An Act To Amend the Requirements for the Livable Wage Report
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 26 MRSA §1405, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 363, §2, is amended to read:
1. Calculation. By December 31, 2007 July 31, 2009 and annually biennially thereafter, the department shall calculate livable wages for households in the State’s counties and metropolitan statistical areas by family size and as statewide averages by developing an annual basic needs budget for the following family sizes:
A. Single person;
B. Single parent and one child;
C. Single parent and 2 children;
D. Two parents, with one earner and 2 children; and
E. Two parents, with 2 earners and 2 children.
By January 30, 2008 December 31, 2009 and annually biennially thereafter, the department shall report the livable wages calculated pursuant to this subsection to the Legislature.
summary
This bill changes the timing of the calculation and reporting of the livable wage from annual to biennial. The change is being made because some of the data needed for the calculation is not available in time for an annual calculation. The bill also changes the yearly schedule so that the Department of Labor has 5 months to report the information instead of only one month.