An Act To Promote Reemployment of Unemployed Workers
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 1137
Committee Amendment CA_A_S360 (Senate)
Amends: 26 MRSA §2033

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A " to S.P. 406, L.D. 1137, Bill, "An Act To 
Promote Reemployment of Unemployed Workers" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act To Promote Workforce Development' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and inserting the following: 
'Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, due to Maine's aging population, the State faces a workforce shortage as 
an increasing number of workers are retiring and fewer people are available to replace 
them; and 
Whereas, more workers need to be trained to meet the needs of Maine businesses 
with a skilled labor force; and 
Whereas, the Competitive Skills Scholarship Program is one of the Department of 
Labor's job training programs specifically created to train workers for jobs in high-
demand, high-wage careers with a dedicated source of funding; and 
Whereas, the Department of Labor is limited in the amount of funding it can use to 
train eligible workers because of an annual cap on administration costs and the immediate 
removal of that cap would allow the department to provide more training to individuals 
within the current calendar year; 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: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A 
"to S.P. 406, L.D. 1137 
Sec. 1. 26 MRSA §2033, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2013, c. 502, Pt. 0, §1, is 
further amended to read: 
2. 
Program established. 
The department shall establish and administer an 
employment training program known as the Competitive Skills Scholarship Program. 
The purpose of the program is to provide individuals with access to education, training 
and support leading to skilled, well-compensated jobs with anticipated high employment 
demand, to improve the economic well-being of the participants in the program and to 
provide employers with a skilled labor force in accordance with the provisions of this 
section. 
The commissioner may expend funds through the department's career centers from the 
fund for the costs of education, training and support in accordance with subsection 6, for 
career counseling and for the administration of the program. Career counseling must 
include developing a plan and assisting a participant in accessing the support necessary 
for the participant to participate in the plan. The commissioner shall establish a limit on 
or a formula that limits the proportion of program funds that are expended on career 
counseling and for administration; e1Eee13t that, aegiRHiHg 1Nith fiseal year 2014 15, the 
commissioner may aot e1Epend, on an amn1alized basis, more than $550,000 of the anm1al 
Fe1reHHe te the fu0El feF aaFBiHistratiYe eests aHa feF eareeF eeHHseliHJ;?;. 
Sec. 2. 26 MRSA §2033, sub-§10, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 352, Pt. A, §3, is 
amended to read: 
10. Monitoring, evaluation and annual report. The department shall implement a 
comprehensive evaluation strategy that evaluates the fund, using both quantitative and 
qualitative data and including an analysis of the return on investment in the fund. The 
evaluation must consider, at a minimum, the following factors: the value of total 
compensation, including, but not limited to, health insurance and other benefits to those 
participating in training; the impact of the program on the Unemployment Compensation 
Fund; the impact on productivity and performance for employers; and the impact on 
meeting the demand for skilled workers in industries in this State. The evaluation must 
measure the impact of the program over time, including a longitudinal analysis that 
captures productivity and other outcomes related to the program. The department must 
submit a report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over 
labor matters by February 1st of each year on the status of the program and on the 
evaluation data collected and analyzed. The report also must include the formula or limit 
established by the commissioner pursuant to subsection 2 to limit the proportion of 
program funds expended on career counseling and administration and the amount of 
funds expended for these purposes. 
Sec. 3. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
LABOR, DEPARTMENT OF 
Employment Services Activity 0852 
Initiative: Allocates funds for 2 limited-period CareerCenter Consultant positions to 
support efforts to provide job training for qualified individuals under the Competitive 
Skills Scholarship Program. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" f1" to S.P. 406, L.D. 1137 
COMPETITIVE SKILLS SCHOLARSHIP FUND 
Personal Services 
All Other 
COMPETITIVE SKILLS SCHOLARSHIP FUND 
TOTAL 
2015-16 
$60,495 
$13,833 
$74,328 
2016-17 
$120,990 
$28,072 
$149,062 
Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation 
takes effect when approved.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the concept draft and changes the title. 
Current law 
requires the Commissioner of Labor to establish a limit on, or a formula to limit, funds 
expended on administrative and career counseling costs of the Competitive Skills 
Scholarship Program and caps such expenditures at $550,000 annually. The amendment 
eliminates the cap and requires the Department of Labor to include the limit or formula 
and the amount spent for such costs in its annual report to the Legislature on the program. 
The amendment adds an appropriations and allocations section. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
• 
Approved: 02/01/16 
_.,.ae 
LD 1137 
LR 1374(02) 
An Act To Promote Reemployment of Unemployed Workers 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment ''A
1(5-3hD) 
Committee: Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY 2015-16 
FY 2016-17 
Projections 
FY 2017-18 
Projections 
FY 2018-19 
Appropriations/ Allocations 
Competitive Skills Scholarship Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
$74,328 
$149,062 
$0 
$0 
This legislation removes the cap on the amount of funds in the Competitive Skills Scholarship Fund within the 
Department of Labor that can be spent for administrative and career counseling services annually. According to the 
Department of Labor, eliminating the cap will allow for an increase in career counseling and job training services that 
the Department can provide to individuals qualified under the Competitive Skills Scholarship Program. The 
Department has requested, and this bill includes, Competitive Skills Scholarship Fund allocations of $7 4,328 in fiscal 
year 2015-16 and $149,062 in fiscal year 2016-17 for 2 limited-period CareerCenter Consultant positions and related 
All Other costs to support the additional career counseling and job training efforts. Sufficient funds exist within the 
Competitive Skills Scholarship Fund to support the costs of the 2 positions over the current biennium without 
requiring an increase in the contribution rate applied to employers' taxable payroll. 
LR1374(02) - Fiscal Note - Page I of I