An Act to Require Reimbursement When a Municipality Hires First Responders Whose Training Costs Were Incurred by Another Municipality
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 1409
Committee Amendment CA_A_H814 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "fY » to H.P. 905, L.D. 1409, "An Act to Require
Reimbursement When a Municipality Hires First Responders Whose Training Costs Were
Incurred by Another Municipality"
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following:
'Resolve, to Establish a Task Force to Study Sharing the Costs of Training First
Responders Among Governmental Entities'
Amend the bill by strikmg out everything after the title and inserting the following:
'Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislatiire do not
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, state and local governmental entities struggle to hire and retain first
responders to protect and assist Maine residents in tunes of emergency; and
Whereas, during the past 2 sessions of the Legislature, commissions have been
established to study, among other matters, ways to improve the emergency services
available across the State; and
Whereas, the Blue Ribbon Commission to Study Emergency Medical Services in the
State recommended, in its January 2024 report, that the Legislature enact legislation to
provide for cost sharing of training among emergency medical services entities; and
Whereas, the Joint Standing Committee on State and Local Government has
unanimously voted that cost sharing among state and local governmental entities in a fair
and efficient manner needs further consideration before passage into law; and
Whereas, this legislation establishes the Task Force to Study Sharing the Costs of
Training First Responders Among Governmental Entities; and
Whereas, pursuant to the Joint Rules, the report from any legislative study committee
established to conduct work after adjournment of a second regular session of the
Legislatoe must be submitted by the first Wednesday in November; and
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
•A-
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "f\ " to H,P. 905, L.D. 1409
Whereas, the joint standing committee unanimously voted that the period between 90
days after adjournment of this session and the first Wednesday of November is inadequate
time for the Task Force to Study Sharing the Costs of Traming First Responders Among
Governmental Entities to address this complex matter; and
Whereas, m the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now,
therefore, be it
Sec. 1. Task force established. Resolved: That the Task Force to Study Sharing
the Costs of Training First Responders Among Governmental Entities, referred to in this
resolve as "the task force," is established. For purposes of this resolve, "first responder"
includes, but is not limited to, an mdividual providing fire protection services, emergency
medical services and emergency dispatch services.
Sec. 2. Task force membership. Resolved: That, notwithstanding Joint Rule
3 53, the task force consists of 18 members as follows:
1. Two members of the Senate from the 2 parties holding the largest number of seats
m the Legislature, appointed by the President of the Senate;
2, Two members of the House of Representatives from the 2 parties holding the largest
number of seats in the Legislature, appointed by the Speaker of the House;
3, Six members appomted by the President of the Senate as follows:
A. One member representing the Maine Sheriffs' Association for county-operated
public safety answering points;
B. One member representing the Maine Ambulance Association;
C. One member representing the Maine Fire Chiefs' Association who provides fire
protection services on a volunteer basis;
D. One member representing the Maine Fire Chiefs' Association who provides fire
protection services on a full-time basis;
E, One member representing the Maine County Commissioners Association; and
F. One member who serves in municipal or county government;
4, Six members appointed by the Speaker of the House as follows:
A. One member representing the Maine Chiefs of Police Association with experience
managing a dispatch center for law enforcement, fire protection or emergency medical
services;
B. One member representing the Maine Municipal Association;
C, One member representing the Maine Fire Chiefs' Association who provides both
fire protection services and emergency medical services;
D. One member of a state public safety answering point designated by the Department
of Public Safety;
E. One member representing the Emergency Medical Services' Board established in
the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 32, section 88; and
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
" 13(" to H.P.'
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT " A" to H.P. 905, L.D. 1409
P. One member representing Maine Emergency Medical Services established in the
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 25, section 2901;
5. The State of Maine Fire Training Director within the Maine Fire Service Institute
or the director's designee; and
6. The director of the Emergency Services Communication Bureau within the Public
Utilities Commission or the director's designee.
Sec. 3. Chairs. Resolved: That the first-named Senate member is the Senate chair
and the first-named House of Representatives member is the House chair of the task force,
Sec. 4. Appointments; convening of task force. Resolved: That all
appointments must be made no later than 30 days followmg the effective date of this
resolve. The appointing authorities shall notify the Executive Director of the Legislative
Council once all appointments have been completed, After appointment of all members,
the chairs shall call and convene the first meeting of the task force. If 30 days or more after
the effective date of this resolve a maj ority of but not all appointments have been made, the
chairs may request authority and the Legislative Council may grant authority for the task
force to meet and conduct its business.
Sec. 5. Duties. Resolved: That, to determine an equitable method to provide
reunbursement to a governmental entity for training and credentialing costs incurred by the
governmental entity for a first responder who ends service with the governmental entity
soon after receiving the training and credentialing, the task force shall;
1, Determine the training and credentialing required for first responders working in
the State;
2. Determine additional training or credentialing desired for fu-st responders workmg
in the State;
3. Determine whether factors such as level of salary, travel costs, tuition costs,
overtime costs, equipment costs and health screening costs should be included in the
baseline calculation of costs;
4. Determine whether costs differ on a regional basis and whether any such differences
should be factored into the calculation;
5. Determine if other resources are available or should be made available to reduce the
burden of training and credentialing costs on a governmental entity;
6. Review the possible methods for sharing the training and credentialing costs of first
responders among governmental entities;
7, Submit recommendations for an equitable approach to creating a scaled
reimbursement schedule for the cost'of training and credentialing an employee between
governmental entities when an employee is subsequently hired by another governmental
7 entity within a certain period of time; and
8. Undertake any other activity determined necessary by a majority of the task force.
Sec. 6. Staff assistance. Resolved: That the Legislative Council shall provide
necessary staffing services to the task force, except that Legislative Council staff support
is not authorized when the Legislature is in regular or special session.
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ";
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "H " to H.P. 905, L.D. 1409
Sec. 7. Report. Resolved: That, notwithstanding Joint Rule 353, the task force
shall submit a report that includes its findings and recommendations, including suggested
legislation, to the Joint Standing Committee on State and Local Government no later than
December 1, 2024,
Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation
takes effect when approved,'
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section
number to read consecutively.
SUMMARY
This amendment replaces the bill with a resolve that establishes a task force to study
sharing training and credentialing costs for frrst responders among governmental entities,
The task force has 18 members and is charged to determine an equitable method to provide
reimbursement to a governmental entity for training and credentialing costs incurred for a
first responder who ends service with the governmental entity soon after receiving the
training and credentialing. The task force is required to submit a report to the Joint
Standing Committee on State and Local Government by December 1, 2024. The
amendment also adds an emergency preamble and clause.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Approved: 02,12/24 f^es^
LD 1409 LR 2096(02)
; ,,;; AnActto Require Reimbursement When a Municipality Hires First Responders Whose Training
Costs Were Incurred by Another Municipality
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment '^"
Committee: State and Local Government
Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
Legislative Cost/Study
Legislative Cost/Study
The general operating expenses of this study are projected to be $1,400 in fiscal year 2023-24 and $1,650 in fiscal
year 2024-25, The Legislature's budget for the 2024-2025 biennium includes $14,500 in each of fiscal years 2023-24
and 2024-25 for the costs of legislative studies, as well as $38,909 of balances carried over from prior years for this
purpose, Whether these amounts are sufficient to fund all studies will depend on the number of studies authorized by
the Legislative Council and the Legislature, The additional costs of providing staffing assistance to the study during
the interim can be absorbed utilizing existing budgeted staff resources,
Fiscal Detail and Notes
Any additional costs to the Department of Public Safety or the Public Utilities Commission associated with serving on
the task force are expected to be minor and can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources,
LR2096(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1