Legislation of Interest
The Maine State Chamber of Commerce regularly posts legislation of interest to Maine businesses during legislative session. Maine Chamber staff has studied each of these recently printed bills to assess potential impact on business trends. If you have concerns regarding any bill, please communicate those concerns to a member of our advocacy department by calling (207) 623-4568.
A total of 111 business-related bills have been tracked to date
since the session began on January 5, 2022!
since the session began on January 5, 2022!
Bond Issues
LD 218, An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Accelerate Weatherization Efforts in the State. (Rep. Kessler, D-South Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs. The funds provided by this bond issue, in the amount of $40,000,000, are to be used to accelerate weatherization efforts in the State, with the funds directed to Efficiency Maine Trust's Heating Fuels Efficiency and Weatherization Fund.
LD 384, An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Fund the Transition from a Fossil Fuel-based to an Electrical Energy Economy. (Rep. Warren, I-Scarborough) Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs. This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208. This bill would authorize a General Fund bond issue, which would require a 2/3 approval by both Houses of the Legislature, to fund the transition from a fossil fuel-based to an electrical energy economy.
Economic Development
LD 23, An Act To Reinstate and Increase the Income Tax Deduction for Contributions to Education Savings Plans. (Sen. Pouliot, R-Kennebec) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. This bill reinstates and increases the income tax deduction for contributions to so-called Section 529 education savings plans, providing a deduction up to $1,000 per designated beneficiary. A deduction up to $250 was in effect from 2007 to 2015.
LD 1896, An Act To Allow Heating Fuel and Motor Vehicle Fuel Customers To Opt Out of Paper Delivery Tickets. (Sen. Daughtry, D-Cumberland) Joint Standing Committee on Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Commerce. This bill requires vendors of bulk deliveries of liquid fuel sold for heating residential, industrial or commercial space or water or motor vehicle fuel to provide to a purchaser a delivery ticket by e-mail upon the request of the purchaser. It also makes a technical correction to the law governing bulk sales.
LD 1923, An Act To Establish the Maine Space Corporation. (Sen. Mattie Daughtry, D-Cumberland) Joint Standing Committee on Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Commerce. This bill establishes the Maine Space Corporation to leverage the State's geographic, rocketry, manufacturing and higher education assets and capabilities to establish the State as a national and international industry destination and an authority in launching small launch vehicles and small satellites into polar orbit
Education
LD 135, An Act To Address Issues in Funding Prekindergarten Programs. (Rep. Brennan, D-Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208. This bill would direct the Department of Education to develop solutions to the challenges coronavirus disease 2019, also known as COVID-19, has brought to ensuring equitable funding for prekindergarten programs.
D 176, An Act To Facilitate a Grade 9 to 16 School Project. (Rep. Stearns, R-Guilford) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208. This bill proposes to facilitate a grade 9 to 16 school project
LD 255, An Act To Ensure Student Success. (Rep. Millett, D-Cape Elizabeth) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208. This bill would make changes to the law to help ensure the success of students.
LD 380, An Act To Change the Statutory Cap on Virtual Public Charter School Enrollment. (Sen. Pouliot, R-Kennebec) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This bill changes the maximum total enrollment at all virtual public charter schools from 1,000 students to 2% of the total statewide enrollment for the grade levels served by the virtual public charter schools.
LD 429, An Act To Protect the Health of Students and Educators by Requiring the Establishment of Health and Safety Committees in School Administrative Units. Emergency (Rep. McCrea, D-Fort Fairfield) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This bill requires each school administrative unit to establish a health and safety committee to coordinate planning and response to health and safety matters affecting students and staff of the school administrative unit. It requires these committees to prioritize planning and response to health and safety concerns associated with the outbreak of COVID-19 while there is in effect a state of emergency declared by the Governor due to COVID-19. The bill specifies that each committee must include teachers and other school employees, school administrators, school board members and parents of students.
LD 481, An Act To Propose a General Fund Bond Issue To Train Workers in High-demand Sectors and Support the State's 10-year Economic Plan Goal of Increasing Wages by 10 Percent. (Rep. Millett, R-Waterford) Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs. The funds provided by this bond issue, in the amount of $80,000,000, will be used to provide funding to train workers in high-demand sectors and support the State's goal of increasing average annual wages in the State by 10%. The funding would be provided in $20,000,000 increments over 4 years in accordance with programmatic and return-on investment goals that must be met by the Maine Community College System.
LD 680, Resolve, To Reestablish the Task Force To Study the Creation of a Comprehensive Career and Technical Education System. Emergency (Sen. Daughtry, D-Cumberland) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This resolve reestablishes the Task Force To Study the Creation of a Comprehensive Career and Technical Education System.
LD 702, An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Recapitalize the School Revolving Renovation Fund. (Rep. Millett, D-Cape Elizabeth) Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs. The funds provided by this bond issue, in the amount of $30,000,000, will be used to recapitalize the School Revolving Renovation Fund for the purpose of providing funds to public schools for renovation and capital repairs.
LD 761, An Act To Establish the Maine Community College System Pell Grant Match Program. (Rep. Crockett, D-Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This bill establishes the Maine Community College System Pell Grant Match Program and provides that a student is eligible for the program if the student is a resident of the State, is eligible for a Federal Pell Grant and maintains a minimum grade point average. The grant award may not exceed 100% of the amount of funds provided by the Federal Pell Grant that the student receives for the academic year in which the student applies. The availability of the grant and the amount of the grant are subject to the amount available in the established fund, and the Maine Community College System may adopt rules to implement and administer the program and fund.
LD 773, An Act To Assist Public School Students and Families Who Are Homeless. (Rep. Brennan, D-Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. This bill requires that the Maine State Housing Authority give priority for temporary housing assistance to homeless students and their families who are identified and referred to the authority by a local educational agency liaison for children and youth experiencing homelessness under the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Improvements Act of 2001.
LD 812, An Act To Provide Student Loan Debt Relief. (Sen. Daughtry, D-Cumberland) Joint Standing Committee on Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Commerce. This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208. This bill would alleviate the financial burden of student loans.
LD 1095, An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Purchase 4 Nursing Simulators for Use by the University of Maine System and the Maine Community College System. (Sen. Pouliot, R-Kennebec) Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs. The funds provided by this bond issue, in the amount of $3,200,000, will be used to provide funding for the University of Maine System to purchase 4 nursing simulators, to be shared with the Maine Community College System.
LD 1207, An Act To Maintain the Current Level of Education Funding. Emergency (Sen. Rafferty, D-York) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This bill provides that for the 2021-22 fiscal year, if a school administrative unit's student enrollment has declined from the previous allocation year, the commissioner is required to use the pupil count from the previous allocation year for the determination of operating costs.
LD 1329, An Act To Establish the Career Advancement and Navigation Initiative in the Department of Education To Lower Barriers to Career Advancement. (Rep. Talbot Ross, D-Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This bill establishes the Career Advancement and Navigation Initiative within the Department of Education to provide educational and career guidance, support and services to help underemployed and unemployed individuals acquire additional education, skills, licensure or other preparation needed to participate to their fullest potential in the workforce. The bill also requires the Commissioner of Education to submit a report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education and cultural affairs no later than November 4, 2022, regarding the initiative.
LD 1389, An Act To Improve Maritime Education in Maine. (Rep. Cuddy, D-Winterport) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This bill repeals the provision of law that terminates the powers, duties and authority of the Maine School for Marine Science, Technology, Transportation and Engineering 90 days after the adjournment of the Second Regular Session of the 130th Legislature. The bill also provides that the phase-in procedures for schools that are funded in the same way as charter schools are the same as those for charter schools.
LD 1391, An Act To Enhance the Educational Expertise and Knowledge of the Board of Trustees of the University of Maine System. (Rep. Collings, D-Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This bill adds 6 members to the Board of Trustees of the University of Maine System, who must be current or retired public sector educators, are full voting members and may sit on any board of trustees committee. It requires 3 of the 6 members to be elected by members of Associated Faculties of the Universities of Maine labor union and 3 to be elected by members of the Maine Education Association labor union. All 6 of the members must be confirmed by the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education and cultural affairs. It requires the 6 members to serve for 5-year terms, except that, of the initial trustees elected by the Associated Faculties of the Universities of Maine, one member must serve for one year, one member must serve for 3 years and one member must serve for 5 years and, of the initial trustees elected by the Maine Education Association, one member must serve for one year, one member must serve for 3 years and one member must serve for 5 years.
LD 1502, An Act To Clarify Safety Issues in Schools with Respect to Healthrelated States of Emergency. Emergency (Rep. Gramlich, D-Old Orchard Beach) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This bill requires school superintendents, during a health-related state of emergency, to comply with any health-related executive orders and proclamations made by the Governor and any directives and guidance issued by the director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention within the Department of Health and Human Services and, while the state of emergency is in effect, send a monthly report, copied to the school board, on all the steps the school administrative unit is taking to comply with any health-related executive order, proclamation, directive or guidance.
LD 1652, An Act To Build a Child Care System by Recruiting and Retaining Maine's Early Childhood Educators Workforce. (House Speaker Fecteau, D-Biddeford) Joint Standing Committee on Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Commerce. This bill requires the Commissioner of Health and Human Services, the Commissioner of Education and the Commissioner of Labor jointly to develop and implement an early childhood educators workforce support program to recruit and retain early childhood educators working with children up to 5 years of age. Components of the program include: 1. Expansion of educational programs at career and technical education centers and financial support of those programs; 2. Comprehensive scholarships for persons taking classes toward the attainment of an early childhood education credential or an associate, bachelor's or master's degree that allow the persons to graduate without student debt as long as the persons agree to work for a year with an approved employer; 3. An increased number of apprenticeships; 4. Salary supplements awarded to individuals who provide child care or who are early childhood educators. The amount of the supplement is based on the level of education and experience of the individual and other factors; 5. Articulation agreements between local adult education providers of school administrative units, apprenticeship sponsors, career and technical education programs, the Maine Community College System and the University of Maine System for the transfer of credits for course work related to early childhood education and to facilitate enrollment in courses that lead to the issuance of a postsecondary degree by a degree-granting institution; and 6. Collaboration between local adult education providers of school administrative units, apprenticeship sponsors, career and technical education programs, the Maine Community College System and the University of Maine System to provide support for individuals, including immigrants and other populations lacking experience in Maine's workforce, who require foundational skills development to enter and succeed in early childhood education courses, including but not limited to English as a second language, literacy, numeracy and employability skills. The bill also requires a biennial report to be made by the commissioners to the Legislature including a review of the adequacy of the pathways to early childhood education careers and an evaluation of how the improved collection of workforce and child care data and coordinated, dedicated funding are supporting the ongoing development of an early child care and education system.
LD 1678, An Act To Support Child Care Providers and School Readiness through Tax Credits. (Rep. Millett, D-Cape Elizabeth) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. This bill does the following for quality child care services, beginning in 2022. 1. It provides a refundable tax credit of $1,000 to $2,000 per eligible child to child care providers that provide services to children whose parents are participating in the child care subsidy program operated by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child and Family Services or foster children in the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services. The amount of the credit is based on the quality of the child care provider as determined pursuant to a quality rating and improvement system based on standards for center-based child care programs developed by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child and Family Services. 2. It provides a refundable tax credit of $1,000 to $5,000 to administrators, educators and other professional support staff of child care providers that provide services to children whose parents are participating in the child care subsidy program operated by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child and Family Services or foster children in the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services. The amount of the credit is based on individual qualification score lattices developed and established for administrators, management, owners and coordinators and educators and other support staff of child care facilities through a collaborative partnership between the Cutler Institute of Health and Social Policy at the University of Southern Maine, the University of Maine Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies and the Department of Psychology at the University of Maine. 3. It amends the current income tax credit for child care expenses to allow a taxpayer to obtain a credit of between 50% and 200% of the federal tax credit, depending on the quality rating of the child care site providing child care services for the child of the taxpayer. Current law allows up to 50% of the federal tax credit if the child care expenses are incurred through the use of quality child care services. 4. It provides a tax credit of a percentage of expenses paid by an employer to provide child care and education services to the children of its employees, either on site, at a facility licensed or registered with the Department of Health and Human Services or through child care resource and referral services or vouchers for the purpose of paying for child care and education services. The percentage of expenses that may be taken by the employer is determined by the quality rating of the child care facility. 5. It indexes for inflation the dollar amounts of the tax credits beginning annually in 2023. 6. It requires the Office of Child and Family Services to notify the State Tax Assessor immediately of any changes to the grading and scoring systems used to determine child care-related tax credits and requires the office, after consultation with the assessor, to submit a report and suggested legislation to implement the changes to the grading and scoring systems. 7. It requires the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability, beginning in 2025, to review the tax credits provided by this legislation to determine whether the specific public policy objectives and economic benefit of the credits outweigh the loss of revenue to the State and annually report its findings to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over taxation matters.
LD 1789, An Act To Modernize Funding of Publicly Funded Tuition Students Attending Career and Technical Education Programs. (Sen. Chloe Maxmin, D-Lincoln) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. Under current law, a school that receives publicly funded tuition students who are enrolled in regular school day career and technical education programs at career and technical education centers, satellites or regions may charge a tuition rate of only up to 2/3 of the maximum tuition rate. This bill removes this limitation on schools approved for tuition purposes. This bill then directs each school approved for tuition purposes to enter into an agreement for the purpose of determining that school's per-pupil contribution toward the costs of the career and technical education center or region serving that school.
LD 1807, An Act To Expand Nursing Education Programs. (Sen. Mattie Daughtry, D-Cumberland) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This bill provides ongoing funds to the Maine Community College System to expand nursing education programs.
LD 1816, An Act To Promote Labor Education through the University of Maine System. (Speaker Ryan Fecteau, D-Biddeford) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This bill directs the University of Maine System to establish a labor and community education center at the University of Southern Maine focused on providing lifelong community-based labor education, research and outreach. The bill provides ongoing funds to establish the center. The bill also provides additional ongoing funds to the Bureau of Labor Education at the University of Maine.
LD 1880, An Act To Provide Textbook Cost Assistance for High School Students Enrolled in Early College Courses. (Rep. Maggie O'Neil, D-Saco) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This bill establishes the Textbook Cost Assistance Fund in the Department of Education to be used by the department to provide textbook cost assistance to secondary students enrolled in postsecondary courses.
Environmental
LD 49, An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Invest in Infrastructure To Address Sea Level Rise. (Rep. Brennan, D-Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs. The funds provided by this bond issue, in the amount of $50,000,000, will be used to improve waterfront and coastal infrastructure in municipalities to address sea level rise.
LD 259, An Act To Improve Solid Waste Management. (Rep. McDonald, D-Stonington) Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208. This bill proposes to enact measures to improve solid waste management.
LD 676, An Act To Reclassify Part of the Androscoggin River to Class B. (Sen. Ned Claxton, D-Androscoggin) Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. This bill reclassifies from Class C to Class B the lower section of the Androscoggin River from Gulf Island Dam to a line formed by the extension of the Bath-Brunswick boundary across Merrymeeting Bay in a northwesterly direction.
LD 890, An Act To Protect Maine Consumers and Decrease Environmental Pollution. (Rep. Warren, I-Scarborough) Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. This bill proposes to enact measures to protect Maine consumers by removing incentives that lead to an increase in carbon emissions.
LD 1429, An Act To Achieve Carbon Neutrality in Maine by the Year 2045. (Rep. Ralph Tucker, D-Brunswick) Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. This amendment changes the title of and replaces the bill. It amends the State’s greenhouse gas emissions reductions law to provide that, by January 1, 2045, the net annual greenhouse gas emissions level in the State shall not exceed zero metric tons.
LD 1532, An Act To Protect Maine's Air Quality by StrengtheningRequiremens for Air Emissions Licensing. (Rep. Morales, D-South Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. This bill will rewrite the air emissions licensing system to renew license every 2 years instead of 10 and require a public forum for every resident within 5 miles of emissions site.
LD 1639, An Act To Protect the Health and Welfare of Maine Communitiesand Reduce Harmful Solid Waste. (Sen. Carney, D-Cumberland) Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. This bill amends the definition of "waste generated within the State" to limit the amount of the residue that may be disposed of by an incineration, recycling and processing facility at a solid waste landfill in the State to the weight of the solid waste initially generated in the State by that facility during its annual reporting period. The bill eliminates the provisions of the law regarding recycling and source reduction requirements for solid waste processing facilities that were in operation during calendar year 2018 and that accept exclusively construction and demolition debris. It adds environmental justice to the public benefit determination standards for solid waste disposal facilities.
LD 1801, An Act To Modify Exemptions for Certain Storm Water Discharges to Class AA and SA Waters. (Rep. Zeigler, D-Montville) Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. This bill amends the law governing exemptions for storm water discharges to Class AA and Class SA waters and provides that certain segments of waters classified as Class AA and Class SA are not designated as outstanding national resources.
LD 1809, An Act To Allow Exceptions to the Height Limitations under the Shoreland Zoning Laws. (Sen. Brenner, D-Cumberland) Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. This bill amends how the height of a new or existing principal or accessory structure, including a legally existing nonconforming structure, located in the shoreland zone is measured when the structure is also located in an area of special flood hazard and there is a minimum elevation required for structures by a local floodplain management ordinance.This bill specifically allows for an exception to shoreland zoning height requirements for legally existing nonconforming structures located in an area of special flood hazard in order to be consistent with a local floodplain management elevation requirement.
LD 1875, An Act To Address Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroakyl Substances Pollution from State-owned Solid Waste Disposal Facilities. (Rep. Zeigler, D-Montville) Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. This bill provides that a solid waste disposal facility owned by the State may not be licensed or otherwise authorized to transfer leachate from the solid waste disposal facility to a wastewater treatment plant unless prior to the transfer the leachate is treated to reduce the concentration of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances or the facility receiving the leachate employs technology to reduce the concentration of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. It requires the Department of Environmental Protection to adopt rules to implement the prohibition.
LD 1875, An Act To Address Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Pollution from State-owned Solid Waste Disposal Facilities. (Rep. Zeigler, D-Montville) Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. This bill provides that a solid waste disposal facility owned by the State may not be licensed or otherwise authorized to transfer leachate from the solid waste disposal facility to a wastewater treatment plant unless prior to the transfer the leachate is treated to reduce the concentration of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances or the facility receiving the leachate employs technology to reduce the concentration of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. It requires the Department of Environmental Protection to adopt rules to implement the prohibition.
LD 1911, An Act To Prohibit the Contamination of Clean Soils with So-called Forever Chemicals. (Rep. Pluecker, I-Warren) Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. This bill prohibits the land application or distribution of sludge or sludge-derived compost unless it is tested for all perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances that may reasonably be quantified by a laboratory and the screening level for a perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substance that is in the sludge or sludge-derived compost and for which the Department of Environmental Protection has established a screening level for beneficial use in rule does not exceed the screening level for beneficial use established by the department.
LD 1964, An Act To Update Certain Water Quality Standards and To Reclassify Certain Waters of the State. (Sen. Stacey Brenner, D-Cumberland) Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. This bill, which is reported out by the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources pursuant to Joint Rule 353, implements recommendations of the Board of Environmental Protection resulting from its review of the State’s water quality classification system and related water quality standards pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 38, section 464, subsection 3, paragraph B. As recommended by the board, the bill includes specific updates to certain water quality standards and water quality classifications based on water quality data and the recommendations of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Environmental Protection and other parties.
LD 1979, An Act To Sustain Good-paying Jobs in the Forest Products Industry by Ensuring Consistency between Comprehensive River Resource Management Plans and State Water Quality Standards. (Sen. Troy Jackson, D-Aroostook) Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. This bill requires that a comprehensive river resource management plan for a watershed with a hydropower project give consideration to existing uses. The bill also classifies a comprehensive river resource management plan as a major substantive rule subject to the review of the Legislature.
Health Care
LD 441, An Act To Expand Adult Dental Health Insurance Coverage. (Rep. Brooks, D-Lewiston) Joint Standing Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services. A mandate, the bill requires health insurance carriers to provide coverage for comprehensive dental services. The bill would apply to policies and contracts issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2022.
Part B of the bill requires the Maine Health Data Organization to develop and maintain a database of dentists providing dental care to MaineCare members, including children, and to post that information on a publicly accessible website.
LD 1463, An Act To Make Health Care Coverage More Affordable for Working Families and Small Businesses. (Rep. Tepler, D-Topsham) Joint Standing Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services. This bill:
1. Establishes the Maine Health Care Affordability Fund to fund activities and initiatives to reduce the cost of health insurance coverage for Maine residents;
2. Requires the Commissioner of Health and Human Services to adopt rules for the administration of the Maine Health Care Affordability Fund and for the disbursement of funds from the fund to assist Maine residents with the cost of health care coverage;
3. Establishes the health care affordability assessment to provide funding to the Maine Health Care Affordability Fund and requires the Superintendent of Insurance within the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation to adopt rules for the administration and enforcement of the health care affordability assessment;
4. Requires state agencies to provide technical assistance to the commissioner and the superintendent for the administration of the Maine Health Care Affordability Fund or the health care affordability assessment upon request;
5. Establishes the Affordable Health Care Advisory Group, which consists of the commissioner, the superintendent and 11 additional members appointed by the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Governor, to consult on the development of rules to implement and administer the Maine Health Care Affordability Fund and the health care affordability assessment; and
6. Requires the commissioner to submit an annual report to the Governor and the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health insurance matters describing activities and initiatives funded by the Maine Health Care Affordability Fund to increase the affordability of health insurance for Maine residents and summarizing the findings and recommendations of the Affordable Health Care Advisory Group by February 1st. The commissioner is also required to make the report publicly available online.
LD 1539, An Act To Provide Access to Fertility Care. (Rep. Madigan, D-Waterville) Joint Standing Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services. A mandate, this bill requires carriers offering health plans in this State to provide coverage for fertility diagnostic care, for fertility treatment if the enrollee is a fertility patient and for fertility preservation services. The requirements of the bill apply to health plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2023.
LD 1822, An Act To Improve Access to Behavioral Health Services by Prohibiting Cost Sharing by Insurers. (Rep. Morales, D-South Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services. This bill prohibits insurance carriers offering a health plan that provides or covers any benefits with respect to behavioral health services from applying a copayment, deductible, coinsurance or other cost-sharing requirement to those behavioral health services.
Insurance
LD 1823, An Act To Amend the Enforcement Provisions of the Law Governing Earned Paid Leave. (Rep. Millett, D-Cape Elizabeth) Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. This bill provides that if an employee is covered by a collective bargaining agreement, a dispute over the applicability or enforcement of the earned paid leave law is subject to the dispute resolution process in that collective bargaining agreement, with the remedies in the law governing family medical leave available to the employee if the employee demonstrates an employer violation.
Judiciary
LD 1786, An Act To Maintain Consistency among Maine's Nondiscrimination Statutes. (Sen. Carney, D Cumberland) Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary. This bill makes the nondiscrimination provisions throughout the statutes consistent to prohibit discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry or national origin, age or familial status.
LD 1804, An Act To Provide Consistency in the Laws Regarding Domestic Partners. (Rep. Roberts, D-South Berwick) Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary. This bill provides consistency throughout the Maine Revised Statutes by enacting as a subsection in the general words and phrases statute that applies to all of the Maine Revised Statutes the definition of "domestic partner" included in the Maine Uniform Probate Code. The bill repeals all other definitions of "domestic partner." It also removes limitations on effect in the laws governing representation of a limited liability company in an eviction action without an attorney, the Maine Uniform Power of Attorney Act, the Revised Uniform Anatomical Gift Act and the laws governing disposition of dead bodies to only those domestic partners who are registered.
Labor
LD 177, An Act To Improve Labor Laws for Workers in Maine. (Rep. Cuddy, D-Winterport) Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. A concept draft, this bill proposes to improve labor laws for workers in Maine
LD 225, An Act Regarding the Treatment of Vacation Time upon the Cessation of Employment. (Rep. Roeder, D-Bangor) Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. This bill amends the law governing the provision of vacation pay on cessation of employment. Under current law, on cessation of employment, if the terms of employment or established practice includes provisions for paid vacations, vacation pay has the same status as wages earned. This bill provides that on cessation of employment all accrued vacation pay must be paid to the employee.
LD 460, An Act To Amend Certain Employment Laws To Help Front-line and Other Workers. (Rep. Sylvester, D-Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. A concept draft, this bill would amend certain employment laws to help front-line and other workers.
LD 464, An Act To Change Certain Labor Laws. (Rep. Sylvester, D-Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. A concept draft, this bill proposes to change certain labor laws to help the people of this State in organizing a labor union and negotiating a fair contract.
LD 607, An Act To Restore Overtime Protections for Maine Workers. (Rep. Talbot Ross, D-Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. This bill annually raises the minimum salary that an employee who works in an executive, administrative or professional capacity must earn in order for that employee to be exempt from the laws governing the minimum wage and overtime pay until it is $55,224 on January 1, 2024. The bill provides for an annual adjustment, beginning January 1, 2025, based on the percentage annual increase in certain earnings as published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
LD 616, An Act To Increase Accountability for Wage Violations. (Rep. Collings, D-Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. This bill amends the law regarding employment practices by increasing the fine for a violation of certain state wage and benefits laws to $500 for the first violation and at least $500 but not more than $2,500 for each subsequent violation. It amends the law regarding employees' remedies to provide that in a judgment for an employee an additional amount of twice the unpaid wages must be awarded the employee.
LD 734, An Act To Set a Minimum Wage for School Support Staff. (Rep. Collings, D-Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. This bill establishes a minimum hourly wage of $16 per hour for school support staff for school years beginning after June 30, 2022. The bill requires the State on a one-time basis, for the school year beginning after June 30, 2022, to provide funds to school administrative units to make up the difference between what a school administrative unit currently pays school support staff and what the unit is required to pay under the minimum wage requirement.
LD 965, An Act Concerning Nondisclosure Agreements in Employment. (Rep. Harnett, D-Gardiner) Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. This bill prohibits an employer from requiring an employee, intern or applicant for employment to enter into a contract or agreement that waives or limits any right to report or discuss discrimination, retaliation or harassment occurring in the workplace or at work related events. It also prohibits an employer from requiring an employee, intern or applicant for employment to enter into a settlement, separation or severance agreement that limits an individual's right to report, testify or provide evidence to a federal or state agency that enforces employment or discrimination laws, prevents an individual from testifying or providing evidence in federal and state court proceedings in response to legal process or prohibits an individual from reporting conduct to a law enforcement agency. This bill allows a settlement, separation or severance agreement, under certain circumstances, to include a provision that prevents the subsequent disclosure of factual information relating to a claim of discrimination, retaliation or harassment. It provides the Department of Labor with the duty to enforce these provisions and allows an individual to receive liquidated damages or to be employed or reinstated with back wages when an employer discharges or refuses to hire an individual who declines to enter into a contract or agreement that waives or limits any right to report or discuss discrimination, retaliation or harassment occurring in the workplace or at work-related events.
LD 1338, An Act To Protect Employees' Exercise of Workplace Rights. (Rep. Millett, D-Cape Elizabeth) Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. This bill repeals the sections of law concerning prohibited acts and judicial enforcement under the laws governing family medical leave employment practices in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 26, chapter 7 and enacts similar provisions that apply to all laws in the same chapter governing employment practices.
LD 1816, An Act To Promote Labor Education through the University of Maine System. (Speaker Fecteau, D-Biddeford) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This bill directs the University of Maine System to establish a labor and community education center at the University of Southern Maine focused on providing lifelong community-based labor education, research and outreach. The bill provides ongoing funds to establish the center. The bill also provides additional ongoing funds to the Bureau of Labor Education at the University of Maine.
LD 1889, An Act To Amend the Whistleblowers' Protection Act To Ensure Coverage in Unionized Workplaces. (Rep. Harnett, D-Gardiner) Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. This bill changes the Whistleblowers' Protection Act in order to clarify its scope. The bill repeals a section of the Whistleblowers' Protection Act that was interpreted by the Maine Supreme Judicial Court in Nadeau v. Twin Rivers Paper Company, LLC, 2021 ME 16, 247 A.3d 717 as a bar to enforcement of the Act in many cases in which a collective bargaining agreement is in place.
LD 1952, Resolve, to Extend the Commission to Develop a Paid Family and Medical Leave Benefits Program. (Sen. Daughtry, D-Cumberland) Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. Resolve 2021, chapter 122 established the Commission To Develop a Paid Family and Medical Leave Benefits Program and requires the commission to submit a report no later than February 1, 2022. This resolve extends the date for the commission to submit its report to November 2, 2022. This resolve also provides that funds appropriated or allocated pursuant to Resolve 2021, chapter 122 do not lapse but must be carried forward into the next fiscal year to be used for the purpose for which the funds were provided.
Taxation
LD 42, An Act Making Certain Supplemental Appropriations and Allocations and Changes Certain Provisions of Law Necessary to the Proper Operations of State Government. (Rep. Pierce, D-Falmouth) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill is the Supplemental Budget bill for FY 2021. The bill as amended by the change package does not fully conform with the federal government on certain provisions such as the treatment of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, the Federal Derived Intanguible Income Provision, the treatment of net operating losses and other business provisions.
LD 169, An Act to Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue to Stimulate Investment in Innovation by Maine Businesses to Produce Nationally and Globally Competitive Products and Services. (Sen. Luchini, D-Hancock) Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs. The bill would provide for a $100,000,000 bond issue to be used for investments in research and development and commercialization in the State's 7 targeted sectors used for infrastructure, equipment and technology upgrades that enable organizations to gain and hold market share and to expand employment or preserve jobs.
LD 241, An Act to Support the Trades Through a Tax Credit for Apprenticeship Programs. (Sen. Curry, D-Waldo) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill would allow an employer to qualifuy for up to a $2500 income tax credit for employing an apprentice participating in an approved apprenticeship program up to 2,000 hours. The bill also provides for a partial credit if the amount of time was less than 2,000 hours.
LD 276, An Act to Improve and Update Maine's Tax Laws. (Rep. Berry, D-Bowdoinham) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill is a concept draft.
LD 304, An Act to Make Supplemental Appropriations and Allocations and Changing Certain Provisions of the Law Necessary to the Proper Operation of State Government. (Sen. Breen, D-Cumberland) Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs. The bill is a concept draft.
LD 308, An Act to Promote Research and Development in the State by Increasing and Marketing the Research Expense Tax Credit. (Sen. Stewart, R-Aroostook) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill increases the research and expense tax credit by doubling the allowable expenditures eligible for the credit.
LD 392, An Act to Amend the Tax Laws. (Rep. Terry, D-Gorham) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill is a concept draft.
LD 428, An Act to Prevent Tax Haven Abuse. (Rep. Tepler, D-Topsham) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill would require corporations to file unitary income tax returns in Maine to include income from certain jurisdictions outside the United States in net income when appportioning income among tax jurisdictions.
LD 484, An Act to Change Maine's Tax Laws. (Sen. Chipman, D-Cumberland) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill is a concept draft.
LD 730, An Act to Protect Economic Competitivenss in Maine by Extending the End Date for Pine Tree Development Zone Benefits. (Sen. Daughtry, D-Cumberland) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill extends the Pine Tree Development Zones Program by three years to 2024. The program is scheduled to sunset December of 2021.
LD 798, An Act to improve the Educational Opportunity Tax Credit. (Sen. Pouliot, R-Kennebec) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill would have created a simplified tax credit for tax years beginning or after January 1, 2022.
LD 966, Resolve, Establishing the Commission To Study Fair, Equitable and Competitive Tax Policy for Maine's Working Families and Small Businesses. Emergency (Rep. Tepler, D-Topsham) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. This resolve establishes the Commission To Study Fair, Equitable and Competitive Tax Policy for Maine's Working Families and Small Businesses and directs the commission, no later than November 4, 2021, to submit a report, including suggested legislation, for presentation to the Second Regular Session of the 130th Legislature.
LD 1129, An Act Relating to the Valuation of Retail Sales Facilities. (Rep. Matlack, D-St. George) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill would provide that in establishing the just value of retail sales facilities consideration must be given to the 3 recognized approaches to valuation of Commercial property and that the assessor must consider the value of reasonably similary properties.
LD 1156, An Act to Reduce Errors in Employment Tax Increment Financing. (Rep. Arata, R-New Gloucester) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill would amend the Employment Tax Increment Financing Program to calculate the benefit based on gross wages of employees rather than on income tax withholdong.
LD 1289, An Act to Cut Property Taxes for Maine Residential Homeowners. (Rep. Perry, D-Bangor) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill would increase the top individual income tax rate from 7.15% to 7.95% and would use the money to increase the homestead exemption.
LD 1289, An Act to Cut Property Taxes for Maine Residential Homowners. (Rep. Perry, D-Bangor) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill would create a new top income tax rate from 7.15% to 7.95% for incomes over $300,000 for single or married filing separately, $450,000 for individuals filing as heads of households and $600,000 for individuals married filing jointly. The bill would use the revenue to increase the homestead property tax exemption from $25,000 in 2021, $35,000 in 2022 and $45,000 in 2023 and $55,000 in 2024.
LD 1337, An Act to Increase Affordable Housing and Reduce Property Taxes Through an Impact Fee pn Vacant Residences. (Rep. Kessler, D-South Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill would impose a vacancy impact fee of .5% of the equalized assessed value on residential property that is vacant. To be exempt from the fee, the owner must demostrate among other things, the property is uninhabitable for at least three months per year.
LD 1569, An Act Regarding an Excise Tax on Water Extracted for Commecial Bottling. \ (Rep. Gramlich, D-Old Orchard Beach) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill would create an excise tax of 5cents per gallon on the extraction of groundwater or surface water for commercial bottling for sale.
LD 1569, An Act Regarding an Excise Tax on Water Extracted for Commercial Bottlling Use. (Rep. Gramlich, D-Old Orchard Beach) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill would impose a 5 cent per gallon tax on ground water extracted for commercial bottling use.
LD 1704, An Act to Change the Exclusion Amount Under the Estate Taxand Provide Additional Funding for the Housing Opportunities for Maine Fund. (Rep. Talbot Ross, D-Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill would lower the exclusion amount under Maine's estate tax from $5.6 to $1 million.
LD 1737, An Act to Make Technical Changes to the Tax Laws. (Rep. Terry, D-Gorham) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill proposes several changes to Maine tax laws. First it repeals the provision which allows Maine Revenue Services to divulge certain taxpyare information which includes federal tax information to the Treasurer of State. The bill also reduces the mandatory number of assessor certification exmas MRS is required to hold from 4 to 2 per year; clarifies the amount of tax that must be paid when a taxpayer appeals a denial of abatement and makes other technical changes.
LD 1763, An Act to Update References to the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986 Contained in the Maine Revenue Statutes. (Rep. Terry, D-Gorham) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill updates references to the US Internal Revenue Code of 1986 contained in the Miane Revised Statutes Title 36 to refer to the US Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended through December 31, 2021, for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2021 and for any prior tax year as specifically provided by the US Internal Revenue Services Code of 1986, as amended.
Utilities and Energy
LD 80, An Act To Provide Critical Communications for Family Farms, Businesses and Residences by Strategic Public Investment in High-speed Internet and Broadband Infrastructure. (Rep. McCrea, D-Fort Fairfield) Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. This bill requires that 33% of sales and use tax revenue collected by the State Tax Assessor from marketplace facilitators, with respect to marketplace-facilitated sales, after required transfers to other funds be transferred to the ConnectMaine Authority to further deployment of high-speed Internet and broadband infrastructure to unserved and underserved areas of the State.
LD 82, Resolve, To Provide for Participation of the State in the Planning and Negotiations for the Atlantic Loop Energy Project. Emergency (Rep. Kessler, D-South Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. This resolve provides for the immediate, direct involvement of the State in the planning and negotiations on the Atlantic Loop, a Canadian electric transmission and power supply project intended to pass through the State, enabling possible participation in it on an equal footing with the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Quebec.
LD 201, An Act To Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Promote Weatherization in the Buildings Sector by Extending the Sunset Date for the Historic Property Rehabilitation Tax Credit. (Sen. Libby, D-Androscoggin) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. This bill amends the definition of "certified qualified rehabilitation expenditure" under the law governing the tax credit for rehabilitation of historic properties to extend from December 31, 2025 to December 31, 2040 the date by which the United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service must determine a proposed rehabilitation of a structure meets its standards for rehabilitation in order for a taxpayer to claim an income tax credit for a qualified rehabilitation expenditure.
LD 337, An Act Regarding Energy, Utilities and Technology. (Sen. Lawrence, D-York) Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208. This bill proposes to amend the laws governing energy, utilities and technology.
LD 383, An Act Concerning Small Wireless Facilities in Maine. (Rep. Sophie Warren, D-Scarbrough) Joint Standing Committee on State and Local Government. This bill clarifies the ability for municipal governments to determine reasonable oversight and safe installation procedures for small wireless facilities in Maine.
LD 551, An Act To Accelerate Weatherization Efforts in the State. (Rep. Kessler, D-South Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. This bill allows Efficiency Maine Trust funds for conservation programs that help reduce energy costs for electricity consumers to be used toward weatherization efforts to achieve the weatherization of 17,500 homes and businesses by 2025 and 35,000 homes and businesses by 2030, including at least 1,000 units of housing for low-income individuals or households per year. It also defines the term "low-income" in the laws governing the trust.
LD 634, An Act To Cap the Value of Contracts for Renewable Resources and Distributed Generation Resources,. (Sen. Stewart, R-Aroostook) Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. This bill caps contracts entered into under the renewable portfolio standard procurement laws and the distributed generation procurement laws to reasonable costs associated with making a resource or project commercially operable, plus $100,000. It directs the Public Utilities Commission to adopt routine technical rules to develop the method the commission will use to determine the contract limitations imposed by this cap for each contract.
LD 856, An Act To Balance Renewable Energy Development with Natural and Working Lands Conservation. (Rep. Berry, D-Bowdoinham) Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. This bill would balance renewable energy development with the conservation of natural and working lands.
LD 1079, Resolve, To Review the Effects of the Deregulation of Maine Utilities. (Sen. Stewart, R-Aroostook) Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. This resolve requires the Public Utilities Commission to establish a commission to review the effects of policies enacted in the State relating to the deregulation and restructuring of the State's electric industry. The commission must report that commission's findings to the Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology no later than December 1, 2021, and the committee may report out legislation on the subject matter of the report to the Second Regular Session of the 130th Legislature.
LD 1094, An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Reduce Homeowner and Municipal Energy Bills through Increased Efficiency and Weatherization Projects. (Sen. Pouliot, R-Kennebec) Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs. The funds provided by this bond issue, in the amount of $20,000,000, will be administered by the Efficiency Maine Trust and used to reduce energy costs for senior citizens, low-income residents, municipalities and schools through investments in weatherization and energy efficiency.
LD 1107, An Act To Create Needed Broadband Infrastructure in Rural Maine through the Establishment of a Satellite-based Broadband Grant Program. (Sen. Stewart, R-Aroostook) Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. This bill establishes a satellite-based broadband grant program, to be developed and administered by the Public Utilities Commission, to provide grants of up to $500 to individuals for installation costs and other advance costs associated with the initial acquisition of broadband access from a satellite-based broadband provider. Under the program, grant priority is to be given to applicants from unserved or underserved areas of the State. This grant program is capitalized under the bill through a one-time General Fund appropriation of $1,000,000.
LD 1350, An Act To Expand Maine's Clean Energy Economy. (Sen. Eloise Vitelli, D-Sagadahoc) Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. This bill amends the State's renewable portfolio standard procurement law to authorize 2 additional competitive solicitations by the Public Utilities Commission for contracts with Class IA resources to procure, in total, an amount of energy or renewable energy credits equal to 15% of retail electricity sales in the State during calendar year 2019. It requires 100% of the energy or renewable energy credits contracted following those additional competitive solicitations to come from Class IA resources that begin commercial operations after June 30, 2021.
LD 1634, An Act To Create the Maine Generation Authority. (Rep. Nicole Grohoski, D-Ellsworth) Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. This bill establishes the Maine Generation Authority as an instrumentality of the State that is authorized to issue revenue bonds for the purpose of facilitating the financing and ownership of energy generation projects and energy storage systems located in the State. It is modeled after the Maine Turnpike Authority. It requires energy generation projects to be in the State or in federal waters and to generate electricity using renewable fuels or sources of energy, including, but not limited to solar, wind, water, wave, tidal and biomass that produce zero greenhouse gas emission.
LD 1894, An Act To Support Municipal Broadband Infrastructure through Incentives and Competition. (Sen. Eloise Vitelli, D-Sagadahoc) Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. This bill establishes the Internet Access Expansion Investment Fund to expand and improve Internet access in this State. The fund must give priority to projects that assist state or local ownership of broadband infrastructure, with at least 50% of funded projects annually meeting this criterion. The bill allows an electric cooperative or utility, including a municipal utility, to own, lease, construct, maintain and operate broadband or other Internet access systems on the electric cooperative's or utility's electric or other utility delivery system and to provide broadband or other Internet access services to the public on the electric cooperative's or utility's electric or other utility delivery system.
LD 1894, An Act To Support Municipal Broadband Infrastructure through Incentives and Competition. (Sen. Eloise Vitelli, D-Sagadahoc) Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. This bill establishes the Internet Access Expansion Investment Fund to expand and improve Internet access in this State. The fund must give priority to projects that assist state or local ownership of broadband infrastructure, with at least 50% of funded projects annually meeting this criterion. The bill allows an electric cooperative or utility, including a municipal utility, to own, lease, construct, maintain and operate broadband or other Internet access systems on the electric cooperative's or utility's electric or other utility delivery system and to provide broadband or other Internet access services to the public on the electric cooperative's or utility's electric or other utility delivery system.
LD 1913, An Act To Review Strategies for Improving Utility Rate Affordability and To Provide Utility Relief. (Sen. Eloise Vitelli, D-Sagahadoc) Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. This bill directs the Public Advocate to convene a stakeholder group to consider matters related to electricity affordability and submit a report to the Legislature. The bill authorizes the Public Advocate to convene the stakeholder group on those matters in the future. The bill also directs the Public Utilities Commission to create an electric utility relief program for low-income persons and directs the commission in cooperation with the Efficiency Maine Trust to provide education and outreach on utility relief programs.
LD 1945, An Act To Regulate the Use of Biometric Identifiers. (Rep. Maggie O'Neil, D-Saco) Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary. This bill provides for an individual's privacy regarding the collection and use of biometric identifiers of the individual and personal information connected to the biometric identifiers.
LD 1949, An Act To Amend the Caribou Utilities District Charter To Include Broadband Services. (Sen. Troy Jacckson, D-Aroostook) Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. This bill allows the Caribou Utilities District to provide broadband services to residents, businesses, nonprofit organizations and government entities within the district and provides for municipalities other than Caribou the opportunity to be admitted for broadband services membership with the district
LD 1959, Act To Ensure Transmission and Distribution Utility Accountability. (GOV'S BILL) Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. The purpose of this bill is to create greater accountability of transmission and distribution utilities to their ratepayers in order to ensure that the utilities are fulfilling their duties to provide safe, reasonable and adequate service at just and reasonable rates.
LD 1969, An Act Concerning Equity in Renewable Energy Projects and Workforce Development. (Rep. Scott Cuddy, D-Winterport) Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. It provides that if after January 1, 2023 the Public Utilities Commission engages in additional procurement of energy or renewable energy credits pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35-A, section 3210-G, the commission, in determining benefits to the State's economy, is required to consider whether the Class IA resource has secured a project labor agreement with a labor organization to supply construction workers in all crafts needed for the assisted project where the assisted project is located.
Workers' Compensation
LD 1881, An Act To Clarify the Laws Related to the Use of Medical Marijuana and Workers' Compensation. (Rep. Dillingham, R-Oxford) Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. This bill provides that:
1. A decision, lump-sum settlement or agreement under the Maine Workers' Compensation Act of 1992 may not prohibit an employee from engaging in conduct as a qualifying patient pursuant to the Maine Medical Use of Marijuana Act;
2. The Maine Medical Use of Marijuana Act may not be construed to require an insurance company providing workers' compensation insurance to reimburse a qualifying patient for costs associated with the medical use of marijuana; and
3. The Workers' Compensation Board must exclude evidence of an employee engaging in conduct as a qualifying patient authorized by the Maine Medical Use of Marijuana Act in any proceedings before the board.
Workforce Development
LD 144, An Act To Fund Capital Improvements to Career and Technical Education Centers and Regions To Bolster Maine's Future Workforce. (House Speaker Fecteau, D-Biddeford) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This bill authorizes the issuance and use of up to $20,000,000 in Maine Governmental Facilities Authority securities for capital improvements to career and technical education centers and regions.
LD 298, An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Fund Capital Improvements and Equipment for Career and Technical Education Centers and Regions To Prepare Students To Join Maine's Workforce. (House Speaker Fecteau, D-Biddeford) Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs. The funds provided by this bond issue, in the amount of $40,000,000, will be used to provide funds to make capital improvements to and purchase equipment for career and technical education centers and regions for high school students.
LD 492, An Act To Create a Regional Grant Program To Help Rural Businesses Find Qualified Staff. (Rep. Bernard, R-Caribou) Joint Standing Committee on Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Commerce. This bill creates a grant program and related fund for the purpose of aiding entities in hiring a workforce recruiter. The purpose of the position is to advertise and promote jobs in rural Maine and to locate qualified staff to fill open positions. Funds for the program are provided by a one-time appropriation from the General Fund of $1,000,000.
LD 898, An Act To Provide Incentives to Unemployed Workers To Become Part of the Caregiver Workforce. Emergency (Rep. Fay, D-Raymond) Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208. This emergency bill proposes to provide incentives and assistance to unemployed workers to become part of the caregiver workforce.
LD 1168, An Act To License Operators of Personnel Hoists. (Rep. Roberts, D-South Berwick) Joint Standing Committee on Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Commerce. This bill establishes the Elevator Advisory Board as well as requirements for the licensure of operators of personnel hoists. It creates exceptions to these licensure requirements for short-term emergency operation and operation by inspectors and operation of automatic operation or continuous pressure operation passenger or freight elevators or existing shipper rope elevators.
LD 1573, An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Commission To Study Long-term Care Workforce Issues. Emergency (Rep. Fay, D-Raymond) Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services. This bill implements the recommendations of the Commission To Study Long-term Care Workforce Issues, which was established by Public Law 2019, chapter 343, Part BBBBB, section 1. The bill does the following. 1. It directs the Department of Health and Human Services to establish a 2-year rebasing requirement to set and increase reimbursement rates for in-home and community support services. 2. It requires direct care workers across the long-term care spectrum to be paid no less than 125% of the minimum wage. It requires the Department of Health and Human Services to adopt rules that take into account the cost of this increased wage in its reimbursement rates. 3. It requires the Department of Health and Human Services to adopt rules to increase reimbursement rates under rule Chapter 101: MaineCare Benefits Manual and any state30 funded programs to take into account costs of providing care and services in conformity with applicable state and federal laws, rules, regulations, training requirements and quality and safety standards, including, but not limited to, increases in the minimum wage for workers other than direct care workers, earned paid leave, electronic visit verification, background checks and other costs that are not provided for in the current reimbursement rates and to not reduce a reimbursement rate below that on the effective date of this bill. 4. It establishes the Long-term Care Workforce Oversight Advisory Committee to collect and compile data related to workforce shortages and services provided to clients, review progress by the Department of Health and Human Services regarding recommendations provided to the department and the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters, including the recommendations of the Commission To Study Long-term Care Workforce Issues, identify barriers to implementing recommendations and make recommendations on proposals to address long-term care workforce shortages. The Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Labor and the Department of Education are directed to provide to the oversight committee quarterly reports on the progress and efforts to implement the recommendations of the oversight committee and of the Commission To Study Long-term Care Workforce Issues. The oversight committee must submit an annual report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters.
LD 1597, An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Strengthen Maine's Health Care Workforce. (Rep. Pierce, D-Falmouth) Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs. The funds provided by this bond issue, in the amount of $11,000,000, will be used to provide funding on the following basis: $7,000,000 to be used for the University of New England Institute for Interprofessional Education and Practice to improve and expand collaborative team-based education of health care workers, including training in the use of telehealth and other technologies, and to increase access to high-quality health care; and $4,000,000 to be used to upgrade the capacity of federally qualified health centers and other community-based health care clinics and hospitals throughout the State in order to facilitate educational and clinical links with the University of New England Institute for Interprofessional Education and Practice and to enhance and expand their capacity to provide access to high-quality health care.
LD 218, An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Accelerate Weatherization Efforts in the State. (Rep. Kessler, D-South Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs. The funds provided by this bond issue, in the amount of $40,000,000, are to be used to accelerate weatherization efforts in the State, with the funds directed to Efficiency Maine Trust's Heating Fuels Efficiency and Weatherization Fund.
LD 384, An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Fund the Transition from a Fossil Fuel-based to an Electrical Energy Economy. (Rep. Warren, I-Scarborough) Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs. This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208. This bill would authorize a General Fund bond issue, which would require a 2/3 approval by both Houses of the Legislature, to fund the transition from a fossil fuel-based to an electrical energy economy.
Economic Development
LD 23, An Act To Reinstate and Increase the Income Tax Deduction for Contributions to Education Savings Plans. (Sen. Pouliot, R-Kennebec) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. This bill reinstates and increases the income tax deduction for contributions to so-called Section 529 education savings plans, providing a deduction up to $1,000 per designated beneficiary. A deduction up to $250 was in effect from 2007 to 2015.
LD 1896, An Act To Allow Heating Fuel and Motor Vehicle Fuel Customers To Opt Out of Paper Delivery Tickets. (Sen. Daughtry, D-Cumberland) Joint Standing Committee on Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Commerce. This bill requires vendors of bulk deliveries of liquid fuel sold for heating residential, industrial or commercial space or water or motor vehicle fuel to provide to a purchaser a delivery ticket by e-mail upon the request of the purchaser. It also makes a technical correction to the law governing bulk sales.
LD 1923, An Act To Establish the Maine Space Corporation. (Sen. Mattie Daughtry, D-Cumberland) Joint Standing Committee on Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Commerce. This bill establishes the Maine Space Corporation to leverage the State's geographic, rocketry, manufacturing and higher education assets and capabilities to establish the State as a national and international industry destination and an authority in launching small launch vehicles and small satellites into polar orbit
Education
LD 135, An Act To Address Issues in Funding Prekindergarten Programs. (Rep. Brennan, D-Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208. This bill would direct the Department of Education to develop solutions to the challenges coronavirus disease 2019, also known as COVID-19, has brought to ensuring equitable funding for prekindergarten programs.
D 176, An Act To Facilitate a Grade 9 to 16 School Project. (Rep. Stearns, R-Guilford) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208. This bill proposes to facilitate a grade 9 to 16 school project
LD 255, An Act To Ensure Student Success. (Rep. Millett, D-Cape Elizabeth) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208. This bill would make changes to the law to help ensure the success of students.
LD 380, An Act To Change the Statutory Cap on Virtual Public Charter School Enrollment. (Sen. Pouliot, R-Kennebec) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This bill changes the maximum total enrollment at all virtual public charter schools from 1,000 students to 2% of the total statewide enrollment for the grade levels served by the virtual public charter schools.
LD 429, An Act To Protect the Health of Students and Educators by Requiring the Establishment of Health and Safety Committees in School Administrative Units. Emergency (Rep. McCrea, D-Fort Fairfield) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This bill requires each school administrative unit to establish a health and safety committee to coordinate planning and response to health and safety matters affecting students and staff of the school administrative unit. It requires these committees to prioritize planning and response to health and safety concerns associated with the outbreak of COVID-19 while there is in effect a state of emergency declared by the Governor due to COVID-19. The bill specifies that each committee must include teachers and other school employees, school administrators, school board members and parents of students.
LD 481, An Act To Propose a General Fund Bond Issue To Train Workers in High-demand Sectors and Support the State's 10-year Economic Plan Goal of Increasing Wages by 10 Percent. (Rep. Millett, R-Waterford) Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs. The funds provided by this bond issue, in the amount of $80,000,000, will be used to provide funding to train workers in high-demand sectors and support the State's goal of increasing average annual wages in the State by 10%. The funding would be provided in $20,000,000 increments over 4 years in accordance with programmatic and return-on investment goals that must be met by the Maine Community College System.
LD 680, Resolve, To Reestablish the Task Force To Study the Creation of a Comprehensive Career and Technical Education System. Emergency (Sen. Daughtry, D-Cumberland) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This resolve reestablishes the Task Force To Study the Creation of a Comprehensive Career and Technical Education System.
LD 702, An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Recapitalize the School Revolving Renovation Fund. (Rep. Millett, D-Cape Elizabeth) Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs. The funds provided by this bond issue, in the amount of $30,000,000, will be used to recapitalize the School Revolving Renovation Fund for the purpose of providing funds to public schools for renovation and capital repairs.
LD 761, An Act To Establish the Maine Community College System Pell Grant Match Program. (Rep. Crockett, D-Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This bill establishes the Maine Community College System Pell Grant Match Program and provides that a student is eligible for the program if the student is a resident of the State, is eligible for a Federal Pell Grant and maintains a minimum grade point average. The grant award may not exceed 100% of the amount of funds provided by the Federal Pell Grant that the student receives for the academic year in which the student applies. The availability of the grant and the amount of the grant are subject to the amount available in the established fund, and the Maine Community College System may adopt rules to implement and administer the program and fund.
LD 773, An Act To Assist Public School Students and Families Who Are Homeless. (Rep. Brennan, D-Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. This bill requires that the Maine State Housing Authority give priority for temporary housing assistance to homeless students and their families who are identified and referred to the authority by a local educational agency liaison for children and youth experiencing homelessness under the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Improvements Act of 2001.
LD 812, An Act To Provide Student Loan Debt Relief. (Sen. Daughtry, D-Cumberland) Joint Standing Committee on Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Commerce. This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208. This bill would alleviate the financial burden of student loans.
LD 1095, An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Purchase 4 Nursing Simulators for Use by the University of Maine System and the Maine Community College System. (Sen. Pouliot, R-Kennebec) Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs. The funds provided by this bond issue, in the amount of $3,200,000, will be used to provide funding for the University of Maine System to purchase 4 nursing simulators, to be shared with the Maine Community College System.
LD 1207, An Act To Maintain the Current Level of Education Funding. Emergency (Sen. Rafferty, D-York) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This bill provides that for the 2021-22 fiscal year, if a school administrative unit's student enrollment has declined from the previous allocation year, the commissioner is required to use the pupil count from the previous allocation year for the determination of operating costs.
LD 1329, An Act To Establish the Career Advancement and Navigation Initiative in the Department of Education To Lower Barriers to Career Advancement. (Rep. Talbot Ross, D-Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This bill establishes the Career Advancement and Navigation Initiative within the Department of Education to provide educational and career guidance, support and services to help underemployed and unemployed individuals acquire additional education, skills, licensure or other preparation needed to participate to their fullest potential in the workforce. The bill also requires the Commissioner of Education to submit a report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education and cultural affairs no later than November 4, 2022, regarding the initiative.
LD 1389, An Act To Improve Maritime Education in Maine. (Rep. Cuddy, D-Winterport) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This bill repeals the provision of law that terminates the powers, duties and authority of the Maine School for Marine Science, Technology, Transportation and Engineering 90 days after the adjournment of the Second Regular Session of the 130th Legislature. The bill also provides that the phase-in procedures for schools that are funded in the same way as charter schools are the same as those for charter schools.
LD 1391, An Act To Enhance the Educational Expertise and Knowledge of the Board of Trustees of the University of Maine System. (Rep. Collings, D-Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This bill adds 6 members to the Board of Trustees of the University of Maine System, who must be current or retired public sector educators, are full voting members and may sit on any board of trustees committee. It requires 3 of the 6 members to be elected by members of Associated Faculties of the Universities of Maine labor union and 3 to be elected by members of the Maine Education Association labor union. All 6 of the members must be confirmed by the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education and cultural affairs. It requires the 6 members to serve for 5-year terms, except that, of the initial trustees elected by the Associated Faculties of the Universities of Maine, one member must serve for one year, one member must serve for 3 years and one member must serve for 5 years and, of the initial trustees elected by the Maine Education Association, one member must serve for one year, one member must serve for 3 years and one member must serve for 5 years.
LD 1502, An Act To Clarify Safety Issues in Schools with Respect to Healthrelated States of Emergency. Emergency (Rep. Gramlich, D-Old Orchard Beach) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This bill requires school superintendents, during a health-related state of emergency, to comply with any health-related executive orders and proclamations made by the Governor and any directives and guidance issued by the director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention within the Department of Health and Human Services and, while the state of emergency is in effect, send a monthly report, copied to the school board, on all the steps the school administrative unit is taking to comply with any health-related executive order, proclamation, directive or guidance.
LD 1652, An Act To Build a Child Care System by Recruiting and Retaining Maine's Early Childhood Educators Workforce. (House Speaker Fecteau, D-Biddeford) Joint Standing Committee on Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Commerce. This bill requires the Commissioner of Health and Human Services, the Commissioner of Education and the Commissioner of Labor jointly to develop and implement an early childhood educators workforce support program to recruit and retain early childhood educators working with children up to 5 years of age. Components of the program include: 1. Expansion of educational programs at career and technical education centers and financial support of those programs; 2. Comprehensive scholarships for persons taking classes toward the attainment of an early childhood education credential or an associate, bachelor's or master's degree that allow the persons to graduate without student debt as long as the persons agree to work for a year with an approved employer; 3. An increased number of apprenticeships; 4. Salary supplements awarded to individuals who provide child care or who are early childhood educators. The amount of the supplement is based on the level of education and experience of the individual and other factors; 5. Articulation agreements between local adult education providers of school administrative units, apprenticeship sponsors, career and technical education programs, the Maine Community College System and the University of Maine System for the transfer of credits for course work related to early childhood education and to facilitate enrollment in courses that lead to the issuance of a postsecondary degree by a degree-granting institution; and 6. Collaboration between local adult education providers of school administrative units, apprenticeship sponsors, career and technical education programs, the Maine Community College System and the University of Maine System to provide support for individuals, including immigrants and other populations lacking experience in Maine's workforce, who require foundational skills development to enter and succeed in early childhood education courses, including but not limited to English as a second language, literacy, numeracy and employability skills. The bill also requires a biennial report to be made by the commissioners to the Legislature including a review of the adequacy of the pathways to early childhood education careers and an evaluation of how the improved collection of workforce and child care data and coordinated, dedicated funding are supporting the ongoing development of an early child care and education system.
LD 1678, An Act To Support Child Care Providers and School Readiness through Tax Credits. (Rep. Millett, D-Cape Elizabeth) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. This bill does the following for quality child care services, beginning in 2022. 1. It provides a refundable tax credit of $1,000 to $2,000 per eligible child to child care providers that provide services to children whose parents are participating in the child care subsidy program operated by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child and Family Services or foster children in the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services. The amount of the credit is based on the quality of the child care provider as determined pursuant to a quality rating and improvement system based on standards for center-based child care programs developed by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child and Family Services. 2. It provides a refundable tax credit of $1,000 to $5,000 to administrators, educators and other professional support staff of child care providers that provide services to children whose parents are participating in the child care subsidy program operated by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child and Family Services or foster children in the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services. The amount of the credit is based on individual qualification score lattices developed and established for administrators, management, owners and coordinators and educators and other support staff of child care facilities through a collaborative partnership between the Cutler Institute of Health and Social Policy at the University of Southern Maine, the University of Maine Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies and the Department of Psychology at the University of Maine. 3. It amends the current income tax credit for child care expenses to allow a taxpayer to obtain a credit of between 50% and 200% of the federal tax credit, depending on the quality rating of the child care site providing child care services for the child of the taxpayer. Current law allows up to 50% of the federal tax credit if the child care expenses are incurred through the use of quality child care services. 4. It provides a tax credit of a percentage of expenses paid by an employer to provide child care and education services to the children of its employees, either on site, at a facility licensed or registered with the Department of Health and Human Services or through child care resource and referral services or vouchers for the purpose of paying for child care and education services. The percentage of expenses that may be taken by the employer is determined by the quality rating of the child care facility. 5. It indexes for inflation the dollar amounts of the tax credits beginning annually in 2023. 6. It requires the Office of Child and Family Services to notify the State Tax Assessor immediately of any changes to the grading and scoring systems used to determine child care-related tax credits and requires the office, after consultation with the assessor, to submit a report and suggested legislation to implement the changes to the grading and scoring systems. 7. It requires the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability, beginning in 2025, to review the tax credits provided by this legislation to determine whether the specific public policy objectives and economic benefit of the credits outweigh the loss of revenue to the State and annually report its findings to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over taxation matters.
LD 1789, An Act To Modernize Funding of Publicly Funded Tuition Students Attending Career and Technical Education Programs. (Sen. Chloe Maxmin, D-Lincoln) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. Under current law, a school that receives publicly funded tuition students who are enrolled in regular school day career and technical education programs at career and technical education centers, satellites or regions may charge a tuition rate of only up to 2/3 of the maximum tuition rate. This bill removes this limitation on schools approved for tuition purposes. This bill then directs each school approved for tuition purposes to enter into an agreement for the purpose of determining that school's per-pupil contribution toward the costs of the career and technical education center or region serving that school.
LD 1807, An Act To Expand Nursing Education Programs. (Sen. Mattie Daughtry, D-Cumberland) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This bill provides ongoing funds to the Maine Community College System to expand nursing education programs.
LD 1816, An Act To Promote Labor Education through the University of Maine System. (Speaker Ryan Fecteau, D-Biddeford) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This bill directs the University of Maine System to establish a labor and community education center at the University of Southern Maine focused on providing lifelong community-based labor education, research and outreach. The bill provides ongoing funds to establish the center. The bill also provides additional ongoing funds to the Bureau of Labor Education at the University of Maine.
LD 1880, An Act To Provide Textbook Cost Assistance for High School Students Enrolled in Early College Courses. (Rep. Maggie O'Neil, D-Saco) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This bill establishes the Textbook Cost Assistance Fund in the Department of Education to be used by the department to provide textbook cost assistance to secondary students enrolled in postsecondary courses.
Environmental
LD 49, An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Invest in Infrastructure To Address Sea Level Rise. (Rep. Brennan, D-Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs. The funds provided by this bond issue, in the amount of $50,000,000, will be used to improve waterfront and coastal infrastructure in municipalities to address sea level rise.
LD 259, An Act To Improve Solid Waste Management. (Rep. McDonald, D-Stonington) Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208. This bill proposes to enact measures to improve solid waste management.
LD 676, An Act To Reclassify Part of the Androscoggin River to Class B. (Sen. Ned Claxton, D-Androscoggin) Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. This bill reclassifies from Class C to Class B the lower section of the Androscoggin River from Gulf Island Dam to a line formed by the extension of the Bath-Brunswick boundary across Merrymeeting Bay in a northwesterly direction.
LD 890, An Act To Protect Maine Consumers and Decrease Environmental Pollution. (Rep. Warren, I-Scarborough) Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. This bill proposes to enact measures to protect Maine consumers by removing incentives that lead to an increase in carbon emissions.
LD 1429, An Act To Achieve Carbon Neutrality in Maine by the Year 2045. (Rep. Ralph Tucker, D-Brunswick) Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. This amendment changes the title of and replaces the bill. It amends the State’s greenhouse gas emissions reductions law to provide that, by January 1, 2045, the net annual greenhouse gas emissions level in the State shall not exceed zero metric tons.
LD 1532, An Act To Protect Maine's Air Quality by StrengtheningRequiremens for Air Emissions Licensing. (Rep. Morales, D-South Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. This bill will rewrite the air emissions licensing system to renew license every 2 years instead of 10 and require a public forum for every resident within 5 miles of emissions site.
LD 1639, An Act To Protect the Health and Welfare of Maine Communitiesand Reduce Harmful Solid Waste. (Sen. Carney, D-Cumberland) Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. This bill amends the definition of "waste generated within the State" to limit the amount of the residue that may be disposed of by an incineration, recycling and processing facility at a solid waste landfill in the State to the weight of the solid waste initially generated in the State by that facility during its annual reporting period. The bill eliminates the provisions of the law regarding recycling and source reduction requirements for solid waste processing facilities that were in operation during calendar year 2018 and that accept exclusively construction and demolition debris. It adds environmental justice to the public benefit determination standards for solid waste disposal facilities.
LD 1801, An Act To Modify Exemptions for Certain Storm Water Discharges to Class AA and SA Waters. (Rep. Zeigler, D-Montville) Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. This bill amends the law governing exemptions for storm water discharges to Class AA and Class SA waters and provides that certain segments of waters classified as Class AA and Class SA are not designated as outstanding national resources.
LD 1809, An Act To Allow Exceptions to the Height Limitations under the Shoreland Zoning Laws. (Sen. Brenner, D-Cumberland) Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. This bill amends how the height of a new or existing principal or accessory structure, including a legally existing nonconforming structure, located in the shoreland zone is measured when the structure is also located in an area of special flood hazard and there is a minimum elevation required for structures by a local floodplain management ordinance.This bill specifically allows for an exception to shoreland zoning height requirements for legally existing nonconforming structures located in an area of special flood hazard in order to be consistent with a local floodplain management elevation requirement.
LD 1875, An Act To Address Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroakyl Substances Pollution from State-owned Solid Waste Disposal Facilities. (Rep. Zeigler, D-Montville) Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. This bill provides that a solid waste disposal facility owned by the State may not be licensed or otherwise authorized to transfer leachate from the solid waste disposal facility to a wastewater treatment plant unless prior to the transfer the leachate is treated to reduce the concentration of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances or the facility receiving the leachate employs technology to reduce the concentration of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. It requires the Department of Environmental Protection to adopt rules to implement the prohibition.
LD 1875, An Act To Address Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Pollution from State-owned Solid Waste Disposal Facilities. (Rep. Zeigler, D-Montville) Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. This bill provides that a solid waste disposal facility owned by the State may not be licensed or otherwise authorized to transfer leachate from the solid waste disposal facility to a wastewater treatment plant unless prior to the transfer the leachate is treated to reduce the concentration of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances or the facility receiving the leachate employs technology to reduce the concentration of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. It requires the Department of Environmental Protection to adopt rules to implement the prohibition.
LD 1911, An Act To Prohibit the Contamination of Clean Soils with So-called Forever Chemicals. (Rep. Pluecker, I-Warren) Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. This bill prohibits the land application or distribution of sludge or sludge-derived compost unless it is tested for all perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances that may reasonably be quantified by a laboratory and the screening level for a perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substance that is in the sludge or sludge-derived compost and for which the Department of Environmental Protection has established a screening level for beneficial use in rule does not exceed the screening level for beneficial use established by the department.
LD 1964, An Act To Update Certain Water Quality Standards and To Reclassify Certain Waters of the State. (Sen. Stacey Brenner, D-Cumberland) Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. This bill, which is reported out by the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources pursuant to Joint Rule 353, implements recommendations of the Board of Environmental Protection resulting from its review of the State’s water quality classification system and related water quality standards pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 38, section 464, subsection 3, paragraph B. As recommended by the board, the bill includes specific updates to certain water quality standards and water quality classifications based on water quality data and the recommendations of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Environmental Protection and other parties.
LD 1979, An Act To Sustain Good-paying Jobs in the Forest Products Industry by Ensuring Consistency between Comprehensive River Resource Management Plans and State Water Quality Standards. (Sen. Troy Jackson, D-Aroostook) Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. This bill requires that a comprehensive river resource management plan for a watershed with a hydropower project give consideration to existing uses. The bill also classifies a comprehensive river resource management plan as a major substantive rule subject to the review of the Legislature.
Health Care
LD 441, An Act To Expand Adult Dental Health Insurance Coverage. (Rep. Brooks, D-Lewiston) Joint Standing Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services. A mandate, the bill requires health insurance carriers to provide coverage for comprehensive dental services. The bill would apply to policies and contracts issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2022.
Part B of the bill requires the Maine Health Data Organization to develop and maintain a database of dentists providing dental care to MaineCare members, including children, and to post that information on a publicly accessible website.
LD 1463, An Act To Make Health Care Coverage More Affordable for Working Families and Small Businesses. (Rep. Tepler, D-Topsham) Joint Standing Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services. This bill:
1. Establishes the Maine Health Care Affordability Fund to fund activities and initiatives to reduce the cost of health insurance coverage for Maine residents;
2. Requires the Commissioner of Health and Human Services to adopt rules for the administration of the Maine Health Care Affordability Fund and for the disbursement of funds from the fund to assist Maine residents with the cost of health care coverage;
3. Establishes the health care affordability assessment to provide funding to the Maine Health Care Affordability Fund and requires the Superintendent of Insurance within the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation to adopt rules for the administration and enforcement of the health care affordability assessment;
4. Requires state agencies to provide technical assistance to the commissioner and the superintendent for the administration of the Maine Health Care Affordability Fund or the health care affordability assessment upon request;
5. Establishes the Affordable Health Care Advisory Group, which consists of the commissioner, the superintendent and 11 additional members appointed by the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Governor, to consult on the development of rules to implement and administer the Maine Health Care Affordability Fund and the health care affordability assessment; and
6. Requires the commissioner to submit an annual report to the Governor and the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health insurance matters describing activities and initiatives funded by the Maine Health Care Affordability Fund to increase the affordability of health insurance for Maine residents and summarizing the findings and recommendations of the Affordable Health Care Advisory Group by February 1st. The commissioner is also required to make the report publicly available online.
LD 1539, An Act To Provide Access to Fertility Care. (Rep. Madigan, D-Waterville) Joint Standing Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services. A mandate, this bill requires carriers offering health plans in this State to provide coverage for fertility diagnostic care, for fertility treatment if the enrollee is a fertility patient and for fertility preservation services. The requirements of the bill apply to health plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2023.
LD 1822, An Act To Improve Access to Behavioral Health Services by Prohibiting Cost Sharing by Insurers. (Rep. Morales, D-South Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services. This bill prohibits insurance carriers offering a health plan that provides or covers any benefits with respect to behavioral health services from applying a copayment, deductible, coinsurance or other cost-sharing requirement to those behavioral health services.
Insurance
LD 1823, An Act To Amend the Enforcement Provisions of the Law Governing Earned Paid Leave. (Rep. Millett, D-Cape Elizabeth) Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. This bill provides that if an employee is covered by a collective bargaining agreement, a dispute over the applicability or enforcement of the earned paid leave law is subject to the dispute resolution process in that collective bargaining agreement, with the remedies in the law governing family medical leave available to the employee if the employee demonstrates an employer violation.
Judiciary
LD 1786, An Act To Maintain Consistency among Maine's Nondiscrimination Statutes. (Sen. Carney, D Cumberland) Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary. This bill makes the nondiscrimination provisions throughout the statutes consistent to prohibit discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry or national origin, age or familial status.
LD 1804, An Act To Provide Consistency in the Laws Regarding Domestic Partners. (Rep. Roberts, D-South Berwick) Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary. This bill provides consistency throughout the Maine Revised Statutes by enacting as a subsection in the general words and phrases statute that applies to all of the Maine Revised Statutes the definition of "domestic partner" included in the Maine Uniform Probate Code. The bill repeals all other definitions of "domestic partner." It also removes limitations on effect in the laws governing representation of a limited liability company in an eviction action without an attorney, the Maine Uniform Power of Attorney Act, the Revised Uniform Anatomical Gift Act and the laws governing disposition of dead bodies to only those domestic partners who are registered.
Labor
LD 177, An Act To Improve Labor Laws for Workers in Maine. (Rep. Cuddy, D-Winterport) Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. A concept draft, this bill proposes to improve labor laws for workers in Maine
LD 225, An Act Regarding the Treatment of Vacation Time upon the Cessation of Employment. (Rep. Roeder, D-Bangor) Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. This bill amends the law governing the provision of vacation pay on cessation of employment. Under current law, on cessation of employment, if the terms of employment or established practice includes provisions for paid vacations, vacation pay has the same status as wages earned. This bill provides that on cessation of employment all accrued vacation pay must be paid to the employee.
LD 460, An Act To Amend Certain Employment Laws To Help Front-line and Other Workers. (Rep. Sylvester, D-Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. A concept draft, this bill would amend certain employment laws to help front-line and other workers.
LD 464, An Act To Change Certain Labor Laws. (Rep. Sylvester, D-Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. A concept draft, this bill proposes to change certain labor laws to help the people of this State in organizing a labor union and negotiating a fair contract.
LD 607, An Act To Restore Overtime Protections for Maine Workers. (Rep. Talbot Ross, D-Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. This bill annually raises the minimum salary that an employee who works in an executive, administrative or professional capacity must earn in order for that employee to be exempt from the laws governing the minimum wage and overtime pay until it is $55,224 on January 1, 2024. The bill provides for an annual adjustment, beginning January 1, 2025, based on the percentage annual increase in certain earnings as published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
LD 616, An Act To Increase Accountability for Wage Violations. (Rep. Collings, D-Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. This bill amends the law regarding employment practices by increasing the fine for a violation of certain state wage and benefits laws to $500 for the first violation and at least $500 but not more than $2,500 for each subsequent violation. It amends the law regarding employees' remedies to provide that in a judgment for an employee an additional amount of twice the unpaid wages must be awarded the employee.
LD 734, An Act To Set a Minimum Wage for School Support Staff. (Rep. Collings, D-Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. This bill establishes a minimum hourly wage of $16 per hour for school support staff for school years beginning after June 30, 2022. The bill requires the State on a one-time basis, for the school year beginning after June 30, 2022, to provide funds to school administrative units to make up the difference between what a school administrative unit currently pays school support staff and what the unit is required to pay under the minimum wage requirement.
LD 965, An Act Concerning Nondisclosure Agreements in Employment. (Rep. Harnett, D-Gardiner) Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. This bill prohibits an employer from requiring an employee, intern or applicant for employment to enter into a contract or agreement that waives or limits any right to report or discuss discrimination, retaliation or harassment occurring in the workplace or at work related events. It also prohibits an employer from requiring an employee, intern or applicant for employment to enter into a settlement, separation or severance agreement that limits an individual's right to report, testify or provide evidence to a federal or state agency that enforces employment or discrimination laws, prevents an individual from testifying or providing evidence in federal and state court proceedings in response to legal process or prohibits an individual from reporting conduct to a law enforcement agency. This bill allows a settlement, separation or severance agreement, under certain circumstances, to include a provision that prevents the subsequent disclosure of factual information relating to a claim of discrimination, retaliation or harassment. It provides the Department of Labor with the duty to enforce these provisions and allows an individual to receive liquidated damages or to be employed or reinstated with back wages when an employer discharges or refuses to hire an individual who declines to enter into a contract or agreement that waives or limits any right to report or discuss discrimination, retaliation or harassment occurring in the workplace or at work-related events.
LD 1338, An Act To Protect Employees' Exercise of Workplace Rights. (Rep. Millett, D-Cape Elizabeth) Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. This bill repeals the sections of law concerning prohibited acts and judicial enforcement under the laws governing family medical leave employment practices in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 26, chapter 7 and enacts similar provisions that apply to all laws in the same chapter governing employment practices.
LD 1816, An Act To Promote Labor Education through the University of Maine System. (Speaker Fecteau, D-Biddeford) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This bill directs the University of Maine System to establish a labor and community education center at the University of Southern Maine focused on providing lifelong community-based labor education, research and outreach. The bill provides ongoing funds to establish the center. The bill also provides additional ongoing funds to the Bureau of Labor Education at the University of Maine.
LD 1889, An Act To Amend the Whistleblowers' Protection Act To Ensure Coverage in Unionized Workplaces. (Rep. Harnett, D-Gardiner) Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. This bill changes the Whistleblowers' Protection Act in order to clarify its scope. The bill repeals a section of the Whistleblowers' Protection Act that was interpreted by the Maine Supreme Judicial Court in Nadeau v. Twin Rivers Paper Company, LLC, 2021 ME 16, 247 A.3d 717 as a bar to enforcement of the Act in many cases in which a collective bargaining agreement is in place.
LD 1952, Resolve, to Extend the Commission to Develop a Paid Family and Medical Leave Benefits Program. (Sen. Daughtry, D-Cumberland) Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. Resolve 2021, chapter 122 established the Commission To Develop a Paid Family and Medical Leave Benefits Program and requires the commission to submit a report no later than February 1, 2022. This resolve extends the date for the commission to submit its report to November 2, 2022. This resolve also provides that funds appropriated or allocated pursuant to Resolve 2021, chapter 122 do not lapse but must be carried forward into the next fiscal year to be used for the purpose for which the funds were provided.
Taxation
LD 42, An Act Making Certain Supplemental Appropriations and Allocations and Changes Certain Provisions of Law Necessary to the Proper Operations of State Government. (Rep. Pierce, D-Falmouth) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill is the Supplemental Budget bill for FY 2021. The bill as amended by the change package does not fully conform with the federal government on certain provisions such as the treatment of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, the Federal Derived Intanguible Income Provision, the treatment of net operating losses and other business provisions.
LD 169, An Act to Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue to Stimulate Investment in Innovation by Maine Businesses to Produce Nationally and Globally Competitive Products and Services. (Sen. Luchini, D-Hancock) Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs. The bill would provide for a $100,000,000 bond issue to be used for investments in research and development and commercialization in the State's 7 targeted sectors used for infrastructure, equipment and technology upgrades that enable organizations to gain and hold market share and to expand employment or preserve jobs.
LD 241, An Act to Support the Trades Through a Tax Credit for Apprenticeship Programs. (Sen. Curry, D-Waldo) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill would allow an employer to qualifuy for up to a $2500 income tax credit for employing an apprentice participating in an approved apprenticeship program up to 2,000 hours. The bill also provides for a partial credit if the amount of time was less than 2,000 hours.
LD 276, An Act to Improve and Update Maine's Tax Laws. (Rep. Berry, D-Bowdoinham) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill is a concept draft.
LD 304, An Act to Make Supplemental Appropriations and Allocations and Changing Certain Provisions of the Law Necessary to the Proper Operation of State Government. (Sen. Breen, D-Cumberland) Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs. The bill is a concept draft.
LD 308, An Act to Promote Research and Development in the State by Increasing and Marketing the Research Expense Tax Credit. (Sen. Stewart, R-Aroostook) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill increases the research and expense tax credit by doubling the allowable expenditures eligible for the credit.
LD 392, An Act to Amend the Tax Laws. (Rep. Terry, D-Gorham) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill is a concept draft.
LD 428, An Act to Prevent Tax Haven Abuse. (Rep. Tepler, D-Topsham) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill would require corporations to file unitary income tax returns in Maine to include income from certain jurisdictions outside the United States in net income when appportioning income among tax jurisdictions.
LD 484, An Act to Change Maine's Tax Laws. (Sen. Chipman, D-Cumberland) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill is a concept draft.
LD 730, An Act to Protect Economic Competitivenss in Maine by Extending the End Date for Pine Tree Development Zone Benefits. (Sen. Daughtry, D-Cumberland) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill extends the Pine Tree Development Zones Program by three years to 2024. The program is scheduled to sunset December of 2021.
LD 798, An Act to improve the Educational Opportunity Tax Credit. (Sen. Pouliot, R-Kennebec) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill would have created a simplified tax credit for tax years beginning or after January 1, 2022.
LD 966, Resolve, Establishing the Commission To Study Fair, Equitable and Competitive Tax Policy for Maine's Working Families and Small Businesses. Emergency (Rep. Tepler, D-Topsham) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. This resolve establishes the Commission To Study Fair, Equitable and Competitive Tax Policy for Maine's Working Families and Small Businesses and directs the commission, no later than November 4, 2021, to submit a report, including suggested legislation, for presentation to the Second Regular Session of the 130th Legislature.
LD 1129, An Act Relating to the Valuation of Retail Sales Facilities. (Rep. Matlack, D-St. George) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill would provide that in establishing the just value of retail sales facilities consideration must be given to the 3 recognized approaches to valuation of Commercial property and that the assessor must consider the value of reasonably similary properties.
LD 1156, An Act to Reduce Errors in Employment Tax Increment Financing. (Rep. Arata, R-New Gloucester) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill would amend the Employment Tax Increment Financing Program to calculate the benefit based on gross wages of employees rather than on income tax withholdong.
LD 1289, An Act to Cut Property Taxes for Maine Residential Homeowners. (Rep. Perry, D-Bangor) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill would increase the top individual income tax rate from 7.15% to 7.95% and would use the money to increase the homestead exemption.
LD 1289, An Act to Cut Property Taxes for Maine Residential Homowners. (Rep. Perry, D-Bangor) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill would create a new top income tax rate from 7.15% to 7.95% for incomes over $300,000 for single or married filing separately, $450,000 for individuals filing as heads of households and $600,000 for individuals married filing jointly. The bill would use the revenue to increase the homestead property tax exemption from $25,000 in 2021, $35,000 in 2022 and $45,000 in 2023 and $55,000 in 2024.
LD 1337, An Act to Increase Affordable Housing and Reduce Property Taxes Through an Impact Fee pn Vacant Residences. (Rep. Kessler, D-South Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill would impose a vacancy impact fee of .5% of the equalized assessed value on residential property that is vacant. To be exempt from the fee, the owner must demostrate among other things, the property is uninhabitable for at least three months per year.
LD 1569, An Act Regarding an Excise Tax on Water Extracted for Commecial Bottling. \ (Rep. Gramlich, D-Old Orchard Beach) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill would create an excise tax of 5cents per gallon on the extraction of groundwater or surface water for commercial bottling for sale.
LD 1569, An Act Regarding an Excise Tax on Water Extracted for Commercial Bottlling Use. (Rep. Gramlich, D-Old Orchard Beach) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill would impose a 5 cent per gallon tax on ground water extracted for commercial bottling use.
LD 1704, An Act to Change the Exclusion Amount Under the Estate Taxand Provide Additional Funding for the Housing Opportunities for Maine Fund. (Rep. Talbot Ross, D-Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill would lower the exclusion amount under Maine's estate tax from $5.6 to $1 million.
LD 1737, An Act to Make Technical Changes to the Tax Laws. (Rep. Terry, D-Gorham) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill proposes several changes to Maine tax laws. First it repeals the provision which allows Maine Revenue Services to divulge certain taxpyare information which includes federal tax information to the Treasurer of State. The bill also reduces the mandatory number of assessor certification exmas MRS is required to hold from 4 to 2 per year; clarifies the amount of tax that must be paid when a taxpayer appeals a denial of abatement and makes other technical changes.
LD 1763, An Act to Update References to the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986 Contained in the Maine Revenue Statutes. (Rep. Terry, D-Gorham) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. The bill updates references to the US Internal Revenue Code of 1986 contained in the Miane Revised Statutes Title 36 to refer to the US Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended through December 31, 2021, for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2021 and for any prior tax year as specifically provided by the US Internal Revenue Services Code of 1986, as amended.
Utilities and Energy
LD 80, An Act To Provide Critical Communications for Family Farms, Businesses and Residences by Strategic Public Investment in High-speed Internet and Broadband Infrastructure. (Rep. McCrea, D-Fort Fairfield) Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. This bill requires that 33% of sales and use tax revenue collected by the State Tax Assessor from marketplace facilitators, with respect to marketplace-facilitated sales, after required transfers to other funds be transferred to the ConnectMaine Authority to further deployment of high-speed Internet and broadband infrastructure to unserved and underserved areas of the State.
LD 82, Resolve, To Provide for Participation of the State in the Planning and Negotiations for the Atlantic Loop Energy Project. Emergency (Rep. Kessler, D-South Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. This resolve provides for the immediate, direct involvement of the State in the planning and negotiations on the Atlantic Loop, a Canadian electric transmission and power supply project intended to pass through the State, enabling possible participation in it on an equal footing with the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Quebec.
LD 201, An Act To Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Promote Weatherization in the Buildings Sector by Extending the Sunset Date for the Historic Property Rehabilitation Tax Credit. (Sen. Libby, D-Androscoggin) Joint Standing Committee on Taxation. This bill amends the definition of "certified qualified rehabilitation expenditure" under the law governing the tax credit for rehabilitation of historic properties to extend from December 31, 2025 to December 31, 2040 the date by which the United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service must determine a proposed rehabilitation of a structure meets its standards for rehabilitation in order for a taxpayer to claim an income tax credit for a qualified rehabilitation expenditure.
LD 337, An Act Regarding Energy, Utilities and Technology. (Sen. Lawrence, D-York) Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208. This bill proposes to amend the laws governing energy, utilities and technology.
LD 383, An Act Concerning Small Wireless Facilities in Maine. (Rep. Sophie Warren, D-Scarbrough) Joint Standing Committee on State and Local Government. This bill clarifies the ability for municipal governments to determine reasonable oversight and safe installation procedures for small wireless facilities in Maine.
LD 551, An Act To Accelerate Weatherization Efforts in the State. (Rep. Kessler, D-South Portland) Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. This bill allows Efficiency Maine Trust funds for conservation programs that help reduce energy costs for electricity consumers to be used toward weatherization efforts to achieve the weatherization of 17,500 homes and businesses by 2025 and 35,000 homes and businesses by 2030, including at least 1,000 units of housing for low-income individuals or households per year. It also defines the term "low-income" in the laws governing the trust.
LD 634, An Act To Cap the Value of Contracts for Renewable Resources and Distributed Generation Resources,. (Sen. Stewart, R-Aroostook) Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. This bill caps contracts entered into under the renewable portfolio standard procurement laws and the distributed generation procurement laws to reasonable costs associated with making a resource or project commercially operable, plus $100,000. It directs the Public Utilities Commission to adopt routine technical rules to develop the method the commission will use to determine the contract limitations imposed by this cap for each contract.
LD 856, An Act To Balance Renewable Energy Development with Natural and Working Lands Conservation. (Rep. Berry, D-Bowdoinham) Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. This bill would balance renewable energy development with the conservation of natural and working lands.
LD 1079, Resolve, To Review the Effects of the Deregulation of Maine Utilities. (Sen. Stewart, R-Aroostook) Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. This resolve requires the Public Utilities Commission to establish a commission to review the effects of policies enacted in the State relating to the deregulation and restructuring of the State's electric industry. The commission must report that commission's findings to the Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology no later than December 1, 2021, and the committee may report out legislation on the subject matter of the report to the Second Regular Session of the 130th Legislature.
LD 1094, An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Reduce Homeowner and Municipal Energy Bills through Increased Efficiency and Weatherization Projects. (Sen. Pouliot, R-Kennebec) Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs. The funds provided by this bond issue, in the amount of $20,000,000, will be administered by the Efficiency Maine Trust and used to reduce energy costs for senior citizens, low-income residents, municipalities and schools through investments in weatherization and energy efficiency.
LD 1107, An Act To Create Needed Broadband Infrastructure in Rural Maine through the Establishment of a Satellite-based Broadband Grant Program. (Sen. Stewart, R-Aroostook) Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. This bill establishes a satellite-based broadband grant program, to be developed and administered by the Public Utilities Commission, to provide grants of up to $500 to individuals for installation costs and other advance costs associated with the initial acquisition of broadband access from a satellite-based broadband provider. Under the program, grant priority is to be given to applicants from unserved or underserved areas of the State. This grant program is capitalized under the bill through a one-time General Fund appropriation of $1,000,000.
LD 1350, An Act To Expand Maine's Clean Energy Economy. (Sen. Eloise Vitelli, D-Sagadahoc) Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. This bill amends the State's renewable portfolio standard procurement law to authorize 2 additional competitive solicitations by the Public Utilities Commission for contracts with Class IA resources to procure, in total, an amount of energy or renewable energy credits equal to 15% of retail electricity sales in the State during calendar year 2019. It requires 100% of the energy or renewable energy credits contracted following those additional competitive solicitations to come from Class IA resources that begin commercial operations after June 30, 2021.
LD 1634, An Act To Create the Maine Generation Authority. (Rep. Nicole Grohoski, D-Ellsworth) Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. This bill establishes the Maine Generation Authority as an instrumentality of the State that is authorized to issue revenue bonds for the purpose of facilitating the financing and ownership of energy generation projects and energy storage systems located in the State. It is modeled after the Maine Turnpike Authority. It requires energy generation projects to be in the State or in federal waters and to generate electricity using renewable fuels or sources of energy, including, but not limited to solar, wind, water, wave, tidal and biomass that produce zero greenhouse gas emission.
LD 1894, An Act To Support Municipal Broadband Infrastructure through Incentives and Competition. (Sen. Eloise Vitelli, D-Sagadahoc) Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. This bill establishes the Internet Access Expansion Investment Fund to expand and improve Internet access in this State. The fund must give priority to projects that assist state or local ownership of broadband infrastructure, with at least 50% of funded projects annually meeting this criterion. The bill allows an electric cooperative or utility, including a municipal utility, to own, lease, construct, maintain and operate broadband or other Internet access systems on the electric cooperative's or utility's electric or other utility delivery system and to provide broadband or other Internet access services to the public on the electric cooperative's or utility's electric or other utility delivery system.
LD 1894, An Act To Support Municipal Broadband Infrastructure through Incentives and Competition. (Sen. Eloise Vitelli, D-Sagadahoc) Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. This bill establishes the Internet Access Expansion Investment Fund to expand and improve Internet access in this State. The fund must give priority to projects that assist state or local ownership of broadband infrastructure, with at least 50% of funded projects annually meeting this criterion. The bill allows an electric cooperative or utility, including a municipal utility, to own, lease, construct, maintain and operate broadband or other Internet access systems on the electric cooperative's or utility's electric or other utility delivery system and to provide broadband or other Internet access services to the public on the electric cooperative's or utility's electric or other utility delivery system.
LD 1913, An Act To Review Strategies for Improving Utility Rate Affordability and To Provide Utility Relief. (Sen. Eloise Vitelli, D-Sagahadoc) Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. This bill directs the Public Advocate to convene a stakeholder group to consider matters related to electricity affordability and submit a report to the Legislature. The bill authorizes the Public Advocate to convene the stakeholder group on those matters in the future. The bill also directs the Public Utilities Commission to create an electric utility relief program for low-income persons and directs the commission in cooperation with the Efficiency Maine Trust to provide education and outreach on utility relief programs.
LD 1945, An Act To Regulate the Use of Biometric Identifiers. (Rep. Maggie O'Neil, D-Saco) Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary. This bill provides for an individual's privacy regarding the collection and use of biometric identifiers of the individual and personal information connected to the biometric identifiers.
LD 1949, An Act To Amend the Caribou Utilities District Charter To Include Broadband Services. (Sen. Troy Jacckson, D-Aroostook) Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. This bill allows the Caribou Utilities District to provide broadband services to residents, businesses, nonprofit organizations and government entities within the district and provides for municipalities other than Caribou the opportunity to be admitted for broadband services membership with the district
LD 1959, Act To Ensure Transmission and Distribution Utility Accountability. (GOV'S BILL) Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. The purpose of this bill is to create greater accountability of transmission and distribution utilities to their ratepayers in order to ensure that the utilities are fulfilling their duties to provide safe, reasonable and adequate service at just and reasonable rates.
LD 1969, An Act Concerning Equity in Renewable Energy Projects and Workforce Development. (Rep. Scott Cuddy, D-Winterport) Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. It provides that if after January 1, 2023 the Public Utilities Commission engages in additional procurement of energy or renewable energy credits pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35-A, section 3210-G, the commission, in determining benefits to the State's economy, is required to consider whether the Class IA resource has secured a project labor agreement with a labor organization to supply construction workers in all crafts needed for the assisted project where the assisted project is located.
Workers' Compensation
LD 1881, An Act To Clarify the Laws Related to the Use of Medical Marijuana and Workers' Compensation. (Rep. Dillingham, R-Oxford) Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. This bill provides that:
1. A decision, lump-sum settlement or agreement under the Maine Workers' Compensation Act of 1992 may not prohibit an employee from engaging in conduct as a qualifying patient pursuant to the Maine Medical Use of Marijuana Act;
2. The Maine Medical Use of Marijuana Act may not be construed to require an insurance company providing workers' compensation insurance to reimburse a qualifying patient for costs associated with the medical use of marijuana; and
3. The Workers' Compensation Board must exclude evidence of an employee engaging in conduct as a qualifying patient authorized by the Maine Medical Use of Marijuana Act in any proceedings before the board.
Workforce Development
LD 144, An Act To Fund Capital Improvements to Career and Technical Education Centers and Regions To Bolster Maine's Future Workforce. (House Speaker Fecteau, D-Biddeford) Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This bill authorizes the issuance and use of up to $20,000,000 in Maine Governmental Facilities Authority securities for capital improvements to career and technical education centers and regions.
LD 298, An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Fund Capital Improvements and Equipment for Career and Technical Education Centers and Regions To Prepare Students To Join Maine's Workforce. (House Speaker Fecteau, D-Biddeford) Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs. The funds provided by this bond issue, in the amount of $40,000,000, will be used to provide funds to make capital improvements to and purchase equipment for career and technical education centers and regions for high school students.
LD 492, An Act To Create a Regional Grant Program To Help Rural Businesses Find Qualified Staff. (Rep. Bernard, R-Caribou) Joint Standing Committee on Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Commerce. This bill creates a grant program and related fund for the purpose of aiding entities in hiring a workforce recruiter. The purpose of the position is to advertise and promote jobs in rural Maine and to locate qualified staff to fill open positions. Funds for the program are provided by a one-time appropriation from the General Fund of $1,000,000.
LD 898, An Act To Provide Incentives to Unemployed Workers To Become Part of the Caregiver Workforce. Emergency (Rep. Fay, D-Raymond) Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing. This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208. This emergency bill proposes to provide incentives and assistance to unemployed workers to become part of the caregiver workforce.
LD 1168, An Act To License Operators of Personnel Hoists. (Rep. Roberts, D-South Berwick) Joint Standing Committee on Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Commerce. This bill establishes the Elevator Advisory Board as well as requirements for the licensure of operators of personnel hoists. It creates exceptions to these licensure requirements for short-term emergency operation and operation by inspectors and operation of automatic operation or continuous pressure operation passenger or freight elevators or existing shipper rope elevators.
LD 1573, An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Commission To Study Long-term Care Workforce Issues. Emergency (Rep. Fay, D-Raymond) Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services. This bill implements the recommendations of the Commission To Study Long-term Care Workforce Issues, which was established by Public Law 2019, chapter 343, Part BBBBB, section 1. The bill does the following. 1. It directs the Department of Health and Human Services to establish a 2-year rebasing requirement to set and increase reimbursement rates for in-home and community support services. 2. It requires direct care workers across the long-term care spectrum to be paid no less than 125% of the minimum wage. It requires the Department of Health and Human Services to adopt rules that take into account the cost of this increased wage in its reimbursement rates. 3. It requires the Department of Health and Human Services to adopt rules to increase reimbursement rates under rule Chapter 101: MaineCare Benefits Manual and any state30 funded programs to take into account costs of providing care and services in conformity with applicable state and federal laws, rules, regulations, training requirements and quality and safety standards, including, but not limited to, increases in the minimum wage for workers other than direct care workers, earned paid leave, electronic visit verification, background checks and other costs that are not provided for in the current reimbursement rates and to not reduce a reimbursement rate below that on the effective date of this bill. 4. It establishes the Long-term Care Workforce Oversight Advisory Committee to collect and compile data related to workforce shortages and services provided to clients, review progress by the Department of Health and Human Services regarding recommendations provided to the department and the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters, including the recommendations of the Commission To Study Long-term Care Workforce Issues, identify barriers to implementing recommendations and make recommendations on proposals to address long-term care workforce shortages. The Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Labor and the Department of Education are directed to provide to the oversight committee quarterly reports on the progress and efforts to implement the recommendations of the oversight committee and of the Commission To Study Long-term Care Workforce Issues. The oversight committee must submit an annual report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters.
LD 1597, An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Strengthen Maine's Health Care Workforce. (Rep. Pierce, D-Falmouth) Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs. The funds provided by this bond issue, in the amount of $11,000,000, will be used to provide funding on the following basis: $7,000,000 to be used for the University of New England Institute for Interprofessional Education and Practice to improve and expand collaborative team-based education of health care workers, including training in the use of telehealth and other technologies, and to increase access to high-quality health care; and $4,000,000 to be used to upgrade the capacity of federally qualified health centers and other community-based health care clinics and hospitals throughout the State in order to facilitate educational and clinical links with the University of New England Institute for Interprofessional Education and Practice and to enhance and expand their capacity to provide access to high-quality health care.