129th MAINE LEGISLATURE
		LD 833		LR 1420(03)
	An Act To Provide the Same Retirement Benefits for State Employees Working as Emergency Communications Specialists as Are Provided to Law Enforcement Officers
	Fiscal Note for Bill as Engrossed with: C "A" (H-496)
	Committee: Labor and Housing
Fiscal Note
			FY 2019-20	FY 2020-21	Projections  FY 2021-22	Projections  FY 2022-23
Appropriations/Allocations
	Consolidated Emergency Communications Fund		$0	$91,838	$95,052	$98,379
Fiscal Detail and Notes
	Allowing emergency communications specialists (including employees in a lead or supervisory position) employed within the Department of Public Safety on or after July 1, 2020 to participate in the 1998 Special Plan of the Maine Public Employees Retirement System will increase both the normal cost and unfunded actuarial liability components of the employer retirement rate, resulting in increased employer contributions to the Maine Public Employees Retirement System for these positions beginning in fiscal year 2020-21.
	This legislation includes a transition provision for those emergency communication specialists hired by the department prior to July 1, 2020 which allows these employees to elect to participate in the 1998 Special Plan no later than September 30, 2020.  Based on an analysis performed by the Maine Public Employees Retirement System, this fiscal note assumes that 42 emergency communication specialists (including those employees in a lead or a supervisory position) will elect to participate in the 1998 Special Plan as soon as the option becomes available and the remaining specialists will opt to stay in the State Regular Plan. This bill includes a Consolidated Emergency Communications Fund allocation of  $91,838 in fiscal year 2020-21 to the Department of Public Safety for the cost associated with moving the positions to the 1998 Special Plan.
	If any of the emergency communications specialists hired by the Department of Public Safety prior to July 1, 2020 who choose to remain in the State Regular Plan eventually retire or otherwise vacate their positions, any newly hired emergency communication specialists will be placed in the 1998 Special Plan. The additional cost to the department to fill these positions at the higher employer contribution rate is estimated to be between $2,000 and $3,000 per position annually. When this additional cost will be incurred cannot be determined at this time.