Maine State Law Enforcement Association

9 Green Street suite #15

Augusta, Maine 04330

Dear members,

On January12, 2020 the following Legislative Bills became law without Governor Mills signature. These Bills won’t take effect until July 2020.

LD 1207 “An Act To Expand the 1998 Special Retirement Plan To Include Detectives in the Office of Investigations within the Department of the Secretary of state, Bureau of Motor vehicle”

LD1208 “An Act To Expand the 1998 Special Retirement Plan To Include Detectives in the Office of the Attorney General”

I’m sure most of you are wondering how these new laws impact you personally. It is my understanding that these Bill’s are not retroactive, meaning that the State of Maine has not bought back the years that we have been in a different plan. However, it still may benefit some of us moving forward and will help in the recruitment of current law enforcement officers who are considering employment with either of our agencies.

 I will be scheduling a date and time in either late April or early May to have a representative from Maine Public Employees Retirement System meet with Detectives from Bureau of Motor Vehicle and Attorney General Detectives.  I will have them come prepared to discuss several different scenarios as to if these Bills will benefit us who have serval plans in play.

At the conclusion of this meeting each member should have a better understanding as to how, if at all they can take advantage of the “special plan” and can schedule a private meeting with MPERS to discuss their specific scenario at that time.

Another win for MSLEA but certainly not without the support and persistence of many people along the way. MSLEA has many people to thank for this Bills enactment. It’s been many years in the making, which began with our former MSLEA President Michael Pulire back in 2008. It was resurrected by me back in 2012 and we have persisted every legislative session since.

MSLEA is also fortunate to have Dan Tourtelotte as its Executive Director. Dan brought his familiarity of the legislative process to us and was instrumental in finding pro law enforcement representatives who carried our fight for us.  The Bill sponsor for the past five years has been Representative Catherine Nadeau who found many other pro law enforcement cosponsors to help us achieve this.

Also, I would be remis if I didn’t mention Attorney General Aaron Frey and Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap who both supported the Bills.

I am very proud to serve as President of MSLEA, work alongside our Executive Director and the many Agency Board Directors and who constantly work hard at protecting you, while you work at protecting others.

Respectfully

Patrick B. Gagnon

President

MSLEA