An Act To Require That All Public School Employees Be Paid a Livable Wage Rate
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 0493
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: DAVIS, COLLINS, MARLEY
Amends: 20-A MRSA §15679

Legislative Document 
No. 493 
H.P.368 
House of Representatives, February 1,2005 
An Act To Require That All Public School Employees Be Paid a 
Livable Wage Rate 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by Representative DAVIS of Falmouth. 
'711~ 1/7. 77l0£~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Cosponsored by Representatives: COLLINS of Wells, MARLEY of Portland. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §lOOl, sub-§19 is enacted to read: 
19. 
Livable 
wag~tes. 
Beginning 
with 
the 
2005-2006 
school year, they shall pay all employees rates of pay that are 
not less than the minimunL~.ate that provides all employees with a 
livable 
wage 
sufficient 
to 
meet 
the 
costs 
of 
the 
basic 
necessities of life. 
The minimum hourly wage rate required by 
this section for 2005-2006 is equal to 185% of the annual poverty 
line wage level for a family of 2, as established by the United 
~tes Department of Labor, divided by 2,080 hours. 
The minimum 
hourly wage rate required for all school years after 2005-2006 
must be indexed to and increased annually by an amount equal to 
the 
increase in the 
Consumer 
Price 
Index 
determined 
by 
the 
federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. 
The increase in the Consumer 
Price Index must be calculated using the Consumer Price Index -
]>,11 Urban Consumers all items index for the Northeast region for 
the 
period 
from 
January 
1st 
through 
December 
31st 
that 
immediately precedes each subsequent school year. 
Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §15679, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 
504, Pt. A, §6, is amended to read: 
4. 
determine 
positions 
commissioner 
shall 
the number of staff 
In order to calculate 
Estimated 
salary 
costs. 
The 
the estimated salary costs for 
required under subsection 3. 
this amount, the commissioner, where appropriate, shall use the 
salary matrix pursuant to section 15677 for all staff positions 
in each category. 
The salary amounts 
for each year must be 
calculated from a base salary amount that is not less than 
th~ 
minimum livable wage rate for that year calculated under section 
1001, subsection 19. 
Sec. 3. 20-A MRSA §15679, sub-§6, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 
504, Pt. A, §6, is amended to read: 
6. Total salary and benefit costs for staff. 
The total 
salary and benefit costs for staff is equal to the sum of: 
A. 
The 
estimated 
salary 
costs 
determined 
pursuant 
to 
subsection 4; 
B. 
The 
amount, 
as determined by the commissioner, 
that 
equals the statewide percentage of estimated salary costs 
determined pursuant to 
subsection 
that represents 
the 
statewide benefit costs; and 
C. The substitute teacher salary costs determined pursuant 
to subsection 5. 
When a staff bargaining agent exists, the staff bargaining agent 
and school administrative unit shall, 
in accordance with the 
collective bargaining procedures set forth in Title 26, chapter 
9-A, negotiate to determine by mutual agreement the salaries and 
benefits to be provided to staff in the school administrative 
unit. 
The amount expended for salaries and benefits for staff in 
a school administrative unit is not limited to, but may not be 
less 
than, 
the 
total 
salary 
and 
benefit 
costs 
for 
staff 
calculated pursuant to this subsection. 
SUMMARY 
This 
bill 
requires 
that 
all 
employees 
of 
school 
administrative units in Maine be paid at least a livable wage 
rate, which means an amount sufficient to meet the costs of the 
basic necessities of life. 
The bill also establishes a method 
for future periodic updating of the livable wage 
amount 
and 
outlines procedures for the distribution of targeted funds 
to 
ensure that no public school employee in Maine will be paid at a 
wage rate that is insufficient to meet the costs of the basic 
necessities of life.