Maine Revised Statutes
Chapter 141: GENERAL PROVISIONS
5 §1507. Contingent Account

§1507. Contingent Account
The Governor may allocate from the State Contingent Account amounts not to exceed in total the sum of $4,350,000. The Governor may allocate from such account amounts not to exceed in total the sum of $300,000 in any fiscal year in accordance with the purposes specified in subsections 1, 2, 3, 4 and 4‑A, an amount not to exceed $1,000,000 in accordance with the purposes specified in subsection 5‑A, an amount not to exceed $1,000,000 in accordance with the purposes specified in subsection 5‑B and an amount not to exceed $2,000,000 in accordance with the purposes specified in subsection 5‑C. [PL 2009, c. 213, Pt. OOO, §1 (AMD).]
1. Institutions. The Governor may allocate funds from such account, when need exists and only upon the written request of the Commissioner of Health and Human Services and upon consultation with the State Budget Officer, to those institutions administered by the Department of Health and Human Services where actual average population in a fiscal year exceeds the basic estimates of population upon which the budget was approved and where such relief can not be absorbed within regular legislative appropriations.
[RR 1995, c. 2, §4 (COR); PL 2001, c. 354, §3 (AMD); PL 2003, c. 689, Pt. B, §§6, 7 (REV).]
2. Construction. The Governor may allocate funds from such account to provide funds for construction, repairs, equipment, supplies and furnishings, whenever:
A. An increase in construction or equipment costs results in a project cost in excess of the amount appropriated therefor by the Legislature; or [PL 1975, c. 771, §67 (RPR).]
B. A condition arises during the course of a project which necessitates a change in plans, specifications or equipment resulting in a project cost in excess of funds previously made available therefor. [PL 1975, c. 771, §67 (RPR).]
The Governor may make allocations for this purpose only upon the written request of an appropriate officer of the State and upon consultation with the State Budget Officer.
[PL 1975, c. 771, §67 (RPR).]
3. Purchase of real estate. The Governor may allocate funds from such account to provide funds in accordance with Title 1, section 814. Allocations may be made from this fund by the Governor only upon the written request of the Director of the Bureau of General Services and upon consultation with the State Budget Officer.
[PL 2011, c. 691, Pt. B, §7 (AMD).]
4. Emergencies. The Governor may allocate funds from such account to meet any emergency expense necessarily incurred under any requirement of law or for the maintenance, in emergency conditions, of government within the scope existing at the time of the previous session of the Legislature or contemplated by laws enacted thereat, or to pay expenses arising out of an emergency requiring an expenditure or money not provided by the Legislature. The Governor shall determine the necessity for such allocations upon consultation with the State Budget Officer.
[PL 1975, c. 771, §67 (RPR).]
4-A. Maine community colleges. The Governor may allocate funds from such account in amounts not to exceed in total the sum of $100,000 in any fiscal year to provide funds for any unusual and unforeseen needs as may arise in the operation of the Maine community colleges. Allocations may be made from this fund by the Governor only upon the written request of the Board of Trustees of the Maine Community College System and after consultation with the State Budget Officer.
[PL 1989, c. 878, Pt. A, §11 (AMD); PL 2003, c. 20, Pt. OO, §2 (AMD); PL 2003, c. 20, Pt. OO, §4 (AFF).]
5. Promotion of Maine. The Governor, upon consultation with the State Budget Officer, may allocate funds from such account in amounts not to exceed in total the sum of $50,000 in any fiscal year for the promotion of Maine outside of the State, after ample evidence is presented that such funds will support such unusual and unforeseen needs as may arise in the promotion of specific projects that bear a direct positive effect on the economy of Maine and only when there is a written request to the Governor for such funds by a private group or by a state officer whose duties are related to such specific projects; and $250,000 in any fiscal year for scientific, experimental and research projects designed to develop new industries, to enhance industrial productivity or to develop, test or transfer new technologies for which federal funding requiring a state match is available.
[PL 1991, c. 528, Pt. E, §6 (AMD); PL 1991, c. 528, Pt. RRR (AFF); PL 1991, c. 591, Pt. E, §6 (AMD).]
5-A. Job development training. The Governor may allocate funds from such account in amounts not to exceed in total the sum of $1,000,000 to provide funds for any unusual, unforeseen or extraordinary needs for state assistance in creating jobs by assisting in meeting the training requirements of labor-intensive new or expanding industries. Allocations for this purpose may be made from this fund by the Governor only upon the written request of the Commissioner of Labor and the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development and after consultation with the State Budget Officer. The commissioners' request to the Governor must be formulated subsequent to their consultation with the Commissioner of Education, the President of the Maine Community College System and the director of the appropriate local workforce investment area designated pursuant to the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, Public Law 113-128.
[PL 2017, c. 110, §1 (AMD).]
5-B. Training fund for job retention. The Governor may allocate funds from the account in amounts not to exceed in total the sum of $1,000,000 to provide funds to assist with the training needs of stable businesses that utilize new technologies and work processes to remain competitive and would otherwise be reducing their workforce. Allocations for this purpose may be made from this fund by the Governor only upon written request of the Commissioner of Labor and the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development and after consultation with the State Budget Officer. The commissioners' request to the Governor must be formulated subsequent to their consultation with officials and training providers of the business.
[PL 1993, c. 410, Pt. QQQ, §2 (NEW).]
5-C. Early childhood investments. The Governor may allocate funds from the account in amounts not to exceed in total the sum of $2,000,000 to provide funds to assist with the development of an early care and education infrastructure. Allocations for this purpose may be made from this fund by the Governor upon written request of the Commissioner of Education and the Commissioner of Health and Human Services and after consultation with the State Budget Officer.
[PL 2009, c. 213, Pt. OOO, §2 (NEW).]
6. Claims. The Governor shall allocate funds from the account for the payment of claims approved or partially approved by the State Claims Commission under section 1510‑A.
[PL 2005, c. 683, Pt. A, §6 (AMD).]
7. Procedure. All allocations from the State Contingent Account must be supported by a statement of facts setting forth the necessity for the allocation. A copy of each order for an allocation, together with the statement of facts, must be provided to the Office of Fiscal and Program Review, the joint standing committee having jurisdiction over economic development matters, to the President of the Senate and to the Speaker of the House of Representatives when the allocation is made.
[PL 1993, c. 410, Pt. QQQ, §3 (AMD).]
The State Controller shall include in his official annual financial report at the close of each fiscal year a statement showing all transfers made from the State Contingent Account for the fiscal period. [PL 1975, c. 771, §67 (RPR).]
After the close of each fiscal year, the Governor may request a General Fund appropriation from the next session of the Legislature in an amount as may be available to bring the total available in the State Contingent Account to a maximum of $4,350,000 for the current fiscal year. [PL 2009, c. 213, Pt. OOO, §3 (AMD).]
At the close of each fiscal year, as the first priority transfer before any other transfer authorized by law, there must be transferred from the General Fund an amount as may be available from time to time until the maximum of $350,000 is achieved to be used for the purposes specified in subsections 1 to 6. [PL 2005, c. 519, Pt. VV, §1 (AMD).]
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if the funds remaining in the State Contingent Account are not sufficient to address a purpose consistent with the purposes specified in subsection 4, the Governor may upon consultation with the State Budget Officer access any funds available to the State. The Governor shall identify by financial order the account, fund or other source from which payment is made. Funds accessed for this purpose may not exceed $750,000. [PL 2005, c. 12, Pt. CC, §1 (NEW).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1969, c. 455, §1 (RPR). PL 1975, c. 756, §1 (AMD). PL 1975, c. 771, §67 (RPR). PL 1977, c. 78, §16 (AMD). PL 1979, c. 602, §§1,2 (AMD). PL 1981, c. 493, §2 (AMD). PL 1985, c. 497, §1 (AMD). PL 1985, c. 737, §B6 (AMD). PL 1985, c. 759, §§1-3 (AMD). PL 1985, c. 814, §§E1-3 (AMD). PL 1987, c. 395, §A18 (AMD). PL 1987, c. 534, §§A5,A19 (AMD). PL 1987, c. 816, §§N1-N3 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 443, §§8,9 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 700, §A15 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 878, §A11 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 893 (AMD). PL 1991, c. 528, §E6 (AMD). PL 1991, c. 528, §RRR (AFF). PL 1991, c. 591, §E6 (AMD). PL 1993, c. 349, §7 (AMD). PL 1993, c. 410, §§QQQ1-4 (AMD). RR 1995, c. 2, §4 (COR). PL 1995, c. 464, §§1,2 (AMD). PL 1995, c. 464, §18 (AFF). PL 1995, c. 560, §K82 (AMD). PL 1995, c. 560, §K83 (AFF). PL 1997, c. 24, §C2 (AMD). PL 2001, c. 354, §3 (AMD). PL 2003, c. 20, §OO2 (AMD). PL 2003, c. 20, §OO4 (AFF). PL 2003, c. 114, §1 (AMD). PL 2003, c. 689, §§B6,7 (REV). PL 2005, c. 12, §CC1 (AMD). PL 2005, c. 519, §VV1 (AMD). PL 2005, c. 683, §A6 (AMD). PL 2009, c. 213, Pt. OOO, §§1-3 (AMD). PL 2011, c. 691, Pt. B, §7 (AMD). PL 2017, c. 110, §1 (AMD).