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.

Amendment H-83
This amendment, which is the majority report of the committee, modifies the requirements in the bill for age-appropriate traffic safety education in school administrative units. The amendment provides that the traffic safety education must be provided annually to at least 4 different grade levels from kindergarten to grade 8 instead of annually in grades 2 to 12. The amendment also strikes the requirement that the education be at least one hour in length.

This amendment also provides funding for 90% of the cost to school administrative units to implement the traffic safety education curriculum. The amendment also specifies that outside funding may be accepted by the Department of Education and expended for the purpose of traffic safety education annually.

LD 470 fiscal note
LD 470 Amendment H-83 fiscal note

This bill allows the authority, using the same need and residency criteria as for the grants, to award up to an additional $500 grant for textbooks per year.

The bill applies only to agreements entered into or renewed after January 1, 2020 and does not apply to an entity that provides the host platform on the website of an Internet game service.

Amendment H-143
This amendment strikes and replaces the bill to reallocate the provisions of the bill to a different chapter of the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 10. This amendment also adds online software to the list of services falling under the bill's provisions and adds a definition for "online software," "extended automatic subscription renewal" and "seller." It adds a requirement that if a phone number is provided for the purposes of cancellation of the subscription, the phone number must be toll-free and must be prominently displayed in the disclosure. It adds a requirement for prior notice of renewal for extended automatic subscription renewals. It adds language exempting sellers from actions brought under the Unfair Trade Practices Act if the seller's failure to comply was the result of an error and the seller compensates the consumer.

Amendment S-99
This amendment requires the seller of extended automatic subscription renewals to provide for online cancellation.

LD 771 Chaptered Law
LD 771 Chaptered Law fiscal note

This bill proposes to enact measures designed to encourage continued learning by Maine residents, including, but not limited to, creating incentives and implementing strategies to enable so-called stranded learners who have some college credit but no degree to complete degree and certificate programs and graduate from college.

This bill proposes to amend the laws governing gun control.

• 1. It amends the definition of "polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons" to include a reference to the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980.
• 2. It clarifies the scope of the bill's sales and application prohibitions or coal tar sealant products.
• 3. It removes an unnecessary cross-reference.

The time the notice is given to the mortgagor or cosigner is the sooner of:

• 1. The date the mortgagor or cosigner signs the receipt or, if the notice is undeliverable, the date the post office last attempts to deliver it, under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 14, section 6111, subsection 3, paragraph A; and
• 2. The date the mortgagor or cosigner receives the notice under Title 14, section 6111, subsection 3, paragraph B. A post office department certificate of mailing to the mortgagor or cosigner is conclusive proof of receipt on the 7th calendar day after mailing when notice is provided under Title 14, section 6111, subsection 3, paragraph B.

The fiscal note on the amendment, which is a fiscal note only amendment, identifies certain requirements in the bill as a potential state mandate. In order to be a mandate pursuant to the Constitution of Maine, a provision must require a local unit of government to expand or modify its activities so as to necessitate additional expenditures from local revenue. The committee finds the provisions identified as a potential mandate do not require a local unit of government to expand or modify its activities so as to necessitate additional expenditures from local revenue.

This bill proposes to codify in Maine law the provisions of the federal Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.

It eliminates the demonstrator license.

It eliminates the barber license and renames the "limited barbering " license the "barber hair styling " license.

It clarifies provisions regarding establishment owners and booth owners by creating level 1 establishments and level 2 establishments and providing that leased space is considered an establishment.

It replaces references to "shop" with "establishment. "

It clarifies that the cosmetology scope of practice includes shaving.

It exempts certain cosmetology-associated activities from licensure requirements.

It allows the practice of cosmetology, barber hair styling, aesthetics and nail technology on inmates of institutions of the Department of Corrections.

It changes the 7-day reporting requirement for the change of ownership or location of an establishment to a 10-day reporting requirement for consistency with general reporting requirements of the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation, Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 10, section 8003-G. Where applicable, the bill adds the word "calendar" to other reporting requirements. The bill eliminates the necessity of submitting a new application and fee for an establishment location change and makes a location change of a level 1 establishment or level 2 establishment a reporting requirement. The new location is still subject to meeting all current laws and rules and inspection requirements.

It repeals provisions regarding the age and minimum education requirements for initial practice licenses.

It clarifies reporting requirements for trainees for a change in employer or qualified supervisor and also clarifies the number of trainees per establishment that may be trained at one time.

It authorizes the Director of the Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation to issue a license to a person who holds a valid license in another jurisdiction of the United States.

Current law requires that a student enrolling in a course of study be at least 16 years of age. The bill adjusts the minimum school enrollment age to 15 years of age with the stipulation that the student turns 16 years of age at some point during the student's course of study.

It exempts career and technical education centers that do not collect student tuition for a course of study from surety bond and financial audit requirements.

Amendment H-533
This amendment creates a hair designer license with limited practice to performing hair and chemical services. It also eliminates the requirement for a special event services permit.

LD 1768 Chaptered Law
LD 1768 Chaptered Law fiscal note

• 1. To seek legal or law enforcement assistance or remedies to ensure the health and safety of the employee or employee's family members including, but not limited to, preparing for, or participating in, any civil or criminal legal proceeding related to or derived from domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking;
• 2. To seek treatment by a health care provider for physical or mental injuries caused by domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking or to attend to health care treatment for a victim who is the employee's family member;
• 3. To obtain, or assist a family member in obtaining, services from a domestic violence shelter, rape crisis center or other social services program for relief from domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking;
• 4. To obtain, or assist a family member in obtaining, mental health counseling related to an incident of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking in which the employee or employee's family member was a victim; or
• 5. To participate in safety planning, temporarily or permanently relocate or take other actions to protect the employee or employee's family members from domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking.

• 1. It requires that the Department of Labor's outreach efforts regarding the program be tailored to focus on unemployed and underemployed workers, veterans, immigrants, recipients of benefits under the statewide food supplement program, low-skilled manufacturing workers and students enrolled in postsecondary education.
• 2. It directs the Department of Labor to collaborate with other entities to improve program outreach to target demographics, including, at a minimum, collaboration with the Maine Community College System.
• 3. It makes changes to the criteria used to determine approved education and training under the program, including consideration of employer input, changing demographics and traditional industries in the State in which innovations and new technologies are creating a demand for skilled workers.
• 4. It requires that a program participant be given information about the allowable uses of a family development account under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 10, chapter 110, subchapter 4-A.
• 5. It adds a requirement that a participant be offered comprehensive career planning services prior to the program's development of an individual career plan with the participant and permits the Department of Labor to partner with other entities to provide this service. It directs the department to include in this partnership, at a minimum, the Maine Community College System with respect to participants enrolled or seeking enrollment in a training or education course provided by the Maine Community College System. It also directs the Maine Community College System to assist the Department of Labor in program management and oversight for such participants.
• 6. It repeals the January 1, 2020 repeal provision on the eligibility for the program of a full-time student at a public secondary school enrolled in a career and technical education program at a career and technical education center or a career and technical education region.

This bill also amends the laws governing the employment of minors 16 and 17 years of age, providing that such a minor may be employed in an otherwise hazardous occupation for which the minor has been trained or certified from a vocational, career and technical or cooperative education program approved by the Department of Education only if the minor has graduated from the program and has graduated from high school.

Amendment H-82
This amendment strikes a number of sections of the bill affecting the Competitive Skills Scholarship Program and does the following.

• 1. It retains the changes in the bill that amend the laws governing the employment of minors 16 and 17 years of age in an otherwise hazardous occupation for which the minor has been trained or certified from a vocational, career and technical or cooperative education program approved by the Department of Education to require that the minor must have graduated from high school. The amendment provides that a high school equivalency diploma or its equivalent is sufficient to meet this requirement.
• 2. It retains the provision in the bill that repeals the January 1, 2020 repeal provision on the eligibility for the Competitive Skills Scholarship Program of a full-time student at a public secondary school enrolled in a career and technical education program at a career and technical education center or a career and technical education region.
• 3. It amends the eligibility criteria of the Competitive Skills Scholarship Program to modify the requirement that an individual be at least 18 years old by also including an individual who has graduated from high school.

• 1. Requires a General Fund bond obligation in the amount of $250,000,000 for a program administered by the Finance Authority of Maine to provide funds for payment of student loan debt for individuals who agree to live and work in Maine for 5 years and to reimburse employers that make student loan debt payments on behalf of their employees who agree to live and work in Maine for 5 years; and
• 2. Establishes the Maine Student Loan Debt Relief Program and the Maine Student Loan Debt Relief Fund and requires the Finance Authority of Maine to adopt major substantive rules to implement the program and submit the rules to the Second Regular Session of the 129th Legislature.

These changes apply only to those sexual crimes committed on or after the effective date of this legislation or for which the prosecution has not yet been barred by the statute of limitations in force immediately prior to the effective date of this legislation.

• 1. It provides that money paid into the fund may include General Fund appropriations, as well as grants, gifts and other money from any unit of federal, state or local government or from any person, firm, partnership or corporation for deposit to the fund, money received from a social impact bond and interest, dividends and other pecuniary gains. It requires that school administrative units ensure that grants provided from the fund for expanding access to summer success programs supplement and not supplant federal funding.
• 2. It requires the commissioner to administer the fund within the Department of Education and to establish standards and approval for the allocation and use of fund money for summer success programs offered at elementary and secondary schools in the State. It also allows the commissioner to include the following in the standards:
• A. Guidelines similar to the federal 21st Century Community Learning Centers program to close the achievement gap between high-performing and low-performing students;
• B. Effective models of summer success programs that involve networking and partnerships with community-based organizations that provide a range of high-quality services to support student learning and development; and
• C. Implementation of the formative and summative assessment methods to measure student achievement in order to monitor the progress of students participating in summer success programs.
• 3. It provides that, beginning in fiscal year 2020-21, the department is required to provide grant funding, through a grant application process, to cover 90% of the costs of summer success programs in school administrative units with greater than 50% student participation in the federal free and reduced-price lunch program.
• 4. It adds the fund to the enhancing student performance and opportunity provisions of the Essential Programs and Services Funding Act.
• 5. It requires the commissioner to submit a report to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs by December 15, 2019 that outlines the proposed rules to implement the fund by the 2020-2021 school year.

• 1. It provides that the fund is established as a General Fund carrying account within the Department of Education to be directed and administered by the Commissioner of Education and held by the Treasurer of State and that only General Fund appropriations may be paid into the fund;
• 2. It requires the Commissioner of Education to establish standards and approval for the allocation and use of fund money for summer success pilot programs offered at elementary and secondary schools in the State. It also allows the commissioner to include the following in the standards:
• A. Guidelines similar to those of the federal 21st Century Community Learning Centers program to close the achievement gap between high-performing and low-performing students;
• B. Effective models of summer success programs that involve networking and partnerships with community-based organizations that provide a range of high-quality services to support student learning and development; and
• C. Implementation of the formative and summative assessment methods to measure student achievement in order to monitor the progress of students participating in summer success pilot programs;
• 3. It provides that, beginning in fiscal year 2020-21, the department is required to provide grant funding from the fund, through a grant application process, to cover 90% of the costs of summer success pilot programs and that the department must prioritize distribution of funding to school administrative units with greater than 50% student participation in the federal free and reduced-price lunch program;
• 4. It adds the fund to the enhancing student performance and opportunity provisions of the Essential Programs and Services Funding Act; and
• 5. It requires the Commissioner of Education to annually report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education and cultural affairs on the number of school administrative units administering summer success pilot programs, the nature of the summer success pilot programs receiving money from the fund, the amount of money distributed and the number of children participating in a summer success pilot program. The report must also include a recommendation on whether the pilot program should continue as a pilot program, be modified or become a permanent program.

This bill proposes to provide funding for the Brunswick Naval Museum and Memorial Gardens in Brunswick.

Amendment H-64
This amendment replaces the bill, which is a concept draft. The amendment, which is the majority report, provides one-time funds to the Brunswick Naval Museum and Memorial Gardens to support and preserve Maine's maritime patrol aviation heritage.

LD 626 Amendment H-64 fiscal note

The bill also establishes the Maine Harmful Pest Management Fund to provide funds to municipalities severely infested with harmful pests, to be used in mitigating the infestations. It also provides $500,000 to the fund.

The amendment revises the description of unlawful employment discrimination to apply to an employer's failure to provide a reasonable accommodation after it has been requested. An exception to the reasonable accommodation requirement is based on the employer's demonstration that the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of the business of the employer.

This bill proposes to clarify the intent of the federal Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act of 1980 to ensure the federal principle of inherent tribal sovereignty.

• 1. Provide that refusal to submit to a blood test at the request of a law enforcement officer in the absence of a warrant is not a ground for imposition of a mandatory period of incarceration, does not constitute an operating under the influence offense for the purpose of requiring the imposition or enhancement of a mandatory minimum sentence of incarceration and is not admissible in evidence at a hearing or trial; and
• 2. Add to the warning given to a person being asked to submit to a test a statement that refusal to submit to a blood test at the request of a law enforcement officer in the absence of a warrant is not a ground for imposition of a mandatory period of incarceration.

• 1. Makes confidential all juvenile adjudications and related records after 3 years from the date of disposition;
• 2. Except for crimes involving sexual assault, sexual exploitation of minors and domestic violence, makes confidential all convictions and related records for Class E and Class D crimes after 3 years from the date of imposition of sentence;
• 3. Makes confidential all convictions and related records for Class E and Class D crimes involving sexual assault, sexual exploitation of minors and domestic violence after 7 years from the date of imposition of sentence;
• 4. Makes confidential all convictions and related records for Class C, Class B and Class A crimes that are based solely on the defendant's convictions for prior Class E and Class D crimes; and
• 5. Limits the dissemination of confidential criminal history record information to criminal justice agencies for the purpose of the administration of criminal justice and criminal justice agency employment and pursuant to court order.

• 1. Removing the word "acquire" from the enumeration of the elements of an individual's right to food and removing the language limiting the exercise of acquisition;
• 2. Removing language establishing a fundamental right to be free from hunger, starvation and the endangerment of life due to scarcity of or lack of access to food; and
• 3. Specifying that the right to food does not allow an individual to abuse private property rights or abuse public lands or natural resources in the harvesting of food.

The bill also requires that health insurance carriers that provide coverage for maternity services also provide coverage for abortion services. The bill applies this requirement to all health insurance policies and contracts issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2020, except for those religious employers granted an exclusion of coverage. The bill authorizes the Superintendent of Insurance to grant an exemption from the requirements if enforcement of the requirements would adversely affect the allocation of federal funds to the State.

Amendment H-210
This amendment is the majority report of the committee. The amendment adds language exempting the provisions of the bill from the provisions of the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 24-A, section 2752. The amendment reallocates the section of the bill requiring the Department of Health and Human Services to pay for abortion services for MaineCare members and adds language to authorize the department to adopt rules using the emergency rule-making provisions of the Maine Administrative Procedure Act.

Amendment S-275
The amendment adds an appropriations and allocations section. This amendment also makes technical corrections.

LD 820 Chaptered Law
LD 820 Chaptered Law fiscal note

This bill proposes to enact the Expanded Workforce Access Act of 2019, which will authorize the use of apprenticeships as an alternative means of obtaining licenses to perform certain occupations. Occupations included under this Act may include, but are not limited to, barbering or limited barbering and nail technology.

This bill will expand access to the workforce by allowing individuals to fulfill licensing requirements through participation in apprenticeship programs, thus allowing participants to earn a paycheck at the same time as they acquire hands-on training and experience. Under this bill:

• 1. The licensing boards for the occupations that are included in this expanded apprenticeship program will grant licenses to applicants who meet criteria established by the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation;
• 2. The criteria established may include, without limitation:
• A. Successful completion of the 8th grade;
• B. Completion of an apprenticeship that is approved by the Department of Labor or the United States Department of Labor or in accordance with any applicable state or federal law. For purposes of this bill, "apprenticeship" is defined as a program that meets the federal guidelines set out in 29 United States Code, Section 50 and 29 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 29; and
• C. Successful completion of any necessary examination, as determined by the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation. The passing score on an examination for a participant in the expanded apprenticeship model may not exceed the passing score that is otherwise required under the rules adopted by the applicable licensing board. If the rules adopted by the applicable licensing board do not otherwise require successful completion of an examination, an examination may not be required for participation in the expanded apprenticeship program.
• 3. The Department of Professional and Financial Regulation will be required to adopt rules necessary to implement the expanded apprenticeship program, including limitations on the length of and the numbers of hours required by each authorized apprenticeship.

This bill proposes to require that when the State makes decisions regarding its purchasing of food, the State must consider as a priority in its decision making the interests of Maine farmers, growers and food producers.

The bill also prohibits the Department of Environmental Protection and the Director of the Bureau of Parks and Lands within the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry from permitting, approving or otherwise authorizing any oil or natural gas exploration, development or production in, on or under the submerged and intertidal land owned by the State.

It is the intent of this legislation to generally prohibit activities relating to offshore oil and natural gas exploration, development and production within the boundaries and jurisdiction of the State, which place the State's coastal communities at economic and ecological risk from oil spills, and from the pollution caused by routine drilling operations and onshore industrialization, and threaten the quality of life and livelihoods of Maine citizens and economically significant industries, including tourism, recreation and commercial and recreational fishing, and small businesses that rely on a clean and healthy ocean and clean and healthy beaches.

Amendment H-425
This amendment, which is the majority report of the committee, amends the bill to clarify the prohibition on oil or natural gas exploration, development or production activities as follows.

• 1. It amends certain definitions to more clearly delineate the activities regulated and to specify that the transfer of oil or natural gas resources to or from the waters of the State, including both on-loading and offloading of oil or natural gas resources between an oil terminal facility and a vessel or between vessels, is not prohibited under the bill.
• 2. It removes language specifically prohibiting exploration, development or production activities that may adversely affect the waters of the State.

This bill restores the availability of the super credit, retroactive to January 1, 2014, and resets the base amount to the average annual amount spent by the taxpayer on qualified research expenses during the 3 years before the credit is taken or during the 3 years before the effective date of this legislation, whichever is greater.

Amendment H-621
This amendment restores the super credit for substantially increased research and development for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2019. The amendment also provides reporting and evaluation requirements to permit evaluation of the credit in meeting its intended purposes.

LD 977 Amendment H-621 fiscal note

• 1. It defines "conversion therapy" as any practice or course of treatment that seeks or purports to change an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity, except for any practice or treatment that assists an individual undergoing a gender transition; any practice or treatment that provides acceptance, support and understanding to an individual; and any practice or treatment that facilitates an individual's coping, social support or identity exploration and development, including any therapeutic intervention that is neutral with regard to sexual orientation or gender identity, and that seeks to prevent or address unlawful conduct or unsafe sexual practices, as long as the counseling does not seek to change the individual's sexual orientation or gender identity.
• 2. It prohibits certified school psychologists and guidance counselors, nurses, doctors, physician assistants, psychologists, psychological examiners, alcohol and drug counselors and aides, social workers, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, professional counselors, marriage and family therapists, pastoral counselors, speech-language pathologists and assistants and audiologists from advertising, offering or administering conversion therapy to individuals under 18 years of age. Advertising, offering or administering conversion therapy to an individual under 18 years of age in violation of this prohibition is grounds for discipline of the professional by the department or board that issued the professional's license, certification or registration, including but not limited to suspension or revocation of the license, certification or registration.
• 3. It prohibits MaineCare reimbursement for conversion therapy administered to an individual who is under 18 years of age.
• 4. It includes a statement of legislative findings and intent.

This amendment also expands the duties of the task force to require that the task force examine the advantages and disadvantages of a comprehensive 4-year career and technical education high school, obstacles to implementation and other models of comprehensive 4-year career and technical education high schools around the State and on a national level. The task force is also required to examine increasing crosswalks and intersections between technical and occupational knowledge and curricula and academic standards in order to promote multiple pathways for awarding content area credit to students enrolled in career and technical education programs.

• 1. Standards for public preschool programs;
• 2. A process for approval and certification of programs not operated by a school administrative unit, including, but not limited to, a Head Start program or other program affiliated with the school administrative unit; and
• 3. Funding for public preschool programs.
• The Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs may report out legislation to the Second Regular Session of the 129th Legislature to implement the recommendations in the report.

• 1. A qualified individual must be a full-year Maine resident who has obtained an associate, bachelor's or graduate degree from an accredited Maine or non-Maine community college, college or university after 2007 and who works at least part time in Maine or on a vessel at sea or is deployed for military service in the United States Armed Forces during the taxable year.
• 2. Loans obtained from related persons, such as family members and certain businesses, trusts and exempt organizations, do not qualify for the credit.
• 3. The credit may not reduce the tax due to less than zero.
• 4. The credit for qualified individuals is the lesser of the amount paid on eligible education loans during the taxable year and 15% of the outstanding eligible education loan debt on the date the first education loan payment is made after a degree is earned.
• 5. The credit for employers is the lesser of the amount paid by an employer on behalf of a qualified employee during the taxable year during the term of employment and 20% of the outstanding eligible education loan debt on the date the first education loan payment is made after December 31, 2019.
• 6. The credit is available to the spouse of an individual eligible for a credit even if the spouse is not employed.
• 7. Income tax deductions are provided for student loan payments made directly to a lender by an employer on behalf of a qualified employee and payments made directly to a lender on behalf of a taxpayer by a student loan repayment program funded by a nonprofit foundation and administered by the Finance Authority of Maine for residents of the State employed by a business located in the State.
• 8. The annual credit may include loan amounts paid in excess of the amount due during a taxable year. The amendment also provides that credits in excess of those that may be used during a taxable year may be carried over for the next succeeding 5 years.

This bill proposes to require postsecondary institutions to meet the expected family contribution without additional loan burdens on students. The expected family contribution is an index number that postsecondary institutions use to determine how much financial aid a student would receive annually if the student were to attend that postsecondary institution. Included in financial aid packages are federal Stafford loans, which are fixed-rate student loans originated by the Federal Government. This bill is designed to limit exposure of a student's loan burden to federal Stafford loans only.

• 1. Defines "behavioral health needs" to mean a wide range of mental health disorders and illnesses, substance use disorder, developmental disabilities and autism spectrum disorder;
• 2. Directs the Department of Health and Human Services to take measures to address the issue of extended stays in hospital emergency departments by minors with behavioral health needs by:
• A. Maintaining a daily updated online statewide list of available mental health facility or program and community service provider placements for referral purposes by hospital emergency departments;
• B. Maintaining a quarterly updated online resource list of mental health programs or facilities and community service providers that treat behavioral health needs; and
• C. Collecting monthly data on and study the issue of extended stays of minors with behavioral health needs in hospital emergency departments and annually submitting a report with a summary of the study along with any recommendations to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters;
• 3. Directs the department to study the data and analysis on extended stays in hospital emergency departments by minors with behavioral health needs and submit an annual report to the Legislature that identifies:
• A. Reasons for the extended stays;
• B. Specific behavioral health needs treatment programs and the waiting list for admission to each program; and
• C. Funding mechanisms to provide short-term transitional assistance to minors with behavioral health needs discharged from a hospital emergency department to residential placements, partial hospitalizations or home-based programs; and
• 4. Directs the department to study the feasibility of adding a child behavioral needs advocate within the department to coordinate the department's activities with those of various agencies and programs that provide behavioral health needs services to minors and to submit a report to the Legislature by January 1, 2020.

This bill proposes to enact measures designed to ensure the fair treatment of women who are incarcerated.

• 1. It excludes from Maine income tax the amount of gain, up to a maximum of $750,000 recognized by a business owner in transferring the business to an employee stock ownership plan, eligible worker-owned cooperative, consumer cooperative or affordable housing cooperative.
• 2. It excludes from Maine income tax interest from loans that finance transfers of ownership from a business to an employee stock ownership plan, eligible worker-owned cooperative, consumer cooperative or affordable housing cooperative.
• 3. It requires the Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of Business Development to encourage and assist employee-owned businesses by requiring the office to: develop educational programs, including convening an annual conference on employee ownership issues; provide information about employee ownership and technical assistance to retiring business owners, employees of plants threatened with closure and entrepreneurs interested in creating businesses with broadly shared ownership; link Maine businesses interested in implementing employee ownership to available financial, technical and legal resources; and help businesses interested in implementing some form of employee ownership to obtain financing, as well as undertake other duties.
• 4. It requires the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development to give priority to employee-owned businesses, either established or in the process of becoming employee-owned, when providing loans or grants from funds or programs maintained by the department.
• 5. It requires the Maine Public Employees Retirement System to conduct a study to determine how funds held by the system may be invested responsibly in employee-owned businesses in this State and to report its findings to the Joint Standing Committee on Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business, which is authorized to report out a bill to the Second Regular Session of the 129th Legislature based on the study and recommendations of the system.

• 1. Expansion of educational programs at career and technical education centers and financial support of those programs;
• 2. Comprehensive scholarships for persons taking classes toward the attainment of an early childhood education credential or an associate or bachelor's degree that allow the persons to graduate without student debt as long as the persons agree to work for a year with an approved employer;
• 3. An increased number of apprenticeships; and
• 4. Salary supplements awarded to individuals who provide child care or who are early childhood educators. The amount of the supplement is based on the level of education and experience of the individual and other factors.