129th MAINE LEGISLATURE
		LD 1355		LR 1445(02)
	An Act To Expand the 1998 Special Retirement Plan To Include Civilian Employees Who Work for the Department of Public Safety Crime Lab and Computer Crimes Unit
	Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment " "
	Committee: Labor and Housing
	Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
			FY 2019-20	FY 2020-21	Projections  FY 2021-22	Projections  FY 2022-23
Net Cost (Savings)
	General Fund		$0	$37,479	$38,791	$40,148
	Highway Fund		$0	$5,097	$5,275	$5,460
Appropriations/Allocations
	General Fund		$0	$37,479	$38,791	$40,148
	Highway Fund		$0	$5,097	$5,275	$5,460
	Federal Expenditures Fund		$0	$5,306	$5,491	$5,684
Fiscal Detail and Notes
	Allowing civilian employees employed in the Maine State Police Crime Laboratory or computer crimes unit 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 (MainePERS) on behalf of civilian employees beginning in fiscal year 2020-21.
	This legislation includes a transition provision for those eligible civilian employees hired by the Department of Public Safety prior to July 1, 2020 which allows them to elect to participate in the 1998 Special Plan by September 30, 2020. An analysis provided by MainePERS identified 17 eligible civilian employees that may elect to participate in the 1998 Special Plan as soon as the option becomes available. Given this analysis, this bill includes a General Fund appropriation of $28,883, a Highway Fund allocation of $5,097 and a Federal Expenditures Fund allocation of $5,306 in fiscal year 2020-21 to the State Police program for the cost associated with moving the positions to the 1998 Special Plan.  Additionally, this bill includes a General Fund appropriation of $8,596 in fiscal year 2020-21 to the Computer Crimes program.
	If any of the eligible civilian employees 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 employees 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 and which fund will be impacted cannot be determined at this time.