safety; now, therefore, be it 
Sec. 1. Commission established. Resolved: 
That the Commission 
to Study Eliminating the Normal Retirement Age for Corrections 
Officers and Mental Health Workers, referred to in this resolve 
as "the commission," is established; and be it further 
Sec. 2. Commission membership. Resolved: 
That the commission 
consists of 9 members appointed as follows: 
1. 
Two members of the Senate, appointed by the President of 
the Senate; 
2. 
Three members of the House of Representatives, appointed 
by the Speaker of the House; 
3. 
One member representing corrections officers, appointed 
by the President of the Senate; 
4. 
One 
member 
representing 
employers 
of mental 
health 
workers, appointed by the President of the Senate; 
5. 
One 
member 
representing 
employers 
of 
corrections 
officers, appointed by the Speaker of the House; and 
6. 
One member representing mental health workers, appointed 
by the Speaker of the House; and be it further 
Sec. 3. Chairs. Resolved: 
That the first-named Senate member 
is the Senate chair of the commission and the first-named House 
of Representatives member is the House chair of the commission; 
and be it further 
Sec. 4. Appointments; convening of commission. Resolved: 
That 
all appointments must be made no later than 30 days following the 
effective date of this resolve. 
The appointing authorities shall 
notify the Executive Director of the Legislative Council once all 
appointments 
have 
been 
completed. 
Within 
days 
after 
appointment of all members, the chairs shall call and convene the 
first meeting of the commission, which must be no later than 
August 15, 2005; and be it further 
Sec. 5. Duties. Resolved: 
That the commission may hold up to 4 
meetings and shall study the following issues: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
",d\S, 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,~, to S.P. 246, L.D. 748 
1. 
Whether corrections officers and mental health workers 
should have uniform retirement benefits; 
2. 
Whether corrections officers and mental health workers, 
regardless of their age, should be eligible to retire after 25 
years of service without a reduction in benefits; 
3. 
Which job classifications should be included in this 
retirement plan, if the plan is recommended by the commission; and 
4. 
Possible ways of funding this retirement plan, if the 
plan is recommended by the commission; and be it further 
Sec. 6. Staff assistance. Resolved: 
That the Legislative Council 
shall provide necessary staffing services to the commission; and 
be it further 
Sec. 7. Compensation. Resolved: 
That the legislative members 
of the commission are entitled to receive the legislative per 
diem, as defined in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 3, section 
2, 
and reimbursement for travel and other necessary expenses 
related 
to 
their 
attendance 
at 
authorized 
meetings 
of 
the 
commission. 
Public members not otherwise compensated by their 
employers or other entities that they represent are entitled to 
receive 
reimbursement 
of 
necessary 
expenses 
and, 
upon 
a 
demonstration of financial hardship, 
a per diem equal to the 
legislative per diem for their attendance at authorized meetings 
of the commission; and be it further 
Sec. 8. Report. Resolved: 
That, 
no later than December 15, 
2005, 
the commission shall submit a 
report that includes its 
findings 
and 
recommendations, 
including suggested legislation, 
for presentation to the Joint Standing Committee on Labor. 
The 
commission is authorized to introduce legislation related to its 
report to the Second Regular Session of the 122nd Legislature at 
the time of submission of its report; and be it further 
Sec. 9. Extension. Resolved: 
That, if the commission requires 
a limited extension of time to complete its study and make its 
report, it may apply to the Legislative Council, which may grant 
an extension; and be it further 
Sec. 10. Commission budget. Resolved: 
That the chairs of the 
commission, 
with assistance 
from the 
commission staff, 
shall 
administer the commission's budget. 
Within 10 days after its 
first meeting, 
the 
commission shall present 
a 
work plan and 
proposed budget to the Legislative Council for its approval. 
The 
commission may 
not 
incur expenses 
that would result in the 
commission's exceeding its approved budget. 
Upon request from 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
".a'S. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,~, to S.P. 246, L.D. 748 
the commission, the Executive Director of the Legislative Council 
shall promptly provide the commission chairs and staff with a 
status report on the commission budget, expenditures incurred and 
paid and available funds. 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the 
preamble, this resolve takes effect when approved. I 
SUMMARY 
This resolve creates the Commission to Study Eliminating the 
Normal Retirement Age for Corrections Officers and Mental Health 
Workers for the purpose of studying whether corrections officers 
and mental health workers should uniformly be eligible to retire 
after 
years 
of 
service without 
a 
reduction 
in benefits 
regardless of their age. 
Membership of the commission includes 
representatives of corrections officers and mental health workers 
and 
Legislators. 
The 
commission is 
authorized 
to 
submit 
legislation 
to 
the 
Second 
Regular 
Session 
of 
the 
122nd 
Legislature by December 15, 2005. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 03/11/05 Mac 
LD748 
LR0129(02) 
An Act Requiring Equal Retirement Benefits for Corrections Officers and Mental Health Workers 
with 25 Years of State Service 
Legislative Study 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee AmendmentI'< 
Committee: Labor 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Potential current biennium cost increase - General Fund 
Current Costs - Legislative Study 
The projected costs to fund the general operating expenses ofthe Commission to Study Eliminating the Normal 
Retirement Age for Corrections Officers and Mental Health Workers is $2,900 in fiscal year 2005-06. The 
Legislature's proposed Part I budget includes $30,000 in fiscal year 2005-06 and $20,000 in fiscal year 2006-07 for 
legislative studies. Whether the amounts are sufficient to fund all studies will depend on the number of studies 
authorized by the Legislative Council and the Legislature. 
Additional costs to the Maine State Retirement System associated with serving on the Commission can be absorbed 
utilizing existing budgeted resources. If, during the course ofthe Commission's work, the services of the System's 
actuary is needed, there will be additional costs to the Retirement System associated with the actuarial fees. The 
amount, and the ability of the Retirement System to absorb those costs without a General Fund appropriation, can not 
be determined at this time. 
LROI29(2) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1