An Act To Suspend the Cost-of-living Adjustment for Legislators Salaries for the First Regular Session of the 124th Legislature
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 0473
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: RA YE, MILLETT, COURTNEY, CONNOR, SAVIELLO
Amends: 3 MRSA §2

MAINE STATE LEGISLATURE 
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124th MAl E LEGISLATURE 
Legislative Document 
No. 473 
S.P.176 
In Senate, February 10, 2009 
An Act To Suspend the Cost-of-living Adjustment for Legislators' 
Salaries for the First Regular Session of the 124th Legislature 
(EMERGENCy) 
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Senator RA YE of Washington. 
Cosponsored by Representative MILLETT of Waterford and 
9tf)(Y~ 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Senators: COURTNEY ofYork~ROSEN of Hancock, Representa~ives: CLEARY of Houlton, 
CONNOR of Kennebunk, SAVIELLO of Wilton: .' 
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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, current law provides for an annual cost-of-living adjustment for 
Legislator salaries; and 
Whereas, this measure suspends that cost-of-living adjustment for the current 
session of the 124th Legislature; 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, 
0 
therefore, 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 3 MRSA §2, Inrst~, as amended by PL 2003, c. 20, Pt. F, §1, is further 
amended to read: 
Each member of the Senate and House of Representatives, beginning with the. first 
Wednesday of December 2000 and thereafter, is entitled to $10,815 in the first year and 
$7,725 in the 2nd year of each biennium, except that if a Legislator who is a recipient of 
retirement benefits from the federal Social Security Administration files a written request 
with the Executive Director of the Legislative Council within one. week after the 
biennium commences, the Legislator is entitled to $9,270 in each year of the biennium. 
Each member of the Senate and the House of Representatives must receive a cost-of-
living adjustment in annual legislative salary, except that the percentage increase may not 
exceed 5% in any year. Beginning December 1, 2001, the salary for each legislative 
session must be adjusted each December 1st by the percentage change in the Consumer 
Price Index for the most recently concluded fiscal year; except that no member of the 
Senate or the House of Representatives may receive a cost-of-living adjustment in annual 
legislative salary for the Second Regular Session of the 121st Legislature ffi'., the First 
Regular Session of the 122nd Legislature or the First Regular Session of the 124th 
Legislature. In addition, each Legislator is entitled to be paid for travel at each legislative 
session once each week at the same rate per mile to and from that Legislator's place of 
abode as state employees receive, the mileage to be determined by the most reasonable 
direct route, except that Legislators may be reimbursed for tolls paid for travel on the 
Maine Turnpike as long as they have a receipt for payment of the tolls, such tolls to be 
reimbursed when Legislators use the Maine Turnpike in traveling to and from sessions of 
the Legislature or in performance of duly authorized committee assignments. 
Each 
Legislator is entitled to mileage on the first day of the session, and those amounts of 
salary and expenses at such times as the Legislature may determine during the session, 
and the balance at the end of the session. 
Sec. 2. Retroactivity. This Act applies retroactively to December 3,2008. 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved. 
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SUMMARY 
This bill suspends the cost-of-living adjustment for salaries of Legislators for the