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Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following:
‘Resolve, To Study the Feasibility of the Establishment of Paid Family Leave in the State’
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and before the summary and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 1 Study established. Resolved: That the University of Maine System shall conduct a study to examine the costs and benefits of implementing a paid family leave program in the State, if resources are available to enable the University of Maine System to conduct such a study; and be it further
Sec. 2 Elements. Resolved: That the study established by this resolve must include, at a minimum, the following:
1. Cost estimates for a series of policy scenarios for employers in the State, using a variety of eligibility criteria and participation rates;
2. Use of a simulation model or other similar method that estimates leave-taking behaviors for workers and the characteristics of the types of leave they will take under different policy scenarios;
3. Examination of how each policy scenario will affect workers' leave-taking decisions and how each policy will affect different groups of workers;
4. Calculations of weekly premiums to be paid by workers under each policy scenario;
5. Calculations of start-up and administrative costs to the State to operate a paid family leave program;
6. Assessment of any financial benefits to the State as a result of implementation of a paid family leave program;
7. Consideration of a paid family leave program model that mandates participation, including the following 4 scenarios:
A. All employers;
B. Employers who employ more than 50 employees;
C. Employers who employ more than 25 employees; and
D. Employers who employ more than 15 employees;
8. Consideration of a paid family leave program model in which participation is voluntary, including the following 2 scenarios:
A. A low-participation model at 35% voluntary participation; and
B. A high-participation model at 70% voluntary participation; and
9. Inclusion of the following assumptions in analyses of each scenario described in subsections 7 and 8:
A. Benefits will be allowed for up to 66% of an employee's or self-employed person’s earnings, to be capped at the same weekly maximum amount as permitted for unemployment benefits claims;
B. Benefits will apply for 8 weeks during a 12-month period, with additional unpaid leave available pursuant to state or federal law; and
C. Benefits will be awarded for leave consistent with family medical leave as defined in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 26, section 843, subsection 4, except that leave will also be available for the serious health condition of a parent-in-law and for the death or serious health condition of a parent-in-law while that parent-in-law is on active duty with the military; and be it further
Sec. 3 Funding. Resolved: That, to carry out the study, the University of Maine System may apply for and accept funding from any source, including the State or other public or private grant or contract funding sources. Contributions to support the work of the University of Maine System may not be accepted from any party having a pecuniary or other vested interest in the outcome of the matters being studied; and be it further
Sec. 4 Report. Resolved: That, no later than March 15, 2019, the University of Maine System shall submit a report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over labor matters that includes the results of the study and any proposed recommendations for implementation of a paid family leave system in the State, as well as an accounting of all funding received and used to carry out the study. The committee may report out a bill based on the report to the First Regular Session of the 129th Legislature.’
 
SUMMARY
This amendment strikes the bill and replaces it with a resolve that directs the University of Maine System to carry out a study to examine costs and benefits of implementing a paid family leave program in the State, if funding resources are available to enable the University of Maine System to conduct such a study, and to submit a report of its findings to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over labor matters. The committee is authorized to report out a bill based on the report to the First Regular Session of the 129th Legislature.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)