# Maine LD 579: An Act to Include Certain Nurses Under the 1998 Special Plan for Retirement

Maine LD 579, An Act to Include Certain Nurses Under the 1998 Special Plan for Retirement, is a 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) Senate bill sponsored by Michael Tipping; status signed, last action 2026-04-16 (Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 747); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD579-132
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Maine LD 579
- State: Maine
- Session: 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026)
- Title: An Act to Include Certain Nurses Under the 1998 Special Plan for Retirement
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-02-19
- Last action: 2026-04-16, Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 747
- Sponsor: Michael Tipping
- Cosponsors: 3
- Subjects: STATE RETIREMENT SYSTEM, STATE RETIREMENT SYSTEM - SPECIAL PLANS
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 2 (111 yes, 69 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- State funds DHHS nurse pension changes: benefit, low. For fiscal year 2026‑27, the state provides $216,358 in special revenue and $1,568 from the General Fund to DHHS. It also makes a one-time $4.31 million General Fund payment to the Retirement Allowance Fund. By June 30, 2027, the state transfers $4,311,605 from the Budget Stabilization Fund to the…
- Higher pension deductions for DHHS nurses: cost, high. After September 30, 2026, covered DHHS nurses pay 8.65% of earnable pay into the pension until they reach 25 years of service. After 25 years, the rate is 7.65%. The contribution comes out of each paycheck.
- DHHS nurses enter Special Plan pensions: mixed, high. Beginning October 1, 2026, DHHS nurses in listed classes join the 1998 Special Plan. Your pension for that role is figured under the Special Plan using all your creditable service in that role, no matter when earned. You can also buy service credit for past work in that role. You can retire at age…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Michael Tipping
- Cosponsor: Amy Roeder (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Gary Drinkwater (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Richard Bradstreet (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-13 | Senate | RECEDE AND CONCUR | pass | 35 | 0 |   |
| 2026-04-13 | House | ADOPT HAH-1053 TO CAS-344 | pass | 76 | 69 |   |

## Actions (13)

- 2026-04-16: Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 747
- 2026-04-14: PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence. (Senate)
- 2026-04-14: PASSED TO BE ENACTED. Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2026-04-13: On motion by Senator PIERCE of Cumberland the Senate RECEDED and CONCURRED to PASSAGE TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED by Committee Amendment "A" (S-344) as Amended by House Amendment "A" (H-1053) thereto PREVAILED Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 950 Yeas 35 - Nays 0 - Excused 0 - Absent 0 Ordered sent down forthwith. (Senate)
- 2026-04-13: On motion of Speaker FECTEAU of Biddeford, the House RECEDED.On motion of Representative GATTINE of Westbrook, House Amendment "A" (H-1053) to Committee Amendment "A" (S-344) was READ and ADOPTED.ROLL CALL NO. 811(Yeas 76 - Nays 69 - Absent 5 - Excused 0 - Vacant 1)Committee Amendment "A" (S-344) as Amended by House Amendment "A" (H-1053) thereto was ADOPTED.The Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-344) as Amended by House Amendment "A" (H-1053) thereto.In NON-CONCURRENCE and sent for concurrence.ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2026-04-13: On motion by Senator ROTUNDO of Androscoggin taken from the Special Appropriations Table. Same Senator moved to SUSPEND THE RULES to RECONSIDER whereby the Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED by Committee Amendment "A" (S-344) in concurrence. On motion by Senator STEWART of Aroostook OBJECTED. On motion by Senator ROTUNDO of Androscoggin Bill and accompanying papers COMMITTED to the Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs In NON-CONCURRENCE. Sent down for concurrence. (Senate)
- 2025-06-25: CARRIED OVER, in the same posture, to any special or regular session of the 132nd Legislature, pursuant to Joint Order SP 800. (Senate)
- 2025-06-13: On motion by Senator RENY of Lincoln PLACED ON THE SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS TABLE pending ENACTMENT in concurrence (Senate)
- 2025-06-12: PASSED TO BE ENACTED. Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2025-06-11: Reports READ.On motion of Representative ROEDER of Bangor, the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report was ACCEPTED.The Bill was READ ONCE.Committee Amendment "A" (S-344) was READ and ADOPTED.Under suspension of the rules, the Bill was given its SECOND READING without REFERENCE to the Committee on Bills in the Second Reading.The Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-344). In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2025-06-11: Reports READ On motion by Senator TIPPING of Penobscot The Majority Ought to Pass As Amended Report ACCEPTED. Bill READ ONCE. Committee Amendment "A" (S-344) READ and ADOPTED. Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED by Committee Amendment "A" (S-344) Sent down for concurrence (Senate)
- 2025-03-21: CARRIED OVER, in the same posture, to the next special or regular session of the 132nd Legislature, pursuant to Joint Order SP 519. (Senate)
- 2025-02-19: Received by the Secretary of the Senate on February 19, 2025 and REFERRED to the Committee on LABOR pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 (Senate)

## Bill text

- Amendment C-A (S-344), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0260&item=2&snum=132)
- Amendment H-A to C-A (H-1053), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0260&item=6&snum=132)
- Enacted: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0260&item=7&snum=132)
- Introduced: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0260&item=1&snum=132)

## Related bills

- LD 1522: An Act to Establish the Maine Eviction Prevention Program (failed)
- LD 1665: An Act to Provide Property Tax Relief to Maine Families (failed)
- LD 1872: An Act to Reinvest in the Pension Funds of the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (failed)
- LD 2067: An Act to Include Community Mental Health Workers Under the 1998 Special Plan for Retirement (failed)
- LD 1611: An Act to Decrease the Retirement Contributions Required for Teachers and State Employees (failed)
- LD 1294: An Act to Expand the Dependent Exemption Tax Credit (failed)

## Sources
- [Amendment C-A (S-344), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0260&item=2&snum=132)
- [Amendment H-A to C-A (H-1053), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0260&item=6&snum=132)
- [Enacted (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0260&item=7&snum=132)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0260&item=1&snum=132)

## Related
- [LD 1522: An Act to Establish the Maine Eviction Prevention Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1522-132)
- [LD 1665: An Act to Provide Property Tax Relief to Maine Families](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1665-132)
- [LD 1872: An Act to Reinvest in the Pension Funds of the Maine Public Employees Retiremen…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1872-132)
- [LD 2067: An Act to Include Community Mental Health Workers Under the 1998 Special Plan f…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD2067-132)
- [LD 1611: An Act to Decrease the Retirement Contributions Required for Teachers and State…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1611-132)
- [LD 1294: An Act to Expand the Dependent Exemption Tax Credit](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1294-132)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD579-132 (as of 2026-10-17).