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An Act To Amend the Laws Governing Pine Tree Development Zones To Require Payment of a Livable Wage
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 26 MRSA §1406, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 569, §3, is amended to read:
§ 1406.Calculation of livable wage
By July 1, 2013 and biennially thereafter, the department shall calculate the livable wage and develop a basic needs budget for households in this State and in each of the State's counties based on, at a minimum, a 2-parent household with 2 earners and 2 children representative family size, but only if funding has been appropriated for these purposes.
By December 1, 2013 and biennially thereafter, the department shall report the livable wages calculated and the basic needs budget for households developed pursuant to this section to the Legislature if funds have been appropriated for these purposes.
Sec. 2. 30-A MRSA §5250-I, sub-§18, as amended by PL 2005, c. 351, §4 and affected by §26, is further amended to read:
 
18. Qualified Pine Tree Development Zone employees.   "Qualified Pine Tree Development Zone employees" means new, full-time employees hired in this State by a qualified Pine Tree Development Zone business for work directly in one or more qualified business activities for whom a retirement program subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, 29 United States Code, Sections 101 to 1461, as amended, and group health insurance are provided and whose income derived from employment within the Pine Tree Development Zone, calculated on a calendar year basis, is greater than the most recent annual per capita personal income inwho are paid at least a livable wage for the county in which the qualified employee is employed as calculated by the Department of Labor pursuant to Title 26, section 1406 for a 2-parent household with 2 earners and 2 children representative family size. "Qualified Pine Tree Development Zone employees" does not include employees shifted to a qualified business activity from a nonqualified activity of the qualified Pine Tree Development Zone business or an affiliated business. The commissioner shall determine whether a shifting of employees has occurred.
Sec. 3. 30-A MRSA §5250-S, sub-§1, ¶B, as amended by PL 2007, c. 468, §1, is further amended to read:
 
B. Makes a written commitment to expand its business at one of its current locations in the State by adding at the location of expansion a minimum of 4 net new, full-time employees for whom a retirement program subject to the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, 29 United States Code, Sections 1001 to 1461, as amended, and group health coverage are provided and whose income derived from employment at the business's location of expansion, calculated on a calendar-year basis, is greater than the most recent annual per capita personal income inwho are paid at least a livable wage for the county in which the employee is employed as calculated by the Department of Labor pursuant to Title 26, section 1406 for a 2-parent household with 2 earners and 2 children representative family size; and
 
SUMMARY
This bill requires that a qualified employee under the Pine Tree Development Zone program be paid at least a livable wage for the county in which the employee is employed. Current law requires that such an employee be paid an amount greater than the annual per capita personal income for the county in which the employee is employed. This bill also requires the Department of Labor to calculate the livable wage biennially by county and statewide. Current law requires the department to calculate the statewide livable wage only if funding has been appropriated for that purpose.