An Act To Increase the Annual Salary of the Governor and To Increase the Per Diem Meal and Housing Allowances Paid to Legislators

Sec. 1. 2 MRSA §1,  as amended by PL 1993, c. 361, Pt. B, §1, is further amended to read:

§ 1. Residence; office hours; secretary; salary

The Governor shall have his Governor's official residence at is located in Augusta during his the Governor's term of office, and the Governor shall keep his the Governor's office at the State House open for the transaction of the business of the State during all normal working hours of the State House.

In the absence of the Governor, his the Governor's private secretary shall be in attendance and the private secretary shall devote his the entire time to the duties of his the private secretary's office.

Until the first Wednesday of January 1987, the Governor shall receive receives an annual salary of $35,000. Beginning the first Wednesday of January 1987, the Governor shall receive receives an annual salary of $70,000. Beginning the first Wednesday of January 2019, the Governor receives an annual salary of $150,000.

A former Governor may accept as a personal gift from the State at the end of his that Governor's final term the desk and chair used by that Governor as Governor.

Sec. 2. 3 MRSA §2, 4th ¶,  as corrected by RR 2001, c. 2, Pt. A, §1, is amended to read:

Except as provided in this section, each member of the Senate and House of Representatives is entitled to a meal allowance in the amount of $32 $50 and a housing allowance in the amount of $38 $75 for each day in attendance at sessions of the Legislature and for each day the member occupies overnight accommodations away from home either immediately preceding or immediately following attendance at daily sessions of the Legislature. The presiding officers may establish reasonable policies regarding allowances for meals and overnight accommodations for the day immediately preceding the session, which may include policies regarding whether an allowance is paid, whether the full amount or a portion of the statutory allowance is paid and whether receipts are required. In lieu of the meal and housing allowance, each member is entitled to a daily meal allowance in the amount of $32 $50 and actual daily mileage allowances in an amount up to but not exceeding $38 per day. Each member of the Senate also receives an annual allowance for constituent services in the amount of $2,000, $1,300 in January and $700 in the month following adjournment of the regular session. Each member of the House of Representatives also receives an annual allowance for constituent services in the amount of $1,500, $1,005 in January and $495 in the month following adjournment of the regular session. Notwithstanding this section, during the first regular session of each legislative biennium, a member of the Senate or the House of Representatives may elect to receive the first payment of the annual allowance for constituent services in December following convening of the Legislature by notifying the Executive Director of the Legislative Council in the manner prescribed by the executive director. The Executive Director of the Legislative Council shall inform Legislators of the choice available for payment of the allowance for constituent services in the first year of the legislative biennium and of any tax implications associated with exercising that choice.

Sec. 3. 3 MRSA §2, 11th ¶,  as amended by PL 1989, c. 501, Pt. O, §5; c. 600, Pt. B, §§9 and 10; and c. 878, Pt. D, §§14 and 15, is further amended to read:

The President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the floor leaders and their assistants and members of a committee, with the approval of the President of the Senate or the Speaker of the House of Representatives as to members of a committee, may also meet on days when the Legislature is not in daily session at any convenient location within the State. Each member of the Senate and House of Representatives shall receive receives $55 for every day's attendance when meetings or daily sessions are held, a meal allowance in the amount of $32 $50 and a housing allowance whereby actual lodging expenses will be reimbursed at the single-room rate, provided that as long as a receipt is submitted to the Executive Director of the Legislative Council for each day in attendance at such meetings or daily sessions and for each day that member occupies overnight accommodations away from home either immediately preceding or immediately following attendance at daily sessions of the Legislature and actual daily mileage allowances which shall that must be paid at the same rate paid to state employees. In lieu of the meal and housing allowance, each member shall be is entitled to a daily meal allowance in the amount of $32 $50 and actual daily mileage allowances.

SUMMARY

This bill increases the Governor's salary from $70,000 per year to $150,000 per year beginning January 2019. The bill also increases the Legislative meal and housing allowances from $32 and $38 to $50 and $75, respectively.