128th MAINE LEGISLATURE
LD 99 LR 443(02)
An Act To Expand the 1998 Special Retirement Plan To Include Detectives in the Office of Investigations within the Department of the Secretary of State, Bureau of Motor Vehicles
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment " "
Committee: Appropriations and Financial Affairs
Fiscal Note Required: Yes
             
Fiscal Note
FY 2017-18 FY 2018-19 Projections  FY 2019-20 Projections  FY 2020-21
Net Cost (Savings)
Highway Fund $0 $0 $0 $0
Appropriations/Allocations
Highway Fund $0 $0 $0 $0
Fiscal Detail and Notes
Allowing detectives employed in the office of investigations within the Department of the Secretary of State, Bureau of Motor Vehicles, on or after July 1, 2018 to participate in the 1998 Special Plan of the Maine Public Employees Retirement System will increase both the normal cost and unfunded actuarial liability components of the employer retirement rate, resulting in increased employer contributions to the Maine Public Employees Retirement System for detectives beginning in fiscal year 2018-19.  
This legislation includes a transition provision for those detectives hired by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles prior to July 1, 2018 which allows these employees to elect to participate in the 1998 Special Plan by December 1, 2018.  Based on an analysis performed by the Maine Public Employees Retirement System, this fiscal note assumes that 7 of the 11 eligible detectives will elect to participate in the 1998 Special Plan as soon as the option becomes available and the remaining detectives will opt to stay in the State Regular Plan.  
The Department of the Secretary of State has indicated that it will pay for the cost of this provision within its proposed budgeted resources for fiscal year 2018-19.  This bill includes a Highway Fund allocation of $8,314 to the Personal Services line category and a deallocation of $8,314 to the All Other line category within the Department of the Secretary of State, Bureau of Motor Vehicles in fiscal year 2018-19 in order for the department to self-fund the cost of this legislation.  
If any of the detectives hired by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles prior to July 1, 2018 who choose to remain in the State Regular Plan eventually retire or otherwise vacate their positions, any newly hired detectives will be placed in the 1998 Special Plan.  The additional cost to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to fill these positions at the higher employer contribution rate is estimated to be between $2,000 and $3,000 per position annually.  When this additional cost will be incurred and which fund will be impacted cannot be determined at this time.