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Panel considers adding state emergency dispatch leadership to special retirement plan
Summary
Representative Steven Bunker and Department of Public Safety officials asked the Labor Committee to add an emergency communications director title to the 1998 special retirement plan to preserve internal promotion tracks; MainePERS said including the position would increase normal costs but likely not create an immediate unfunded liability.
Representative Steven Bunker introduced LD 20 85, asking the committee to include additional emergency communications positions in the 1998 special retirement plan on behalf of the Department of Public Safety. "Dispatchers are now being seen as a true profession," Bunker said, and the bill would formally recognize the stress of that work and help with recruitment and retention.
Michael Abbey, director of the Emergency Communications Bureau, asked that the director position be added so staff promoted internally would not lose special‑plan coverage. "The title should be included in the '98 special retirement plan to ensure team members can retain established retirement when moving to other roles within the bureau," Abbey said, explaining that in 2020 several dispatcher titles were given the option to join the special plan but the director role was excluded.
MainePERS director Bill Brown testified that many emergency communications positions were previously moved into the special plan and that, as drafted, LD 20 85 would move two additional positions from the regular plan into the special plan. Brown said this change would increase normal costs and member contributions going forward but would not create an immediate unfunded actuarial liability because the positions were included in the system's most recent valuation. The sponsor provided a small fiscal‑note estimate for the near term (roughly $2,419 for FY 25/26 and $2,467 for FY 26/27).
Committee members asked whether the bill applied to county or municipal dispatch centers; witnesses clarified the bill applies only to state dispatch centers consolidated under the Department of Public Safety. The hearing closed with the committee thanking witnesses and indicating further work‑session consideration.
No committee vote on LD 20 85 was recorded at the hearing; MainePERS and the Department offered to provide additional information at a work session.
