121st Maine Legislature
		Office of Fiscal and Program Review
		LD 35
		An Act to Increase the Assessment on Workers' Compensation Insurance To Fund the Workers' Compensation Board Administrative Fund
		LR 0283(03)
		Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment " "
		Fiscal Note Required: Yes
		Minority Report
Fiscal Note
	Undetermined current biennium cost increase - All Funds
					Projections	Projections
			2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07
Appropriations/Allocations
	Other Special Revenue Funds		$686,855	$686,000	$686,000	$686,000
Revenue
	Other Special Revenue Funds		$686,000	$686,000	$686,000	$686,000
Fiscal Detail and Notes
	This bill as amended includes Other Special Revenue Funds allocations of $686,000 and $686,000 in fiscal years 2003-04 and 2004-05, respectively, to increase the authorized level of spending of the Workers' Compensation Board as a result of increasing the assessment cap.  Increasing the workers' compensation assessment will increase the cost to all State agencies for the workers' compensation portion of personal services expense. The fiscal impact on the State's self-insured program can not be determined at this time and will depend on the actual amount assessed.
	An allocation of $855 is included in fiscal year 2003-04 for the additional costs of the legislative per diem and expenses for the two legislators who will serve on the Commission to Review the Budget Process of the Workers' Compensation Board.  The total cost to the Workers' Compensation Board for the per diem and expenses of all the Commission members can not be determined at this time.  It is expected that there will be sufficient funds available in the reserve fund to cover these costs.  The additional costs associated with providing staffing assistance to the commission during the interim between legislative sessions can be absorbed by the Legislature utilizing existing budgeted resources.