An Act Relating to the Authority of the Legislative Council over the
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 1335
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: ALFOND
Amends: 3 MRSA §162

Legislative Document 
No. 1335 
S.P. 412 
In Senate, March 29, 2011 
An Act Relating to the Authority of the Legislative Council over the 
Fiscal Note Process 
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed. 
JOSEPH G. CARLETON, JR. 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by Senator ALFOND of Cumberland. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  3 MRSA §162, sub-§18, as amended by PL 1997, c. 43, §2, is further 
amended to read: 
18.  Out-of-state travel report.  To submit to the joint standing committee of the 
Legislature having jurisdiction over appropriations and financial affairs a quarterly report 
on out-of-state travel activity of the Legislature.  The report must be submitted within 15 
days after the end of each quarter and must include, for each individual who has been 
authorized to travel, the destination, purpose and cost by funding source of each trip; and 
Sec. 2.  3 MRSA §162, sub-§19, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 43, §3, is amended to 
read: 
19.  Legislative information available through the Internet.  To make the 
following information available through the Internet:  legislative documents, committee 
hearing schedules, work session schedules, status of legislation, voting records of 
Legislators, the laws of Maine, study reports and reports of other study groups established 
by the Legislature and any other information designated by the Legislative Council.; and 
Sec. 3.  3 MRSA §162, sub-§20 is enacted to read: 
20.  Fiscal notes.  To oversee and ensure accuracy in the fiscal note process and the 
development of fiscal notes of legislation sponsored by a member of the Legislature.  The 
Legislative Council shall require the Office of Fiscal and Program Review to provide a 
sponsor of legislation with: 
A.  Review and comment periods relating to the prepared fiscal notes; 
B.  The assumptions on which the fiscal note is based; 
C.  The specific revenues, savings and costs associated with the legislation; 
D.  Opportunities to meet with any agency, person or organization providing 
information relating to the fiscal notes; 
E.  The opportunity for the sponsor to indicate in a fiscal note that the sponsor 
disagrees with the fiscal note and the reasons for the disagreement; and 
F.  The impact of any increased or decreased federal funds associated with 
legislation, including the impact on employment, salaries and benefits and tax 
revenues. 
SUMMARY 
This bill requires the Legislative Council to provide members of the Legislature with 
a more open process and more information relating to fiscal notes and the fiscal note 
process.  Legislators must be given an opportunity to question fiscal notes before they 
become official and to meet with a person, agency or organization that contributes 
information regarding a fiscal note.  If the sponsor disagrees with the official fiscal note, 
the fiscal note must include a note to that effect and the reasons for the sponsor's 
disagreement.