Representative Harold Stewart [Republican]
Presque Isle ~ District 147
Towns in District: part of Presque Isle
Assistant House Republican LeaderHouse Committees:
♦ Rules and Business of the House
Joint Committees:
♦ Joint Select Committee On Joint Rules (Ranking Republican)
✉ Trey.Stewart@legislature.maine.gov
☎ (207) 287-1440
✉ 312 State Street
Presque Isle, Maine 04769
Return to a list of All Representatives
Organization | Score | Source |
Maine People's Alliance (MPA), 2019 | 1 of 10 | Maine People's Alliance, 2019 |
Maine People's Alliance, Will of the Voters, 2018 | 0% | Maine People's Alliance Will of the Voters, 2018 |
Maine People's Alliance, 2018 | 17% | Maine People's Alliance, 2018 |
Maine Conservation Voters (MCV), 2019 | 2 of 7 | Maine Conservation Voters, 2019 |
Maine Conservation Voters, 2018 | 4 of 8 | Maine Conservation Voters, 2018 |
Maine Conservation Voters, 2017 | 4 of 7 | Maine Conservation Voters, 2017 |
Maine AFL-CIO, 2019 | 2 of 10 | AFL-CIO, 2019 |
Maine AFL-CIO, 2017 | 10% | No longer available online |
Maine Women's Lobby, 2019 | 0 of 7 | Maine Women's Lobby, 2019 |
Planned Parenthood Maine Action Fund, 2019 | 2 of 6 | Planned Parenthood ME Action Fund, 2019 |
Planned Parenthood Maine Action Fund, 2017 | 25% | Planned Parenthood Maine Action Fund, 2017 |
Firearms Control, 2019 | 1 of 7 | This website, see below for roll calls included. |
Scorecards are an organization's means of holding legislators accountable to the organization's interests and values. Each organization chooses a subset of bills that are a priority for them, and then scores each legislator by the legislator's vote relative to what would be the organization's preferred vote on the bill.
For a listing of the votes included on scorecards prior to 2019, see the hyperlinked sources given in the table above or the "Explanations, Legislative Scorecards" tab on this site. For 2019 scorecards, see the hyperlinked site given in the table above or the vote detail below, "Roll Call Vote Detail for 2019 Scorecards."The graphs below are frequency histograms that show this representative's score relative to the scores of all representatives by placing an "X" over this representative's score. In all graphs, D is Democrat (blue), R is Republican (red) and Ind is Independent (black). For graphs prior to 2019, additional parties include Common Sense Independent (goldenrod) and Green Independent (green).Roll Call | Bill | Motion | MPA vote | Representative's vote |
---|---|---|---|---|
16 | LD 179 An Act to Change the Name of Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass | Yea | Nay |
250 | LD 255 Resolution, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Require that Signatures on a Direct Initiative Come from Each Congressional District | Final Passage as a Constitutional Amendment (requires 2/3 of membership) | Nay | Yea |
272 | LD 308 An Act to Increase Notification Time Periods for Rent Increases and Terminations of Tenancies at Will | Reconsider passage after Governor's veto | Yea | Nay |
75 | LD 369 An Act to Support Healthy Workplaces and Healthy Families by Providing Paid Sick Leave to Certain Employees | Accept Committee Report A, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment S-79 | Yea | Nay |
278 | LD 420 An Act to Amend the Maine Exclusion Amount in the Estate Tax | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment H-610 | Yea | Nay |
70 | LD 820 An Act to Prevent Discrimination in Public and Private Insurance Coverage for Pregnant Women in Maine | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment H-210 | Yea | Nay |
237 | LD 949 An Act to Prevent Overdose Deaths | Accept Majority Report, Ought Not to Pass | Nay | Yea |
306 | LD 1177 An Act to Improve Public Sector Labor Relations | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment S-308 | Yea | Yea |
182 | LD 1282 An Act to Establish a Green New Deal for Maine | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment H-413 | Yea | Nay |
307 | LD 1317 An Act to Restore Services to Help Certain Noncitizens Meet Their Basic Needs | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment H-248 | Yea | Nay |
Total for Representative Stewart: | Present for 10 votes, agreed on 1 votes, 10 percent agreement |
Roll Call | Bill | Motion | MCV vote | Representative's vote |
---|---|---|---|---|
37 | LD 289 An Act to Prohibit the Use of Certain Disposable Food Service Containers | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment H-49 | Yea | Nay |
293 | LD 1494 An Act to Reform Maine’s Renewable Portfolio Standard | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment H-49 | Yea | Nay |
157 | LD 1532 An Act to Eliminate Single-use Plastic Carry-out Bags | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment H-392 | Yea | Nay |
209 | LD 1679 An Act to Promote Clean Energy Jobs and to Establish the Maine Climate Council | Enact as an Emergency measure (2/3 of members required) | Yea | Yea |
282 | LD 1711 An Act to Promote Solar Energy Projects and Distributed Generation Resources in Maine | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment S-295 | Yea | Nay |
208 | LD 1775 An Act to Protect Sustenance Fishing | Enact | Yea | Yea |
329 | LD 1851 An Act to Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue for Land Conservation, Water Access, Outdoor Recreation, Wildlife and Fish Habitats and Farmland and Working Waterfront Preservation | Enact as a bond issue (requires 2/3 present) | Yea | Nay |
Total for Representative Stewart: | Present for 7 votes, agreed on 2 votes, 29 percent agreement |
Roll Call | Bill | Motion | AFL-CIO vote | Representative's vote |
---|---|---|---|---|
227 | LD 240 An Act To Allow Public Employers of Teachers to Negotiate Regarding Educational Policies | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as amended by Committee amendment H-518 | Yea | Nay |
75 | LD 369 An Act To Support Healthy Workplaces and Healthy Families by Providing Earned Paid Sick Leave to Certain Employees | Accept Committee Report A, Ought to Pass as amended by Commitee amendment S-79 | Yea | Nay |
306 | LD 1177 An Act To Improve Public Sector Labor Relations | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as amended by Committee amendment S-308 | Yea | Yea |
111 | LD 1232 An Act To Ensure the Right To Work without Payment of Dues or Fees to a Labor Union as a Condition of Employment | Accept Majority Report, Ought Not to Pass | Yea | Nay |
182 | LD 1282 An Act To Establish a Green New Deal for Maine | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as amended by Committee amendment H-413 | Yea | Nay |
120 | LD 1459 An Act To Expand Application of the Maine Agricultural Marketing and Bargaining Act of 1973 to Harvesters and Haulers of Forest Products | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass | Yea | Nay |
206 | LD 1524 An Act To Prevent Wage Theft and Promote Employer Accountability | Enact LD 1524 as amended by Commitee amendment S-203 | Yea | Nay |
195 | LD 1560 An Act Regarding Utility Reorganizations | Enact LD 1560 as amended by Committee amendment S-192 as an emergency measure | Yea | Yea |
156 | LD 1564 An Act To Authorize Project Labor Agreements for Public Works Projects | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as amended by Committee amendment S-158 | Yea | Nay |
190 | LD 1658 An Act To Clarify Prevailing Wage Rates on State Projects Using Federal Funds | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as amended by Committee amendment S-200 | Yea | Nay |
Total for Representative Stewart: | Present for 10 votes, agreed on 2 votes, 20 percent agreement |
Roll Call | Bill | Motion | Vote to agree | Representative's vote |
---|---|---|---|---|
199 | LD 37 An Act To Allow for the Sale of Nonprescription Drugs through Vending Machines | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment H-466 | Yea | Nay |
28 | LD 278 An Act Regarding Pay Equality | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment S-28 | Yea | Nay |
75 | LD 369 An Act To Support Healthy Workplaces and Healthy Families by Providing Earned Paid Sick Leave to Certain Employees | Accept Report A, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment S-79 | Yea | Nay |
246 | LD 820 An Act To Prevent Discrimination in Public and Private Insurance Coverage for Pregnant Women in Maine | Enact LD 820 as amended by Committee amendment H-210 | Yea | Nay |
80 | LD 1025 An Act To Prohibit the Provision of Conversion Therapy to Minors by Certain Licensed Professionals | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment H-213 | Yea | Nay |
114 | LD 1261 An Act To Authorize Certain Health Care Professionals To Perform Abortions | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass | Yea | Nay |
307 | LD 1317 An Act To Restore Services To Help Certain Noncitizens Meet Their Basic Needs | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment H-248 | Yea | Nay |
Total for Representative Stewart: | Present for 7 votes, agreed on 0 votes, 0 percent agreement |
Roll Call | Bill | Motion | Vote to agree | Representative's vote |
---|---|---|---|---|
199 | LD 37 An Act To Allow for the Sale of Nonprescription Drugs through Vending Machines | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as amended by Committee amendment H-466 | Yea | Nay |
No roll call; passed under gavel | LD 78 An Act To Facilitate Access to the MaineCare Family Planning Benefit | Enact LD 78 as amended by Committee amendment H-132 | Yea | Yea assumed (i.e., no objection) |
153 | LD 494 An Act To Update the Family Planning Statutes | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as amended by Committee amendment S-151 | Yea | Nay |
246 | LD 820 An Act To Prevent Discrimination in Public and Private Insurance Coverage for Pregnant Women in Maine | Enact LD 820 as amended by Committee amendment H-210 and amended by Senate amendment S-275 | Yea | Nay |
114 | LD 1261 An Act To Authorize Certain Health Care Professionals To Perform Abortions | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass | Yea | Nay |
No roll call; passed under gavel | LD 1580 An Act To Protect Licensing Information of Medical Professionals | Enact LD 1580 as amended by Committee amendment H-631 | Yea | Yea assumed (i.e., no objection) |
Total for Representative Stewart: | Present for 4 votes, agreed on 0 votes, 0 percent agreement |
Roll Call | Bill | Motion | Vote to agree | Representative's vote |
---|---|---|---|---|
204 | LD 379 An Act To Protect Children by Requiring the Safe Storage of Loaded Firearms | Accept Majority Report, Ought Not to Pass | Nay | Yea |
211 | LD 533 An Act To Eliminate the Statutory Duty To Retreat and Affirm the Right of Self-defense | Accept Majority Report, Ought Not to Pass | Yea | Nay |
252 | LD 1099 An Act To Reduce Suicides and Violent Crimes by Requiring a 72-hour Waiting Period after the Sale of a Firearm | Accept Majority Report, Ought Not to Pass | Nay | Yea |
253 | LD 1276 An Act To Better Enforce the Prohibition against Dangerous Persons Possessing Firearms | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment S-274 | Yea | Nay |
296 | LD 1312 An Act Regarding Access to Firearms by Extremely Dangerous and Suicidal Individuals | Accept Report A, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment S-285 | Yea | Nay |
235 | LD 1470 An Act To Allow the Prohibition of Weapons at Public Proceedings and Voting Places | Accept Majority Report, Ought Not to Pass | Nay | Yea |
315 | LD 1811 An Act To Enhance Personal and Public Safety by Requiring Evaluations of and Judicial Hearings for Persons in Protective Custody Regarding Risk of Harm and Restricting Access to Dangerous Weapons | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment S-357 | Yea | Yea |
Total for Representative Stewart: | Present for 7 votes, agreed on 1 votes, 14 percent agreement |
LD 303 | An Act To Require Recovery Residences for Persons with Substance Use Disorder Be Equipped with Naloxone and To Exempt from Criminal Liability Persons Administering Naloxone | Status: Referred to Health and Human Services Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-406, Enacted, Signed into law June 13, 2019 | |
LD 303 This bill requires organizations that provide housing to persons with substance use disorder to store one unit of naloxone hydrochloride for every 3 residents. It also requires these organizations to provide training to full-time employees so that an employee may possess and administer naloxone hydrochloride to an individual who appears to be experiencing an opioid-related drug overdose. It directs the Department of Health and Human Services to adopt rules to implement these requirements. Amendment H-406 This amendment, which is the unanimous report of the committee, strikes and replaces the bill and does the following.
LD 303 Chaptered Law LD 303 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 350 | An Act To Exempt Head Start School Buses from Snow Tire Restrictions | Status: Referred to Transportation Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-24, Enacted, Signed into law April 11, 2019 | |
LD 350 This bill exempts school buses operated by Head Start programs from the date restrictions on the use of studded snow tires. Amendment H-24 This amendment exempts all school buses from the date restrictions on the use of studded snow tires, instead of creating a specific exemption for school buses operated by Head Start programs as in the bill. This amendment also changes the title to reflect the contents of the bill. LD 350 Chaptered Law LD 350 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 374 | RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine To Require That Signatures on a Direct Initiative of Legislation Come from Each State Senatorial District | Status: Referred to Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, Dead, Concurrence in Ought Not to Pass, April 2, 2019 | |
LD 374 This resolution proposes to amend the Constitution of Maine to require that the signatures on a petition to directly initiate legislation be of voters from each of the State's senate districts and that the number of signatures from each senate district be not less than 10% of the total votes for Governor cast in that senate district in the previous gubernatorial election. The resolution provides that, if the required votes are cast in favor of the proposed amendment to the Constitution, the proposed amendment becomes part of the Constitution on March 1, 2020 instead of on the date of the Governor's proclamation. |
LD 375 | An Act To Promote the Forest Products Industry in School Construction and Renovation Involving Heating Systems | Status: Referred to Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-60, Enacted, Signed into law April 22, 2019 | |
LD 375 This bill requires consideration of modern wood heating systems, with wood biomass fuels sourced locally and in a manner that benefits the State's economy, in the construction of new or substantially renovated schools or school buildings subject to State Board of Education approval. Amendment H-60 This amendment clarifies that, in approving school construction projects, the State Board of Education is required to ensure that school administrative units have considered heating systems that use renewable, locally sourced wood-based fuels and that benefit the State's economy and reduce carbon dioxide emissions in all planning and design for new or substantially renovated schools or school buildings subject to state board approval. The amendment strikes the requirement that the school administrative unit demonstrates a preference for modern wood heating systems. LD 375 Chaptered Law LD 375 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 465 | An Act To Eliminate the Service Provider Tax on Services Covered by Medicaid | Status: Referred to Taxation Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, April 16, 2019 | |
LD 465 This bill repeals portions of the service provider tax that apply to services that are covered by the federal Medicaid program. |
LD 737 | An Act To Update Alcohol Taste-testing Requirements | Status: Referred to Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-119, Enacted as an emergency measure, Signed into law May 8, 2019 | |
LD 737 This bill allows agency liquor stores and off-premises retail licensees to conduct up to 3 tastings per month of distilled spirits, wine and malt liquor each, for a potential total of 9 tastings per month at some retailers. Amendment H-119 This amendment adds an emergency preamble and emergency clause and authorizes agency liquor stores and off-premises retail licensees to conduct up to 15 taste-testing events per month of spirits, wine and malt liquor. The amendment allows, but does not require, agency liquor stores and off-premises retail licensees to submit a single request to the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages and Lottery Operations listing all of the taste-testing events the agency liquor store or off-premises retail licensee plans to conduct in a single calendar month. The amendment also allows agency liquor stores and off-premises retail licensees to conduct taste testing of spirits, wine and malt liquor at the same taste-testing event, as long as the agency liquor store or off-premises retail licensee is licensed to sell the types of liquor being offered at the event. LD 737 Chaptered Law LD 737 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 864 | An Act To Make Whole Family Support Available Statewide | Status: Referred to Health and Human Services Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, June 18, 2019 | |
LD 864 This bill requires community action agencies to establish support programs to serve families to assist parents with children as they pursue stable employment, pursue education intended to lead to employment or otherwise pursue self-sufficiency. The bill also provides funding for community action agencies to establish the support programs. |
LD 865 | An Act To Provide Funding for Hunting Opportunities for Disabled Veterans | Status: Referred to Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-273, Enacted, Signed into law June 5, 2019 | |
LD 865 This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208. This bill proposes to amend the laws governing the funding sources of the controlled moose hunt season in the State. |
LD 1156 | An Act To Create the Savings Account Program for Small Businesses | Status: Referred to Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business Committee, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, February 25, 2020 | |
LD 1156 This bill establishes the Savings Account Program for Small Businesses in the Finance Authority of Maine to certify corporations eligible to claim a tax credit for contributions made to qualifying savings accounts. The bill creates the tax credit and establishes that withdrawals from the savings accounts are taxable income. |
LD 1648 | An Act To Improve Access to Experienced Primary Care Providers in Maine | Status: Referred to Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, May 23, 2019 | |
LD 1648 This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208. This bill proposes to amend the laws regarding the supervision and duties of licensed physician assistants. |
LD 1651 | An Act To Promote Equitable and Responsible Broadband Investment | Status: Referred to Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, May 21, 2019 | |
LD 1651 This bill creates requirements that a municipality must meet in order to provide broadband service to its residents. It requires the completion of a feasibility study and requires the municipality to hold a referendum to decide whether the municipality may offer broadband service. It includes general operation limitations, including those related to the establishment of rates, the use of subsidization and the use of eminent domain. It requires the adoption of ordinances relating to service quality and enforcement by a municipality that elects to provide broadband service. It also removes antitrust liability protections from a municipality as those protections relate to the municipality's offering broadband service. The bill also requires that in order to receive any grants from the ConnectME Authority, the municipality must show evidence of compliance with the requirements of the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35-A, chapter 94. Amendment H-418 This amendment removes the provision describing the treatment of inactive licenses. This language is duplicative of existing statute. LD 1651 fiscal note LD 1651 Amendment H-418 fiscal note |
LD 1714 | Resolve, Directing the Secretary of State To Enter into a Reciprocal Agreement between the State and Taiwan Regarding Driver's Licenses | Status: Referred to Transportation Committee, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, February 25, 2020 | |
LD 1714 This resolve directs the Secretary of State to begin negotiations toward the development of a reciprocal agreement between the Department of the Secretary of State, Bureau of Motor Vehicles and Taiwan for reciprocity, beginning January 1, 2021, in issuing driver's licenses to residents of this State who reside in Taiwan and to Taiwanese citizens who reside in this State. |
LD 1765 | An Act To Expand and Clarify the Prohibition of Hazing at Elementary Schools, Secondary Schools and Postsecondary Institutions | Status: Referred to Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-529, Enacted, Signed into law June 18, 2019 | |
LD 1765 This bill updates the prohibition of hazing in elementary, secondary and postsecondary schools and institutions by:
Amendment H-529 This amendment strikes and replaces the bill to clarify the definition of hazing to mean any action or situation, including harassing behavior, that recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health of any school personnel or a student enrolled in a school or postsecondary institution in the State, or any activity expected of a student as a condition of joining or maintaining membership in a group that humiliates, degrades, abuses or endangers the student, regardless of the student's willingness to participate in the activity. LD 1765 Chaptered Law LD 1765 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 1772 | An Act To Secure Transitions to Economic Prosperity for Maine Families and Children | Status: Referred to Health and Human Services Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-606, Enacted, Signed into law June 27, 2019 | |
LD 1772 This bill:
Amendment H-606 This amendment makes the following changes to the bill.
The amendment also adds an appropriations and allocations section. LD 1772 Chaptered Law LD 1772 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 1821 | Resolve, To Address the Population Shortage in Rural Maine | Status: Referred to Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business Committee, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, March 17, 2020 | |
LD 1821 This resolve directs the Department of Economic and Community Development to work with the Northern Border Regional Commission in the establishment of a program to recruit working families to relocate to rural areas of the State. |
LD 1808 | An Act To Provide a Sales Tax Exemption for Certain Nonprofit Charitable Organizations | Status: Referred to Taxation Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-599, Enacted, Governor placed on hold, July 2, 2019, Became law without the Governor's signature, January 11, 2020 | |
LD 1808 This bill provides an exemption from the sales and use tax for sales made to a nonprofit community-based worldwide charitable organization that provides, using private funding, financial support to other nonprofit charitable organizations at the community level. Amendment H-599 This amendment adds an appropriations and allocations section. LD 1808 Chaptered Law LD 1808 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 1796 | Resolve, To Study Transmission Grid Reliability and Rate Stability in Northern Maine | Status: Referred to Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-480, Finally passed, Signed into law June 17, 2019 | |
LD 1796 This resolve directs the Governor's Energy Office to convene a stakeholder group to identify and develop strategies to address the transmission grid reliability and electric rate stability for the northern Maine service territory. The Governor's Energy Office is directed to submit a report that includes its findings, together with any proposed implementing legislation, to the Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology, which is authorized to report out a bill to the Second Regular Session of the 129th Legislature. Amendment H-480 This amendment changes the reporting date from December 4, 2019 to March 1, 2020. LD 1796 Chaptered Law LD 1796 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 1807 | An Act To Amend Certain Laws Related to Members of the Military and the Maine National Guard | Status: Referred to Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, Enacted, Signed into law June 17, 2019 | |
LD 1807 This bill makes the following changes in the laws relating to the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management:
LD 1807 Chaptered Law LD 1807 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 1806 | An Act To Amend the Laws Governing Veterans' Services | Status: Referred to Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-532 and Senate amendment S-279, Enacted, Signed into law June 18, 2019 | |
LD 1806 This bill changes the name of the Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services within the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management to the Maine Bureau of Veterans' Services. The bill also revises the laws governing monuments erected in the Maine Veterans' Memorial Cemetery System and adds provisions regarding requirements for burial in green burial sections. The bill allows the Director of the Maine Bureau of Veterans' Services to waive certain requirements in the laws governing educational benefits for children of veterans, expands the type of programs covered by educational benefits to include certificate programs and master's degree programs, allows a student 10 academic years to complete a program and removes the restriction on extending that time. Amendment H-532 This amendment incorporates a fiscal note. Amendment S-279 This amendment:
LD 1806 Chaptered Law LD 1806 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 1805 | An Act To Amend the Laws Governing Military Leave for Officials and State Employees | Status: Referred to Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, June 3, 2019 | |
LD 1805 This bill specifies that military leave given to state officials and employees who are members of the National Guard or Reserves of the United States Armed Forces may not exceed 17 days or 136 hours per calendar year. For full-time employees, military leave is based on an 8-hour work day, and military leave is prorated for part-time employees and employees on uncommon tours of duty. The bill also requires military leave to be charged by the hour and only in the amount necessary to cover the period of military duty. |
LD 41 | An Act To Replace Net Energy Billing with a Market-based Mechanism | Status: Referred to Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, Dead, Concurrence in Ought Not to Pass, April 25, 2019 | |
LD 41 This bill does the following regarding net energy billing:
The bill establishes a market-based crediting system for energy generated by eligible facilities. It requires the Public Utilities Commission to adopt rules to allow an eligible customer to receive a monetary credit for energy generated by an eligible facility in excess of the customer's usage and exported to the grid at the real-time wholesale market price of that energy. As in the provisions relating to net energy billing, a transmission and distribution utility is prohibited from requiring a customer to meter the gross output of an eligible facility in order to participate in the crediting system, and the number of eligible customers that may participate in a single shared interest in an eligible facility, or the number of meters associated with a single shared interest, is limited to 50. The bill exempts a transmission and distribution utility located in an area administered by the independent system administrator for northern Maine, or any successor of the independent system administrator for northern Maine, from using this crediting system until the Public Utilities Commission determines the utility's billing system can perform the necessary functions to implement the system. It requires the commission to consider whether an alternative system to the crediting system for northern Maine could be developed and utilized in the interim period before the utility's billing system is modified to allow a market-based crediting system. It requires the Public Utilities Commission to procure, to the maximum extent possible, 20 megawatts of large-scale community solar distributed generation resources. It requires that the contract rate be calculated annually and that no contract may be for more than 6¢ per kilowatt-hour or the average wholesale electricity rate over the preceding 12 months, whichever is less. Lastly, it requires the Public Utilities Commission to conduct an analysis of the costs and benefits to ratepayers for both net energy billing and the market-based crediting system in an adjudicatory proceeding and to report those findings to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over utilities and energy matters no later than January 1, 2021. |
LD 86 | An Act To Provide That Persons Who Produce Maple Syrup and Honey Commercially Are Eligible for the Sales Tax Refund and Exemption for Commercial Agricultural Production (Emergency) | Status: Referred to Taxation Committee, Enacted as an emergency measure, Signed into law March 25, 2019 | |
LD 86 This bill expands the sales tax refund and exemption for commercial agricultural production to include the commercial production of maple syrup and honey. LD 86 Chaptered Law LD 86 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 104 | An Act To Expand the Earned Income Tax Credit in Maine | Status: Referred to Taxation Committee, Enacted in the House as amended by Committee amendment S-297, tabled to Special Appropriations in the Senate June 18, 2019, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322 | |
LD 104 This bill expands the earned income tax credit by increasing the credit from 5% to 15% of the federal earned income tax credit and extending the credit to persons from 18 to 24 years of age who have no qualifying child. This bill also requires the Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Standards to provide a poster or notice to employers that states that employees may be eligible for the earned income tax credit. This bill requires employers to post the poster or notice in a place that is accessible to the employers' employees. |
LD 111 | An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue for Research and Development and Commercialization | Status: Referred to Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322, Work session held March 12, 2020, carried over in the same posture to any special session of the 129th Legislature pursuant to Joint Order SP 788 | |
LD 111 The funds provided by this bond issue, in the amount of $250,000,000 issued in $50,000,000 increments over a 5-year period, will be used to provide funds for research and development and commercialization as prioritized by the Maine Innovation Economy Advisory Board's most recent innovation economy action plan and the Office of Innovation's most recent science and technology action plan. The funds must be allocated in support of technological innovation leading to commercialization in the targeted sectors of life sciences and biomedical technology, environmental and renewable energy technology, information technology, advanced technologies for forestry and agriculture, aquaculture and marine technology, composites and advanced materials and precision manufacturing. The funds must be awarded through a competitive process and to Maine-based public and private institutions to leverage matching private and federal funds on at least a one-to-one basis. |
LD 125 | Resolve, Directing the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry To Convey Certain Lands to Roosevelt Conference Center Doing Business as Eagle Lake Sporting Camps | Status: Referred to Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-303 and Senate amendment S-288, Finally passed, Signed into law June 19, 2019 | |
LD 125 This resolve requires the Director of the Bureau of Parks and Lands within the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to convey to Roosevelt Conference Center, doing business as Eagle Lake Sporting Camps, a 12.86-acre parcel of land in Township 16, Range 6. The resolve requires the director to sell the land at fair market value and to retain or withhold any rights to subdivide. The director is also required by the resolve to convey to Eagle Lake Sporting Camps a right-of-way along the service road to the Square Lake Road for appraised fair market value. The resolve also stipulates that the State must retain a right of first refusal to reacquire the parcel and right-of-way from the owner if the use of the parcel for a year-round sporting camp or Class A restaurant and lodge is discontinued or appropriate licenses are not maintained. Amendment H-303 This amendment, which is the majority report, requires the Director of the Bureau of Parks and Lands within the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to offer to convey, by quitclaim deed with covenant to Roosevelt Conference Center doing business as Eagle Lake Sporting Camps, a 12.86-acre parcel of land in Township 16, Range 6. If Eagle Lake Sporting Camps accepts the offer, the amendment requires the director at the State's expense and the purchaser at the purchaser's expense to each obtain a professional appraisal of the property and the higher of the 2 appraisals is the sale price. The amendment also stipulates that the use of the property is restricted to the operation of a commercial sporting camp, in keeping with the historical traditions of the area in general and particularly of this property. The amendment provides that if the property is no longer used for the purpose of a commercial sporting camp, title to the property reverts to the State without cost and any buildings that occupy the site must be removed by the property owner at the property owner's own cost. Amendment S-288 This amendment removes the language from the committee amendment that required the Director of the Bureau of Parks and Lands within the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to provide an opportunity for comment if the director intends to lease any more land to Eagle Lake Sporting Camps other than the land conveyed pursuant to the resolve. Instead, this amendment requires that the director have placed in the deed words to the effect that Eagle Lake Sporting Camps and its successors and assigns agree that they will never ask for any changes to the deed and that they will neither ask for nor accept any further grants of land from the State other than the 12.86-acre parcel conveyed pursuant to this resolve. A violation of this covenant results in the immediate reversion of the parcel to the State. LD 125 Chaptered Law LD 125 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 127 | An Act To Amend the Laws Governing Maine Potato Board Districts | Status: Referred to Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee, Enacted, Signed into law March 19, 2019 | |
LD 127 This bill amends the laws governing the Maine Potato Board to reduce the number of the board's districts from 5 to 3 and the number of assemblies to match the reduction in districts, to reduce the number of members on assemblies' executive councils so that all executive councils have 5 members and to reduce the number of officers an executive council must elect to one, a chair. It also removes the requirements that the board carry out duties under the laws governing the so-called Maine Bag Program. LD 127 Chaptered Law LD 127 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 130 | An Act To Provide Funding To Continue the Strategic Economic and Sustainable Development of Northern Aroostook County | Status: Referred to Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, March 19, 2019 | |
LD 130 This bill provides funds in only the 2020-2021 biennium to support the work of the Core Leadership Team of Acadia of the Lands and Forests. |
LD 185 | An Act To Provide a Method for a Student To Be Excused from Standardized Testing | Status: Referred to Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, Dead, Concurrence in Ought Not to Pass, May 23, 2019 | |
LD 185 This bill requires a school administrative unit to excuse a student from a standardized assessment administered pursuant to the State's assessment program at the written request of the student's parent or guardian and establishes requirements for school administrative units and the Department of Education related to excusing a student. |
LD 186 | RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine To Specify the Qualifications of Electors | Status: Referred to Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, Dead, Non-concurrence, June 12, 2019 | |
LD 186 This resolution proposes to amend the Constitution of Maine to specify that only a person who is a citizen of the United States may vote in a state, county or municipal or other local election. |
LD 198 | An Act To Require That Nonmotorized Carriages Be Equipped with Reflectors and Lights | Status: Referred to Transportation Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-243, Enacted, Signed into law May 30, 2019 | |
LD 198 This bill requires a horse-drawn carriage operated during nighttime to be equipped with reflective tape on all sides, a reflective triangle on the rear and a light that is visible outside of the carriage to the front and the rear. Amendment H-243 This amendment expands the scope of the bill to apply to animal-drawn vehicles instead of just horse-drawn carriages. The amendment requires a light to be attached to the left side of the vehicle that displays a red light to the rear and white light to the front; specifies the placement and type of reflective tape required on all sides of the vehicle; and removes the requirement for a reflective triangle to be placed on the rear of the vehicle. The amendment also exempts animal-drawn vehicles from the standard red rear reflector requirement. LD 198 Chaptered Law LD 198 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 214 | An Act To Increase Funding for Civil Legal Services | Status: Referred to Judiciary Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-316 and Senate amendment S-370, Enacted, Signed into law June 28, 2019 | |
LD 214 This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208. This bill proposes to increase funding for civil legal services. |
LD 218 | An Act To Prohibit a Person from Collecting Contributions under the Maine Clean Election Act at a Polling Place | Status: Referred to Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, June 17, 2019 | |
LD 218 This bill prohibits the solicitation, acceptance or collection by a participating candidate under the Maine Clean Election Act of seed money contributions or qualifying contributions within 250 feet of the entrance to a voting place as well as within the voting place itself. |
LD 228 | An Act To Expedite the Issuance of Alcohol and Drug Counseling Licenses | Status: Referred to Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-103, Enacted, Signed into law May 8, 2019 | |
LD 228 This bill requires the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation, State Board of Alcohol and Drug Counselors to grant or deny a license to practice as an alcohol and drug counseling aide, certified alcohol and drug counselor, licensed alcohol and drug counselor or certified clinical supervisor within 30 days of receipt of the application for that license. This bill also clarifies the authority of the State Board of Alcohol and Drug Counselors to license certified clinical supervisors. Amendment H-103 This amendment makes changes to the provision of the bill related to the minimum qualifications for certain licensed mental health professionals and licensed alcohol and drug counselors to also become licensed as certified clinical supervisors by:
The amendment also removes the section of the bill requiring that the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation, State Board of Alcohol and Drug Counselors to grant or deny a license within 30 days of receipt of the application for that license. LD 228 Chaptered Law LD 228 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 241 | An Act To Adjust the Personal Property Tax Exemption for Farm Machinery | Status: Referred to Taxation Committee, Enacted in the House as amended by Committee amendment H-335, tabled to Special Appropriations in the Senate May 29, 2019, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322 | |
LD 241 This bill increases the amount of the exemption from personal property taxation for farm machinery from $10,000 to $45,000. Amendment H-335 This amendment provides a time frame for implementation of the increase in the property tax exemption for farm machinery, provides administrative provisions for the Bureau of Revenue Services to enforce the exemption and verify required state reimbursement amounts and requires the State to reimburse municipalities for 100% of property taxes lost as a result of the increase in the exemption. This amendment also includes an appropriations and allocations section. LD 241 Amendment H-335 fiscal note |
LD 252 | RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine To Prohibit New or Increased Fees or Taxes by Means of Direct Initiatives of Legislation | Status: Referred to Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, Dead, Concurrence in Ought Not to Pass, March 26, 2019 | |
LD 252 This resolution proposes to amend the Constitution of Maine to prohibit the imposition of any new or increased taxes or fees through the direct initiative process. |
LD 261 | An Act To Restrict the Authority for Posting of Roads | Status: Referred to Transportation Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, May 7, 2019 | |
LD 261 This bill requires publicly available written justification for imposing restrictions on a public way for more than 6 weeks, prohibits the imposition of size and weight restrictions for vehicles on a public way when the ambient air temperature is below 31 degrees Fahrenheit and protects the ability of a commercial entity to operate its vehicles on the public way where it is headquartered or where it is conducting its business activities. |
LD 301 | An Act To Help Older Adults Age in Place through Comprehensive Planning | Status: Referred to State and Local Government Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-31, Enacted, Signed into law April 19, 2019 | |
LD 301 This bill encourages municipalities to develop policies that assist older adults with aging in place and that create age-friendly communities. It amends the law governing comprehensive plans by encouraging municipalities to plan for the needs of older adults in their communities. Amendment H-31 This amendment amends the definition of age-friendly community in the bill to clarify that it refers to older adults. LD 301 Chaptered Law LD 301 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 304 | An Act To Improve Stroke Care in Maine | Status: Referred to Health and Human Services Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, May 7, 2019 | |
LD 304 This bill provides funding to the Department of Health and Human Services, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention for evidence-based education efforts designed to inform residents of the State about the causes, signs and symptoms of stroke, focusing on populations and geographic areas most affected by stroke, and to improve stroke surveillance and epidemiology efforts of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The bill also provides funding for one Stroke Care Coordinator position in the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. |
LD 333 | An Act To Amend the Laws Governing Dangerous Dogs and Nuisance Dogs To Allow for Flexibility in Protection Dog Training | Status: Referred to Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee, Enacted, Signed into law May 8, 2019 | |
LD 333 This bill repeals the law prohibiting a person from training or encouraging a dog that is not directly involved with a protection dog training program recognized by the Department of Public Safety, Bureau of State Police to be aggressive toward or attack another person or domesticated animal. LD 333 Chaptered Law LD 333 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 352 | An Act To Exempt Veterans' Organizations from Licensing Fees for Certain Games | Status: Referred to Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-95, Enacted, Signed into law April 30, 2019 | |
LD 352 This bill waives the license fees for game of chance tournaments with fewer than 50 players conducted by veterans' organizations. Amendment H-95 This amendment, which is the majority report of the committee, reduces the license fees for games of chance tournaments with fewer than 50 players. LD 352 Chaptered Law LD 352 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 353 | An Act Regarding the Safety of Recovery Residences | Status: Referred to Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-577, Enacted, Signed into law June 18, 2019 | |
LD 353 This bill requires a recovery residence located in a house to be considered a one-family dwelling under rules concerning safety to life from fire if the recovery residence has no more than 6 occupants and contains a fire extinguisher and smoke detector in each room. This bill also defines "recovery residence" as an alcohol-free and illegal substance-free shared living residence for persons recovering from substance use disorder that provides peer support and connects residents to support services and community resources. |
LD 449 | An Act To Impose a Mandatory Sentence for the Crime of Aggravated Unlawful Operation of a Methamphetamine Laboratory | Status: Referred to Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, April 11, 2019 | |
LD 449 This bill adds the crime of aggravated unlawful operation of a methamphetamine laboratory to the list of drug offenses that carry a mandatory 4-year minimum sentence. |
LD 470 | An Act To Provide Traffic Safety Education in Schools | Status: Referred to Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, Enacted in the House as amended by Committee amendment H-83, tabled to Special Appropriations in the Senate April 30, 2019, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322 | |
LD 470 The purpose of this bill is to provide students in Maine with traffic safety education from an early age with the goal of teaching students safe practices and respect for all users of the road in order to reduce the unacceptable number of pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities and make Maine's roadways safer and more enjoyable for all users. This bill requires all school administrative units to provide at least one hour annually of age-appropriate traffic safety education to students in grades 2 to 12. The traffic safety education program must provide, at a minimum, instruction on the use of public and private ways by pedestrians, bicyclists and motor vehicle operators and on the laws and rules regarding that use. A school administrative unit may contract with a 3rd party to provide the traffic safety education. |
LD 495 | Resolve, Directing the Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry To Conduct a Feasibility Study on Locating a Grain Processing Facility in Aroostook County (Emergency) | Status: Referred to Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, May 23, 2019 | |
LD 495 This resolve directs the Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to conduct a study on the feasibility of locating a grain processing facility in Aroostook County. The resolve directs the commissioner to present the study findings and recommendations to the Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry no later than December 4, 2019, and authorizes the joint standing committee to submit a bill relating to the subject matter of the report to the Second Regular Session of the 129th Legislature. |
LD 504 | An Act To Enhance the Development of Innovative Career and Technical Education Programs | Status: Referred to Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, May 21, 2019 | |
LD 504 This bill streamlines the procedure for authorizing career and technical education satellite programs. Current law requires any affiliated unit that wishes to operate a career and technical education satellite program to submit a written request to operate a satellite program to the governing body of the center or region with which the unit is affiliated. The governing body of the center or region considers the request and then forwards its recommendation to the Commissioner of Education. Instead, the bill provides that the written request be submitted directly to the Commissioner of Education for approval. |
LD 517 | An Act To Facilitate Fair Ballot Representation for All Candidates | Status: Referred to Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, Enacted, Held by the Governor, Vetoed, Veto sustained in the House January 21, 2020 | |
LD 517 This bill permits a candidate to request that the candidate's nickname appear on the ballot for an election in the State. The candidate's nickname, if any, must be set off by quotation marks and be placed on the ballot immediately after the candidate's legal first name or initial and before the candidate's legal middle name or middle initial, if any. Amendment H-164 This amendment is the majority report of the committee and specifies that if a candidate requests that the candidate's nickname appear on the ballot for an election in the State, the candidate must include the nickname on the candidate's declaration of consent or written acceptance filed with the Secretary of State and must declare that the nickname is actually the name by which the candidate is known to others. The amendment also specifies that if a candidate requests that the candidate's nickname appear on the ballot for an election in the State, the Secretary of State must set off the candidate's nickname by quotation marks and it must be placed on the ballot following the candidate's legal last name, first initial and middle initial, if any. LD 517 Amendment H-164 fiscal note |
LD 533 | An Act To Eliminate the Statutory Duty To Retreat and Affirm the Right of Self-defense | Status: Referred to Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, Dead, Concurrence in Ought Not to Pass, June 11, 2019 | |
LD 533 This bill removes the requirements that a person retreat if it is safe to do so and if the person can comply with a demand that the person abstain from performing an act that the person is not obliged to perform. The bill also permits the use of deadly force to prevent death or serious bodily injury in self-defense, in defense of a 3rd person, in defense of a dwelling or to prevent the forcible commission of a kidnapping, a robbery or a gross sexual assault. |
LD 534 | An Act To Make Ballot Questions Easier To Read and Understand for Maine Voters (Emergency) | Status: Referred to Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-277, Enacted as an emergency measure, Signed into law June 20, 2019 | |
LD 534 This bill requires that ballot questions be written in a manner that is understandable to the greatest number of voters possible, determined to be for adult literacy at the 6th-grade reading level, which is the standard used for other important official state documents, including for the Maine Residents Property Tax Program, notices regarding child support, municipal property tax deferral programs for seniors and temporary assistance for needy families. This bill also requires ballot questions to unambiguously state what the effect of a "yes" or "no" vote may have. Amendment H-277 This amendment strikes and replaces the bill but retains the emergency preamble and emergency clause. The amendment makes the following changes to the laws governing the printing of ballots for referendum questions.
LD 534 Chaptered Law LD 534 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 617 | An Act To Increase to 3 the Number of Youth Deer Hunting Days | Status: Referred to Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, March 26, 2019 | |
LD 617 This bill authorizes the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to establish 2 additional youth deer hunting days, the Monday and Tuesday following the last Saturday of the regular firearms season on deer, to the current youth deer hunting day, which occurs on the Saturday preceding the residents-only Saturday of the regular deer hunting season. |
LD 658 | Resolve, To Direct a Plan for Energy Independence for Maine | Status: Referred to Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-170, Finally passed, Signed into law May 17, 2019 | |
LD 658 This resolve directs the Governor's Energy Office to adopt a 10-year energy independence plan, including conservation and renewable energy strategies, for the State to become a net exporter of energy by 2030. It requires the office to develop the plan through a collaborative stakeholder process. The plan must be submitted to the Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology by December 31, 2019 along with suggested legislation necessary to implement the plan. The resolve authorizes the Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology to report out a bill to the Second Regular Session of the 129th Legislature related to the plan. Amendment H-170 This amendment replaces the resolve. The amendment directs the Governor's Energy Office, in coordination with the development of the state energy plan or other planning initiatives, to conduct an analysis for at least one scenario for the State to become a net exporter of energy by 2030 through the development and expansion of energy generating capacity, energy conservation and energy efficiency at levels sufficient to offset the total value of the State's domestic energy consumption across all sectors. The amendment requires the Governor's Energy Office to report to the Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology by December 31, 2019 on progress regarding the state energy plan and the analysis for the State to become a net exporter of energy. LD 658 Chaptered Law LD 658 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 718 | An Act To Increase Funding for Adult Basic Literacy, Workplace Education and College Preparedness | Status: Referred to Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, May 21, 2019 | |
LD 718 This bill provides an increase in funding for the adult education subsidy to local school units that operate adult education programs. It also provides targeted funds to improve the capacity of local adult education programs to meet students' academic and work readiness and training needs. |
LD 739 | An Act To Help Small Businesses by Establishing an Alternate Minimum Wage | Status: Referred to Labor and Housing Committee, Dead, Concurrence in Ought Not to Pass, April 16, 2019 | |
LD 739 This bill creates an alternate minimum wage applicable to employees of a small employer, to the first 90 consecutive days of employment for employees who are under 20 years of age and to employees who are under 18 years of age. The wage is $9.75 starting January 1, 2020 and will be increased by any increase in the cost of living starting January 1, 2021 and every subsequent January 1st. |
LD 788 | An Act To Authorize the Use of Handheld Narcotics Analyzers | Status: Referred to Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, Dead, Concurrence in Ought Not to Pass, April 25, 2019 | |
LD 788 This bill provides that a law enforcement agency that has in its possession a drug or substance for analysis as a scheduled drug may, in addition to or instead of analysis of the drug or substance in a laboratory, submit the drug or substance for analysis by means of a handheld narcotics analyzer that has been evaluated and certified by the Department of Health and Human Services, Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory as reliable for field testing of scheduled drugs. The bill requires that a law enforcement officer who analyzes a drug or substance by means of a handheld narcotics analyzer in accordance with procedures adopted by the Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory must upon completion of the analysis issue a signed certificate stating the results of the analysis. The bill provides that such a certificate, when duly signed and sworn to by a person certified as qualified for this purpose by the Department of Health and Human Services under certification standards set by that department, is admissible in evidence in a court of the State, and gives rise to a permissible inference under the Maine Rules of Evidence, Rule 303 that the composition, quality and quantity of the drug or substance are as stated in the certificate, unless, with 10 days' written notice to the prosecution, the defendant requests that a qualified witness testify as to the composition, quality and quantity. |
LD 799 | An Act To Create the Maine Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program | Status: Referred to Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business Committee, Enacted in the House as amended by Committee amendment H-558, tabled to Special Appropriations in the Senate June 14, 2019, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322 | |
LD 799 This bill amends the nursing education loan repayment program as follows:
Amendment H-558 This amendment replaces the bill and creates a new loan repayment program, administered by the Finance Authority of Maine, for health care providers who agree to live and work in the State for a minimum of 5 years. Under the program, the authority will pay up to $30,000 per year and the lesser of $150,000 in aggregate and 50% of the recipient's outstanding loan balance. The amendment establishes a fund for the program, sets parameters for the administration of the program and establishes an advisory committee to guide the work of the Finance Authority of Maine in administering the program. The amendment also adds an appropriations and allocations section. LD 799 Amendment H-558 fiscal note |
LD 814 | An Act To Strengthen Maine's Economy through Research and Innovation led by the University of Maine System | Status: Referred to Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business Committee, Work session held May 9, 2019, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, March 17, 2020 | |
LD 814 This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208. his bill would provide funding and enact measures based on recommendations of the President of the University of Maine at Machias in a strategic plan chartered by the Chancellor of the University of Maine System and due to the Board of Trustees of the University of Maine System in March 2019. The bill would strengthen research and economic development efforts across the University of Maine System to support Maine industries and workforce development and to foster business formation and expansion, specifically in the 7 research and development sectors designated in statute: advanced technology for agriculture and forestry; aquaculture and marine technology; biotechnology; composite materials technology; environmental technology; information technology; and precision manufacturing technology. |
LD 828 | An Act Concerning the Release of the Name of a Deceased Individual | Status: Referred to Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, May 21, 2019 | |
LD 828 This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208. This bill proposes to enact measures to ensure that the name of a deceased individual is not released publicly before the family of the deceased individual has been notified. |
LD 832 | An Act To Expand Options for Consumers of Cable Television in Purchasing Individual Channels and Programs | Status: Referred to Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, Enacted, Signed into law June 15, 2019 | |
LD 832 This bill requires that cable television system operators offer subscribers the option of purchasing access to cable channels or programs on cable channels individually. LD 832 Chaptered Law LD 832 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 859 | An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Fund Equipment for Career and Technical Education Centers and Regions | Status: Referred to Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322, Work session March 12, 2020, carried over in the same posture to any special session of the 129th Legislature pursuant to Joint Order SP 788 | |
LD 859 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 892 | Resolve, To Require the Examination of Alternatives to the Service Provider Tax | Status: Referred to Taxation Committee, Amended by Committee amendment S-289, Finally passed, Signed into law June 19, 2019 | |
LD 892 This bill repeals the service provider tax for so-called MaineCare Appendix C private nonmedical institutions, which are residential care facilities maintained wholly or partly for the purpose of providing residents with medical and remedial treatment services. The service provider tax continues to apply to private nonmedical institution services that are provided by MaineCare Appendix B, D, E or F private nonmedical institutions. Amendment S-289 This amendment replaces the bill with a resolve that directs the Department of Health and Human Services in partnership with the Department of Administrative and Financial Services and other state agencies that the departments determine should be included to examine the service provider tax and alternatives to the tax and submit a report on their findings to the Joint Standing Committee on Taxation by March 1, 2020. The committee is authorized to submit a bill to the Second Regular Session of the 129th Legislature. LD 892 Chaptered Law LD 892 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 894 | An Act To Expressly Allow Nonprofit Corporations To Conduct Electronic Voting | Status: Referred to Judiciary Committee, Enacted, Signed into law June 5, 2019 | |
LD 894 This bill specifically permits a nonprofit corporation to authorize in its bylaws the conduct of elections or voting, or both, through electronic transmission. LD 894 Chaptered Law LD 894 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 912 | An Act To Establish the Wood Energy Investment Program | Status: Referred to Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, Engrossed in both chambers as amended by Committee amendment S-193, Enacted in both chambers June 7, 2019, recalled from the Governor's desk, June, 20, 2019, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322, Tabled in the Senate, January 8, 2020, carried over in the same posture to any special session of the 129th Legislature pursuant to Joint Order SP 788 | |
LD 912 This bill establishes the wood energy investment fund and creates the Wood Energy Investment Program within the Efficiency Maine Trust. The bill specifies that, if the Public Utilities Commission finds that an entity awarded a contract for biomass resources pursuant to Public Law 2015, chapter 483 is not meeting contract requirements and therefore is not qualified to receive the full contract payment or any contract payment, those funds that would have been paid had contract requirements been met must be transferred to the wood energy investment fund. It also specifies that any funds remaining in the cost recovery fund established in Public Law 2015, chapter 483, section 1, subsection 5 that are not needed to pay above-market costs for biomass resources must also be transferred by the Public Utilities Commission to the wood energy investment fund. It requires the trust to use funds from the fund, if there are any, to provide incentives and low-interest or no-interest loans for new wood-derived thermal energy or cogeneration projects. It requires that the trust consult with the Finance Authority of Maine, when appropriate, in the development of any Wood Energy Investment Program incentives and the distribution of money from the wood energy investment fund. It prohibits the use of funds for incentives or loans for the refurbishment or maintenance of existing facilities. Amendment S-193 This amendment adds an appropriations and allocations section. The amendment allocates funds to establish the Wood Energy Fund within the Efficiency Maine Trust. LD 912 Amendment S-193 fiscal note |
LD 932 | An Act Regarding the Transfer of a Deceased Person's Moose Permit to a Family Member (By request) | Status: Referred to Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-185, Enacted, Signed into law May 23, 2019 | |
LD 932 This bill specifies that if a person who is issued a moose permit dies prior to the start of the moose hunting season, that person's subpermittee-designate or subpermittee, if an immediate family member, must be issued that person's moose permit. The new moose permit holder under this provision has the ability to name a subpermittee-designate and alternate subpermittee-designate. Amendment H-185 This amendment replaces the bill. It requires the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to transfer a moose permit to a family member who meets eligibility and permit requirements and who is not otherwise prohibited from holding the moose permit if the permit holder dies at any time prior to or during the moose hunting season if a moose has not yet been harvested under that permit. LD 932 Chaptered Law LD 932 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 981 | An Act To Implement the State's Recently Approved Request for a Section 1115 Demonstration for MaineCare | Status: Referred to Health and Human Services Committee, Dead, Concurrence in Ought Not to Pass, May 9, 2019 | |
LD 981 This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208. This bill proposes to implement the State's request for approval of a so-called Section 1115 demonstration for MaineCare that was recently granted by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Under the bill, an individual who receives MaineCare benefits will be required to:
|
LD 984 | Resolve, To Develop Plans To Return to the State Children Housed in Residential Treatment Systems outside of the State | Status: Referred to Health and Human Services Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-352, Finally passed, Signed into law June 6, 2019 | |
LD 984 This resolve requires the Department of Health and Human Services to coordinate with families of children who are receiving certain services out of state to develop plans to bring the children back to the State to receive the required services and care. The resolve also suspends current contracts regarding any psychiatric residential treatment facility licensed by the department and prohibits the department from issuing new contracts for such facilities. The suspension and moratorium are lifted 30 days after the department submits a report, as required by this resolve, to the Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs and the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services regarding the adequacy of beds and staffing levels in those facilities and the need to increase the MaineCare reimbursement rate to allow for additional facilities or staffing. Additionally, the resolve provides funding to increase rates in rule Chapter 101: MaineCare Benefi\ts Manual, Chapter III, Section 65, Behavioral Health Services, Children's Home and Community Based Treatment and Section 97, Appendix D, Principles of Reimbursement for Child Care Facilities by 30% no later than October 1, 2019. |
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 995 | An Act To Establish a Student Loan Bill of Rights To License and Regulate Student Loan Servicers | Status: Referred to Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services Committee, Amended by Committee amendment S-225, Enacted, Signed into law June 20, 2019 | |
LD 995 This bill does the following.
Amendment S-225 This amendment makes the following changes to the bill.
LD 995 Chaptered Law LD 995 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 1064 | An Act To Address Maine's Firefighter Shortage by Offering Firefighter Training for Credit in High School Career and Technical Education Programs | Status: Referred to Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, May 30, 2019 | |
LD 1064 This bill allows career and technical education centers and regions to offer firefighter training as an approved program and requires the program to use National Fire Protection Association standards for fire fighter professional qualifications as the industry standard for the firefighter training. |
LD 1098 | An Act To Help Small Employers by Making the Minimum Wage Increase More Gradual in Nonurban Areas | Status: Referred to Labor and Housing Committee, Dead, Concurrence in Ought Not to Pass, April 18, 2019 | |
LD 1098 This bill creates an alternative minimum hourly wage that applies to certain designated nonurban areas starting on January 1, 2020. Under this bill the minimum hourly wage rate for those areas is $11 per hour and increases by 50¢ each January 1st until it reaches $12 per hour on January 1, 2022. The minimum hourly wage stays the same as in current law for Cumberland County, except for the towns of Baldwin, Bridgton, Harrison and Naples. The bill also freezes any scheduled increase in the current minimum wage or the new alternative minimum wage if there is in effect an extended benefit period for unemployment compensation benefits, as determined by the Commissioner of Labor. The scheduled increase or increases will resume once there is no longer an extended benefit period in effect as of January 1st of a given year. It also delays the cost-of-living adjustment for the current minimum wage to January 1, 2024, changes the calculation to be the average cost-of-living increase over the prior 3 years and changes the timing of the cost-of-living adjustment to be every 3 years instead of every year. It also requires the Department of Labor to submit an annual report analyzing job creation and job loss trends in urban and nonurban areas since the initiation of minimum wage increases established by Initiated Bill 2015, chapter 2, section 1. |
LD 1111 | An Act Regarding Driver's License Suspensions | Status: Referred to Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-576, Enacted, Signed into law June 24, 2019 | |
LD 1111 This bill makes the following changes to the laws governing the suspension of a driver's license of a person who negligently operates a motor vehicle in a manner so as to cause the death of another person.
Amendment H-576 This amendment changes the mandatory minimum period of suspension of a driver's license after a finding of negligence in causing a fatal accident from 3 years to one year. The amendment deletes from the bill provisions that change the requirement of civil negligence to a requirement of criminal negligence and that require causation to be found as defined in the Maine Criminal Code in Title 17-A, section 33. LD 1111 Chaptered Law LD 1111 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 1151 | An Act To Ensure Consistency in Commercial Real Estate Law by Restoring Due Diligence Responsibility to the Buyer | Status: Referred to Judiciary Committee, Dead, Concurrence in Ought Not to Pass, May 23, 2019 | |
LD 1151 This bill repeals the requirement that a seller of nonresidential real estate provide the purchaser a property disclosure statement that includes information about any abandoned or discontinued roads, public easements or private roads on or abutting the property, if known by the seller, and who is responsible for maintenance of such roads or easements, including any responsible road association, if known by the seller. |
LD 1161 | An Act To Restrict the Use of Mercury in Dental Fillings in State-funded Dental Procedures | Status: Referred to Health and Human Services Committee, Dead, Non-concurrence, June 7, 2019 | |
LD 1161 This bill prohibits the use of mercury amalgam fillings as part of a procedure covered by any dental care program funded or partially funded by the State. |
LD 1162 | An Act To Further Expand Drug Price Transparency | Status: Referred to Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services Committee, Amended by Committee amendment S-252, Enacted, Signed into law June 24, 2019 | |
LD 1162 This bill requires that, if a prescription drug has a wholesale acquisition cost of more than $40 for a course of therapy and there is an increase in the wholesale acquisition cost of that prescription drug of more than 16%, including the proposed increase and the cumulative increases that occurred within the previous two calendar years prior to the current year, the manufacturer of the prescription drug must provide notice to certain registered purchasers. Under current law the Maine Health Data Organization, referred to as the "organization," is required to collect and report information with regard to the 25 prescription drugs that are the most frequently prescribed in the State, the 25 costliest as determined by the total amount spent on those drugs in the State and the 25 drugs that have the highest year-over-year cost increases in total spending in the State. This bill requires the organization to post online a list of the identified prescription drugs, along with the corresponding wholesale acquisition cost and the percentage of wholesale acquisition cost increase, if applicable, for each identified prescription drug. The bill directs the organization to develop a plan to collect data from manufacturers that will help explain how prescription drug prices are established. The organization is required to work with other state and national agencies and organizations to determine how to conduct the data collection. The organization is required to submit the plan as well as any recommendations for legislation to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over judiciary matters by April 1, 2020. That committee may report out legislation to the First or Second Regular Session of the 130th Legislature. Using the plan developed and reported to the Legislature, starting in 2021 the organization must require the manufacturer of each drug on the list to disclose drug production, research and development costs, marketing and advertising costs and actual costs paid by purchasers. The manufacturer must certify the accuracy of the information and provide it within 60 days after the information is requested by the organization. The organization is authorized to request additional information related to the required information. The information that the manufacturers are directed to provide to the organization, unless the information is already publicly accessible or available or previously released in the public domain, must be held confidential at the request of the manufacturer. The organization may release information that was previously accessible or available or released in the public domain. The organization may release additional information as long as the information released is not a trade secret. The organization must treat the information as "Level II" information as required by rules that have already been adopted by the organization. This amendment provides that the manufacturer may voluntarily provide any other information the manufacturer determines relevant to the increase in wholesale acquisition cost, including but not limited to information about all manufacturer-sponsored assistance programs for that drug in the previous year, including the terms of the programs, the total amount of financial assistance provided to residents of the State and the average amount of assistance per resident of the State for whom assistance was provided. This information is not considered confidential and the organization may release it, identifying both the manufacturer and the individual drug. The organization is required to submit an annual report to the Legislature based on the list of up to 75 drugs and the wholesale acquisition cost information. The organization may include in the report recommendations for increasing prescription drug pricing transparency. Once the organization starts collecting information from manufacturers in 2021, the report must also include at least a summary of the manufacturer information. The organization is required to post the report online. The bill provides that when a manufacturer violates the reporting requirements, the Board of Directors of the Maine Health Data Organization may impose a fine of not more than $10,000 per day after the deadline for reporting required information. If the manufacturer fails to pay a fine, or if an injunction is necessary, the board may refer the matter to the Attorney General. The Attorney General may bring an action in Superior Court for injunctive relief, enforcement of fines, costs, attorney's fees and any other appropriate remedy. The legislation does not restrict the legal ability of a prescription drug manufacturer to change prices to the extent permitted under federal law. The amendment requires prescription drug manufacturers to report annually to the Maine Health Data Organization no later than January 30, 2020 and annually thereafter, on prescription drug prices when the manufacturer has during the prior calendar year increased the wholesale acquisition cost of a brand-name drug by more than 20% per pricing unit, increased the wholesale acquisition cost of a generic drug that costs at least $10 per pricing unit by more than 20% per pricing unit or introduced a new drug for distribution in this State when the wholesale acquisition cost is greater than the amount that would cause the drug to be considered a specialty drug under the Medicare Part D program. The amendment also requires prescription drug manufacturers, wholesale drug distributors and pharmacy benefits managers to provide pricing component data per pricing unit of a drug within 60 days of a request by the Maine Health Data Organization. The amendment defines "pricing component data" as data unique to each manufacturer, wholesale drug distributor or pharmacy benefits manager that evidences the cost to make a prescription drug available to consumers and the payments received by each manufacturer, wholesale drug distributor or pharmacy benefits manager to make a prescription drug available to consumers, taking into account any price concessions, and that is measured uniformly among the entities, as determined by rules adopted by the organization. The amendment provides that reported information is confidential, except that information may be shared in the aggregate and with the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation, Bureau of Insurance for enforcement purposes. Beginning November 1, 2020 and annually thereafter, the amendment requires the Maine Health Data Organization to produce and post on its publicly accessible website an annual report, including information developed from the notifications and disclosures received from prescription drug manufacturers, wholesale drug distributors and pharmacy benefits managers on trends in the cost of prescription drugs, an analysis of manufacturer prices and price increases, the major components of prescription drug pricing along the supply chain and the impacts on insurance premiums and cost sharing and other information the organization determines is relevant to providing greater consumer awareness of the factors contributing to the cost of prescription drugs in the State.LD 1162 Chaptered Law LD 1162 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 1164 | An Act To Improve the Educational Opportunity Tax Credit | Status: Referred to Taxation Committee, Enacted in the House as amended by Committee amendment S-229, tabled to Special Appropriations in the Senate June 14, 2019, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322 | |
LD 1164 This bill makes the current income tax credit for educational opportunity inapplicable to tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2020, and creates a new simplified tax credit for student loan repayment applicable to tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2020.
Amendment S-229 This amendment removes the requirement that a taxpayer's degree was received after 2007 to receive a credit for student loan repayment and provides that taxpayers who were eligible for a refundable credit under the credit for educational opportunity may continue to receive a refundable credit for tax years beginning before January 1, 2022. The amendment also increases from $50,000 per year to $75,000 per year the funds provided to market the Job Creation Through Educational Opportunity Program. LD 1164 Amendment S-229 fiscal note |
LD 1171 | An Act To Prevent Sexual and Domestic Violence and To Support Survivors | Status: Referred to Health and Human Services Committee, Enacted in the House as amended by Committee amendment S-86, tabled to Special Appropriations in the Senate May 16, 2019, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322 | |
LD 1171 This bill provides funding for sexual assault and domestic violence prevention and victim services. Amendment S-86 This amendment incorporates a fiscal note. LD 1171 Amendment S-86 fiscal note |
LD 1179 | An Act To Expand Coyote Hunting to Every Day of the Coyote Hunting Season and To Eliminate Fees | Status: Referred to Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, April 11, 2019 | |
LD 1179 This bill abolishes the coyote night hunting permit fee, allows hunters to hunt coyotes on Sundays during the regular hunting season, which under current Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife rules is from January 1st to December 31st, and eliminates any license fee that may be charged in connection with coyote hunting for the 2019 regular season. |
LD 1186 | An Act To Address Electricity Costs of Agricultural Fairs (Emergency) | Status: Referred to Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-228, Enacted as an emergency measure, Signed into law May 30, 2019 | |
LD 1186 This bill provides that a transmission and distribution utility may not assess a person or entity licensed to hold an agricultural fair a demand charge in connection with electric power or service provided for an agricultural fair. Amendment H-228 This amendment replaces the bill. The amendment establishes a program administered by the Efficiency Maine Trust to help agricultural fairs reduce electricity costs through efficiency and conservation. The program includes outreach and technical assistance to agricultural fairs to identify opportunities to lower electricity costs and enroll agricultural fairs in existing programs offered by the trust as appropriate. The program also provides custom financial incentives to agricultural fairs to implement electric efficiency and conservation measures, including but not limited to measures to reduce peak electricity demand. Funds for the program are set at the total amount paid in demand charges by agricultural fairs in the State during the prior year and are collected from electricity customers by transmission and distribution utilities. The trust is required to report to the Legislature on the program in January 2022 and January 2024, and the program has a sunset date of June 30, 2024. The amendment also directs the Public Utilities Commission to examine rate design and related issues for electricity customers that, like agricultural fairs, have seasonal, limited-duration, concentrated load profiles. It requires the commission to submit a report on its findings and recommendations to the Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology and authorizes the committee to report out a bill to the Second Regular Session of the 129th Legislature based on the report. LD 1186 Chaptered Law LD 1186 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 1200 | An Act To Amend the Maine Seed Capital Tax Credit Program (Emergency) | Status: Referred to Taxation Committee, Enacted in the House as amended by Committee amendment S-169, tabled to Special Appropriations in the Senate June 6, 2019, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322 | |
LD 1200 This bill amends the Maine Seed Capital Tax Credit Program by:
Amendment S-169 This amendment restricts the increase in the overall annual limit on total authorized credits to calendar years 2019 to 2025, removes the requirement that a majority of an eligible business's employment associated with the creation and sale of a product or a provision of services be within the State and provides a structure for the required reporting of data to facilitate an evaluation of the effectiveness of the credit by the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability. LD 1200 Amendment S-169 fiscal note |
LD 1255 | RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine To Require Referenda To Receive 60 Percent of the Vote To Become Law | Status: Referred to Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, Dead, Concurrence in Ought Not to Pass, May 2, 2019 | |
LD 1255 This resolution proposes to amend the Constitution of Maine to require that a direct initiative of legislation or a competing measure receive at least 60% of the votes cast to become law. |
LD 1268 | An Act To Update and Clarify the Laws Governing Raffles | Status: Referred to Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, Amended by Committee amendment S-67, Enacted, Signed into law May 16, 2019 | |
LD 1268 This bill amends the law governing raffles for certain nonprofit organizations in the following ways:
Amendment S-67 This amendment clarifies that certain nonprofit organizations, which may register with the Department of Public Safety, Gambling Control Unit to conduct raffles with noncash prizes that do not exceed $75,000 in value or raffles with cash prizes that do not exceed $20,000 in value, may conduct only one of these registered noncash prize raffles and one of these registered cash prize raffles at the same time. The amendment eliminates the portion of the bill that allows nonprofit organizations to exchange the prizes awarded in a noncash prize raffle for cash prizes. The amendment also makes technical changes to the laws governing games of chance that clarify the authority of the Gambling Control Unit to issue registrations to organizations that conduct raffles, including raffles with noncash prizes of a value greater than $2500, and that clarify the weekly, monthly and annual registration fees for all games of chance, including raffles. LD 1268 Chaptered Law LD 1268 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 1283 | Resolve, To Advance College Affordability by Convening a Task Force To Recommend a Sustainable Funding Model for Maintaining Maine's Public Higher Education Infrastructure (Emergency) | Status: Referred to Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, Enacted as an emergency measure, Became law without the Governor's signature June 12, 2019 | |
LD 1283 This resolve directs the Chancellor of the University of Maine System to convene a task force, to be named the Task Force To Recommend a Sustainable Funding Model for Maintaining Maine's Public Higher Education Infrastructure, to study how to provide adequate supplemental funding to sustain the State's public higher education infrastructure without burdening students who are residents of the State with unreasonable tuition and fee increases. The task force is directed to consider, but is not limited to considering, infrastructure improvements, health and safety repairs, technology improvements, energy efficiency and equipment upgrades and, when necessary, new construction. The task force is directed to report to the Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs and the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs by January 2, 2020. The joint standing committees are authorized to submit legislation to the Second Regular Session of the 129th Legislature. LD 1283 Chaptered Law LD 1283 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 1296 | An Act To Clarify the Scope of Practice of Certain Licensed Professionals Regarding Conversion Therapy | Status: Dead, Referred to Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services Committee, in Committee when the legislature adjourned sine die, June 20, 2019 | |
LD 1296 This bill does the following.
|
LD 1309 | An Act To Index MaineCare Reimbursement to Nursing Homes and Other Adult Care Facilities to Increases in the Minimum Wage | Status: Referred to Health and Human Services Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, April 30, 2019 | |
LD 1309 This bill increases the reimbursement rates under the MaineCare program to nursing facilities, adult family care homes and residential care facilities by the amount of the minimum wage increase that occurs on January 1st of each year as outlined in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 26, section 664, subsection 1. The increases in reimbursement rates must be retroactive to the date of the increase in the minimum wage. |
LD 1382 | Resolve, Directing the Department of Education To Study and Develop a State Plan for Computer Science Instruction and Professional Development | Status: Referred to Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-522, Finally passed, Signed into law June 18, 2019 | |
LD 1382 This bill provides the necessary resources and support for kindergarten to grade 12 schools to adopt computer science into their courses and curriculums. The bill establishes a grant program for computer science professional development, including costs of transportation, mentoring and coaching. The bill also requires the Department of Education to develop a statewide plan as well as computer science standards for kindergarten to grade 12 schools. The bill creates a full-time Regional Education Representative position in the Department of Education to support the creation and implementation of the plan and the standards. The bill establishes a grant program for computer devices and instructional materials to provide the tools necessary for schools to implement computer science courses and content. The bill also establishes a computer science teacher certification program for students who are majoring in education in the University of Maine System. Finally, the bill authorizes the Department of Education to adopt rules as necessary to implement the provisions of the bill. Amendment H-522 This amendment, which is the majority report of the committee, replaces the bill with a resolve. The amendment directs the Department of Education to study and develop a plan for implementing computer science instruction in schools and submit a report to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs that includes an overview of how computer science courses and curricula are being implemented in schools in the State; a state plan for instruction in computer science in public preschool to grade 12, including the development of standards and clarification on how instruction in computer science may be applied toward graduation requirements, that provides equitable access to computer science instruction across the State and provides for instruction in computer science in all high schools by 2022 and in all grades by 2025; a professional development plan for educators that includes training in computer science and a component that includes peer-to-peer training in computer science; and an estimate of the funding levels necessary to implement the plans set out in the report. The Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs may submit a bill to the Second Regular Session of the 129th Legislature. LD 1382 Chaptered Law LD 1382 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 1387 | An Act To Increase Access to Safe and Affordable Prescription Drugs | Status: Referred to Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services Committee, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, March 5, 2020 | |
LD 1387 Under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the importation of unapproved new prescription drugs, including foreign-made versions of prescription drugs that have been approved by the federal Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration, is prohibited. However, the Food and Drug Administration has developed guidance that allows the personal importation of certain drugs. This bill, using the guidance developed by the federal Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration, enacts the Maine Pharmaceutical Drug Safety Act to allow an individual in Maine to import prescription drugs from Canada as long as specific criteria are met, including that the drug is imported for personal use, that the individual importing the drug has a valid prescription, that the drug does not present an unreasonable risk to the individual and that no more than a 90-day supply of the drug is imported. The prescription drug to be imported must also meet specific requirements. The importation of controlled substances and prescription drugs for sale or resale is specifically prohibited. |
LD 1424 | An Act To Create an Access to Justice Income Tax Credit | Status: Referred to Taxation Committee, Enacted in the House as amended by Committee amendment H-332, tabled to Special Appropriations in the Senate May 29, 2019, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322 | |
LD 1424 This bill provides an income tax credit for 5 years for attorneys who practice law in the State and agree to practice for at least 5 years in an underserved area of the State as determined by the Supreme Judicial Court. Eligibility for the credit is open from 2020 through 2025. The court may certify up to 5 eligible attorneys each year. The joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over taxation matters is directed to review the effectiveness of the credit and may submit legislation to extend or revise it. Amendment H-332 This amendment changes the entity reporting information to the Legislature regarding the access to justice credit from the State Tax Assessor to the Supreme Judicial Court and clarifies that the authorized disclosure by the assessor of tax information related to the credit is to the Supreme Judicial Court for purposes of making the report to the Legislature. LD 1424 Amendment H-332 fiscal note |
LD 1443 | An Act To Enact the Senior Property Tax Reimbursement Act | Status: Referred to Taxation Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, May 21, 2019 | |
LD 1443 This bill provides state reimbursement to eligible individuals for the portion of property taxes on their homesteads for a tax year that exceeds the property taxes for the year in which they reached retirement age as defined under the federal Social Security Act. For an individual to be eligible, the individual must be receiving a homestead exemption, have a household income of less than $40,000 and, if filing individually, have liquid assets of less than $50,000 or, if household members are filing jointly, have liquid assets of less than $75,000. |
LD 1447 | An Act To Simplify Voting in Maine by Placing a Moratorium on Ranked-choice Voting | Status: Referred to Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, Dead, Concurrence in Ought Not to Pass, May 21, 2019 | |
LD 1447 This bill suspends the use of ranked-choice voting until elections held after December 1, 2023. The bill provides that the laws governing ranked-choice voting are repealed December 1, 2023 unless the Constitution of Maine is amended to authorize the Legislature to determine the method by which the Governor and members of the Legislature are elected. |
LD 1459 | An Act To Expand Application of the Maine Agricultural Marketing and Bargaining Act of 1973 to Harvesters and Haulers of Forest Products | Status: Referred to Labor and Housing Committee, Enacted, Signed into law June 7, 2019 | |
LD 1459 Current law authorizes the membership of farmers in cooperative organizations and requires handlers of agricultural products to bargain in good faith with such organizations because agricultural products are produced by numerous individual farmers and the marketing and bargaining position of individual farmers will be adversely affected unless they are able to join together. This bill recognizes that market forces that affect the marketing and bargaining position of individual farmers similarly affect the marketing and bargaining position of individual harvesters and haulers of forest products, and it expands application of the Maine Agricultural Marketing and Bargaining Act of 1973 to include harvesters and haulers of forest products. Specifically, this bill amends the laws governing agricultural marketing and bargaining to:
In addition, the bill sets forth the Legislature's finding that, with respect to loggers and forest products haulers, the inequity of power in determining compensation and the lack of opportunity to join together in bargaining over compensation can result in unfair contract rates for their services and that it is in the public interest to expand application of the Maine Agricultural Marketing and Bargaining Act of 1973 to include harvesters and haulers of forest products. |
LD 1506 | Resolve, Directing the Department of Economic and Community Development To Facilitate the Creation of a Strategic Economic Plan (Emergency) | Status: Referred to Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, June 3, 2019 | |
LD 1506 This resolve directs the Department of Economic and Community Development to facilitate the creation of a 10-year strategic economic plan that recommends breakthrough strategies for increased economic prosperity for all citizens of the State in all regions, ultimately measured by increased household income, a growing workforce and sustainable business development. The resolve directs the department to provide a report on the strategic plan to the Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs and the Joint Standing Committee on Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business by December 31, 2019. The joint standing committees are authorized to report out legislation based on the report to the Second Regular Session of the 129th Legislature. |
LD 1586 | An Act To Promote Major Food Processing and Manufacturing Facility Expansion and To Create Jobs in Maine | Status: Referred to Taxation Committee, Amended by Committee amendment S-228, Enacted as an emergency measure, Signed into law June 19, 2019 | |
LD 1586 This bill, modeled on the tax credit for major business headquarters expansions, provides a tax credit to a food processing and manufacturing business that:
A business that qualifies is allowed a refundable tax credit equal to 2% of the amount of the qualified investment each tax year for 20 years. The total investment that may be approved for any one business may not exceed $85,000,000 and the total aggregate investment that may be approved is limited to $100,000,000. The maximum amount of tax credits that may be received by a business under one construction or expansion project is $34,000,000. Amendment S-228 This amendment adds an emergency preamble and an emergency clause to the bill. It also adds provisions to facilitate administration of the credit and the review of the credit by the Office of Program Evaluation and Governmental Accountability under the tax expenditure review laws. LD 1586 Chaptered Law LD 1586 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 1633 | An Act To Legalize Keno and Historical Instant Racing | Status: Referred to Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, Dead, Concurrence in Ought Not to Pass, June 12, 2019 | |
LD 1633 This bill establishes a framework for the regulation of historical instant racing and keno. The bill creates a single license for the operation of historical instant racing and keno. Casinos, commercial tracks, off-track betting facilities and high-stakes beano facilities are each eligible to apply for the license, issued by the Gambling Control Board. The bill directs the board to adopt rules governing the conduct of historical instant racing and keno, including rules related to the prevention of fraud or deception, authorized wager amounts, the maximum percentage of all wagers that may be retained by the licensee and methods for verifying that a person who makes a historical instant racing wager or who plays keno is at least 21 years of age. The bill further requires that 1% of the net income from historical instant racing and keno be used for administrative expenses of the board and that 10% of the net revenue be distributed to the Treasurer of the State to be credited to the Department of Education for essential programs and services for kindergarten to grade 12. |
LD 1645 | An Act To Create Affordable Workforce and Senior Housing and Preserve Affordable Rural Housing | Status: Referred to Taxation Committee, Enacted in the House as amended by Committee amendment H-481, tabled to Special Appropriations in the Senate June 10, 2019, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322, under suspension of the rules, Amended by Senate amendment S-374, Enacted, Signed into law February 12, 2020 | |
LD 1645 The purpose of this bill is to address Maine's shortage of safe, affordable housing by creating a state affordable housing tax credit. The tax credit is administered by the Maine State Housing Authority, which will allocate the state credit through a process similar to its current allocation of federal housing tax credits. Ten percent of the credit must be set aside for the preservation of affordable housing units that are constructed with financial assistance from the United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Rural Development, Rural Housing Service and at risk of losing their affordable status. In addition, 30% of the credit allocated to new housing units is targeted for seniors and 20% is targeted for rural areas. The credit is subject to reporting requirements and a process for tax expenditure review by the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability. Amendment H-481 (Adopted by both chambers, June 6, 2019. Under suspension of the rules, reconsidered and indefinitely postponed, January 30, 2020) This amendment makes several changes to the procedure for administration of the credit for affordable housing to appropriately reflect the most effective responsibilities of the Maine State Housing Authority and the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Maine Revenue Services and requires the authority to adopt routine technical rules necessary for administration of the credit. The amendment also removes the date for a report by the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability. Amendment S-374 (Under suspension of the rules, adopted in both chambers January 30, 2020, replaces Committee amendment H-481) This amendment incorporates the substance of the bill, as amended by Committee Amendment H-481, and makes the following changes:
LD 1645 Chaptered Law LD 1645 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 1653 | Resolve, Establishing the Conference To Address and Improve Relations between Maine Indian Tribes and the Legislature | Status: Referred to Judiciary Committee, Work session held May 28, 2019, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322, carried over in the same posture to any special session of the 129th Legislature pursuant to Joint Order SP 788 | |
LD 1653 This resolve establishes the Conference To Address and Improve Relations between Maine Indian Tribes and the Legislature to develop meaningful conversations among the members of the conference on communication and policy differences that led to the breakdown between the Legislature and the tribal representatives to the Legislature and how better to communicate and improve the relationship between the Legislature and Maine Indian tribes. Ex officio members of the conference are the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House, the Senate Minority Leader and the House Minority Leader, who are directed to invite as members of the conference the Chief of the Aroostook Band of Micmacs, the Chief of the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, the Chief of the Penobscot Indian Nation, the Chief of the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township and the Chief of the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Pleasant Point. |
LD 1660 | An Act To Improve Access to Physician Assistant Care | Status: Referred to Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services Committee, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322, Amended by Committee amendment S-432, Enacted as an emergency measure, Signed into law March 18, 2020 | |
LD 1660 This bill makes the following changes to the laws governing the licensing and scope of practice of physician assistants.
Amendment S-432 This amendment replaces the bill and does the following. In Part A, the amendment requires health insurance carriers to allow physician assistants to serve as primary care providers under managed care plans. It also specifies that carriers are required to provide coverage for services provided by physician assistants if those services are within a physician assistant's scope of practice and are covered services under a health plan and makes that provision applicable to contracts issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2021. In Part B, the amendment makes the following changes to the laws governing the licensing and scope of practice of physician assistants.
LD 1660 Chaptered Law LD 1660 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 1669 | RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine To Help Ensure That Direct Initiatives of Legislation Are Compatible with the Constitution of Maine and Statutory Law | Status: Referred to Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, Dead, Concurrence in Ought Not to Pass, June 18, 2019 | |
LD 1669 This resolution proposes to amend the Constitution of Maine to require that a person who requests a petition form for a direct initiative of legislation must submit a written application for a petition form to the office of the Secretary of State, the office of the Governor, the office of the Attorney General and the Legislature. The Secretary of State, the Governor, the Attorney General and the Legislature must review a direct initiative of legislation and determine whether it is compatible with the Constitution of Maine and statutory law. If the Secretary of State, the Governor, the Attorney General or the Legislature determines that the measure is not compatible with the Constitution of Maine or statutory law, the Secretary of State may not furnish or approve petition forms for the direct initiative of legislation. |
LD 1698 | An Act To Create Jobs and Slow Climate Change by Promoting the Production of Natural Resources Bioproducts | Status: Referred to Taxation Committee, Engrossed in both chambers as amended by Committee amendment H-552, Enacted in both chambers June 19, 2019, Governor placed on hold, July 2, 2019, recalled from the Governor's desk January 8, 2020 via the Joint Order HP 1422; Amended by House amendment H-731 and Committee amendment H-552, Enacted, Signed into law March 18, 2020 | |
LD 1698 This bill provides a tax credit for the production of renewable chemicals by the conversion of renewable biomass from the forest, farms, the sea or solid waste. The credit is equal to 7¢ per pound of renewable chemical produced in the State, 9¢ per pound of renewable chemical produced in the State if the taxpayer demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Department of Economic and Community Development that the contractors hired or retained by a landowner to harvest renewable biomass used in production of the renewable chemicals are 3rd-party certified by the Northeast Master Logger program or successor program and at least 50% of the contractors' employees are residents of the United States or 12¢ per pound of renewable chemical produced in the State if the taxpayer demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Department of Economic and Community Development that the contractors hired or retained by a landowner to harvest renewable biomass used in such production are 3rd-party certified by the Northeast Master Logger program and at least 75% of the contractors' employees are residents of the United States. Renewable chemicals are defined to include chemicals, polymers, plastics and formulated products, and to exclude substances used for food, feed or fuel, with limited exceptions. The bill also reinstates the tax credit for commercial production and use of biofuels. Amendment H-552 This amendment includes a provision permitting the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Maine Revenue Services to provide to the Department of Economic and Community Development information necessary for administration of the renewable chemicals tax credit and strikes language that would create an overlap of the renewable chemicals tax credit and the credit for the commercial production and use of biofuels. Amendment H-731 This amendment changes the credit allowed under the bill to remove the variable credit of between 7¢ and 12¢ per pound of renewable chemical, which is based on the certification level of the contractors hired or retained to harvest the renewable biomass and the residency of those contractors' employees, to a flat credit of 8¢ per pound of renewable chemical as long as the taxpayer demonstrates to the Department of Economic and Community Development that at least 75% of the employees of the contractors hired or retained to harvest renewable biomass used in the production of the renewable chemicals meet the eligibility conditions specified in the Employment Security Law, in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 26, chapter 13. This amendment also delays by one year the application date of the tax credit. This amendment also corrects numbering conflicts in the bill and Committee Amendment H-552 created when a chaptered law enacted provisions with the same paragraph letter or section number. LD 1698 Chaptered Law LD 1698 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 1742 | An Act To Encourage Broadband Deployment in Unserved Areas | Status: Referred to Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, June 5, 2019 | |
LD 1742 This bill facilitates the deployment of broadband infrastructure in unserved areas of this State by establishing the Broadband Infrastructure Grant Program under the ConnectME Authority to award grants to applicants for the purpose of extending deployment of facilities used to provide broadband service to unserved areas of the State and thus to encourage new investment in broadband service infrastructure. The bill eliminates the Municipal Gigabit Broadband Network Access Fund. The bill removes the authority of the ConnectME Authority to require communications service providers to contribute to the ConnectME Fund. It allows the authority to issue bonds for the construction of advanced communications technology infrastructure. |
LD 1774 | An Act To Reduce Child Poverty by Leveraging Investments so Families Can Thrive | Status: Referred to Health and Human Services Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-605, Enacted, Signed into law June 27, 2019 | |
LD 1774 This bill makes the following changes, which are intended to reduce child poverty, increase food security and create stronger bridges to employment for families with children.
Amendment H-605 This amendment makes the following changes to the bill.
LD 1774 Chaptered Law LD 1774 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 1961 | An Act To Establish the Trust for a Healthy Maine | Status: Referred to Health and Human Services Committee, carried over in the same posture to any special session of the 129th Legislature pursuant to Joint Order SP 788 | |
LD 1961 This bill establishes the Trust for a Healthy Maine to receive money paid to the State pursuant to the tobacco settlement and from other sources and to distribute that money to state agencies or designated agents of the State to fund tobacco use prevention and control, ensure adequate resources for other disease prevention efforts, promote public health, plan and deliver public health and prevention programs and services, support accreditation of the Department of Health and Human Services, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention and support public health workforce development. The trust is governed by a board of trustees appointed by the Governor and legislative leaders. |
LD 2050 | An Act To Establish the Central Aroostook County Emergency Medical Services Authority | Status: Referred to Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, Enacted as an emergency measure, Signed into law February 29, 2020 | |
LD 2050 This bill establishes the Central Aroostook County Emergency Medical Services Authority to facilitate the provision of emergency medical services to the citizens of Mars Hill, Bridgewater and Blaine. The bill includes an emergency preamble and an emergency clause. LD 2050 Chaptered Law LD 2050 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 2056 | Resolve, To Create the Frequent Users System Engagement Collaborative | Status: Referred to Health and Human Services Committee, Work session held February 27, 2020, carried over in the same posture to any special session of the 129th Legislature pursuant to Joint Order SP 788 | |
LD 2056 This resolve establishes the Frequent Users System Engagement Collaborative in order to develop a plan to provide stable housing and community services to 200 persons who are homeless or at risk of homelessness who are the most frequent consumers of high-cost services, such as psychiatric hospitals, emergency shelters, emergency rooms, police, jails and prisons. The collaborative must submit a report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters no later than January 1, 2021 on its plan and recommendations. The joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters is authorized to report out a bill to the First Regular Session of the 130th Legislature related to the report. |
LD 2092 | Resolve, To Establish the Maine Spaceport Complex Leadership Council | Status: Referred to Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business Committee, Work session held March 12, 2020, carried over in the same posture to any special session of the 129th Legislature pursuant to Joint Order SP 788 | |
LD 2092 This resolve establishes the Maine Spaceport Complex Leadership Council, a public-private partnership of private space flight commercial interests and local, state and federal government and academic entities, to lead the development and implementation of a spaceport complex in the State and to orchestrate engagement with external stakeholders and investors. The resolve requires the council to create a strategic plan and, by December 31, 2021, to present the plan to the Governor and to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over economic development matters. |
LD 2095 | An Act To Require Appropriate Coverage of and Cost-sharing for Generic Drugs and Biosimilars | Status: Referred to Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services Committee, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, March 17, 2020 | |
LD 2095 This bill establishes requirements for the coverage of and cost-sharing for generic drugs, biosimilars and branded pharmaceuticals when dispensed by pharmacies as outpatient prescription drugs under health plans offered by carriers that provide coverage for prescription drugs. |
LD 2096 | An Act To Save Lives by Capping the Out-of-pocket Cost of Certain Medications | Status: Referred to Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-772 and House amendment H-778, Enacted as an emergency measure, Signed into law March 18, 2020 | |
LD 2096 This bill provides that a health insurance carrier that provides coverage for prescription insulin drugs may not impose a cost-sharing requirement on the enrollee that results in out-of-pocket costs to the enrollee in excess of $100 per 30-day supply of insulin. Amendment H-772 This amendment replaces the bill. Part A provides that a health insurance carrier that provides coverage for prescription insulin drugs may not impose a cost-sharing requirement on an enrollee that results in out-of-pocket costs to the enrollee in excess of $35 per prescription for a 30-day supply of insulin. The requirements apply to all health insurance policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2021. Part B authorizes a pharmacist to dispense emergency refills of insulin and associated insulin-related supplies. The amendment requires that the insulin dispensed be in a quantity that is the lesser of a 30-day supply and the smallest available package. The amendment also requires the Maine Board of Pharmacy to adopt rules to establish adequate training requirements and protocols for dispensing insulin. Amendment H-778 This amendment adds an emergency preamble and an emergency clause. LD 2096 Chaptered Law LD 2096 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 2141 | Resolve, To Ensure Continued Services for Children with Disabilities by Imposing a Delay on MaineCare Rulemaking until an Impact Study Is Completed | Status: Referred to Health and Human Services Committee, carried over in the same posture to any special session of the 129th Legislature pursuant to Joint Order SP 788 | |
LD 2141 This resolve imposes a delay on the adoption by the Department of Health and Human Services of any rule that proposes to change provisions of 10-144 C.M.R. Chapter 101: MaineCare Benefits Manual governing school-based services. It requires the department, before initiating rulemaking, to complete an impact study setting forth the rationale for the proposed changes, the financial impacts on affected families and providers of school-based services, potential service delays and other issues relating to state and federal law. The department is required to seek and consider input from affected provider groups, schools, children and family advocacy groups, the Department of Education, the Child Development Services System and other stakeholders and is also required to incorporate into the study the recommendations and implementation plan for early intervention services in public schools that will be forthcoming from the review of the State's early childhood special education services being carried out pursuant to Public Law 2019, chapter 343, Part VVVV. This report, produced by an independent entity, is due to be completed on December 1, 2020. It requires the department to submit the completed study and a further report regarding any proposed rules or modifications to current rule pertaining to medically necessary school-based services to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters no later than April 1, 2021. The joint standing committee is authorized to report out legislation relating to the subject matter of the study and the report to the First Regular Session of the 130th Legislature. It authorizes the department, following completion of its study and report but no earlier than July 1, 2021, to initiate rulemaking to change rules governing school-based services provided under 10-144 C.M.R. Chapter 101: MaineCare Benefits Manual and specifies that any rules adopted are major substantive rules pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. |