127th MAINE LEGISLATURE
		LD 164		LR 357(05)
	An Act To Establish the Maine Length of Service Award Program
	Fiscal Note for Bill as Engrossed with: C "A" (H-151) H "A" (H-177) to C "A" (H-151)
	Committee: Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development
Fiscal Note
State Mandate - Unfunded
State Mandates
	Required Activity				Unit Affected	Local Cost
	Requires the municipal fire department to submit a list of all persons who were eligible volunteers during a calendar year to the board for review and approval.  Requires the fire chief to resolve any disputes related to the service credit shown.				Municipality	Insignificant statewide
	The required local activities in this bill may represent a State mandate pursuant to the Constitution of Maine.  Unless General Fund appropriations are provided to fund at least 90% of the additional costs or a Mandate Preamble is amended to the bill and two-thirds of the members of each House vote to exempt this mandate from the funding requirement, municipalities may not be required to implement these changes.
Fiscal Detail and Notes
	The bill creates the Maine Length of Service Award Program with the intent to provide paid length of service awards to eligible volunteers who provide qualified services in a municipal fire department as an active part-time or on-call firefighter or a volunteer firefighter or as an emergency medical services person. A board is established to govern the program. Administrative expenses are to be paid from the assets of the program fund. The program is required to accept contributions from the State, municipalities, municipal fire departments or associated organizations, the Federal Government and participants. There is no requirement contributions be made by any entity.
	Any costs to the Attorney General to serve as advisor to the board or to the Treasurer of State to review and approve investment options are expected to be minor and can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources.