The latest edition of our Impact newsletter is now available!
Weekly edition of IMPACT, a publication of the Maine State Chamber | Monday, March 15, 2021
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Please call your legislators today and urge them to oppose bills to increase individual or corporate income tax rates in Maine! This alert is brought to you by the Maine Coalition to Defeat Income Tax Increases. The Maine Coalition to Defeat Income Tax Increases is currently comprised of representatives from the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, the Maine Hospital Association, the Maine Grocers and Food Producers, the Maine Bankers Association, the Maine Auto Dealers Association, the Retail Association of Maine, Maine Tourism, Hospitality Maine, the Maine Aggregate Association, and the Manufacturers Association of Maine. If you are interested in joining this coalition, please contact Linda Caprara at the Maine State Chamber of Commerce by calling (207) 623-4568, ext. 106, or by emailing lcaprara@mainechamber.org. Read the Alert here...
Supplemental budget bill finally passes House and Senate with full conformity on PPP loans, study on FDII Vote secures $100 million for 28,000 businesses across the state Late Thursday night, March 11, the supplemental budget bill was finally passed, and is now on Governor Janet Mills’ desk. Read more...
President's Message: “What a year it has been!” by Dana Connors Friday marked the one-year anniversary of the first confirmed COVID-19 case in Maine. It feels surreal that we’ve been at this for a whole year. To date, the coronavirus has infected more than 46,000 Mainers and claimed the lives of more than 700 of them, as well as the lives of more than 525,000 Americans. Read more...
Public hearings scheduled for two major labor bills Overtime bill and “for cause” termination proposals slated for week of March 22 Two of the most significant labor bills of this session have been scheduled for public hearing before the Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. Both bills would considerably alter the business landscape in Maine by adding significantly to the cost of doing business here and by making the state an outlier to nearly every other state in the country. If either bill or, even worse, both bills pass, the impact on the business environment here would be nothing short of catastrophic. Read the Alert here...
Science, tech work a boon for Mainers By refocusing resources, creating new learning paths and integrating educational systems with private-sector partners, Maine can produce a skilled, resilient STEM workforce If there has been a silver lining in the COVID-19 pandemic, it is the heightened attention paid to science. At the same time, we are reminded of the financial burdens faced by so many who lost jobs and income. If we have learned anything from the events of 2020, it’s that Maine’s workforce must be prepared for the unexpected and adapt when it happens. Read more...
$92.4 million in MEIF investments drive UMaine research to record heights Chancellor Dannel Malloy asks President Ferrini-Mundy to lead unified research effort and updates existing roles in the System Office to prioritize strategic initiatives and data-driven decision-making  Research investments and expenditures at the University of Maine have increased dramatically over the year amidst a strategic pursuit of research activity being promoted by UMaine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy and others at UMaine and the University of Maine System. More than $92.4 million in investments in Maine and its universities are being reported in the FY 2020 draft Maine Economic Improvement Fund Annual Report presented to the University of Maine System Board of Trustees Finance, Facilities and Technology Committee at its March 3 meeting. Read more...
Tapping into spirit of American innovation, collaboration to tackle climate change Climate change is one of our most pressing issues, and we must approach it in a constructive way that takes into account the broader implications on our economy and way of life. Let’s tap into the American spirit of innovation and collaboration, and meet this challenge head on. 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 94 business-related bills have been tracked to date since the session began on January 6, 2021! View the list of Public Hearings for March 15 through March 26... View the complete list of legislation we're watching for you...
Investing in quality childcare critical to Maine’s economy One of the pandemic’s many lessons is that accessible, affordable, high-quality child care is critically important — especially to Maine’s business community. Read more...
U.S. Senator Angus King cosponsors bill to provide restaurants with financial relief from pandemic losses The RESTAURANTS Act would provide support to small businesses reeling from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic n Monday, March 1, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) renewed his support for the Real Economic Support That Acknowledges Unique Restaurant Assistance Needed to Survive (RESTAURANTS) Act. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation, which Senator King first cosponsored when it initially was introduced last summer, establishes a $120 billion revitalization fund to support independent restaurants and small franchisees who are facing immense, long-term challenges as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Read more...
Federal Update: American Rescue Plan aims to bring $6 billion in stimulus funds to Maine On Thursday, March 11, the day before Maine marked the one-year anniversary of its first confirmed COVID-19 case, President Joe Biden signed into law the latest COVID-19 relief package, known as the American Rescue Plan. Various reports indicate Maine will receive approximately $6 billion in aid over two or more years from this sixth round of COVID-19 stimulus, with the bulk of aid coming in the first year. Read more...
The Bottom Line podcast announces March episodes Airing live at 10:00 a.m. on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month, The Bottom Line builds upon the Maine State Chamber’s former cable access television show of the same name. The Bottom Line features a wide variety of guests and presents interviews relevant to public policy priorities both in state and nationally, to economic recovery efforts of the pandemic, and to other significant issues of interest to Maine’s business community. Read more... Don’t miss The Maine Take with Dana Connors Since the February 1 launch of the Maine State Chamber’s weekly public affairs program, The Maine Take with Dana Connors, the livestream program has hosted all four members of Maine’s congressional delegation, Governor Janet Mills, leaders from the University of Maine and Maine’s Community College System, representatives from HospitalityMaine and Maine Restaurant Week, and more. Read more...
Maine’s CTE centers have spent decades training the next generation of our state’s essential workforce How many times have you heard the term “essential worker” over the last year? How many times have you heard about Career and Technical Education (CTE) over the last year? Read more...
Senior Leaders of Tomorrow Development Program trains emerging leaders for future success With the “Senior Leaders of Tomorrow Development Program,” the Maine State Chamber of Commerce is partnering with Sojourn Partners, LLC, to help our members prepare for success in the future by developing their emerging leaders now. In addition to benefitting employers, we also recognize that the Maine State Chamber will benefit from the program because these future leaders of our members will become the future leaders of the Chamber. Read more...
E2Tech Forum explores business opportunities in the transition to electric vehicles and shares perspectives from Maine and Quebec Are we now on the cusp of a massive market transition? Some say that soon, having an electric vehicle (EV) charger outside your business will be as essential as having a website. On Wednesday, March 17, the Environmental & Energy Technology Council of Maine (E2Tech) will host a morning forum entitled Charging Ahead: Business Opportunities in the Transition to EVs. The E2Tech forum will discuss recent developments in EV technology and resulting business opportunities, particularly when taking advantage of the fact that our neighboring Province of Quebec has among the highest rates of EV adoption in the world. Read more...
Workplace Wellness: March is Workplace Eye Wellness Month March is Workplace Eye Health and Safety Month. Each day, more than 2,000 Americans suffer an eye injury. This means that almost one million Americans have experienced some vision loss due to eye injury, which has resulted in more than $300 million in lost work time, medical expenses, and workers’ compensation. Read more...
To learn more or to register, please click on the event image below. 2021 Human Resource Issues Update Thursday, March 18, 2021 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. Held Virtually on Zoom Legislative Strictly Social Coffee Hour Tuesday, March 23, 2021 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. Held Virtually on Zoom Broadband Expansion in Maine: Bring ME Up To Speed Series Webinar 3: New England’s Regional Perspective Sponsored by Mission Broadband Tuesday, April 6, 2021 | 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Held Virtually on Zoom Succession Planning as an Entrepreneurial Exit Thursday, April 8, 2021 11:00 a.m. to Noon Held Virtually on Zoom
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