On Tuesday, May 25, the Joint Standing Committee on Taxation voted 7-5 along party lines “ought-to-pass as amended” on LD 1569, An Act Regarding an Excise Tax on Water Extracted for Commercial Bottling. Sponsored by Rep. Lori Gramlich (D-Old Orchard Beach), the bill as amended would turn the bill into a resolve and initiate a study of imposing a tax on water extracted for commercial bottling use.

Citing his party’s need to make “structural reforms” in this legislative session, including the issue of ending “at-will” employment in Maine, Labor and Housing Senate Chair Sen. Craig Hickman (D-Kennebec) led the effort to reconsider LD 553, An Act to End Employment at Will, sponsored by Rep. Michael Sylvester (D-Portland), in what is likely to be the committee’s final work session on Wednesday, May 26.

Efficiency Maine’s Level 2 charger Request for Proposals (RFP) closes on Tuesday, June 8 at 3:00 p.m. Through this RFP process, the Efficiency Maine Trust seeks proposals from eligible bidders to host, purchase, install, and operate Level 2 electric vehicle (EV) chargers to serve EVs at eligible locations in Maine where there is a high likelihood of significant use and longevity. An easy reference to the RFP is available at https://www.efficiencymaine.com/rfp-em-013-2021/.

The past week was momentous for the Right from the Start (RFTS) coalition, and more work is coming soon. This entire legislative session has hinged on two important bills – LD 1652, An Act To Build a Child Care System by Recruiting and Retaining Maine's Early Childhood Educators Workforce, and LD 1712, An Act To Support Children's Healthy Development and School Success.

On May 17, Ben Gilman, general counsel for the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, submitted the following testimony in opposition to LD 1639, An Act To Protect the Health and Welfare of Maine Communities and Reduce Harmful Solid Waste, to the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. We are reprinting it here for your review and consideration. If you have any questions, please contact Ben Gilman by calling (207) 623-4568, ext. 108, or by emailing [email protected].

On Thursday, May 20, the Joint Standing Committee on Taxation held a public hearing on LD 1713, An Act to Increase Workforce Skills for the Revitalization of Maine’s Paper Industry Through the Establishment of an Income Tax Credit for Paper Manufacturing Workforce Training. The Maine State Chamber submitted testimony in support of the bill as amended, which creates a refundable income tax credit for paper manufacturers that make significant capital investments in the state while maintaining a certain level employment and income level.