An Act To Return the Duties of the State Compensation Commission To Make Recommendations for the Salaries of the Governor and Judges
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 1456
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: MARTIN, GIDEON, GOLDEN, HICKMAN
Amends: 3 MRSA §2-B, 4 MRSA §1701, 5 MRSA §12004-G

Legislative Document
No. 1456
H.P. 1006
House of Representatives, April 18, 2017
An Act To Return the Duties of the State Compensation 
Commission To Make Recommendations for the Salaries of the 
Governor and Judges
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative MARTIN of Eagle Lake.
Cosponsored by Representatives: Speaker GIDEON of Freeport, GOLDEN of Lewiston, 
HICKMAN of Winthrop.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  3 MRSA §2-B, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 506, §1, is amended to 
read: 
1.  State Compensation Commission; membership.  The State Compensation 
Commission, established in Title 5, section 12004-G, subsection 26-D and referred to in 
this section as the "commission," consists of 5 members appointed in January of every 
odd-numbered year at the first regular session of each Legislature as follows: 
A.  Two members, not from the same political party, appointed by the President of 
the Senate; 
B.  Two members, not from the same political party, appointed by the Speaker of the 
House; and 
C.  One member appointed by a majority of the members appointed under paragraphs 
A and B, who serves as chair of the commission. 
The 5 members must be residents of the State and appointed from the public.  A person 
may not be appointed who is a Legislator at the time of appointment. 
All members must be appointed for a term to coincide with the legislative biennium.  A 
vacancy must be filled in the same manner as the original appointment for the balance of 
the unexpired term. 
The members of the commission are entitled to a per diem, expenses and allowances at 
the same rate as Legislators. 
Sec. 2.  3 MRSA §2-B, sub-§2, as amended by PL 1999, c. 2, §1, is further 
amended to read: 
2.  Duties of commission.  The commission must issue its first report no later than 
April 15, 1999.  No Beginning October 1, 2017, no later than May 1st of every odd-
numbered year and January 1st 15th of every even-numbered year thereafter, the 
commission shall submit to the Legislature a an interim report of the commission.  The, 
and no later than November 15th of every even-numbered year the commission shall 
submit to the Legislature a final report of the commission.  In the 3rd year of each 
gubernatorial term of office, the interim report must contain a recommendation for 
compensation of the Governor as established in Title 2, section 1.  A report under this 
subsection must contain: 
A.  A description of the commission's activities; 
B.  The recommendations of the commission for all regular and special sessions of 
the next Legislature concerning: 
(1)  Compensation of Legislators and representatives of Indian tribes, including, 
but not limited to, all payments for: salaries, meals, housing, travel, mileage and 
all other expenses and allowances; additional service as President of the Senate, 
as Speaker of the House or as a member of leadership; and for constituent 
services; and 
(1-A)  For the report required in the 3rd year of a gubernatorial term, for 
compensation for the Governor, including all payments for salaries, meals, 
housing, travel, mileage, constituent services and all other expenses and 
allowances; 
(1-B)  For compensation for justices and judges, including all payments for 
salaries, meals, housing, travel, mileage and all other expenses and allowances, 
and for additional services by any justice or judge; 
(1-C)  For compensation of Legislators, representatives of Indian tribes, Secretary 
and Assistant Secretary of the Senate and Clerk and Assistant Clerk of the House 
of Representatives, including all payments for salaries, meals, housing, travel, 
mileage, constituent services and all other expenses and allowances, and for 
additional services by the President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of 
Representatives and members of legislative leadership; and 
(2)  Compensation For compensation for the Attorney General, the Secretary of 
State, the Treasurer of State and the State Auditor, including all payments for 
salaries, meals, housing, travel, mileage and all other expenses and allowances, 
and for additional services by a constitutional officer; 
C.  The reasons for its recommendations; 
D.  Drafts of any legislation required to implement its recommendations; and 
E.  Any other material and recommendations that commission members may wish to 
submit. 
Before reporting as required in this subsection and subsequent to giving public notice, the 
commission shall hold a public hearing on the report.  Subsequent to reporting, the 
commission shall meet, if requested, with the Governor, the Legislative Council and 
legislative committees to discuss the report. 
Sec. 3.  4 MRSA §1701, as amended by PL 2013, c. 563, §2, is repealed. 
Sec. 4.  5 MRSA §12004-G, sub-§23-A, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 451, §2, is 
repealed. 
SUMMARY 
This bill amends the provisions of law regarding the State Compensation 
Commission, which makes recommendations for compensation for legislators and 
constitutional officers, by returning the commission to its previous form in the following 
ways: 
1.  Changing membership requirements; 
2.  Changing report requirements and reporting dates; and 
3.  Expanding the scope of the commission to include making recommendations for 
compensation of the Governor, justices and judges, the Secretary and Assistant Secretary 
of the Senate and the Clerk and Assistant Clerk of the House of Representatives.