An Act To Provide Economic Security to Main1 lamilies through the Creation of a Paid Family Medical Leave System
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 1587
Committee Amendment CA_A_H699 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A-" to H.P. 1091, L.D. 1587, Bill, "An Act To 
Provide Economic Security to Main1 lamilies through the Creation of a Paid Family 
Medical Leave System" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'Resolve, To Study the Feasibility of the Establishment of Paid Family Leave in the 
State' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and before the summary and 
inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. Study established. Resolved: That the University of Maine System 
shall conduct a study to examine the costs and benefits of implementing a paid family 
leave program in the State, if resources are available to enable the University of Maine 
System to conduct such a study; and be it further 
Sec. 2. Elements. Resolved: That the study established by this resolve must 
include, at a minimum, the following: 
1. Cost estimates for a series of policy scenarios for employers in the State, using a 
variety of eligibility criteria and participation rates; 
2. Use of a simulation model or other similar method that estimates leave-taking 
behaviors for workers and the characteristics of the types of leave they will talce under 
different policy scenarios; 
3. Examination of how each policy scenario will affect workers' leave-taking 
decisions and how each policy will affect different groups of workers; 
4. Calculations of weekly premiums to be paid by workers under each policy 
scenario; 
5. Calculations of start-up and administrative costs to the State to operate a paid 
family leave program; 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMM.ITTEEAMENDMENT"A"toH.P.1091,L.D.1587 
6. Assessment of any financial benefits to the State as a result of implementation of a 
paid family leave program; 
7. Consideration of a paid family leave program model that mandates participation, 
including the following 4 sc-enarios: 
A. All employers; 
B. Employers who employ more than 50 employees; 
C. Employers who employ more than 25 employees; and 
D. Employers who employ more than 15 employees; 
8. Consideration of a paid family leave program model in which participation is 
voluntary, including the following 2 scenarios: 
A. A low-participation model at 35% voluntary participation; and 
B. A high-participation model at 70% voluntary participation; and 
9. Inclusion of the following assumptions in analyses of each scenario described in 
subsections 7 and 8: 
A. Benefits will be allowed for up to 66% of an employee's or self-employed 
person's earnings, to be capped at the same weekly maximum amount as pennitted 
for unemployment benefits claims; 
B. Benefits will apply for 8 weeks during a 12-month period, with additional unpaid 
leave available pursuant to state or federal law; and 
C. Benefits will be awarded for leave consistent with family medical leave as defined 
in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 26, section 843, subsection 4, except that leave 
will also be available for the serious health condition of a parent-in-law and for the 
death or serious health condition of a parent-in-law while that parent-in-law is on 
active duty with the military; and be it further 
Sec. 3. Funding. Resolved: That, to carry out the study, the University of Maine 
System may apply for and accept funding :from any source, including the State or other 
public or private grant or contract funding sources. Contributions to support the work of 
the University of Maine System may not be accepted :from any party having a pecuniary 
or other vested interest in the outcome of the matters being studied; and be it further 
Sec. 4. Report. Resolved: That, no later than March 15, 2019, the University of 
Maine System shall submit a report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature 
having jurisdiction over labor matters that includes the results of the study and any 
proposed recommendations for implementation of a paid family leave system in the State, 
as well as an accounting of all funding received and used to carry out the study. The 
committee may report out a bill based on the report to the First Regular Session of the 
129th Legislature.' 
· 
SUMMARY 
This amendment strikes the bill and replaces it with a resolve that directs the 
University of Maine System to carry out a study to examine costs and benefits of 
implementing a paid family leave program in the State, if funding resources are available 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMM.ITTEEAMEND11ENT"A"toH.P, 1091,L.D.1587 
to enable the University of Maine System to conduct such a study, and to submit a report 
of its findings to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over 
labor matters. The committee is authorized to report out a bill based on the report to the 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 03/16/18 :wa~ 
LD 1587 
LR 158(02) 
An Act To Provide Economic Security to Maine Families through the Creation of a Paid Family 
Medical Leave System 
) \ 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment 1A
( #-& 99.) 
Committee: Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
No net fiscal impact - University of Maine System 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
This legislation requires the University of Maine System to conduct a study to examine the financial solvency and 
costs of a paid family leave program in the State and allows the System to apply for and accept funds from any source, 
including the State and other public or private grant or contract funding sources, in order to carry out the study. 
Because this bill provides no funding, but requires the System to conduct the study only if resources are available, 
there will be no net fiscal impact to the State or the University of Maine System. The System estimates the cost of the 
study to be approximately $130,000. 
LR0158(02)- Fiscal Note -Page 1 of 1