An Act To Amend Legislative Expenses Reimbursement and Allowances
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 1680
Committee Amendment CA_A_S230 (Senate)
Amends: 3 MRSA §2

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT"~ "to S.P. 541, L.D. 1680, "An Act To Amend 
Legislative Expenses Reimbursement and Allowances" 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and inserting the 
following: 
'Sec. 1. 3 MRSA §2, first 1, 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 1.vith the first 
\Vednesday 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. 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, 2-00+ 2022, 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 once each week 
for travel at each legislative session once each 1.veek to and from sessions or in perfomrnnce 
of duly authorized committee assignments at the same rate per mile to and from that 
Legislator's place of abode as that state employees receive, the mileage to be determined 
Page I - 130LR2035(02) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A "to S.P, 541, L.D. 1680 ( s-~ 
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 perfonnance 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. Mileage reimbursement is not subject to 
any cap in amount. 
Sec. 2. 3 MRSA §2, 4th ~' as corrected by RR 2001, c. 2, Pt. A, § 1, is amended to 
read: 
~ 
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 or each day in performance of duly authorized committee assignments 
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 or in performance of duly authorized committee assignments. Beginning with 
the 131st Legislature, each member of the Senate and House of Representatives is entitled 
to a meal allowance in the amount detennined at the beginning of each first regular session 
by the Legislative Council. Beginning with the 131 st Legislature, each member of the 
Senate and House of Representatives is entitled to a housing allowance in an amount 
detennined 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 or in performance of duly authorized committee assignments 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 or in 
performance of duly authorized committee assignments. To receive the housing allowance, 
a Legislator shall present a receipt from a lodging establishment to the Executive Director 
of the Legislative Council. 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, 
and whether the full amount or a portion of the statutory allowance is paid and 1.vhether 
receipts are required. In lieu of the meal and housing allowance, each member is entitled 
to a daily meal allowance in the amount ~ 
determined at the beginning of each first 
regular session by the Legislative Council and actual daily mileage allowances tfHffi 
amount up to but not exceeding $38 per day. 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 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
\Z0°£ S 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" ft "to S.P. 541, L.D. 1680 ls-25§) 
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, 11th~, as amended by PL 1989, c. 501, Pt. 0, §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 sha1-l 
receive is entitled to $55 for every day's attendance when meetings or daily sessions are 
held, a meal allowance in the amount ~ 
detennined at the beginning of each first 
regular session by the Legislative Council 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 begim1ing 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 
shaH must be paid at the same rate paid to state employees, for travel 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!§ entitled to a daily 
meal allowance in the amount ~ 
determined at the beginning of each first regular 
session by the Legislative Council and actual daily mileage allowances. 
Sec. 4. 3 MRSA §2, 13th~' as amended by PL 1989, c. 501, Pt. 0, §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 'Neelc for the number of 
'tVeeks remaining in the calendar year if the vacancy occurs in the 2nd year by dividing the 
annual salary for that office by 52 and multiplying the result by the number of weeks 
between the date of the successor's seating and the end of that calendar year. 
Sec. 5. 
Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
LEGISLATURE 
Legislature 0081 
Initiative: Provides funding for changes in reimbursement for Legislators. 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
HIGHWAY FUND 
2021-22 
$0 
$0 
2021-22 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
2022-23 
$562,672 
$562,672 
2022-23 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" !j-" to S.P. 541, L.D. 1680 ( 5-Z3l>J 
RofS 
All Other 
$0 
$1,495 
HIGHWAY FUND TOTAL 
$0 
$1,495 
Study Commissions - Funding 0444 
Initiative: Provides funding for changes in reimbursement for Legislators. 
GENERAL FUND 
2021-22 
2022-23 
All Other 
$0 
$1,733 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
$0 
$1,733 
LEGISLATURE 
DEPARTMENT TOTALS 
2021-22 
2022-23 
GENERAL FUND 
$0 
$564,405 
IDGHWAY FUND 
$0 
$1,495 
DEPARTMENT TOTAL-ALL FUNDS 
$0 
$565,900 
PROGRAM EVALUATION AND GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY, 
OFFICE OF 
Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability 0976 
Initiative: Provides funding for changes in reimbursement for Legislators. 
GENERAL FUND 
2021-22 
2022-23 
All Other 
$0 
$3,276 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
$0 
$3,276 
PROGRAM EVALUATION AND GOVERNMENT 
ACCOUNTABILITY, OFFICE OF 
DEPARTMENT TOTALS 
2021-22 
2022-23 
GENERAL FUND 
$0 
$3,276 
DEPARTMENT TOTAL-ALL FUNDS 
$0 
$3,276 
SECTION TOTALS 
2021-22 
2022-23 
GENERAL FUND 
$0 
$567,681 
IDGHWAYFUND 
$0 
$1,495 
SECTION TOTAL - ALL FUNDS 
$0 
$569,176 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A "to S.P. 541, L.D. 1680 ( s-z.3~ 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section 
number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill and changes the law governing reimbursements for 
Legislators to: 
1. Clarify that Legislators are entitled to reimbursement for meals and lodging while 
attending session and committee meetings; 
2. Prohibit a cap on mileage reimbursement other than the rate paid per mile and the 
detennination of mileage by the most reasonable direct route; 
3. Beginning with the 131st Legislature, require the meal allowance to be determined 
by the Legislative Council at the beginning of each first regular session; 
4. 
Beginning with the 131 st Legislature, require the lodging allowance to be 
determined by the Legislative Council at the beginning of each first regular session at no 
less than the average nightly rate of lodging in the Augusta area or the federal per diem 
rate, whichever is less; and 
5. Require a Legislator to submit a lodging receipt to receive lodging reimbursement. 
This amendment also makes several technical changes. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 06/04/21 frac:.. 
LD 1680 
LR2035(02) 
An Act To Amend Legislative Expenses Reimbursement and Allowances 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment 'if ( s- -Z,ji?) 
Committee: State and Local Government 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY 2021-22 
FY 2022-23 
$567,681 
$1,495 
Projections 
FY 2023-24 
Projections 
FY 2024-25 
Net Cost (Savings) 
General Fund 
Highway Fund 
Appropriations/ Allocations 
General Fund 
Highway Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
$0 
$0 
$0 
$0 
$567,681 
$1,495 
$361,440 
$2,392 
$361,440 
$2,392 
The bill includes General Fund appropriations totaling $567,681 in fiscal year 2022-23 and a Highway Fund 
allocation of $1,495 in fiscal year 2022-23 for the costs to the Legislature of changes in reimbursement for 
Legislators. 
$567,681 
$1,495 
$567,681 
$1,495