An Act to Provide Compensation to Individuals with Lived
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1566
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: DEBRITO
Amends: 5 MRSA §12002, 5 MRSA §12002-B, 5 MRSA §12003-A

Legislative Document
No. 1566
H.P. 1024
House of Representatives, April 10, 2025
An Act to Provide Compensation to Individuals with Lived 
Experience Serving on Advisory Boards, Commissions, Councils 
and Similar Groups
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative DEBRITO of Waterville.
Cosponsored by Representatives: DODGE of Belfast, GRAHAM of North Yarmouth, 
MCCABE of Lewiston, MITCHELL of Cumberland, MURPHY of Scarborough, SARGENT 
of York.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  5 MRSA §12002, sub-§3-B is enacted to read:
3-B.  Member representing lived experience.  "Member representing lived 
experience" means a board member who has first-hand knowledge or direct experience 
related to the content, subject matter, responsibilities or authority of the board that helps 
increase equity in the representation of perspectives and backgrounds of members.
Sec. 2.  5 MRSA §12002-B, first ¶, as amended by PL 1989, c. 503, Pt. B, §26, is 
further amended to read:
Members of boards shall must be paid a legislative per diem, another specified daily 
rate of compensation, a salary, expenses only or no compensation, as established for each 
board in sections 12004‑A to 12004‑L.  Any board for which a legislative per diem, another 
specified daily rate of compensation or a salary is specified shall is also be authorized to 
receive expenses as provided in section 12002‑A.  If the rate of compensation specifies 
expenses only, the member shall must receive expenses as provided in section 12002‑A.  If 
the rate of compensation specifies "not authorized," the member shall may not receive no 
compensation or expenses except as authorized or allowed by subsection 3.
Sec. 3.  5 MRSA §12002-B, sub-§3 is enacted to read:
3.  Lived experience compensation.  Notwithstanding any provision of law to the 
contrary, beginning October 1, 2025, a member representing lived experience who is 
serving on a board established in section 12004-I and is not otherwise compensated for the 
member's time serving on the board by the member's employer or the entity the member 
represents may be compensated in an amount not to exceed the legislative per diem for the 
member's time and reimbursed for expenses, including but not limited to meals and 
refreshments provided during the meeting of the board, child care and travel, to the extent 
that the department or agency of State Government with which the board is associated has 
sufficient money in the budget of the department or agency to provide the compensation 
and reimburse the expenses. The associated department or agency shall determine the 
amount and manner of compensation provided to members of the board.
Sec. 4.  5 MRSA §12003-A, sub-§2, as amended by PL 1989, c. 503, Pt. B, §28, is 
further amended to read:
2.  Compensation of advisory boards.  Compensation provided to members of boards, 
defined in section 12004‑I as advisory boards or boards with minimal authority, shall may 
not exceed $25 the legislative per day diem for their time and payment of expenses.
A.  Advisory and other boards, as defined in section 12004‑I, which that are not 
authorized by law to be reimbursed for expenses shall are not be eligible for this 
reimbursement except as authorized or allowed by section 12002-B, subsection 3.
SUMMARY
This bill amends the law governing compensation and reimbursement for expenses for 
board members serving on advisory boards and boards with minimal authority established 
in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, section 12004‑I. The bill provides an exception for 
boards that are not currently authorized to receive compensation or reimbursement for 
expenses to allow board members who have lived experience regarding the subject matter 
of the board to receive lived experience compensation if they are not otherwise 
compensated for their time serving on the board by their employer or the entity they 
represent. The bill allows board members to be compensated in an amount not to exceed 
the legislative per diem for their time and be reimbursed for expenses, including but not 
limited to meals and refreshments provided during the meeting of the board, child care and 
travel, to the extent that the department or agency of State Government with which the 
board is associated has sufficient money in the budget of the department or agency to 
provide the compensation and reimburse the expenses. The associated department or 
agency must determine the amount and manner of compensation provided to members of 
the board.