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Page 1 - 132LR2257(05)
STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX
_____
H.P. 811 - L.D. 1236
An Act to Address Employee Retention of State Employees Who Are
Firefighters at Bangor International Airport
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §17851-A, sub-§1, ¶H, as amended by PL 1999, c. 493, §5, is
further amended to read:
H. Firefighters Until September 30, 2026, firefighters in the employment of the
Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management at Bangor International
Airport on July 1, 1998, or hired thereafter, provided as long as the Federal Government
pays annually to the retirement system the full employer cost of the participation of
these employees;
Sec. 2. 5 MRSA §17851-D is enacted to read:
§17851-D. Special plan for firefighters in employment of Department of Defense,
Veterans and Emergency Management at Bangor International Airport
1. Establishment and applicability. Effective October 1, 2026, there is established
a special retirement plan for firefighters in the employment of the Department of Defense,
Veterans and Emergency Management at Bangor International Airport, referred to in this
section as "the special plan." The special plan applies to firefighters in the employment of
the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management at Bangor International
Airport on or after July 1, 1998, if the Federal Government pays annually to the retirement
system the full employer cost of the participation of these employees.
2. Qualification for benefits. A member employed under subsection 1 qualifies for
a service retirement benefit after completing 25 years of creditable service in that capacity,
whether or not the creditable service included in determining that the 25-year requirement
has been met was earned under the special plan established in this section or prior to its
establishment.
3. Purchase of service credit to be used for qualification for benefits. This
subsection governs the use of purchased service credit in order to qualify for benefits under
this section. For the purpose of meeting the qualification requirement of subsection 2:
APPROVED
APRIL 16, 2026
BY GOVERNOR
CHAPTER
759
PUBLIC LAW
Page 2 - 132LR2257(05)
A. Service credit purchased by repayment of an earlier refund of accumulated
contributions following termination of service is included if the time to which the
refund relates was served in the position described in subsection 1, regardless of
whether the time was served before or after the establishment of the special plan;
B. Service credit purchased under section 17760 is considered service under the special
plan; and
C. Service credit purchased other than as provided under paragraphs A and B is not
included.
4. Computation of benefits. The amount of the service retirement benefit for
members qualified under subsection 2 is 1/2 of the member's average final compensation
and an additional 2% of the member's average final compensation for each year of
membership service not included in determining qualification under subsection 2.
5. Contributions. Notwithstanding any provision of subchapter 3 to the contrary,
after September 30, 2026, a member in a position described in subsection 1 shall contribute
to the State Employee and Teacher Retirement Program or have pick-up contributions
made at the rate of 8.65% of earnable compensation until the member has completed 25
years of creditable service as provided in this section and at the rate of 7.65% thereafter.
Sec. 3. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and
allocations are made.
DEFENSE, VETERANS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT
OF
Military Training and Operations 0108
Initiative: Allocates ongoing funds for the prospective costs of certain employees within
the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management who are firefighters at
Bangor International Airport being allowed to participate in a special retirement plan that
allows for those employees to retire after 25 years of service regardless of age effective
October 1, 2026.
FEDERAL EXPENDITURES FUND 2025-26 2026-27
Personal Services $0 $1,759
__________ __________
FEDERAL EXPENDITURES FUND TOTAL $0 $1,759
DEFENSE, VETERANS AND EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF
DEPARTMENT TOTALS 2025-26 2026-27
FEDERAL EXPENDITURES FUND $0 $1,759
__________ __________
DEPARTMENT TOTAL - ALL FUNDS $0 $1,759
RETIREMENT SYSTEM, MAINE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES
Retirement System - Retirement Allowance Fund 0085
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Initiative: Provides one-time funds for the increase in the unfunded actuarial liability as a
result of allowing the service retirement benefits for certain employees within the
Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management who are firefighters at
Bangor International Airport earned under the 1998 Special Plan to be calculated under a
special retirement plan that allows for those employees to retire after 25 years of service
regardless of age.
GENERAL FUND 2025-26 2026-27
All Other $0 $522,078
__________ __________
GENERAL FUND TOTAL $0 $522,078
RETIREMENT SYSTEM, MAINE PUBLIC
EMPLOYEES
DEPARTMENT TOTALS 2025-26 2026-27
GENERAL FUND $0 $522,078
__________ __________
DEPARTMENT TOTAL - ALL FUNDS $0 $522,078
SECTION TOTALS 2025-26 2026-27
GENERAL FUND $0 $522,078
FEDERAL EXPENDITURES FUND $0 $1,759
__________ __________
SECTION TOTAL - ALL FUNDS $0 $523,837