An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Task Force Convened by the Maine Labor Relations Board Regarding Compensation for the Panel of Mediators
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 1798
Committee Amendment CA_A_H702 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 1290, L.D. 1798, Bill, "An Act To 
Implement the Recommendations of the Task Force Convened by the Maine Labor 
Relations Board Regarding Compensation for the Panel of Mediators" 
Amend the bill in section 1 by striking out all of paragraph C and inserting the 
following: 
'C. The Panel of Mediators, consisting of not less than 5 nor more than 10 impartial 
members, must be appointed by the Governor from time to time upon the expiration 
of the terms of the several members, for terms of 3 years. 
The Maine Labor 
Relations Board shall supply to the Governor nominations for filling vacancies. 
Vacancies occurring during a term must be filled for the unexpired term. Members of 
the panel are entitled to a fee for services in the amount of $100 for up to 4 hours of 
mediation services provided and $100 for each consecutive period of up to 4 hours 
thereafter $600 per calendar day for each day or part of a day actually employed in 
the discharge of their official duties and also are entitled to traveling and all other 
necessary expenses. Notwithstanding the provisions of Title 5, section 12003 A, 
subsection 9, members of the panel '>'mo provide mediation services in more than one 
dispute in a given day are entitled to the compensation as provided in this paragraph 
in each such ease. 
The necessary expenses incurred by the members must be 
allocated to the mediation session that required the costs. The costs for services 
rendered and expenses incurred by members of the panel and any state cost allocation 
program charges must be shared equally by the parties to the proceedings and must 
be paid into a special fund administered by the Maine Labor Relations Board. 
Authorization for services rendered and expenditures incurred by members of the 
panel is the responsibility of the Executive Director of the Maine Labor Relations 
Board. All costs must be paid from that special fund. The executive director may 
estimate costs upon receipt of a request for services and collect those costs prior to 
providing the services. The executive director shall bill or reimburse the parties, as 
appropriate, for any difference between the estimated costs that were collected and 
the actual costs of providing the services. Once one party has paid its share of the 
estimated cost of providing the service, the mediator is assigned. A party who has 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 1290, L.D. 1798 
not paid an invoice for the estimated or actual cost of providing services within 60 
days of the date the invoice was issued is, in the absence of good cause shown, liable 
for the amount of the invoice together with a penalty in the amount of 25% of the 
amount of the invoice. Any penalty amount collected pursuant to this provision 
remains in the special fund administered by the Maine Labor Relations Board and 
that fund does not lapse. The executive director is authorized to collect any sums due 
and payable pursuant to this provision through civil action. In such an action, the 
court shall allow litigation costs, including court costs and reasonable attorney's fees, 
to be deposited in the General Fund if the executive director is the prevailing party in 
the action.' 
Amend the bill by adding after section 2 the following: 
'Sec. 3. Appropriations and allocations. 
The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
LABOR, DEPARTMENT OF 
Labor Relations Board 0160 
Initiative: Allocates funds for the increase in fees for mediation services provided by 
members of the Panel of Mediators. 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 
Personal Services 
All Other 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL 
SUMMARY 
2013-14 
$0 
$0 
$0 
2014-15 
$27,800 
$4,258 
$32,058 
This amendment of the Joint Standing Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research 
and Economic Development removes the provision of the bill that disallowed the Panel of 
Mediators from being compensated for traveling and other expenses. This amendment 
more accurately reflects the recommendations in the Maine Labor Relations Board 
mediator compensation report. 
The amendment also adds an appropriations and allocations section. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
\ 
Approved: 03112/14 Mac. 
LD 1798 
LR 2821(02) 
An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Task Force Convened by the Maine Labor 
Relations Board Regarding Compensation for the Panel of Mediators 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Com~ittee Amendment 'fJt (\4 -"10~) " 
Committee: Labor, Commerce, Research and. Economic Development 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY 2013-14 
FY 2014-15 
Proje<;tions 
FY 2015-16 
Projections 
FY 2016-17 
Appropriations/Allocations 
Other Special Revenue Funds 
$0 
$32,058 
$32,058 
$32,058 
Revenue 
Other Special Revenue Funds 
$0 
$32,058 
" $32,058 
$32,058 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
This billinc1udes ongoing Other Special Revenue Funds allocations of $32,058 per year, beginning in fiscal year 2014-
15, to the Maine Labor Relations Board for the cost associated with the increase in payments to members of the Panel 
of Mediators from $100 for each consecutive 4-hour period to $600 per whole or partial calendar day. The Maine 
Labor Relations Board will receive a corresponding increase in dedicated teve~ues from fees charged to parties who 
use the services of the Mediators. Pursuant to Title 26, section 892, the costs for services rendered and expenses 
incurred by the panel and any applicable state cost allocation program charges must be sJ:ared equally by the parties to 
mediation. 
LR2821(02) - Fi_scal Note - Page 1 of 1