Representative Gary Drinkwater

LD 7	Resolve, To Name a Bridge in the Town of Lincoln and the Town of Chester the Master Sergeant Gary Gordon Bridge	Status: Referred to Transportation Committee, Finally passed, Signed into law March 7, 2019
LD 7 This resolve designates Bridge 3790, which crosses the Penobscot River between the Town of Lincoln and the Town of Chester, the Master Sergeant Gary Gordon Bridge. LD 7 Chaptered Law LD 7 Chaptered Law fiscal note

LD 35	An Act To Exempt All Disabled Veterans in Maine from All Income Tax and To Increase Their Homestead Exemption to $50,000	Status: Referred to Taxation Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, May 14, 2019
LD 35 This bill increases the homestead exemption to $50,000 for veterans of the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines or Coast Guard who are receiving disability compensation from the United States Government due to a service-connected disability and provides an income tax deduction for all income of those individuals.

LD 106	An Act To Amend the Maine Veterinary Practice Act Relating to Alternative Therapy or Collaborative Treatment	Status: Referred to Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, February 5, 2019
LD 106 This bill authorizes a person to provide alternative therapy or collaborative treatment to an animal only if the person holds a license, registration or certification from the entity in the State responsible for issuing licenses, certifications or registrations for the alternative therapy or collaborative treatment or meets certain educational requirements, has a referral to provide the alternative therapy or collaborative treatment from a licensed veterinarian and is under the direct or indirect supervision of a licensed veterinarian. The bill also defines "alternative therapy or collaborative treatment" to include acupuncture, dentistry, homeopathic or chiropractic procedures and physical or massage therapy.

LD 160	An Act To Add Instruction in Personal Finance to the Statewide System of Learning Results	Status: Referred to Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, Dead, Concurrence in Ought Not to Pass, March 26, 2019
LD 160 This bill requires the Department of Education to add instruction in personal finance to the statewide system of learning results and to adopt rules accordingly.

LD 176	An Act To Enhance Participation on the State Board of Education	Status: Referred to Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-29, Enacted, Signed into law June 20, 2019
LD 176 This bill eliminates the provision in current law prohibiting teachers and school administrators from serving on the State Board of Education. It also provides that a teacher or school administrator serving on the state board must be granted release time for attendance at state board meetings. Any cost related to the release time is the responsibility of the state board. Amendment H-29 This amendment clarifies that the State Board of Education is responsible for the costs of a substitute teacher when a teacher is granted release time to serve on the State Board of Education. It also adds an appropriations and allocations section. LD 176 Chaptered Law LD 176 Chaptered Law fiscal note

LD 207	Resolve, To Rename the Stillwater Bridges in Old Town the Llewellyn Estes Bridge	Status: Referred to Transportation Committee, Finally passed, Signed into law March 25, 2019
LD 207 This resolve requires the Department of Transportation to rename Stillwater Bridge #1 and Stillwater Bridge #2 in the City of Old Town the Llewellyn Estes Bridge. LD 207 Chaptered Law LD 207 Chaptered Law fiscal note

LD 309	Resolve, Directing the Department of Education To Direct a Study of the Regional Adjustment for School Administrative Units	Status: Referred to Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-393, Finally passed as an emergency measure, Signed into law June 17, 2019
LD 309 This bill removes the regional adjustment in the total operating allocation for school administrative units under the Essential Programs and Services Funding Act. Amendment H-393 This amendment changes the bill to a resolve and adds an emergency preamble and clause. The amendment directs the Department of Education to direct the Maine Education Policy Research Institute in the institute's review of the essential programs and services to study and report to the department on the regional adjustment for school administrative units. The department must submit the report to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs no later than January 15, 2020. LD 309 Chaptered Law LD 309 Chaptered Law fiscal note

LD 313

An Act To Increase Access to Moose and Doe Permits for Combat-injured Veterans

Status: Referred to Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, April 16, 2019

LD 313
This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208.

This bill would increase access to moose and doe permits for the rehabilitation of combat-injured veterans.

LD 336	An Act To Require That Notice of Lead Abatement Orders Be Filed with the Registry of Deeds	Status: Referred to Health and Human Services Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-136, Enacted, Signed into law May 14, 2019
LD 336 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to file a notice of the existence of an environmental lead hazard in the registry of deeds in the county in which the relevant property is located. It also requires the department to file a notice in the registry of deeds when the department determines that the environmental lead hazard no longer exists. Amendment H-136 This amendment, which is the unanimous report of the committee: 1. Amends the bill to refer to an order directing that lead-based substances be removed, replaced or securely and permanently covered; 2. Requires that the book and page in the registry of the owner's deed be identified on the notice filed with the registry of deeds that the owner complied with the order issued by the Department of Health and Human Services; 3. Requires that a notice filed with the registry of deeds include a notarized signature of the person issuing the notice; and 4. Directs the Department of Health and Human Services to adopt routine technical rules, including for the form of the notice to be filed in the registry of deeds. LD 336 Chaptered Law LD 336 Chaptered Law fiscal note

LD 337	An Act To Start a Spring Bear Hunting Season	Status: Referred to Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, March 7, 2019
LD 337 This bill amends the law on open and closed seasons on bear to direct the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to establish a spring bear hunting season.

LD 356

An Act To Sustain Maine's Forest Products Industry by Implementing Certain Existing Solid Waste Management Policies

Status: Referred to Environment and Natural Resources Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, May 16, 2019

LD 356
This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208.

This bill proposes to ensure that the State continues to implement certain solid waste management policies that were adopted to benefit all or part of the State's forest products industry.

LD 528	An Act To Increase the Number of Clubs in Penobscot County That May Be Issued a Special Dog Training Area License	Status: Referred to Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-69, Enacted as an emergency measure, Signed into law April 30, 2019
LD 528 This bill increases the number of clubs in Penobscot County that may be issued a special dog training area license for training hunting dogs from 5 to 8. Amendment H-69 This amendment replaces the bill and adds an emergency preamble and emergency clause. It increases from 5 to 8 the number of clubs per county for which the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife may issue a special dog training area license. LD 528 Chaptered Law LD 528 Chaptered Law fiscal note

LD 603	An Act To Amend the Laws Governing Funding for Landfill Closure Costs	Status: Referred to Environment and Natural Resources Committee, Amended by Committee amendment S-55, Enacted, Signed into law May 8, 2019
LD 603 This bill extends the eligibility period for closure costs for a landfill that currently applies only to a landfill licensed on or before September 1, 1989. The bill provides that if a license application for a landfill was accepted for processing on or before September 1, 1989 and the application was approved by the Commissioner of Environmental Protection within one year of accepting the application for processing, the landfill is eligible for payment of 75% of certain closure costs by the Department of Environmental Protection. Amendment S-55 This bill extends the eligibility period for closure costs for a landfill that currently applies only to a landfill licensed on or before September 1, 1989. The bill provides that if a license application for a landfill was accepted for processing on or before September 1, 1989 and the application was approved by the Commissioner of Environmental Protection within one year of accepting the application for processing, the landfill is eligible for payment of 75% of certain closure costs by the Department of Environmental Protection. LD 603 Chaptered Law LD 603 Chaptered Law fiscal note

LD 652	An Act To Modify Maine's Ice Fishing Laws with Respect to Cusk Fishing	Status: Referred to Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, March 7, 2019
LD 652 This bill changes how often a person is required to check cusk lines while ice fishing from at least once every hour in the nighttime to at least once every 24 hours.

LD 662

An Act To Count Study Abroad toward Secondary School Credit

Status: Referred to Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, Enacted in the House as amended by Committee amendment H-54, tabled to Special Appropriations in the Senate April 18, 2019, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322

LD 662
This bill requires school administrative units to award course credit to students who have studied abroad by awarding the student elective credit based on hours of instruction received abroad or by awarding credit hours in the relevant content area if the student receives 3rd-party certification or if the student passes a summative assessment.

Amendment H-54
This amendment, which is the unanimous report of the committee, amends the bill by requiring school boards to adopt a policy on awarding credit to students who have studied abroad. The school board may include in the policy that the school administrative unit award credit as elective credit, through 3rd-party certification or based on a summative assessment.

This amendment also requires the Department of Education to issue an administrative letter to school boards and superintendents addressing the benefits of proactive communication between the school administrative unit and parents of a student and the student regarding the credit options available to the student prior to the student's participation in the study abroad program.

This amendment also incorporates a fiscal note. The fiscal note identifies the requirement that local school boards adopt a policy on awarding credit to students who have studied abroad as a potential unfunded state mandate. The committee reviewed the fiscal note and determined that requiring a school board to adopt a policy on awarding credit to students who have studied abroad is not a mandate. Because school boards have a duty to adopt policies that govern school administrative units pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 1001, subsection 1-A, and because Title 20-A requires school administrative units to provide students with opportunities for learning in multiple pathways, the requirement that local school boards adopt a policy on awarding credit to students who have studied abroad does not require an expansion or modification of activities so as to necessitate additional expenditures.

LD 662 Amendment H-54 fiscal note

LD 817	An Act To Advance the Restoration of the Penobscot River	Status: Referred to Environment and Natural Resources Committee, Amended by Committee amendment S-34, Enacted, Signed into law April 30, 2019
LD 817 This bill extends north to Milford Dam between Milford and Old Town on the Penobscot River, with the exception of the Stillwater Branch, the protections under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 38, section 418-A currently provided to the lower Penobscot River. It requires the Department of Marine Resources, the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Department of Environmental Protection, in consultation with the Penobscot Indian Nation and interested federal agencies, to conduct a comprehensive assessment of fish passage barriers, water quality and habitat conditions affecting the full restoration of fisheries within the Penobscot River watershed and the feasibility and costs of mitigating problems and report to the Joint Standing Committee on Marine Resources, the Joint Standing Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. It authorizes the joint standing committees to report out legislation to the Second Regular Session of the 129th Legislature. Amendment S-34 This amendment removes from the bill the directed comprehensive assessment of the Penobscot River Watershed by the Department of Marine Resources, the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Department of Environmental Protection. It also makes a technical correction to a section headnote. LD 817 Chaptered Law LD 817 Chaptered Law fiscal note

LD 822	An Act To Prohibit the Sale of Motor Fuel Containing More than 10% Ethanol	Status: Dead, Referred to Environment and Natural Resources Committee, Enacted, Vetoed, Veto sustained in the House, May 9, 2019
LD 822 This bill prohibits a distributor, blender or retail dealer from selling, consigning or distributing motor fuel containing more than 10% ethanol by volume unless the motor fuel is sold, consigned or distributed in a sealed container that contains one quart or less of the motor fuel. It also repeals a contingent prohibition on the sale of motor fuel containing more than 10% ethanol by volume.

LD 830	An Act To Balance Maine's Minimum Wage for Small and Large Employers	Status: Referred to Labor and Housing Committee, Dead, Concurrence in Ought Not to Pass, April 16, 2019
LD 830 This bill establishes a minimum hourly wage for small employers that is less than the minimum hourly wage for large employers. Beginning October 1, 2019, for an employer with fewer than 50 full-time employees in Maine, the minimum hourly wage is established at $10; the minimum hourly wage for an employer of at least 50 full-time employees in Maine remains at $11 until January 1, 2021, when it increases to $12. This bill also delays the indexing of the minimum hourly wage for cost-of-living adjustments by one year until 2022.

LD 891	Senator Lisa Keim	Status: Referred to Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, April 11, 2019
LD 891 This bill allows the Commissioner of Inland and Fisheries and Wildlife to establish 3 consecutive days as youth hunting days for hunting bear and deer.

LD 970	An Act To Encourage Policies Regarding Accessory Dwelling Units under Local Comprehensive Plans and Zoning Requirements	Status: Referred to State and Local Government Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-179, Enacted, Signed into law May 23, 2019
LD 970 This bill directs municipalities to develop policies in the comprehensive planning process that provide for accessory dwelling units, which are dwelling units located within a detached single-family dwelling unit. Amendment H-179 This amendment expands the definition of "accessory dwelling unit" to include a dwelling unit attached to and detached from another single-dwelling unit. It clarifies that municipalities are encouraged to develop policies in the comprehensive planning process that provide for accessory dwelling units, but it does not require municipalities to permit accessory dwelling units. It reorganizes the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 30-A, section 4236, subsection 3-A, paragraph G for ease of understanding. LD 970 Chaptered Law LD 970 Chaptered Law fiscal note

LD 985

An Act To Maintain High School Diploma Standards by Repealing Proficiency-based Diploma Standards and Adding the Equivalent in Standards Achievement

Status: Referred to Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-322, Enacted, Signed into law June 5, 2019

LD 985
This bill repeals the provisions of law that allow diplomas indicating graduation from a secondary school to be based on a student's demonstration of proficiency.

Amendment H-322
The amendment establishes as fundamental policies of the diploma standards that a diploma indicating graduation from a secondary school signifies that the graduate has completed high school diploma requirements and is ready to enter a postsecondary educational program or a career as a clear and effective communicator, a self-directed and lifelong learner, a creative and practical problem solver, a responsible and involved citizen and an informed and integrative thinker; that school administrative units must align their instruction with the system of learning results; and that school administrative units are encouraged to develop innovative multiple pathways that allow all students to learn and demonstrate their achievement through multiple means and measures.

The amendment also provides that instruction in the required subjects may be provided through the current year-based requirements or through the equivalent in standards achievement.

The amendment also requires that a child with a disability who satisfies the local diploma requirements in the manner specified by the child's individualized education plan must be awarded a high school diploma and provides that career and technical education students, consistent with the approval of the commissioner and the local school board, may satisfy instructional requirements through separate or integrated study within the career and technical education school curriculum.

LD 985 Chaptered Law
LD 985 Chaptered Law fiscal note

LD 1075	An Act To Allow a Wrecker To Transport the Number of Vehicles Authorized by Manufacturer Specifications for the Wrecker	Status: Referred to Transportation Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, May 23, 2019
LD 1075 Current law provides that "wrecker" does not include a vehicle designed to carry or tow more than 2 vehicles on its own body. This bill strikes that language and provides that a wrecker may not carry or tow more vehicles than allowed by the manufacturer specifications for that wrecker.

LD 1213	An Act To Repeal the Ranked-choice Voting Law	Status: Referred to Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, Dead, Concurrence in Ought Not to Pass, May 21, 2019
LD 1213 This bill repeals the laws governing ranked-choice voting.

LD 1273	An Act To Ensure Funding for Certain Essential Functions of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Pesticide Safety Education Program	Status: Referred to Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee, Amended by Committee amendment S-149, Enacted, Signed into law June 7, 2019
LD 1273 This bill requires that the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Board of Pesticides Control award an annual grant of $65,000 on or about April 1st to the University of Maine Cooperative Extension for the development and revision of training manuals for pesticide applicator certification, licensing and recertification. Amendment S-149 This amendment clarifies that the grant awarded by the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Board of Pesticides Control to the University of Maine Cooperative Extension for the development and revision of training manuals for applicator certification, licensing and recertification may also be used to perform other aspects of pesticide education programs. The amendment clarifies that the amount of the annual grant is not less than $65,000. The amendment also provides that the University of Maine Cooperative Extension may seek the advice of the Board of Pesticides Control in establishing pesticide education programs. The amendment requires the University of Maine Cooperative Extension to submit an annual report on the use of the funds, no later than January 15th, to the Board of Pesticides Control and the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over pesticide education and certification matters. LD 1273 Chaptered Law LD 1273 Chaptered Law fiscal note

LD 1487	An Act To Exempt Holders of Gold Star Family Registration Plates from Vehicle Registration Fees	Status: Referred to Transportation Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-444, Enacted, Signed into law June 19, 2019
LD 1487 This bill exempts a person possessing or applying for a registration certificate and a set of gold star family registration plates from the annual motor vehicle registration fee. Amendment H-444 This amendment adds an appropriations and allocations section. LD 1487 Chaptered Law LD 1487 Chaptered Law fiscal note

LD 1488	An Act To Allow Holders of Gold Star Family Registration Plates To Be Issued Complimentary Licenses To Hunt, Trap and Fish	Status: Referred to Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-426, Enacted, Signed into law June 20, 2019
LD 1488 This bill allows the holder of a registration certificate and a set of gold star family registration plates pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 29-A, section 524-B to be issued a complimentary license to hunt, trap and fish, including permits, stamps and other permissions needed to hunt. Amendment H-426 This amendment provides that the complimentary license to hunt, trap and fish made available under the bill to a person who holds a registration certificate and gold star family registration plates is: 1. Available to only residents of the State; and 2. A lifetime license. LD 1488 Chaptered Law LD 1488 Chaptered Law fiscal note

LD 1579	An Act To Create a Limited Fish Stocking Permit	Status: Referred to Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-375, Enacted, Signed into law May 10, 2019
LD 1579 This bill allows a municipality to stock with fish an inland water of the municipality, subject to a determination by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Bureau of Resource Management that the species of fish is appropriate to be stocked in that inland water and to the public notification requirements that apply when the bureau proposes to stock an inland water with fish. Amendment H-375 This amendment replaces the bill. The amendment allows the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to issue a limited permit to a local government. A limited permit allows a local government to introduce fish only into a great pond within the jurisdiction of the local government that was previously stocked by the department and in which stocking was suspended prior to January 1, 2019 and has not been resumed by the department due to inadequate public access. The permit allows the introduction of only the same species of fish that was stocked at the time the department suspended stocking. The permit allows only the introduction of fish obtained by the local government at its own expense from an in-state commercial facility that meets testing and health guidelines approved by the department. The permit may be issued only if the local government identifies public access to the great pond that is at least suitable for the hand carrying of boats to the water, includes a parking area and has been marked with signage adequate to ensure public awareness of the public access. "Local government" is defined as a municipality or, in the unorganized territory, a county. LD 1579 Chaptered Law LD 1579 Chaptered Law fiscal note

LD 1597	An Act To Provide a Sales Tax Exemption for Purchases Made by Nonprofit Seasonal Camps	Status: Referred to Taxation Committee, Engrossed in both chambers as amended by Committee amendment H-381, Enacted in both chambers June 4, 2019, Governor's action pending, Governor placed on hold, July 2, 2019
LD 1597 This bill provides an exemption from the sales and use tax for purchases made by nonprofit organizations that operate seasonal campgrounds in Maine. Amendment H-381 This amendment clarifies that the sales tax exemption applies to licensed nonprofit youth camps that are entitled to a property tax exemption. The amendment also adds an appropriations and allocations section. LD 1597 Amendment H-381 fiscal note

LD 83	An Act To Amend the Law Regarding Resale by a Motor Vehicle Dealer To Permit the Dealer To Use a Copy of a Certificate of Title	Status: Referred to Transportation Committee, Work session held, February 21, 2019, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322
LD 83 This bill allows a dealer selling a motor vehicle to use a copy of the valid certificate of title instead of the original valid certificate of title.