121st Maine Legislature
		Office of Fiscal and Program Review
		LD 1904
		Resolve, To Increase Eligibility for Consumer-directed Personal Care Assistance Services To Promote Independence for Maine Citizens
		LR 2510(02)
		Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment " "
		Committee: Labor
		Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
					Projections	Projections
			2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07
Net Cost (Savings)
	General Fund			$595,534	$608,933	$624,157
Appropriations/Allocations
	General Fund			$595,534	$608,933	$624,157
Fiscal Detail and Notes
	The bill includes an appropriation to the Bureau of Rehabilitation Services within the Department of Labor in fiscal year 2004-05 to adopt rules to increase eligibility and wages in the state funded home based care program.  This estimate assumes a 10% increase in participation and $1 per hour increase in wages for personal care assistants.  The actual costs of this proposal will either be higher or lower depending on the actual increase in wages and eligibility.
	A 10% increase in participation in the Home Based Care program is estimated to cost the General Fund $297,773 in fiscal year 2004-05.  The General Fund cost associated with a $1 per hour increase in wages for personal care assistants in the Home Based Care program is estimated to be $297,761 in fiscal year 2004-05.
	This fiscal note assumes that the costs associated with increasing participation and wages in the Home Based Care program will increase 2.25% in fiscal year 2005-06 and 2.5% in fiscal year 2006-07.
	LD 1919, the Governor's second supplemental budget proposal for fiscal years 2003-04 and 2004-05 includes a request to transfer funds appropriated in fiscal years 2003-04 and 2004-05 for the Home Based Care program in the Rehabilitation Services (0799) account within the Department of Labor to a newly established Rehabilitation Services - Home Based Care program account (0996).  If approved, the funds appropriated in this legislation for the Home Based Care will be appropriated to the 0996 account within the Department of Labor.