123rd MAINE LEGISLATURE
LD 360 LR 189(01)
An Act To Identify the Methodology Used To Develop a Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note for Original Bill
Sponsor: Rep. Burns of Berwick
Committee: Joint Select Committee on Rules
Fiscal Note Required: Yes
             
Fiscal Note
Current biennium cost increase - General Fund
Fiscal Detail and Notes
The Office of Fiscal and Program Review will incur additional costs to provide additional information with each fiscal note on bills or amendments.  Additional staff time will be required to provide a written summary of the methodology used to estimate the expenditure and/or revenue effect of each bill.  The longer fiscal notes will also increase printing costs of the Legislature. 
Assuming that the Office of Fiscal and Program Review would continue to provide fiscal notes on original bills in addition to bills reported favorably out of committee and floor amendments (as required by joint rule) and that the methodology summary would be required on approximately 25% of the total number of bills and amendments, the estimated additional staff hours required during a 1st Regular Session would be 900 hours based on an average of 2 additional hours per fiscal note.  This would be the equivalent of one additional session-only Legislative Analyst position.
It is assumed that the additional staff costs to departments and agencies when providing supporting documentation on the methodology used to develop the fiscal note can be absorbed in aggregate utilizing existing budgeted resources.  Also, the additional printing costs resulting from this new requirement can be absorbed as well.