The latest edition of our Impact newsletter is now available!
Weekly edition of IMPACT, a publication of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce | January 21, 2021
View this edition online	View an archived edition online
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. Read more...   Federal Update: President Biden issues Executive Orders and Actions as Democrats gain control of the U.S. Congress and White House On Wednesday, as three new Democrats were sworn-in to the U.S Senate giving Democrats control of the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, and the White House for the first time in a decade, Joseph R. Biden, Jr. and Kamala D. Harris were sworn-in as President and Vice President of the United States. On the first day of the new administration, President Biden signed 17 executive orders and actions. More are expected, and we will continue to share those, as well as other announcements from the new administration and U.S. Congress, that impact Maine’s economy and business community. Click here to read our summary of President Biden’s orders, actions and directives to date...   Maine State Chamber hosts legislative preview On Wed., January 20, the Maine State Chamber presented its legislative session preview virtually to a group of 150 registered business leaders from across Maine. The information presented in this session has been recorded and is available on our website. To open the virtual event, Peter Gore, executive vice president, gave a brief summary of the number and types of bills proposed this session. Committees are now being assigned legislation of jurisdiction, and virtual public hearings will be underway in the coming weeks. Read more...   Maine Department of Labor seeks employer input The Maine Department of Labor is in the process of enhancing the employment services that they provide. As part of the state’s 10-year economic development plan, increasing Maine’s workforce participation rate is one of the plans goals. One strategy being explored, that may have some impact in boosting employment in Maine, is making MDOL's services more accessible to both employers and job seekers. Maine DOL is looking for employers to share any experience they might have had with either communicating with/hearing from the MDOL Bureau of Employment Services or using MDOL’s employment and workforce services. Participants will have the option of providing feedback through a 30-minute, self-recorded video journal through a simple downloaded app or a 30-minute virtual interview. If you are willing to participate in a feedback session, please complete this DOL survey. Participation by businesses would be very much appreciated.   Students in the Bridge Academy Maine program earn useful college credits early and gain beneficial career experience During the next several weeks, the Bridge Academy Maine program will be sharing stories about new initiatives in its program, and more importantly, graduates’ success stories of the Bridge Academy program from around the state. The feedback from students after they have started college or their careers is always encouraging. Opportunities have been created by their commitment to their futures, their decision to get earn useful college credits early, the experience they gained through career and technical education, and a tour or activity during their Summer Academies. Read more...   Legislature develops guidelines for participating in the legislative process Last week, the 130th Maine Legislature released its guidelines for public participation in the legislative process in both public hearings and work sessions. These links include information about the delivery of public testimony, participation in committee work sessions, and submission of written testimony. Read more...
Upcoming Public Hearings Legislation of Interest Public hearings are open to everyone, despite the Statehouse’s restricted access status during the pandemic. Typically, the committee’s meeting room is listed below, but during the pandemic, Maine State Chamber members should plan to watch and listen to legislative committees by using one of the Legislature’s YouTube channels. The Legislature also released these guides for participation in public hearings and work sessions, and you will need to register to submit testimony if you plan to testify on a particular bill. Also, this public hearing schedule is subject to changes and updates; we advise that you check the committee’s calendar or contact the committee clerk. Each committee name listed below is linked to the corresponding committee page. Each week, Maine Chamber staff studies each of the recently printed bills to assess potential impact on business trends. We are sharing those bills of concern with you here. If you have concerns regarding any bill, please communicate those concerns to a member of our advocacy team by calling (207) 623-4568.   A total of 15 business-related bills have been tracked to date since the session began on January 6, 2021! View the list of Public Hearings for Jan. 25 through Feb. 5... View the complete list of legislation we're watching...
To learn more or to register, please click on the event image below.   Meet the Commissioners Wednesday, January 27 Begins at 9:00 a.m. Zoom Leadership Summit 2021: Focusing on the Strength and Growth of Maine’s Economy Thursday, February 4 and 5 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. A Virtual Event STEM Series Session IV: The Future of STEM Jobs and Innovation in Maine Wednesday, February 10 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Zoom
TO UNSUBSCRIBE, CLICK HERE. NOTICE: In an ongoing effort to thwart the activities of online hackers, the Maine State Chamber has researched and tested the links in this document and determined that they are safe.