An Act To Increase Salaries for Elected State Officials and To Amend the Laws Governing the State Compensation Commission

Sec. 1. 2 MRSA §1,  as amended by PL 1993, c. 361, Pt. B, §1, is further amended to read:

§ 1. Residence; office hours; secretary; salary

The Governor shall have his Governor's official residence at is located in Augusta during his the Governor's term of office, and the Governor shall keep his the Governor's office at the State House open for the transaction of the business of the State during all normal working hours of the State House.

In the absence of the Governor, his the Governor's private secretary shall be in attendance and the private secretary shall devote his the entire time to the duties of his the private secretary's office.

Until the first Wednesday of January 1987, the Governor shall receive is entitled to receive an annual salary of $35,000. Beginning the first Wednesday of January 1987, the Governor shall receive is entitled to receive an annual salary of $70,000. Beginning the first Wednesday of January 2023, the Governor is entitled to receive an annual salary of $141,000. Beginning the first Wednesday of January 2027, whenever a new Governor takes office, that Governor's annual salary must be adjusted by the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index during the term of office of that Governor's predecessor except that the calculation of this percentage change may not include a percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index that exceeds 3% per year.

A former Governor may accept as a personal gift from the State at the end of his that Governor's final term the desk and chair used by that Governor as Governor.

Sec. 2. 3 MRSA §2, first ¶,  as amended by PL 2011, c. 380, Pt. QQQQ, §1, is further amended to read:

Each member of the Senate and House of Representatives, beginning with the first Wednesday of December 2000 and thereafter ending with the first Wednesday of December 2022, is entitled to $10,815 in the first year and $7,725 in the 2nd year of each biennium, except that if a Legislator who is a recipient of retirement benefits from the federal Social Security Administration files a written request with the Executive Director of the Legislative Council within one week after the biennium commences, the Legislator is entitled to $9,270 in each year of the biennium. Each member of the Senate and the House of Representatives, beginning with the first Wednesday of December 2022, is entitled to $23,500 in each year of the biennium. Each member of the Senate and the House of Representatives must receive a cost-of-living adjustment in annual legislative salary, except that the percentage increase may not exceed 5% in any year, and except that the percentage increase may not exceed 3% beginning with the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014. Beginning December 1, 2001, the salary for each legislative session must be adjusted each December 1st by the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for the most recently concluded fiscal year; except that no member of the Senate or the House of Representatives may receive a cost-of-living adjustment in annual legislative salary for the Second Regular Session of the 124th Legislature, and except that no member of the Senate or the House of Representatives may receive a cost-of-living adjustment in annual legislative salary for the Second Regular Session of the 125th Legislature and the First Regular Session and the Second Regular Session of the 126th Legislature, and any percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2011, June 30, 2012 and June 30, 2013 may not be applied to the base salary. In addition, each Legislator is entitled to be paid for travel at each legislative session once each week at the same rate per mile to and from that Legislator's place of abode as state employees receive, the mileage to be determined by the most reasonable direct route, except that Legislators may be reimbursed for tolls paid for travel on the Maine Turnpike as long as they have a receipt for payment of the tolls, such tolls to be reimbursed when Legislators use the Maine Turnpike in traveling to and from sessions of the Legislature or in performance of duly authorized committee assignments. Each Legislator is entitled to mileage on the first day of the session, and those amounts of salary and expenses at such times as the Legislature may determine during the session, and the balance at the end of the session.

Sec. 3. 3 MRSA §2-B, sub-§1,  as amended by PL 2017, c. 242, §1, is further amended to read:

Sec. 4. Appointments to the State Compensation Commission. Notwithstanding the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 3, section 2-B, subsection 1, the Governor, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House each shall appoint 2 members to the State Compensation Commission and each shall designate one member to serve a 2-year term and one member to serve a 4-year term.

summary

This bill increases the annual salary of the Governor to $141,000 beginning in January 2023. The bill provides that beginning in January 2027, whenever a new Governor takes office, that Governor's annual salary must be adjusted by the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index during the term of office of that Governor's predecessor subject to a limit of 3% per year.

The bill increases the annual salary of members of the Legislature to $23,500 beginning in December 2022.

The bill provides that the Governor appoints 2 members of the State Compensation Commission and removes language that provides that one member is appointed by a majority of the members of the commission. The bill increases the term of members to 4 years and provides for staggered terms.