Sec. 1. 25 MRSA §1501, 3rd ¶, as amended by PL 1995, c. 560, Pt. C, §3 and affected by §4, is further amended to read

Subject to the approval of the Commissioner of Public Safety, the chief may appoint 2 commissioned officers of the State Police to act as the chief's deputies and 2 commissioned officers of the State Police to act as the chief's majors, all of whom serve at the pleasure of the chief. Subject to the Civil Service Law, the Chief of the State Police may enlist suitable persons as members of the State Police to enforce the law and employ such other employees as may be necessary. The Chief of the State Police shall make rules, subject to the approval of the State Civil Service Appeals Board, for the discipline and control of the State Police. If a deputy chief or major is removed or fails to be reappointed for any reason other than malfeasance of office and, at that time, does not have at least 20 years the number of years of creditable service with the State Police necessary for a service retirement benefit pursuant to Title 5, section 17851, subsection 4, the deputy chief or major must be reinstated at the commissioned rank held at the time of the appointment with all the rights and privileges as provided by law and personnel rules.

SUMMARY

The Chief of the State Police may appoint lieutenant colonels and majors to assist the chief. An appointee who is either removed by the chief for a reason other than malfeasance of office or is not reappointed by a new chief may return to the appointee's previous rank in the State Police if the appointee is not eligible to collect retirement benefits. The bill reflects that the number of years of creditable service for a full service retirement benefit has increased from 20 years to 25 years.