Representative Nicole Grohoski [Democrat]
Ellsworth ~ District 132
Towns in District: Ellsworth and Trenton
Would be term limited: 2026Joint Committees:
♦ Energy, Utilities and Technology
✉ Nicole.Grohoski@legislature.maine.gov
☎ 1-800-423-2900
✉ 151 Bangor Road
Ellsworth, Maine 04605
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| LD 508 | Resolve, To Study the Protection of Youth and Young Adults from Addiction and Premature Death by Restricting Marketing of Tobacco Products | Status: Referred to Health and Human Services Committee, Work session held, April 11, 2019, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322 | |
| LD 508 This resolve requires the Office of the Attorney General to research marketing practices by the tobacco industry and regulatory options for the State to employ to curb youth and young adult use of and addiction to tobacco products, including electronic nicotine delivery systems. The Office of the Attorney General is required to report its findings to the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services by February 1, 2020, and the committee is required to submit a bill to the Second Regular Session of the 129th Legislature related to the report. | |||
| LD 560 | An Act To Improve Access to Property Tax Exemptions for New Homeowners | Status: Referred to Taxation, both chambers accepted unanimous Committee Report, Ought to Pass as amended by Committee amendment H-77 and adopted House amendment H-194, House enacted, Senate tabled to Special Appropriations, May 14, 2019, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322 | |
| LD 560 This bill provides that a permanent resident of the State who owns a homestead in the State does not need to own the homestead for the preceding 12 months in order to qualify for the Maine resident homestead property tax exemption. LD 560 Amendment H-77 fiscal note LD 560 Amendment H-194 fiscal note | |||
| LD 1319 | An Act To Prohibit Employer Disciplinary Action against Firefighters and Emergency Medical Services Persons Responding to an Emergency | Status: Referred to Labor and Housing Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-282, Enacted, Signed into law June 6, 2019 | |
| LD 1319 Current law protects a firefighter from disciplinary action by an employer when the firefighter is absent from work at the beginning of the work day because the firefighter is responding to an emergency. This bill extends the protection to a firefighter who leaves work during regular working hours to respond to an emergency and provides the same protections to an emergency medical services person. The bill revises provisions regarding employer notification regarding absences and employee status as a firefighter or emergency medical services person and removes an employer's ability to designate an employee as essential. Amendment H-282 This amendment restores the ability of an employer to designate an employee as essential, as removed by the bill, but requires the disruption to the business by the employee's absence to be significant and requires the designation to be in writing and signed by both the employee and employer. LD 1319 Chaptered Law LD 1319 Chaptered Law fiscal note | |||
| LD 1364 | An Act Regarding Net Neutrality and Internet Policy | Status: Referred to Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-301 and House amendment H-342, Enacted, Signed into law June 24, 2019 | |
| LD 1364 This bill prohibits a state agency or instrumentality from committing state funds in a manner that the agency or instrumentality knows would result in a direct payment to an Internet service provider unless the Internet service provider agrees in writing to conform to the requirements of the Federal Communications Commission order, FCC 15-24, adopted on February 26, 2015, known as the Open Internet Order. Amendment H-301 The amendment narrows the scope and application of the prohibition in the bill regarding committing state funds for payment to an Internet service provider. The amendment prohibits an agency, department or instrumentality of the State from committing state funds to an Internet service provider unless the Internet service provider agrees to provide net neutral service in the provision of Internet service directly to the state entity or the provision of service across advanced communications infrastructure constructed with the use of state funds. The amendment defines "net neutral service" as Internet service provided without engaging in any of the following: blocking of lawful content, applications, services or devices; throttling; or paid prioritization. The amendment removes the requirement in the bill that prohibits the commitment of state funds to an Internet service provider unless that provider agrees, in providing any service, to conform to the requirements of the Federal Communications Commission order, FCC 15-24, known as the Open Internet Order. Amendment H-342 This amendment defines and uses the term "broadband Internet access service," which is the term the Federal Communications Commission uses in its net neutrality order, to refer to Internet services. The amendment modifies the definitions of the terms "paid prioritization" and "throttling" to be consistent with the Federal Communications Commission's net neutrality order. The amendment also clarifies that net neutrality continues to allow Internet service providers, consistent with the Federal Communications Commission's net neutrality order, to address copyright infringement or other illegal activity and to address the needs of public safety and law enforcement as permitted by law or the provider's ability to do so. This amendment incorporates the provisions of House Amendment H-342 to Committee Amendment H-301. LD 1364 Chaptered Law LD 1364 Chaptered Law fiscal note | |||
| LD 1683 | An Act To Clarify the Definitions of Consumer-owned Utilities (Emergency) | Status: Referred to Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-478, Enacted as an emergency measure, Signed into law June 17, 2019 | |
| LD 1683 This bill amends the definition of consumer-owned transmission and distribution utility to clarify that the utility must be wholly owned by consumers who reside in the service territory of the utility and that any municipal or quasi-municipal ownership must be of a municipality or quasi-municipal entity located in the State. Amendment H-478 This amendment amends the definition of "consumer-owned transmission and distribution utility" in the bill. The amendment specifies that a consumer-owned transmission and distribution utility is wholly owned by its consumers, including its consumers served by the utility in this State. The amendment also adds a provision to amend the definition of "consumer-owned water utility" in the same way and makes other clarifying changes to the language in the bill. LD 1683 Chaptered Law LD 1683 Chaptered Law fiscal note | |||
| LD 92 | An Act To Amend Teacher Evaluation Requirements | Status: Referred to Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-18, Enacted, Signed into law April 11, 2019 | |
| LD 92 This bill clarifies that the use of student learning and growth data to inform instruction is included as part of the multiple measures of educator effectiveness. The bill also requires the Department of Education to submit a provisionally adopted rule to the Legislature by January 10, 2020. Amendment H-18 This amendment is the majority report of the committee and clarifies that a school administrative unit is not required to use student growth measures in educator evaluation requirements and provides that the effective date of the provisions in the legislation that remove the requirement regarding student growth and learning systems is September 1, 2021. This amendment also requires that a school administrative unit's steering committee on the elements of the school administrative unit's performance evaluation and professional growth system must include a majority of teachers chosen by the school administrative unit's local union and that any revisions to the performance evaluation and professional growth system made by the steering committee must be reached by consensus. LD 92 Chaptered Law LD 92 Chaptered Law fiscal note | |||
| LD 93 | An Act To Amend the Laws Governing Bottle Redemption To Counterbalance for Redemption Centers the Increase in Minimum Wage | Status: Referred to Environment and Natural Resources Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, March 19, 2019 | |
| LD 93 This bill increases by 1¢ per returned container the handling costs to be reimbursed to the dealer or local redemption center for the cost of handling beverage containers beginning March 1, 2020. | |||
| LD 105 | An Act To Establish the Office of Outdoor Recreation | Status: Referred to Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, February 5, 2019 | |
| LD 105 This bill creates the Office of Outdoor Recreation within the Department of Economic and Community Development. It also makes an ongoing allocation of $250,000 per fiscal year from the Tourism Marketing Promotion Fund, which is funded by a portion of the meals and lodging sales tax, to the new Office of Outdoor Recreation. | |||
| LD 108 | An Act To Protect Historic Places and Structures on the Federal Aid Highway System | Status: Referred to Transportation Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, April 11, 2019 | |
| LD 108 This bill requires the Department of Transportation to comply with the National Historic Preservation Act when performing construction or maintenance on a federal aid highway that involves or affects a structure or place listed on the National Register of Historic Places. | |||
| LD 115 | An Act To Appropriate Funds for Home Visiting Services To Provide Child Development Education and Skills Development for New Parents | Status: Referred to Health and Human Services Committee, Enacted in the House as amended by Committee amendment H-137, tabled to Special Appropriations in the Senate May 7, 2019, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322 | |
| LD 115 This bill appropriates funds for home visiting services to provide child development education and skills development for new parents. Amendment H-137 This amendment, which is the unanimous report of the committee, directs the Board of the Maine Children's Trust Incorporated to use state funds it receives to maximize its receipt of federal funds. This amendment also adds an appropriation of funds to stabilize the workforce by bringing salaries of home visitors in line with comparable positions. It reduces the additional funding provided in the bill for home visiting services from $4,000,000 for fiscal year 2019-20 and $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2020-21 to $500,000 for each year and provides that the funding must be used to reduce any waiting lists for home visiting services. It directs these funds to go to the Maine Children's Trust. LD 115 fiscal note LD 115 Amendment H-137 fiscal note | |||
| LD 173 | An Act To Promote Economic Development and Critical Communications for Family Farms, Businesses and Residences by Strategic Public Investment in High-speed Internet | Status: Referred to Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, Work session held, April 4, 2019, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322 | |
| LD 173 This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208. This bill proposes to increase funding to the ConnectME Authority from $1,000,000 to $5,000,000 to expand universal broadband and high-speed Internet into rural areas identified as the 6% of the State unserved by high-speed Internet. This bill proposes to make expanding high-speed Internet into unserved rural areas a key emphasis in the economic development of and to multiply the return to the State by directing the ConnectME Authority to use the increased funding to increase the rate of strategic broadband investment and leverage additional federal funding to provide middle-mile and last-mile infrastructure in the unserved areas and to correct broadband deficiencies identified in the ConnectME Authority's baseline update of 2013. | |||
| LD 289 | An Act To Prohibit the Use of Certain Disposable Food Service Containers | Status: Referred to Environment and Natural Resources Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-49 and House amendment H-55, Enacted, Signed into law April 30, 2019 | |
| LD 289 Beginning January 1, 2020, this bill prohibits the sale or distribution in the State of disposable food service containers composed in whole or in part of polystyrene foam. The bill requires the Department of Environmental Protection to adopt rules to implement these statutory provisions. Amendment H-49 This amendment, which is the majority report of the committee, replaces the bill, repeals the existing law regarding nondegradable food and beverage containers and enacts a new provision of law regarding disposable food service containers. Under the amendment, beginning January 1, 2021, a food establishment is prohibited, subject to certain exemptions, from processing, preparing, selling or providing food or beverages in or on a disposable food service container that is composed in whole or in part of polystyrene foam. The amendment also:
Amendment H-55 This amendment replaces the term food establishment with the term covered establishment. LD 289 Chaptered Law LD 289 Chaptered Law fiscal note | |||
| LD 398 | An Act To Allow for Greater Flexibility in Addressing Energy Efficiency Needs in the State | Status: Referred to Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-73, Enacted, Signed into law April 30, 2019 | |
| LD 398 This bill removes the provision that requires the Efficiency Maine Trust to allocate 50% of the funds in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Trust Fund for residential programs and 50% for commercial and industrial programs. Amendment H-73 This amendment incorporates a fiscal note. LD 398 Chaptered Law LD 398 Chaptered Law fiscal note | |||
| LD 418 | An Act To Implement the National Popular Vote for President | Status: Referred to Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, March 14, 2019 | |
| LD 418 This bill proposes to adopt an interstate compact to elect the President of the United States by national popular vote. Under the compact, the presidential candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia is elected President. Under the compact, all of a state's electoral votes would be awarded to the presidential candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. This bill takes effect only if enacted by states possessing a majority of the electoral votes, that is, enough electoral votes to elect a President, which is 270 of 538. | |||
| LD 433 | RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine To Explicitly Prohibit Discrimination Based on the Sex of an Individual | Status: Referred to Judiciary Committee, both chambers accepted Majority Committee report, Ought to Pass as amended by Committee amendment H-230 and engrossed, May 23, 2019, House tabled pending final passage, May 28, 2019, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322 | |
| LD 433 This resolution proposes to amend the Constitution of Maine to prohibit the denial or abridgment by the State or any political subdivision of the State of equal rights based on the sex of an individual. Amendment H-230 This amendment is the majority report of the committee. This amendment incorporates a fiscal note. LD 433 Amendment H-230 fiscal note | |||
| LD 434 | An Act To Price Carbon Pollution in Maine | Status: Referred to Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, May 2, 2019 | |
| LD 434 This bill requires an assessment on the carbon content of fuels sold by a distributor in the State. The bill defines "distributor" and requires a distributor to submit on a monthly basis the required assessment to the Public Utilities Commission. The commission is required to transfer any assessment it receives to the Carbon Content Assessment Fund, which the bill establishes. The bill requires the commission at the end of each fiscal year to transfer funds from the fund to transmission and distribution utilities in the State. The funds are to be used to reduce the rates of those utilities' customers in a manner that is equitable and that provides maximum benefit to the economy of the State. The bill gives the commission the authority to review the books and records of a distributor and to impose an administrative penalty if necessary. It requires the commission to adopt routine technical rules. | |||
| LD 514 | An Act To Amend the Laws Governing the Political Party Representation of Election Clerks | Status: Referred to Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-93, Enacted, Signed into law April 30, 2019 | |
| LD 514 This bill requires election clerks in a municipality to be selected so that 33% of clerks are from one major party and 33% from another, with 34% of clerks being selected without regard to party enrollment. Amendment H-93 This amendment, which is the majority report of the committee, strikes and replaces the bill, which requires election clerks in a municipality to be selected so that 33% of clerks are from one major party, 33% are from another major party and 34% are selected without regard to party enrollment. This amendment amends the process for selection of election clerks and clarifies other provisions regarding election clerks. Specifically, the amendment retains the provision in current law allowing parties to nominate election clerks but also allows the municipal clerk or any registered voter to make nominations. Like current law, the amendment directs timely consideration of nominations but does not require municipal officers to appoint the election clerks from among nominees and instead allows them to appoint any qualified voter. Under the amendment, the minimum requirement is 2 election clerks at each voting place, one each from the 2 major parties. The amendment requires that at least 1/2 of the election clerks working at any election are affiliated with the major parties, and the rest of the election clerks may be affiliated with a minor party or be unenrolled. The amendment also provides that if the municipal officers do not appoint a sufficient number of election clerks representing the major parties or an insufficient number of appointees are available to serve from the list provided by municipal officers, the municipal clerk may appoint additional election clerks without regard to party enrollment status. LD 514 Chaptered Law LD 514 Chaptered Law fiscal note | |||
| LD 621 | An Act To Prohibit Extruded Polystyrene Food Service Containers | Status: Referred to Environment and Natural Resources Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, April 2, 2019 | |
| LD 621 This bill prohibits food establishments from processing, preparing, selling or providing food in or on an extruded polystyrene foam food service container with certain exceptions. | |||
| LD 628 | An Act To Ensure Comprehensive Access to Menstrual Products in All Maine's Jails, County Correctional Facilities and State Correctional and Detention Facilities | Status: Referred to Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-176, Enacted, Signed into law May 23, 2019 | |
| LD 628 This bill adds to the rights of a person residing in a correctional or detention facility under the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections the right to comprehensive access to menstrual products, including sanitary pads, tampons and menstrual cups, provided without charge to a female person residing in the correctional or detention facility. This bill provides that any female person incarcerated in a jail or other county correctional facility has a right to comprehensive access to menstrual products, including, but not limited to, sanitary pads, tampons and menstrual cups, without charge to the incarcerated person. | |||
| LD 911 | An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Promote Land Conservation, Working Waterfronts, Water Access and Outdoor Recreation | Status: Referred to Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322 | |
| LD 911 The funds provided by this bond issue, in the amount of $95,000,000, will be used to provide funds for the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Bureau of Parks and Lands and the Land for Maine's Future Board. | |||
| LD 944 | An Act To Ban Native American Mascots in All Public Schools | Status: Referred to Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-122, Enacted, Signed into law May 16, 2019 | |
| LD 944 This bill prohibits a public school from having or adopting a name, symbol or image that depicts or refers to a Native American tribe, individual, custom or tradition and that is used as a mascot, nickname, logo, letterhead or team name of the school. Amendment H-122 This amendment, which is the majority report of the committee, adds the University of Maine System and any college within the University of Maine System, the Maine Community College System and any college within the Maine Community College System and the Maine Maritime Academy to the prohibition in the bill on a school having or adopting a name, symbol or image that depicts or refers to a Native American tribe, individual, custom or tradition and that is used as a mascot, nickname, logo, letterhead or team name of the school. LD 944 Chaptered Law LD 944 Chaptered Law fiscal note | |||
| LD 946 | An Act To Protect the Privacy of Online Customer Information | Status: Referred to Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, Amended by House amendment H-387, Enacted, Signed into law June 6, 2019 | |
| LD 946 This bill prohibits a provider of broadband Internet access service from using, disclosing, selling or permitting access to customer personal information unless the customer expressly consents to that use, disclosure, sale or access. The bill provides other exceptions under which a provider may use, disclose, sell or permit access to customer personal information. The bill prohibits a provider from refusing to serve a customer, charging a customer a penalty or offering a customer a discount if the customer does or does not consent to the use, disclosure, sale or access. The bill requires providers to take reasonable measures to protect customer personal information from unauthorized use, disclosure, sale or access. The provisions of the bill apply to providers operating within the State when providing broadband Internet access service to customers that are billed for service received in the State and are physically located in the State. Amendment H-387 This amendment includes other exceptions, as found in the current law, to the release of customer personal information, such as for the release of portable electronic device content information and location information to a government entity. This amendment also removes the authorization of a provider to provide geolocation information regarding a customer to the customer's legal guardian or immediate family member in an emergency situation. This amendment also provides an effective date of July 1, 2020 for the legislation. LD 946 Chaptered Law LD 946 Chaptered Law fiscal note | |||
| LD 955 | An Act To Prohibit Offshore Oil and Natural Gas Drilling and Exploration | Status: Referred to Environment and Natural Resources Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-425, Enacted, Signed into law June 13, 2019 | |
| LD 955 This bill prohibits a person from performing or causing to be performed any oil or natural gas exploration, development or production in, on or under the waters of the State or that may adversely affect the waters of the State. 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.
LD 955 Chaptered Law LD 955 Chaptered Law fiscal note | |||
| LD 1018 | Resolve, To Review the Laws Governing the Enforcement of Protection from Abuse Orders (By request) | Status: Referred to Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, April 11, 2019 | |
| LD 1018 This resolve requires the Department of Public Safety to convene a work group to review the laws governing enforcement of protection from abuse orders and how those orders are enforced by law enforcement officers. | |||
| LD 1025 | An Act To Prohibit the Provision of Conversion Therapy to Minors by Certain Licensed Professionals | Status: Referred to Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-213, Enacted, Signed into law May 29, 2019 | |
| LD 1025 This bill does the following.
Amendment H-213 This amendment is the majority report of the committee. The amendment clarifies the definition of "conversion therapy." The bill provides that evidence that a certified school psychologist or guidance counselor has advertised, offered or administered conversion therapy to a child within the last 5 years is grounds for discipline; the amendment retains this provision but removes the 5-year limitation. The amendment also removes a similar 5-year limitation added by the bill to the current law that provides that evidence that an applicant for such a certification has injured the health or welfare of a child through abuse or exploitation is grounds for a denial of the certification. The amendment also adds an additional finding and makes other clarifying changes to the legislative findings and intent section. LD 1025 Chaptered Law LD 1025 Chaptered Law fiscal note | |||
| LD 1028 | An Act To Prevent and Reduce Tobacco Use with Adequate Funding and by Equalizing the Taxes on Tobacco Products and To Improve Public Health | Status: Referred to Taxation Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-622 and House amendment H-656, Enacted, Signed into law July 2, 2019 | |
| LD 1028 This bill increases the cigarette tax from $2.00 to $3.50 per pack of 20 cigarettes and increases the tax on all other tobacco products including electronic cigarettes to 81% of the wholesale sales price, beginning November 1, 2019. The bill provides that, if the tax on cigarettes is increased on or after November 1, 2019, the tax on all other tobacco products will be adjusted by a rate that is equivalent to the percentage change in the tax rate for one cigarette. The bill provides ongoing funding, $11,100,000 per year, to the Department of Health and Human Services, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention for tobacco use prevention and cessation in order to align with the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations. The bill also provides $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2019-20 and $750,000 thereafter for MaineCare members for tobacco use cessation medications and counseling. Finally, the bill provides $250,000 per year in ongoing funding to the Attorney General's office for increased tobacco enforcement activities. Amendment H-622 This amendment strikes the bill and instead increases the tax on tobacco products, other than cigarettes, to 43% of the wholesale sales price, beginning January 2, 2020, and includes electronic smoking devices and liquids used in electronic smoking devices in the definition of "tobacco products." The amendment provides that, if the tax on cigarettes is increased after January 2, 2020, the tax on smokeless tobacco and other tobacco products will be adjusted by a rate that is equivalent to the percentage change in the tax rate for one cigarette. The amendment provides ongoing funding of $5,100,000 in each year of the biennium to the Department of Health and Human Services, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention for tobacco use prevention and cessation in order to align with the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations. The bill also provides $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2019-20 and $750,000 in fiscal year 2020-21 for tobacco use cessation medications and counseling for MaineCare members. Amendment H-656 This amendment reduces appropriations for tobacco use prevention and cessation and adds provisions increasing reimbursement for certain services under the MaineCare program, providing an income tax deduction for student loan payments made by a taxpayer's employer directly to a lender on behalf of a qualified health care employee and transferring Other Special Revenue Funds in the Department of Health and Human Services to the unappropriated surplus of the General Fund. LD 1028 Chaptered Law LD 1028 Chaptered Law fiscal note | |||
| LD 1035 | Resolve, To Streamline the Process by Which Schools Receive Fresh Fruit and Vegetables | Status: Referred to Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, March 26, 2019 | |
| LD 1035 This resolve requires the Department of Education to assist elementary schools with the application process for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program to ensure more fresh fruits and vegetables are available in eligible schools. | |||
| LD 1049 | An Act Regarding the Sale of Cats and Dogs with Health Problems | Status: Referred to Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee, Amended by Committee amendment S-52, Enacted, Signed into law May 8, 2019 | |
| LD 1049 This bill provides alternative remedies for a purchaser of a dog that has a health problem causing diminished life expectancy. For a dog with a life expectancy of less than one year as determined by a veterinarian, the purchaser may choose to receive a refund of the full purchase price of the dog. For a dog with a life expectancy of one to 5 years as determined by a veterinarian, the purchaser may choose to receive a refund of 1/2 of the purchase price of the dog. Return of the dog to the seller and reimbursement of veterinary fees by the seller are not required. Amendment S-52 This amendment replaces the bill and changes the title. The amendment allows, for a dog or cat with a life expectancy of less than one year as determined by a veterinarian, the purchaser to choose to retain the dog or cat and receive a full refund for the original purchase price of the dog or cat. The amendment also provides that reimbursement of veterinarian fees by the seller is not required when a purchaser chooses to retain the dog or cat and receive a full refund for the original purchase price of the dog or cat. The amendment provides that sellers may not, contractually or otherwise, exempt themselves from the remedies provided for deaths or health problems in dogs and cats caused by hereditary or congenital defects. LD 1049 Chaptered Law LD 1049 Chaptered Law fiscal note | |||
| LD 1050 | An Act To Require Education about African-American History and the History of Genocide | Status: Referred to Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, both chambers accepted Majority Committee report, Ought to Pass as amended by Committee amendment S-147, adopted House amendment H-520 and engrossed, House enacted, Senate tabled to Special Appropriations, June 11, 2019, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322 | |
| LD 1050 This bill requires instruction in the Holocaust developed by the Commissioner of Education to be provided in and required for graduation from all elementary and secondary schools, both public and private. Amendment S-147 This amendment replaces the bill. It requires that the history of genocide, including the Holocaust, to be taught in schools, aligned with the parameters for essential instruction and graduation requirements and included in the review of content standards and performance indicators of the system of learning results. It adds an appropriations and allocations section. The fiscal note on this amendment identifies certain requirements in the amendment 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 that the provision in the bill requiring the history of genocide to be taught in schools, the provision the fiscal note identifies as potentially a mandate, does not create a mandate since the history of genocide relates to topics already required to be taught in schools and so should not cause any school to expand or modify its activities so as to necessitate additional expenditures from local revenue. Amendment H-520 This amendment requires that African-American history and culture be taught in schools, aligned with the parameters for essential instruction and graduation requirements and included in the review of content standards and performance indicators of the system of learning results. This amendment directs the Department of Education to convene 2 volunteer advisory groups to collect information and prepare and make available materials for teaching African-American history and culture and the history of genocide in accordance with this legislation. This amendment also provides that the addition of African-American history and the history of genocide to the school curriculum takes effect July 1, 2020 so as to be in effect for the 2020-2021 school year. LD 1050 Amendment S-147 fiscal note LD 1050 Amendment H-520 fiscal note | |||
| LD 1063 | An Act To Support the Role of Municipalities in Expanding Broadband Infrastructure | Status: Referred to Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-110, Enacted, Signed into law May 14, 2019 | |
| LD 1063 This bill recognizes broadband Internet as a public necessity. It designates a community broadband system or part of that system as a revenue-producing municipal facility. It allows a municipality to construct, maintain and operate a municipal or multimunicipal system composed of infrastructure capable of being utilized by communications service providers for the provision of communications services. The bill prohibits a municipality from providing retail communications services through community broadband systems to nonmunicipal entities. The bill exempts community broadband systems from taxation. Amendment H-110 This amendment removes the provision in the bill that prohibits a municipality from providing retail communication services through community broadband systems to nonmunicipal entities. LD 1063 Chaptered Law LD 1063 Chaptered Law fiscal note | |||
| LD 1083 | An Act To Implement Ranked-choice Voting for Presidential Primary and General Elections in Maine | Status: Referred to Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, Engrossed as amended by Committee amendment S-313 in both chambers, Enacted in the both chambers, August 26, 2019, Governor's action pending | |
| LD 1083 This bill provides that, whenever the state committee of a qualified political party certifies that there is a contest among candidates for nomination as the presidential candidate of the party and that the committee has voted to conduct a presidential primary election, the State shall hold a presidential primary election on a date in March of the presidential election year chosen by the Secretary of State in consultation with the parties. Only voters who are enrolled in the party may vote in that party's presidential primary election. The votes cast in the presidential primary for each party must be tabulated according to the ranked-choice method of tabulating votes. The selection of delegates to the national presidential nominating convention for each party and allocation of those delegates among primary candidates must be in accordance with any reasonable procedures established at the state party convention. This bill also requires the ballots cast for presidential electors during the general election to be tabulated according to the ranked-choice method of tabulating votes. | |||
| 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 1181 | An Act To Reduce Electricity Costs through Nonwires Alternatives | Status: Referred to Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-431, Enacted, Signed into law June 14, 2019 | |
| LD 1181 This bill establishes the position of nonwires alternative coordinator in the Office of the Public Advocate. The duties of the nonwires alternative coordinator include investigation and identification of nonwires alternatives to proposed transmission lines and proposed transmission projects and evaluation of the costs and benefits of nonwires alternatives compared to utility capital investments in the transmission and distribution system. The bill requires the nonwires alternative coordinator to include and collaborate with transmission and distribution utilities, the Efficiency Maine Trust and interested parties in conducting the coordinator's review and analysis of proposed utility capital investments and nonwires alternatives. The duties of the coordinator also include making recommendations for nonwires alternatives to the Public Utilities Commission, proposing procurement plans for nonwires alternatives and implementing procurement plans approved by the commission. The bill specifies that a procurement plan for nonwires alternatives may provide for the Efficiency Maine Trust to procure and deliver, through its existing programs, nonwires alternatives, and it authorizes the Efficiency Maine Trust, in its triennial plan or annual update plan, to include the costs of providing nonwires alternatives in its budget for electric efficiency and conservation programs. The bill amends the law governing the construction of transmission lines and the construction of transmission or distribution projects by transmission and distribution utilities. It defines a transmission or distribution project as a transmission or distribution line operating at less than 69 kilovolts projected to cost over $500,000; current law defines a transmission project as a transmission line operating at less than 69 kilovolts projected to cost over $20,000,000. The bill requires the nonwires alternative coordinator to conduct an investigation of proposed transmission lines and proposed transmission or distribution projects prior to approval of any line or project by the Public Utilities Commission. It requires the commission to consider the results of the investigation conducted by and the recommendations of the nonwires alternative coordinator regarding nonwires alternatives to the proposed transmission line or transmission or distribution project. The bill requires each transmission and distribution utility to file an annual schedule of transmission line rebuilding or relocation projects and minor transmission line construction projects with the nonwires alternative coordinator in addition to with the Public Utilities Commission. It also establishes a requirement for each transmission and distribution utility to prepare and file annually with the commission and the nonwires alternative coordinator a distribution system planning study describing system capacity and load and growth-related needs for the upcoming 5 years to ensure electric grid reliability. The bill makes several changes to the law on smart grid infrastructure policy. It establishes that it is in the public interest to establish a nonwires alternative coordinator for the State. It allows utilities to adjust rates to recover incremental costs associated with operations of the nonwires alternative coordinator and costs of procuring nonwires alternatives and eliminates the requirement that incremental costs be prudently incurred to be recoverable. It requires the Public Advocate's annual report to include a report on the State's progress on smart grid infrastructure.
LD 1181 Chaptered Law LD 1181 Chaptered Law fiscal note | |||
| LD 1188 | An Act To Provide Preventive Counseling to Firefighters and Emergency Medical Services' Persons as Part of Their Training | Status: Referred to Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, April 23, 2019 | |
| LD 1188 This bill requires that firefighter training include preventive and post-trauma counseling, at which a counseling professional licensed under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 32, chapter 119 or the fire department chaplain must be available to work with the firefighters, as required by the fire chief. The bill provides that, with advice from and in consultation with each regional council and its medical control committee and with the statewide emergency medical services' medical director, the Emergency Medical Services' Board may adopt routine technical rules setting mandatory requirements for preventive and post-trauma counseling for basic and advanced training for emergency medical services' persons for initial licensing and relicensing. The requirements may include the services of a counseling professional licensed under Title 32, chapter 119 or a chaplain to be provided by ambulance services and nontransporting emergency medical services. | |||
| LD 1190 | An Act To Prohibit the Sale and Distribution of Flavored Tobacco Products | Status: Referred to Health and Human Services Committee, Amended by Committee amendment S-238, Enacted, Signed into law June 27, 2019 | |
| LD 1190 This bill prohibits the sale and distribution of flavored tobacco products, including flavored cigars. Amendment S-238 This amendment replaces the bill. It provides that it is a Class D crime for a person who is 21 years of age or older to procure, furnish, give, sell or deliver a tobacco product to a minor or allow a minor under that person's control or in a place under that person's control to possess or consume a tobacco product. This provision does not apply to a licensee under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 22, chapter 262-A or an agent of that licensee in the scope of employment. Current law provides that a person is guilty of endangering the welfare of a child if the person knowingly sells, furnishes, gives away or offers to sell, furnish or give away cigarettes to a child under 16 years of age. This amendment instead makes the same conduct illegal with respect to a tobacco product. LD 1190 Chaptered Law LD 1190 Chaptered Law fiscal note | |||
| LD 1214 | Resolve, To Conduct a Comprehensive Study of the Compensation System for State Employees | Status: Referred to Labor and Housing Committee, Enacted in the House as amended by Committee amendment S-146, tabled to Special Appropriations in the Senate June 3, 2019, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322 | |
| LD 1214 This resolve directs the Commissioner of Administrative and Financial Services to commission a comprehensive study of the wages and compensation system for employees of the executive branch of State Government. The resolve directs the commissioner to involve the certified bargaining agents for the employees covered by collective bargaining units and report the findings and any recommendations to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over state and local government matters no later than July 1, 2020, and authorizes the joint standing committee to submit a bill relating to the subject matter of the report to the First Regular Session of the 130th Legislature. Amendment S-146 This amendment changes the committee to which the report is submitted in the bill to the Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing and authorizes that committee to report out a bill. This amendment adds an appropriations and allocations section. LD 1214 fiscal note LD 1214 Amendment S-146 fiscal note | |||
| LD 1224 | An Act To Authorize General Fund Bond Issues To Address Changes in Sea Level, Geospatial Data Acquisition by Communities and the Increase in Ocean Acidity | Status: Referred to Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee, Public hearing held, April 2, 2019, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322 | |
| LD 1224 This bill authorizes the issuance of bonds.
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| LD 1316 | An Act To Make It Explicit That Maine Holds Title to Its Intertidal Lands (By request) | Status: Referred to Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, May 21, 2019 | |
| LD 1316 This bill states that the State owns title to intertidal land not already filled to facilitate marine commerce. The State's ownership is based on federal laws and United States Supreme Court cases that establish and substantiate each state's sovereignty over its intertidal and submerged land, as well as state law, which were not adhered to when the Supreme Judicial Court decided a pre-statehood colonial ordinance applicable to Massachusetts governs the State's ownership interest in intertidal land. | |||
| LD 1334 | An Act To Rename the Maine International Trade Center the Maine Trade Center and To Establish within the Center International and Domestic Export Branches | Status: Referred to Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, May 21, 2019 | |
| LD 1334 This bill changes the name of the Maine International Trade Center to the Maine Trade Center and directs the center to establish international and domestic export branches within the center. | |||
| LD 1363 | An Act To Amend Certain Laws Relating to High-impact Electric Transmission Lines (Emergency) | Status: Dead, Referred to Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-437 and House amendment H-504, Enacted, Vetoed, Veto sustained in the House, June 13, 2019 | |
| LD 1363 This bill prohibits the Public Utilities Commission from issuing a certificate of public convenience and necessity for a high-impact electric transmission line unless the commission finds significant tangible public benefits will result from the construction and use of the line, and all municipalities through which the high-impact electric transmission line will pass have held a local referendum and certified to the commission that a majority of the voters voting at the election voted in favor of the construction of the line through that municipality. This bill also establishes a moratorium on the issuance of any permit, certificate or other approval by the Public Utilities Commission or the Department of Environmental Protection for a high-impact electric transmission line until 90 days after the adjournment of the Second Regular Session of the 129th Legislature to allow time for the commission, in consultation with the Department of Environmental Protection, to adopt rules necessary to implement the requirements of the legislation.
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| LD 1431 | Resolve, To Support Municipal Recycling Programs (Emergency) | Status: Referred to Environment and Natural Resources Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-237, Finally passed, Signed into law May 30, 2019 | |
| LD 1431 This resolve requires the Department of Environmental Protection to develop proposed legislation to establish a new product stewardship program requiring producers of packaging to assist Maine municipalities in managing and financing packaging waste disposal and recycling programs in the State. The proposed legislation is required also to incentivize producers of packaging to design packaging to be recycled or made of recycled content to strengthen the recycling markets. The resolve requires the department to submit the proposed legislation to the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources no later than December 16, 2019. Amendment H-237 This amendment removes from the resolve the emergency preamble and emergency clause and clarifies the scope of the new packaging stewardship program to be developed by the Department of Environmental Protection under the resolve. LD 1431 Chaptered Law LD 1431 Chaptered Law fiscal note | |||
| LD 1441 | An Act To Align the Laws Governing Dental Therapy with Standards Established by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation | Status: Referred to Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-503, Enacted, Signed into law June 19, 2019 | |
| LD 1441 This bill makes the following changes to the laws affecting dental therapists.
Amendment H-503 This amendment clarifies the educational requirements for dental therapists. The amendment removes language proposing to clarify statutory language related to supervision of dental therapists and replaces it with a provision requiring further study of the issues by the Board of Dental Practice. The Board of Dental Practice is directed to recommend changes to the statutory definitions of supervision and to recommend a definition of "teledentistry" for the purpose of aligning current supervision practices and reflecting advancements in technology. The Board of Dental Practice is required to submit its recommendations to the Joint Standing Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services no later than February 1, 2020. The Joint Standing Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services may report out a bill to the Second Regular Session of the 129th Legislature based on the board's recommendations. LD 1441 Chaptered Law LD 1441 Chaptered Law fiscal note | |||
| LD 1464 | An Act To Support Electrification of Certain Technologies for the Benefit of Maine Consumers and Utility Systems and the Environment | Status: Referred to Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-477, Enacted, Signed into law June 18, 2019 | |
| LD 1464 This bill:
Amendment H-477 This amendment makes the following changes to the bill.
LD 1464 Chaptered Law LD 1464 Chaptered Law fiscal note | |||
| LD 1532 | An Act To Eliminate Single-use Plastic Carry-out Bags | Status: Referred to Environment and Natural Resources Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-378, Enacted, Signed into law June 17, 2019 | |
| LD 1532 This bill prohibits a retail establishment from using single-use carry-out bags to bag products at the point of sale or otherwise make single-use carry-out bags available to customers, with exemptions for certain types and uses of plastic and paper bags. Retail establishments may provide recyclable paper bags to bag products at the point of sale for at least 5¢ per bag, with exceptions to the fee requirement for certain types of retail establishments. The prohibition is effective April 22, 2020. Amendment H-378 This amendment, which is the majority report of the committee, requires a retail establishment to charge at least a 5¢ fee for each reusable bag made of plastic and for each recycled paper bag used to bag products at the point of sale. It also clarifies provisions in the bill regarding the implementation of the statewide preemption on single-use carry-out bag regulation and the provision regarding violations of the bag prohibition and bag fees requirements. It makes additional technical changes to clarify the application of existing state law regarding plastic bags and removes language in the bill regarding the application of bag fees to purchasers using the federal supplemental nutrition assistance program or the Women, Infants and Children Special Supplemental Food Program of the United States Child Nutrition Act of 1996. LD 1532 Chaptered Law LD 1532 Chaptered Law fiscal note | |||
| LD 1561 | An Act To Amend the Maine Land Use Planning Commission Laws and Enhance the Economic Vitality of Neighboring Communities | Status: Referred to Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee, Dead, Concurrence in Ought Not to Pass, June 4, 2019 | |
| LD 1561 This bill amends the laws governing the Maine Land Use Planning Commission by requiring the commission to coordinate with neighboring municipalities by engaging in regional land use planning and directing future development into the communities where possible and consistent with municipal comprehensive land use plans. In order to ensure that the commission has current, critical data necessary for regional planning, the bill directs the commission to conduct a land use structure inventory by July 1, 2020. The bill also changes the appointment process for members of the Maine Land Use Planning Commission to ensure that a statewide perspective and relevant areas of expertise are represented on the commission. | |||
| LD 1563 | An Act To Encourage the Development of Broadband Coverage in Rural Maine | Status: Referred to Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, Work session held, April 24, 2019, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322 | |
| LD 1563 This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208. This bill proposes to establish the Maine Broadband Initiative to encourage, promote, stimulate, invest in and support universal high-speed broadband to unserved and underserved areas of the State. The bill would also establish the Maine Broadband Initiative Fund to provide ongoing funding for high-speed broadband through funding sources that would be identified in the bill. | |||
| LD 1614 | Resolve, Establishing the Commission To Study the Economic, Environmental and Energy Benefits of Energy Storage to the Maine Electricity Industry | Status: Referred to Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-433, Finally passed, Signed into law June 19, 2019 | |
| LD 1614 This resolve establishes the Commission To Study the Economic, Environmental and Energy Benefits of Energy Storage to the Maine Electricity Industry. Amendment H-433 This amendment makes the following changes to the resolve:
LD 1614 Chaptered Law LD 1614 Chaptered Law fiscal note | |||
| LD 1646 | An Act To Restore Local Ownership and Control of Maine's Power Delivery Systems | Status: Referred to Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, Work session held, May 22, 2019, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322 | |
| LD 1646 This bill creates the Maine Power Delivery Authority as a consumer-owned utility to acquire and operate all transmission and distribution systems in the State currently operated by the investor-owned transmission and distribution utilities known as Central Maine Power Company and Emera Maine. | |||
| LD 1687 | An Act Regarding the Water Quality Certification of Graham Lake on the Union River (Emergency) | Status: Referred to Environment and Natural Resources Committee, Work session held, May 16, 2019, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322 | |
| LD 1687 This bill provides that for the purposes of water quality certification under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act:
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| LD 1711 | An Act To Promote Solar Energy Projects and Distributed Generation Resources in Maine | Status: Referred to Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, Amended by Committee amendment S-295, Enacted, Signed into law June 26, 2019 | |
| LD 1711 This bill regards amendments and enactments of provisions regarding energy billing and the Maine Solar Energy Act, including:
Amendment S-295 This amendment replaces the bill. The amendment:
LD 1711 Chaptered Law LD 1711 Chaptered Law fiscal note | |||