An Act to Address Chronic Understaffing of State Government Positions
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 2121
Committee Amendment CA_B_H914 (House)
Amends: 5 MRSA §19-C

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT:• B '' to H.P. 1345, L.D. 2121, "An Act to Address 
Chronic Understaffing of State Government Positions" 
Amend the bill by striking out all of the emergency preamble. 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and inse1ting the 
following: 
'Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §19-C is enacted to read: 
§19-C. Vacancy report 
On or before J anua1y 31st of each year, the Depa1tment of Administrative and Financial 
Services, Bureau of Human Resources shall submit a report regarding job vacancies within 
the executive branch to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction 
over appropriations and financial affairs and the joint standing committee of the Legislature 
having jurisdiction over state and local government matters. The rep01t must include 
vacancy rate information and percentages by depa1tment, fund and position; a 
categorization of the state of the vacancies; and, when available to the department, the 
locations of the vacancies. Each repmt must include a definition, as determined by the 
department, of each vacancy status catego1y. 
Sec. 2. Recruitment and retention adjustment task force. The Department of 
Administrative and Financial Services, Bureau of Human Resources shall convene a task 
force to review the criteria required under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, section 7065, 
subsection 2-D for a recruitment and retention adjustment to be authorized. The task force 
must consist of one member from each of the 8 bargaining units of the executive branch, 
appointed by each unit's respective bargaining agent, and up to 8 members selected by the 
Govemor. The committee must be cochaired by representatives of the bargaining units and 
state agencies. A state employee appointed to serve on the task force may pa1ticipate in 
the work of the task force during the employee1s regular working hours without loss of pay 
or benefits. The task force shall meet once per month or as necessary to complete its work 
by December 31, 2024. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
~os 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "s" to H.P. 1345, L.D. 2121 
The Commissioner of Administrative and Financial Services shall submit a rep01t with 
the recommendations of the task force to the joint standing committee of the Legislature 
having jurisdiction over state and local government matters by February 15, 2025. The 
committee is authorized to rep01t out a bill on the subject matter of the rep01t to the Second 
Regular Session of the 132nd Legislature. 
Sec. 3. Executive branch hiring process plan and report. The Depa1tment of 
Administrative and Financial Services, Bureau of Human Resources shall develop a plan 
to improve the hiring process of the executive branch and shall submit a rep01t with details 
of this plan to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over state 
and local government matters by February 15, 2025. The committee is authorized to repo1t 
out a bill on the subject matter of the rep01t to the Second Regular Session of the 132nd 
Legislature.' 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Pait letter or section 
number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment, which is the minority rep01t of the committee, replaces the bill. It 
requires the Depa1tment of Administrative and Financial Services, Bureau of Human 
Resources to: 
1. Submit an annual rep01t on job vacancies within the executive branch to the joint 
standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over appropriations and financial 
affairs and the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over state 
and local government matters. The rep01t must include vacancy rate information and 
percentages by depa1tment, fund and position; a categorization of the state of the vacancies; 
and, when available to the department, the locations of the vacancies; 
2. Convene a task force to review the criteria required under state law for a recruitment 
and retention adjustment to be authorized. The task force must consist of one member from 
each of the 8 bargaining units of the executive branch and up to 8 members selected by the 
Governor. The Commissioner of Administrative and Financial Services is required to 
submit a repmt with the recommendations of the task force to the joint standing committee 
of the Legislature having jurisdiction over state and local government matters by February 
15,2025;and 
3. Develop a plan to improve the hiring process of the executive branch and submit a 
repmt with details of this plan to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over state and local government matters by February 15, 2025. 
The joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over state and local 
government matters is authorized to repo1t out a bill to the Second Regular Session of the 
132nd Legislature on the subject matter of the repmts. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 04/01/24 ;".Yac. 
LD 2121 
LR 2890(03) 
An Act to Address Chronic Understaffing of State Government Positions 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment £]' ( H-J / 1/ j 
Committee: State and Local Government 
/ 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Additional costs to the Department of Administrative and Financial Services associated with providing an annual 
report on job vacancies, convening a task force on recruiment and retention and developing a plan to improve the 
hiring process of the executive branch are expected to be minor and can be absorbed within existing budgeted 
resources.· 
LR2890(03) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1