Appropriations committee begins review of supplemental budget proposal

The Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs (AFA) has released its schedule for public hearings on the supplemental budget proposal. The committee will meet several times a day next week to address specific parts of the budget document.

On Monday, January 25 beginning at 10:00 a.m., committee members will hear from programs and Language Parts Under the Jurisdiction of the Joint Standing Committee on Taxation, including the Department of Administrative and Financial Services and the Bureau of Revenue Services, as well as Language Part B which updates references to the U.S. Internal Revenue Code contained in the Maine Revised Statute; Language Part D, which modifies federal business excess and losses allowed to non-corporate tax payers pursuant to the CARES Act; Language Part E, which modifies the federal business interest deduction pursuant to the CARES Act; Language Part F, which excludes certain qualified improvement property from the Maine Capital Investment Credit; Language Part G, which modifies the charitable contribution deduction allowed to corporations pursuant to the CARES Act; Language Part H, which updates Maine income tax law to conform with the federal net operating loss limitation; Language Part I, which temporarily expands the Maine credit for taxes paid to another jurisdiction; and, Language Part K, which extends repayment of a financial agreement for systems support to the Bureau of Revenue Services.

On Tuesday, January 26 beginning at 10:00 a.m., the AFA committee will review programs and language parts under the jurisdiction of the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services (HHS), which essentially covers the budget for the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.

On Wednesday, January 27, the AFA committee will hold three sessions. Beginning at 10:00 a.m., the committee will turn its attention to programs under the jurisdiction of the Joint Standing Committees on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services, including the Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services and the Dirigo Health Fund. Following that, committee members will examine programs under the jurisdiction of the Joint Standing Committee on Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business, which includes budget items for the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) and the Finance Authority of Maine, before moving on to programs under the jurisdiction of the Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology, which includes the ConnectMe Authority and the Governor's Energy Office, and programs under the jurisdiction of the Joint Standing Committee on Labor & Housing, which includes the Labor Relations Board and Labor Regulation and Enforcement.

Beginning at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, committee members will examine language parts under the jurisdiction of the Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs and programs and language parts under the Jurisdiction of the Joint Standing Committee on State and Local Government, before shifting its attention at 2:30 p.m. to programs and language parts under the jurisdiction of the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs.

On Thursday, January 28, the committee will hold two sessions, at 10:00 a.m. and at 1:00 p.m. The morning session will look at programs under the jurisdiction of the Joint Standing Committees on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry; Inland Fisheries and Wildlife; Environment and Natural Resources; and, Marine Resources. The afternoon hearing will address the remaining pieces of the budget, relating mostly to Criminal Justice and Public Safety; Veterans and Legal Affairs; Judiciary; and, Transportation.

The proposed budget initiatives and language may be viewed on the Revisor of Statute’s website. The complete hearing schedule for the supplemental budget is available online, along with other key information for the AFA committee. Please visit the Appropriations and Financial Affairs’ committee page to access contact information, current committee schedule, committee materials, committee email subscriptions, testimony submission, and the links for the committee’s YouTube and live audio channels.

The Maine State Chamber’s Advocacy team will be closely monitoring the budget process and plans to report its progress back to our members in the coming weeks and months as the process evolves. If you have any questions about the supplemental budget process, please contact Linda Caprara, senior government relations specialist for the Maine State Chamber of Commerce.