The latest edition of our Impact newsletter is now available!
Weekly edition of IMPACT, a publication of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce | February 25, 2021
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Majority of Labor committee approves expansion of Maine’s FMLA law Emergency bill will add grandchildren to the list In a party line vote during Monday’s work session, a majority of the Labor and Housing committee voted to expand Maine’s Family Medical Leave (FMLA) statute, by adding grandchildren to the list of family members for which an employee can take FMLA leave. Read more...
Governor Mills delivers virtual State of the Budget address On the evening of Tuesday, February 23, 2021, Governor Janet Mills delivered virtual State of the Budget Address to the people of Maine. In her address, Governor Mills underscored that her Administration is focused on health care, education, and the Maine economy, saying that her budget proposals maintain stability in these important areas during a time of uncertainty and put Maine on a path to economic recovery. Watch it here | Read the text here.
Maine State Chamber and Educate Maine release latest policy brief, entitled "Higher Education in Transition” On Wednesday, February 24, 2021, Educate Maine and the Maine State Chamber of Commerce released their newest policy brief entitled “Higher Education in Transition: Challenges and Opportunities for Maine.” The partnership’s report explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on higher education in Maine and provides recommendations for how the state and its institutions can work collaboratively toward effective and equitable access to post-secondary education for all Maine people. Read more...
Maine Business and Higher Education Leaders Announce New Compact on Immigration Eighty-two chambers of commerce, trade associations, businesses and institutions of higher education unite around the need for sensible immigration reform that helps grow Maine’s economy On Tuesday, February 23, more than 80 Maine businesses and higher education institutions announced the launch of the Maine Compact on Immigration. The Compact is a set of key principles for federal immigration reforms that are responsive to the needs of Maine’s employers, and for state and local policies to make Maine a destination of choice for immigrants, at a time when talent attraction and retention will be critical to the state’s economic recovery.  The Compact’s signatories are representative of Maine’s diverse economy, including chambers of commerce, trade associations, individual businesses, and institutions of higher education that span the state. Read more...
Congratulations to Oakhurst Dairy, celebrating 100 years in business! According to their website, only a handful of Maine companies have lasted 100 years, and Oakhurst Dairy now joins that iconic list. Long known as the “The Natural Goodness of Maine,” Oakhurst has always been about so much more than milk, and accordingly, this 100-year anniversary is more than just a celebration. As the company looks back on the last century of milestones, it’s also looking forward to the next 100 years by challenging and encouraging businesses, grocery retailers, community members, and local leaders to embrace the values of kindness, goodness, and Maineness – Oakhurst will pour it on alongside them all year long. “When most companies celebrate an anniversary, it’s usually just a look back, but Oakhurst wants to celebrate a little bit differently and make it more about who we serve. We have the opportunity during a very trying time, to encourage everyone around us to pour on the kindness, goodness, and Maineness,” said John Bennett, President and CEO of Oakhurst Dairy. “Today, more than ever, we need to celebrate the act of simply helping our neighbors, because each act of kindness, no matter how small, has a ripple effect that serves to make our state and communities stronger and healthier.”
Federal update on COVID-19 relief, the Paycheck Protection Program, and more As the nation mourns the loss of more than 500,000 lives to COVID-19, including more than 660 Mainers, the Biden-Harris Administration and U.S. Congress continue debating provisions of a COVID-19 relief package. Our blog has updates from various news sources and Maine’s federal delegation on COVID-19 relief, the Paycheck Protection Program, and more. 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 91 business-related bills have been tracked to date since the session began on January 6, 2021! View the list of Public Hearings for March 1-12... View the complete list of legislation we're watching for you...
Don’t miss the Chamber’s new weekly livestream show, The Maine Take with Dana Connors The Maine Take with Dana Connors is a new weekly public affairs livestream program of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce. Hosted by Maine State Chamber President and CEO Dana Connors, The Maine Take shares information and perspectives on top issues and policies that impact Maine’s economy and business community. The program also features in-depth discussions with special guests each week on important issues and current events. Watch this Monday, March 1 at 3:00 p.m. as Connors hosts special guest, Congressman Jared Golden, Maine’s Second District Representative to the U.S. House. Congressman Golden, a Democrat, is serving his second term in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he is a member of the House Small Business and Armed Services Committees. He recently was named Chairman of the House Small Business Subcommittee on Underserved, Agricultural, and Rural Business Development; and a Vice Chairman of the House Armed Services Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, which oversees naval acquisition and contracts for military shipbuilding performed at Bath Iron Works, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, and other shipyards across the country. Congressman Golden also serves on the House Armed Services Subcommittee for Readiness. He is a native of Androscoggin County, where he and his wife currently reside. The Maine Take with Dana Connors livestreams on Mondays from 3:00 p.m. to approximately 3:40 p.m. on the Chamber’s YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/user/MaineChamber/live. In the event of a Monday holiday, the program will livestream at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Click here for more information on The Maine Take and to watch previous episodes featuring interviews with special guests U.S. Senator Susan Collins, U.S. Senator Angus King, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, Maine Community College System President David Daigler, and HospitalityMaine’s new president and CEO, Matt Lewis.
Did you miss The Bottom Line podcast this week? This week on The Bottom Line podcast, co-hosts Dana Connors of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce and John Williams of Williams Broadcasting were joined by Beth Stickney, Esq., executive director of the Maine Business Immigration Coalition, and David Barber of Tyson Foods to discuss The Maine Compact on Immigration. The Compact is a bipartisan initiative by members of Maine’s business community and higher education institutions to promote immigration policies that will strengthen our economy and communities, attract and retain global talent, and bring new entrepreneurs, businesses and workers to our nation and state. Missed it live?  Check out archived episodes on your favorite podcast app or on our website podcast page!
Maine State Chamber and Mission Broadband launch “Bring ME Up to Speed” webinar series to explore strategies to expand broadband in Maine On Tuesday, February 23, the Maine State Chamber of Commerce and Mission Broadband launched a four-part webinar series, “Bring ME Up to Speed,” exploring strategies to expand broadband in Maine. In the first webinar of the series, Maine Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Heather Johnson addressed the important role federal funding plays in expanding broadband in Maine. Experts from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Consolidated Communications also shared what is currently being considered at the federal level, including funding, programs and other opportunities that can help expand broadband in Maine. The recording for the first webinar is now available on the Maine State Chamber’s website. Register today for the second webinar in the four-part "Bring ME up to Speed" Broadband Series Tuesday, March 9, 2021 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 Noon Held Virtually on Zoom
To learn more or to register, please click on the event image below.   2021 Education Innovators Series Thursday, March 4 | 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. | Held Virtually on Zoom The Education Innovators Series brings together regional and national thought leaders to share their views on the future of education. Presenters are paired with Maine education innovators sharing their experience from the field. The series is made possible by a partnership with Educate Maine, Education Action Forum of Maine, the Maine State Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation, and Thomas College’s Center for Innovation in Education.     2021 Human Resources Forum Thursday, March 18 | 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. | Held Virtually on Zoom   The 130th Maine Legislature considering a bill to mandate all Maine businesses that offer paid vacation time or are required to offer Maine’s new Earned Paid Leave time to cash out any unused time when an employee departs, regardless of the policy they may currently have in place today. Other proposals before the legislature seek to eliminate “employment at will” status in Maine, making every termination “for cause,” and to expand eligibility to Maine’s Family Medical Leave law. These are just a few of the workplace related bills that have been printed to date, and we expect more in the coming months. Join us on Thursday, March 18 at 10:00 a.m. for a free webinar to learn about these bills and their impact on your business and your employees. Rudman Winchell attorney Anne-Marie Storey will join us as we discuss legislation currently under consideration by the Labor and Housing Committee, their consequences as well as proposals yet to come. Don’t miss it!
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