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An Act To Improve the Retirement Benefit Plan for Children's Services Caseworkers
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §17851-A, sub-§1, ¶L,  as amended by PL 2001, c. 646, §1, is further amended to read:
 
L. Oil and hazardous materials emergency response workers in the employment of the Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Response Services who participate in a standby rotation on January 1, 2002 or are hired thereafter; and
Sec. 2. 5 MRSA §17851-A, sub-§1, ¶M,  as enacted by PL 2001, c. 646, §2, is amended to read:
 
M. Capital security officers in the employment of the Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Capital Security on July 1, 2002 or hired thereafter.; and
Sec. 3. 5 MRSA §17851-A, sub-§1, ¶N  is enacted to read:
 
N.  Children's services caseworkers, including child protective workers, supervisors and program administrators, in the employment of the Department of Health and Human Services on July 1, 2007 or are hired thereafter.
 
SUMMARY
This bill includes children's services caseworkers, supervisors and program administrators working in the Department of Health and Human Services on or hired by the department after July 1, 2007 in the 1998 Special Plan under the Maine State Retirement System. The plan's option to retire at age 55 recognizes the daily dangerous and stressful situations these staff face in their positions.