126th MAINE LEGISLATURE
		LD 1860		LR 2907(01)
	An Act To Provide for Temporary Commissioners at the Public Utilities Commission
	Preliminary Fiscal Impact Statement for Original Bill
	Sponsor: Rep. Russell of Portland
	Committee: Not Referred
	Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Preliminary Fiscal Impact Statement
Current biennium cost increase - Other Special Revenue Funds
Fiscal Detail and Notes
	The bill requires the Governor to appoint 3 retired judges or justices to serve as alternate commissioners to the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) in order to maintain a quorum. These alternate commissioners will be appointed as temporary commissioners and serve for the length of time that there would be no quorum without them. The temporary commissioners will be compensated for the number of hours spent at the PUC while working on a proceeding at a rate of a commissioner's yearly salary, currently $115,328, divided by 2080 hours, resulting in an hourly rate of $55.45 per hour. It cannot be predicted at this time how many hours of additional compensation the PUC will pay to temporary commissioners going forward. There is currently a proceeding before the PUC where no quorum can be reached. The PUC has resources available to accommodate the additional cost of temporary commissioners.