An Act To Increase Funding for Civil Legal Services
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 0214
Committee Amendment CA_A-SA_A_S370 (Senate)
Amends: 4 MRSA §18-A

SENATE AMENDMENT" (,t "to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 177, 
L.D. 214, Bill, "An Act To Increase Funding for Civil Legal Services" 
Amend the amendment by striking out all of section 2 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 2. 4 MRSA §18-A, sub-§3-A, ,fA, as repealed and replaced by PL 2005, c. 
361, §2, is amended to read: 
A. For all fees collected by the Judicial Department after Jtily 1, 2005 October 1, 
2019, +% 9% must be deposited in the fund. This paragraph does not apply to fees 
dedicated under section 17-A or section 18-B, subsection 8 or to surcharges imposed 
pursuant to paragraph C. 
Sec. 3. 4 MRSA §18-A, sub-§3-A, ,re is enacted to read: 
C. A surcharge of $127 must be imposed by a court on the fee for commencement of 
each action for small claims or money judgment when the action is brought by a 
person who is a debt collector within the meaning of Title 32, section 11002, 
subsection 6, and the surcharge must be deposited in the fund. 
Sec. 4. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT 
Courts - Supreme, Superior and District 0063 
Initiative: Increases funding for civil legal services for persons unable to afford a lawyer 
by providing additional funds available for distribution by the Civil Legal Services Fund 
Commission pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 4, section 18-A, subsection 1, 
by increasing the percentage of certain fees allocated to the Maine Civil Legal Services 
Fund. 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 
All Other 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL 
2019-20 
$105,076 
$105,076 
SENATE AMENDMENT 
2020-21 
$140,101 
$140,101 
SENATE AMENDMENT" j 1 "to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 177, L.D. 214 ( 'S · ) /.t _'·) 
Courts - Supreme, Superior and District 0063 
Initiative: Increases funding for civil legal services for persons unable to afford a lawyer 
by providing additional funds available for distribution by the Civil Legal Services Fund 
Commission pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 4, section 18-A, subsection 1, 
by imposing surcharges on filing fees for debt collectors' actions. 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 
All Other 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL 
JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT 
DEPARTMENT TOTALS 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 
DEPARTMENT TOTAL-ALL FUNDS 
SUMMARY 
2019-20 
$609,934 
$609,934 
2019-20 
$715,010 
$715,010 
2020-21 
$813,245 
$813,245 
2020-21 
$953,346 
$953,346 
This amendment amends Committee Amendment 
11A
by replacing the $5,000,000 
General Fund appropriation in the committee amendment with Other Special Revenue 
Funds allocations of $715,010 in fiscal year 2019-20 and $953,346 in fiscal year 2020-21 
as a result of increasing the percentage of judicial fees allocated to the Maine Civil Legal 
Services Fund and from revenues collected from a filing fee surcharge to be deposited in 
the Maine Civil Legal Services Fund. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
--. 
SPONSORED BY: ---..'--~---~~++-~~~~~-
COUNTY: Cumberland 
SENATE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 06/19/19 feac:.. 
LD214 
LR 1107(07) 
An Act To Increase Funding for Civil Legal Services 
Fiscal Note for Senate Amendment "ff! to Committee Amendment "A" {5 · 310) 
Sponsor: Sen. Breen of Cumberland 
Net Cost (Savings) 
General Fund 
\ppropriations/ Allocations 
General Fund 
Other Special Revenue Funds 
Revenue 
General Fund 
Other Special Revenue Funds 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY 2019-20 
($4,894,924) 
($5,000,000) 
$715,010 
($105,076) 
$609,934 
FY2020-21 
($4,859,899) 
($5,000,000) 
$953,346 
($140,101) 
$813,245 
Projections 
FY 2021-22 
($4,859,899) 
($5,000,000) 
$953,346 
($140,101) 
$813,245 
Projections 
FY 2022-23 
($4,859,899) 
($5,000,000) 
$953,346 
($140,101) 
$813,245 
The amendment increases from 7% to 9% the percentage of fee revenues collected that must be credited to the Maine 
Civil Legal Services Fund. These revenues are cunently credited to the General Fund, resulting in an anticipated 
$140,101 in lost revenue to the General Fund annually. The amendment also removes General Fund appropriations of 
$5,000,000 included in the bill, and increases certain fees collected by the judicial branch that are credited to the 
Fund. The amendment includes Other Special Revenue Funds allocations to the Fund of $715,010 in Fiscal Year 2019-
and $953,346 in Fiscal Year 2020-21. 
LRl 107(07) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1