An Act To Increase Salaries for Elected State Officials and To
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 1667
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: BABBIDGE, GRATWICK, HYMANSON, MOONEN, O'NEIL, RECKITT, STANLEY, TUCKER
Amends: 2 MRSA §1, 3 MRSA §2, 3 MRSA §2-B

Legislative Document
No. 1667
H.P. 1193
House of Representatives, April 30, 2019
An Act To Increase Salaries for Elected State Officials and To 
Amend the Laws Governing the State Compensation Commission
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative BABBIDGE of Kennebunk.
Cosponsored by Senator GRATWICK of Penobscot and
Representatives: HYMANSON of York, McCREIGHT of Harpswell, MOONEN of Portland, 
O'NEIL of Saco, RECKITT of South Portland, STANLEY of Medway, TUCKER of 
Brunswick.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  2 MRSA §1, as amended by PL 1993, c. 361, Pt. B, §1, is further amended 
to read:
§1.  Residence; office hours; secretary; salary
The Governor shall have his Governor's official residence at is located in Augusta 
during his the Governor's term of office, and the Governor shall keep his the Governor's 
office at the State House open for the transaction of the business of the State during all 
normal working hours of the State House.
In the absence of the Governor, his the Governor's private secretary shall be in 
attendance and the private secretary shall devote his the entire time to the duties of his the 
private secretary's office. 
Until the first Wednesday of January 1987, the Governor shall receive is entitled to 
receive an annual salary of $35,000.  Beginning the first Wednesday of January 1987, the 
Governor shall receive is entitled to receive an annual salary of $70,000.  Beginning the 
first Wednesday of January 2023, the Governor is entitled to receive an annual salary of 
$141,000.  Beginning the first Wednesday of January 2027, whenever a new Governor 
takes office, that Governor's annual salary must be adjusted by the percentage change in 
the Consumer Price Index during the term of office of that Governor's predecessor except 
that the calculation of this percentage change may not include a percentage increase in the 
Consumer Price Index that exceeds 3% per year.
A former Governor may accept as a personal gift from the State at the end of his that 
Governor's final term the desk and chair used by that Governor as Governor.
Sec. 2.  3 MRSA §2, first ¶, as amended by PL 2011, c. 380, Pt. QQQQ, §1, is 
further amended to read:
Each member of the Senate and House of Representatives, beginning with the first 
Wednesday of December 2000 and thereafter ending with the first Wednesday of 
December 2022, is entitled to $10,815 in the first year and $7,725 in the 2nd year of each 
biennium, except that if a Legislator who is a recipient of retirement benefits from the 
federal Social Security Administration files a written request with the Executive Director 
of the Legislative Council within one week after the biennium commences, the Legislator 
is entitled to $9,270 in each year of the biennium.  Each member of the Senate and the 
House of Representatives, beginning with the first Wednesday of December 2022, is 
entitled to $23,500 in each year of the biennium.  Each member of the Senate and the 
House of Representatives must receive a cost-of-living adjustment in annual legislative 
salary, except that the percentage increase may not exceed 5% in any year, and except 
that the percentage increase may not exceed 3% beginning with the fiscal year ending 
June 30, 2014.  Beginning December 1, 2001, the salary for each legislative session must 
be adjusted each December 1st by the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for 
the most recently concluded fiscal year; except that no member of the Senate or the 
House of Representatives may receive a cost-of-living adjustment in annual legislative 
salary for the Second Regular Session of the 124th Legislature, and except that no 
member of the Senate or the House of Representatives may receive a cost-of-living 
adjustment in annual legislative salary for the Second Regular Session of the 125th 
Legislature and the First Regular Session and the Second Regular Session of the 126th 
Legislature, and any percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for the fiscal years 
ending June 30, 2011,  June 30, 2012 and June 30, 2013 may not be applied to the base 
salary.  In addition, each Legislator is entitled to be paid for travel at each legislative 
session once each week at the same rate per mile to and from that Legislator's place of 
abode as state employees receive, the mileage to be determined by the most reasonable 
direct route, except that Legislators may be reimbursed for tolls paid for travel on the 
Maine Turnpike as long as they have a receipt for payment of the tolls, such tolls to be 
reimbursed when Legislators use the Maine Turnpike in traveling to and from sessions of 
the Legislature or in performance of duly authorized committee assignments.  Each 
Legislator is entitled to mileage on the first day of the session, and those amounts of 
salary and expenses at such times as the Legislature may determine during the session, 
and the balance at the end of the session.
Sec. 3.  3 MRSA §2-B, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2017, c. 242, §1, is further 
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 6 members, 3 of whom are appointed in 
January of every odd-numbered year at the first regular session of each Legislature as 
follows:
A.  Two members appointed by the President of the Senate with one member 
appointed every 2 years;
B.  Two members appointed by the Speaker of the House with one member appointed 
every 2 years; and
C.  One member appointed by a majority of the Two members appointed under 
paragraphs A and B, who serves as chair of the commission by the Governor with 
one member appointed every 2 years.
The commission shall elect a chair from among its members.
The 5 6 members must be residents of the State and appointed from the public.  A person 
may not be appointed who is currently or has previously been a Legislator or a legislative 
employee.
All members must be appointed for a term to coincide with the 2 legislative biennium 
biennia.  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. 4.  Appointments to the State Compensation Commission.  
Notwithstanding the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 3, section 2-B, subsection 1, the 
Governor, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House each shall appoint 2 
members to the State Compensation Commission and each shall designate one member to 
serve a 2-year term and one member to serve a 4-year term.
SUMMARY
This bill increases the annual salary of the Governor to $141,000 beginning in 
January 2023.  The bill provides that beginning in January 2027, whenever a new 
Governor takes office, that Governor's annual salary must be adjusted by the percentage 
change in the Consumer Price Index during the term of office of that Governor's 
predecessor subject to a limit of 3% per year.
The bill increases the annual salary of members of the Legislature to $23,500 
beginning in December 2022.
The bill provides that the Governor appoints 2 members of the State Compensation 
Commission and removes language that provides that one member is appointed by a 
majority of the members of the commission.  The bill increases the term of members to 4 
years and provides for staggered terms.