An Act To Authorize the Board of Trustees of the Maine State Retirement System To Provide a Cost-of-living Adjustment to Retired Employees of Participating Local Districts
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 1373
Committee: Labor
Sponsors: HASKELL, STRIMLING, HAYES, WAGNER, WALCOTT, WEDDELL

Legislative Document 
No. 1373 
H.P.965 
House of Representatives, March 13, 2007 
An Act To Authorize the Board of Trustees of the Maine State 
Retirement System To Provide a Cost-of-living Adjustment to 
Retired Employees of Participating Local Districts 
(EMERGENCY) 
Reference to the Committee on Labor suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Representative HASKELL of Portland. 
Cosponsored by Senator STRIMLING of Cumberland and 
7r/~ 
1J7.7Ilu£~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: HAYES of Buckfield, WAGNER of Lewiston, WALCOTT of Lewiston, 
WEDDELL of Frankfort. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, annual increases in cost-of-living benefits for retirees of participating 
local districts in the Maine State Retirement System are limited to 4%; and 
Whereas, the Consumer Price Index for the designated months was 4.30%; and 
Whereas, an increase must be approved now in order to be effective retroactively to 
September 2006, when the 4% increase in the annual retirement allowance took effect; 
and 
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 enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. Annual retirement allowance. Notwithstanding the Maine Revised 
Statutes, Title 5, section 18407, subsection 4, paragraph A, the annual adjustment in the 
retirement allowances paid to retirees or the beneficiaries of retirees from participating 
local districts that participate in the Maine State Retirement System consolidated plan for 
participating local districts under Title 5, chapter 427 is increased to 4.30%. The Board 
of Trustees of the Maine State Retirement System is authorized to administer this 
additional payment consistent with its rules and procedures. This additional one-time 
.30% increase must be added to retirement allowances for the purposes of any cost-of-
living adjustments payable to retirees of participating local districts in the consolidated 
plan who were eligible for a cost-of-living adjustment in September 2006. 
Sec. 2. 
Applicability to participating local districts not part of the 
consolidated plan. Participating local districts that do not participate in the Maine 
State Retirement System consolidated plan for participating local districts under the 
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, chapter 427 may provide for the increase described in 
section I in retirement allowances being paid to retirees or beneficiaries of retirees 
eligible for the cost-of-living adjustment in September 2006 by supplying the Board of 
Trustees of the Maine State Retirement System with a certified copy of its action and a 
statement of agreement of payment of the costs associated with the additional benefits. 
Sec. 3. Retroactivity. This Act applies retroactively to September 1,2006. 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved. 
SUMMARY 
Cost-of-living adjustments to retirement allowances for retirees of participating local 
districts under the Maine State Retirement System are currently limited to a maximum of 
4%. The Consumer Price Index adjustment for September 2006 was 4.3%. This bill 
authorizes the Board of Trustees of the Maine State Retirement System to implement a 
one-time additional increase of .30% for retirees of participating local districts who were 
eligible for a cost-of-living adjustment in September 2006. The additional .30% increase 
will be paid retroactively to September 2006.