An Act To Amend Legislative Expenses Reimbursement and Allowances (AFTER DEADLINE)
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 1680
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: MIRAMANT, EVANGELOS, BREEN, SYLVESTER
Amends: 3 MRSA §2

Legislative Document
No. 1680
S.P. 541
In Senate, May 6, 2021
An Act To Amend Legislative Expenses Reimbursement and 
Allowances
(AFTER DEADLINE)
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
205.
Received by the Secretary of the Senate on May 4, 2021.  Referred to the Committee on 
State and Local Government pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator MIRAMANT of Knox.
Cosponsored by Representative EVANGELOS of Friendship and
Senator: BREEN of Cumberland, Representative: SYLVESTER of Portland.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  3 MRSA §2, first ¶, as amended by PL 2011, c. 380, Pt. QQQQ, §1, is 
further amended to read:
Each Prior to the 131st Legislature, each member of the Senate and House of 
Representatives, beginning with the first Wednesday of December 2000 and thereafter, 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.  Beginning with the 131st Legislature, each member of the 
Senate and House of Representatives is entitled to $20,000 for each year of the biennium.  
Each member of the Senate and the House of Representatives must receive a an annual 
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 in any year.  Beginning December 
1, 2001 2024, 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 
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 once each week for travel at each legislative session once each week at the same 
rate of the lower of the federal mileage rate and 56¢ 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. 2.  3 MRSA §2, 4th ¶, as corrected by RR 2001, c. 2, Pt. A, §1, is amended to 
read:
Except Prior to the 131st Legislature, except as provided in this section, each member 
of the Senate and House of Representatives is entitled to a meal allowance in the amount 
of $32 and a housing allowance in the amount of $38 for each day in attendance at sessions 
of the Legislature and for each day the member occupies overnight accommodations away 
from home either immediately preceding or immediately following attendance at daily 
sessions of the Legislature.  Beginning with the 131st Legislature, each member of the 
Senate and House of Representatives is entitled to a meal allowance in the amount of $32 
and a housing allowance in an amount determined at the beginning of each first regular 
session by the Legislative Council, which must be no less than the average nightly rate of 
lodging in the Augusta area or the federal per diem rate for lodging, whichever is less, for 
each day in attendance at sessions of the Legislature and for each day the member occupies 
overnight accommodations away from home either immediately preceding or immediately 
following attendance at daily sessions of the Legislature.  The presiding officers may 
establish reasonable policies regarding allowances for meals and overnight 
accommodations for the day immediately preceding the session, which may include 
policies regarding whether an allowance is paid, whether the full amount or a portion of 
the statutory allowance is paid and whether receipts are required.  In lieu of the meal and 
housing allowance, each member is entitled to a daily meal allowance in the amount of $32 
and actual daily mileage allowances in an amount up to but not exceeding $38 per day the 
daily housing allowance amount.  Each member of the Senate also receives an annual 
allowance for constituent services in the amount of $2,000, $1,300 in January and $700 in 
the month following adjournment of the regular session.  Each member of the House of 
Representatives also receives an annual allowance for constituent services in the amount 
of $1,500, $1,005 in January and $495 in the month following adjournment of the regular 
session.  Notwithstanding this section, during the first regular session of each legislative 
biennium, a member of the Senate or the House of Representatives may elect to receive the 
first payment of the annual allowance for constituent services in December following 
convening of the Legislature by notifying the Executive Director of the Legislative Council 
in the manner prescribed by the executive director.  The Executive Director of the 
Legislative Council shall inform Legislators of the choice available for payment of the 
allowance for constituent services in the first year of the legislative biennium and of any 
tax implications associated with exercising that choice.
Sec. 3.  3 MRSA §2, as amended by PL 2019, c. 475, §§11 and 12, is further amended 
by adding after the 7th paragraph a new paragraph to read:
Beginning with the 131st Legislature, in a period of national emergency declared by 
the President of the United States or the United States Congress or a period of civil 
emergency declared by the Governor, if the Legislature is in session and Legislators are 
required to work remotely from home or any other location, during any week in which a 
Legislator attends an authorized committee meeting and does not otherwise travel to the 
State House, that Legislator is entitled to a weekly allowance of $250, which must be 
adjusted each December 1st by the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for the 
most recently concluded fiscal year.
Sec. 4.  3 MRSA §2, 11th ¶, as amended by PL 1989, c. 501, Pt. O, §5; c. 600, Pt. 
B, §§9 and 10; and c. 878, Pt. D, §§14 and 15, is further amended to read:
The President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the floor 
leaders and their assistants and members of a committee, with the approval of the President 
of the Senate or the Speaker of the House of Representatives as to members of a committee, 
may also meet on days when the Legislature is not in daily session at any convenient 
location within the State.  Each member of the Senate and House of Representatives shall 
receive is entitled to $55 for every day's attendance when meetings or daily sessions are 
held, a meal allowance in the amount of $32 and a housing allowance whereby actual 
lodging expenses will be reimbursed at the single-room rate, provided that rate determined 
by the Legislative Council at the beginning of each first regular session, as long as a receipt 
is submitted to the Executive Director of the Legislative Council for each day in attendance 
at such meetings or daily sessions and for each day that member occupies overnight 
accommodations away from home either immediately preceding or immediately following 
attendance at daily sessions of the Legislature, and actual daily mileage allowances which 
shall be paid at the same rate paid to state employees at the rate of the lower of the federal 
mileage rate and 56¢ per mile to and from that Legislator's place of abode, the mileage to 
be determined by the most reasonable direct route.  In lieu of the meal and housing 
allowance, each member shall be is entitled to a daily meal allowance in the amount of $32 
and actual daily mileage allowances.
Sec. 5.  3 MRSA §2, 13th ¶, as amended by PL 1989, c. 501, Pt. O, §6; c. 600, Pt. 
B, §§9 and 10; and c. 878, Pt. D, §§14 and 15, is further amended to read:
If a member of the Legislature dies or otherwise vacates the office, the successor is 
entitled to a salary from the date of seating, for that calendar year that is computed as 
follows: two hundred ten dollars per week times the number of weeks remaining in the 
calendar year if the vacancy occurs in the first year and $150 per week for the number of 
weeks remaining in the calendar year if the vacancy occurs in the 2nd year the annual salary 
for that office divided by 52, the result of which is multiplied by the number of weeks 
between the date of the successor's seating and the end of that calendar year.
SUMMARY
This bill makes changes to the laws governing compensation, reimbursements and 
allowances for Legislators.
1.  Beginning with the 131st Legislature, it increases the salary of Legislators from an 
estimated $15,954 in the first year and $11,125 in the 2nd year of a biennium, after 
adjustment for inflation, to $20,000 in each year of the biennium.
2. It increases the mileage allowance for Legislators from 44¢ per mile to the lower of 
the federal mileage rate and 56¢ per mile.
3. Beginning with the 131st Legislature, it changes the lodging rate for Legislators.  
Currently, the lodging rate is $38 per day; this bill changes the rate to an amount determined 
annually by the Legislative Council, which must be no less than the lower of the average 
nightly rate of lodging in the Augusta area and the federal per diem rate for lodging.
4. Beginning with the 131st Legislature, it provides a weekly allowance of $250 for 
any week during a period of national emergency or civil emergency in which a Legislator 
is required to work remotely, attends an authorized committee meeting and does not 
otherwise travel to the State House.