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132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 1124
H.P. 743 House of Representatives, March 18, 2025
An Act Regarding Retirement Benefits and Salary Adjustments for
Judicial Employees
Reference to the Committee on Judiciary suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative FREDETTE of Newport.
Page 1 - 132LR1497(01)
1Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
2Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §285, sub-§7, ¶N is enacted to read:
3 N. For a judicial employee who retires after January 1, 2026 under the provisions of
4 section 17851, subsection 18, the State shall contribute 100% of the individual
5 premium until the retiree reaches 65 years of age or otherwise qualifies for Medicare,
6 whichever is earlier.
7Sec. 2. 5 MRSA §17851, sub-§18 is enacted to read:
818. Judicial employees; 35 years of creditable service. An employee of the judicial
9 branch qualifies for a service retirement benefit before the employee reaches the
10 employee's normal retirement age if the employee:
11 A. Retires before reaching 65 years of age; and
12 B. Retires upon completion of 35 years of continuous creditable service in that
13 capacity.
14Sec. 3. Calculation of salary savings; adjustment of salary schedules for
15judicial employees. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the
16 Department of Administrative and Financial Services shall calculate any savings in salary
17 and other associated costs due to the retirement of judicial employees pursuant to the Maine
18 Revised Statutes, Title 5, section 17851, subsection 18. Effective for fiscal year 2026-27,
19 the savings calculated pursuant to this section must be used to increase salaries of
20 employees of the judicial branch. Salary increases pursuant to this section must prioritize
21 salary increases for those judicial positions identified by the Department of Administrative
22 and Financial Services as underpaid based on a comparison of regional and national salaries
23 for those positions.
24SUMMARY
25 This bill allows an employee of the judicial branch to retire before reaching 65 years
26 of age if the employee retires upon completion of 35 years of continuous creditable service.
27 The bill also requires the State to pay 100% of the health insurance premium for that retiree
28 until the retiree reaches 65 years of age or otherwise qualifies for Medicare. The bill directs
29 the Department of Administrative and Financial Services to calculate any savings in salary
30 and other associated costs due to the retirement of judicial employees and to use those
31 savings to increase salaries of employees of the judicial branch.
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