Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §1664, last ¶, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 502, Pt. G, §1, is amended to read:

The Governor, when submitting the budget to the Legislature, shall submit the budget document and the budget bills in a manner that identifies positions authorized by the Legislature for less than 52 weeks in a fiscal year as "Positions - Full-time Equivalent," or FTE, and positions authorized by the Legislature for 52 weeks in a fiscal year as "Positions - Legislative Count" for all funds. The State Budget Officer shall implement and administer procedures to ensure sufficient FTE and appropriation or allocation control for positions authorized by the Legislature for less than 52 weeks in a fiscal year. Effective with the budget submitted for the 2002-2003 biennium, the Governor, when submitting the budget to the Legislature, shall submit the budget document and the budget bills in a manner that identifies the total amount of funds provided for Personal Services and that does not identify the total number of positions included in computing the total dollars appropriated or allocated for Personal Services.__Departments and agencies are authorized to manage their workforce levels and staffing patterns in a manner that, in their opinion, is necessary to the proper operation of the department, institution or agency, within the amount of funds appropriated or allocated in the Personal Services line category.

SUMMARY

This bill eliminates position control beginning with the budget submitted for the 2002-2003 biennium and provides departments and agencies with the flexibility to adjust the number of positions needed within the limits of the Personal Services funds appropriated or allocated.