Representative Nicole Grohoski

Roll Call	Bill	Motion	MPA vote	Representative's vote
16	LD 179 An Act to Change the Name of Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day	Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass	Yea	Yea
250	LD 255 Resolution, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Require that Signatures on a Direct Initiative Come from Each Congressional District	Final Passage as a Constitutional Amendment (requires 2/3 of membership)	Nay	Nay
272	LD 308 An Act to Increase Notification Time Periods for Rent Increases and Terminations of Tenancies at Will	Reconsider passage after Governor's veto	Yea	Yea
75	LD 369 An Act to Support Healthy Workplaces and Healthy Families by Providing Paid Sick Leave to Certain Employees	Accept Committee Report A, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment S-79	Yea	Yea
278	LD 420 An Act to Amend the Maine Exclusion Amount in the Estate Tax	Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment H-610	Yea	Yea
70	LD 820 An Act to Prevent Discrimination in Public and Private Insurance Coverage for Pregnant Women in Maine	Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment H-210	Yea	Yea
237	LD 949 An Act to Prevent Overdose Deaths	Accept Majority Report, Ought Not to Pass	Nay	Nay
306	LD 1177 An Act to Improve Public Sector Labor Relations	Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment S-308	Yea	Yea
182	LD 1282 An Act to Establish a Green New Deal for Maine	Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment H-413	Yea	Yea
307	LD 1317 An Act to Restore Services to Help Certain Noncitizens Meet Their Basic Needs	Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment H-248	Yea	Yea
	Total for Representative Grohoski:	Present for 10 votes, agreed on 10 votes, 100 percent agreement

Roll Call	Bill	Motion	MCV vote	Representative's vote
37	LD 289 An Act to Prohibit the Use of Certain Disposable Food Service Containers	Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment H-49	Yea	Yea
293	LD 1494 An Act to Reform Maine’s Renewable Portfolio Standard	Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment H-49	Yea	Yea
157	LD 1532 An Act to Eliminate Single-use Plastic Carry-out Bags	Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment H-392	Yea	Yea
209	LD 1679 An Act to Promote Clean Energy Jobs and to Establish the Maine Climate Council	Enact as an Emergency measure (2/3 of members required)	Yea	Yea
282	LD 1711 An Act to Promote Solar Energy Projects and Distributed Generation Resources in Maine	Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment S-295	Yea	Yea
208	LD 1775 An Act to Protect Sustenance Fishing	Enact	Yea	Yea
329	LD 1851 An Act to Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue for Land Conservation, Water Access, Outdoor Recreation, Wildlife and Fish Habitats and Farmland and Working Waterfront Preservation	Enact as a bond issue (requires 2/3 present)	Yea	Absent
	Total for Representative Grohoski:	Present for 6 votes, agreed on 6 votes, 100 percent agreement

Roll Call	Bill	Motion	AFL-CIO vote	Representative's vote
227	LD 240 An Act To Allow Public Employers of Teachers to Negotiate Regarding Educational Policies	Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as amended by Committee amendment H-518	Yea	Absent
75	LD 369 An Act To Support Healthy Workplaces and Healthy Families by Providing Earned Paid Sick Leave to Certain Employees	Accept Committee Report A, Ought to Pass as amended by Commitee amendment S-79	Yea	Yea
306	LD 1177 An Act To Improve Public Sector Labor Relations	Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as amended by Committee amendment S-308	Yea	Yea
111	LD 1232 An Act To Ensure the Right To Work without Payment of Dues or Fees to a Labor Union as a Condition of Employment	Accept Majority Report, Ought Not to Pass	Yea	Yea
182	LD 1282 An Act To Establish a Green New Deal for Maine	Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as amended by Committee amendment H-413	Yea	Yea
120	LD 1459 An Act To Expand Application of the Maine Agricultural Marketing and Bargaining Act of 1973 to Harvesters and Haulers of Forest Products	Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass	Yea	Yea
206	LD 1524 An Act To Prevent Wage Theft and Promote Employer Accountability	Enact LD 1524 as amended by Commitee amendment S-203	Yea	Yea
195	LD 1560 An Act Regarding Utility Reorganizations	Enact LD 1560 as amended by Committee amendment S-192 as an emergency measure	Yea	Yea
156	LD 1564 An Act To Authorize Project Labor Agreements for Public Works Projects	Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as amended by Committee amendment S-158	Yea	Yea
190	LD 1658 An Act To Clarify Prevailing Wage Rates on State Projects Using Federal Funds	Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as amended by Committee amendment S-200	Yea	Yea
	Total for Representative Grohoski:	Present for 9 votes, agreed on 9 votes, 100 percent agreement

Roll Call	Bill	Motion	Vote to agree	Representative's vote
199	LD 37 An Act To Allow for the Sale of Nonprescription Drugs through Vending Machines	Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment H-466	Yea	Yea
28	LD 278 An Act Regarding Pay Equality	Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment S-28	Yea	Yea
75	LD 369 An Act To Support Healthy Workplaces and Healthy Families by Providing Earned Paid Sick Leave to Certain Employees	Accept Report A, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment S-79	Yea	Yea
246	LD 820 An Act To Prevent Discrimination in Public and Private Insurance Coverage for Pregnant Women in Maine	Enact LD 820 as amended by Committee amendment H-210	Yea	Yea
80	LD 1025 An Act To Prohibit the Provision of Conversion Therapy to Minors by Certain Licensed Professionals	Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment H-213	Yea	Yea
114	LD 1261 An Act To Authorize Certain Health Care Professionals To Perform Abortions	Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass	Yea	Yea
307	LD 1317 An Act To Restore Services To Help Certain Noncitizens Meet Their Basic Needs	Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment H-248	Yea	Yea
	Total for Representative Grohoski:	Present for 7 votes, agreed on 7 votes, 100 percent agreement

Roll Call	Bill	Motion	Vote to agree	Representative's vote
199	LD 37 An Act To Allow for the Sale of Nonprescription Drugs through Vending Machines	Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as amended by Committee amendment H-466	Yea	Yea
No roll call; passed under gavel	LD 78 An Act To Facilitate Access to the MaineCare Family Planning Benefit	Enact LD 78 as amended by Committee amendment H-132	Yea	Yea assumed (i.e., no objection)
153	LD 494 An Act To Update the Family Planning Statutes	Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as amended by Committee amendment S-151	Yea	Yea
246	LD 820 An Act To Prevent Discrimination in Public and Private Insurance Coverage for Pregnant Women in Maine	Enact LD 820 as amended by Committee amendment H-210 and amended by Senate amendment S-275	Yea	Yea
114	LD 1261 An Act To Authorize Certain Health Care Professionals To Perform Abortions	Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass	Yea	Yea
No roll call; passed under gavel	LD 1580 An Act To Protect Licensing Information of Medical Professionals	Enact LD 1580 as amended by Committee amendment H-631	Yea	Yea assumed (i.e., no objection)
	Total for Representative Grohoski:	Present for 4 votes, agreed on 4 votes, 100 percent agreement

Roll Call	Bill	Motion	Vote to agree	Representative's vote
204	LD 379 An Act To Protect Children by Requiring the Safe Storage of Loaded Firearms	Accept Majority Report, Ought Not to Pass	Nay	Nay
211	LD 533 An Act To Eliminate the Statutory Duty To Retreat and Affirm the Right of Self-defense	Accept Majority Report, Ought Not to Pass	Yea	Yea
252	LD 1099 An Act To Reduce Suicides and Violent Crimes by Requiring a 72-hour Waiting Period after the Sale of a Firearm	Accept Majority Report, Ought Not to Pass	Nay	Yea
253	LD 1276 An Act To Better Enforce the Prohibition against Dangerous Persons Possessing Firearms	Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment S-274	Yea	Nay
296	LD 1312 An Act Regarding Access to Firearms by Extremely Dangerous and Suicidal Individuals	Accept Report A, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment S-285	Yea	Nay
235	LD 1470 An Act To Allow the Prohibition of Weapons at Public Proceedings and Voting Places	Accept Majority Report, Ought Not to Pass	Nay	Nay
315	LD 1811 An Act To Enhance Personal and Public Safety by Requiring Evaluations of and Judicial Hearings for Persons in Protective Custody Regarding Risk of Harm and Restricting Access to Dangerous Weapons	Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment S-357	Yea	Yea
	Total for Representative Grohoski:	Present for 7 votes, agreed on 4 votes, 57 percent agreement

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 93 Amendment fiscal note

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 105 Amendment fiscal note

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 108 Amendment fiscal note

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, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322, both chambers accepted unanimous Committee report, Ought to Pass as amended by Committee amendment H-698, and engrossed, House enacted as an emergency measure, Senate tabled to Special Appropriations March 12, 2020

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.

Amendment H-698
This amendment replaces the bill, which is a concept draft. The amendment requires that 33% of sales and use tax revenue collected by the State Tax Assessor from marketplace facilitators, with respect to marketplace-facilitated sales, after required transfers to other funds be transferred to the ConnectME Authority to further deployment of high-speed Internet and broadband infrastructure to unserved and underserved areas of the State.

This amendment adds an emergency preamble and emergency clause to the bill.

LD 173 Amendment H-698 fiscal note

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: 1. Excludes from the definition of disposable food service container polystyrene foam coolers and ice chests that are used for the processing or shipping of seafood; 2. Adds sleeves and stirrers to the definition of service ware; 3. Excludes from the definition of food establishment hospitals licensed under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 22, chapter 405 and so-called meals on wheels establishments funded in whole or in part directly or indirectly by the Department of Health and Human Services; and 4. Incorporates from the existing law, which was repealed in the amendment, regarding nondegradable food and beverage containers certain definitions, a penalty provision and a prohibition on the use of plastic beverage stirrers by food establishments providing or serving beverages at a facility or function of the State or of a political subdivision. 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 418 Amendment fiscal note

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, Tabled in the House pending final passage, May 28, 2019, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322, carried over in the same posture to any special session of the 129th Legislature pursuant to Joint Order SP 788
LD 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 434 Amendment fiscal note

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 621 Amendment fiscal note

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.

Amendment H-176
This amendment is the majority report of the committee. The amendment changes the person entitled to menstrual products from a female person to a person who menstruates. The amendment removes menstrual cups from the products in the bill that are required to be provided. The amendment requires that products, including but not limited to sanitary pads and tampons, be provided and available at all times and without inconvenience to the person who resides in the jail, county correctional facility or state correctional or detention facility.

LD 628 Chaptered Law
LD 628 Chaptered Law fiscal note

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, Work session March 12, 2020, carried over in the same posture to any special session of the 129th Legislature pursuant to Joint Order SP 788
LD 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 911 Amendment fiscal note

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.

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.

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 1018 Amendment fiscal note

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. 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. 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 1035 Amendment fiscal note

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, Amended by Committee amendment S-313, Enacted, August 26, 2019, Became law without the Governor's signature, January 12, 2020

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.

Amendment S-313
This amendment, which is the majority report of the committee, strikes and replaces the bill. Under the amendment, general elections for presidential electors must be determined by ranked-choice voting. The amendment further provides that, if a law establishing a presidential primary election is enacted in the State, primary elections for the office of President of the United States must be determined by ranked-choice voting.

LD 1083 Chaptered Law
LD 1083 Chaptered Law fiscal note

LD 1171	An Act To Prevent Sexual and Domestic Violence and To Support Survivors	Status: Referred to Health and Human Services Committee, Enacted in the House as amended by Committee amendment S-86, tabled to Special Appropriations in the Senate May 16, 2019, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322
LD 1171 This bill provides funding for sexual assault and domestic violence prevention and victim services. Amendment S-86 This amendment incorporates a fiscal note. LD 1171 Amendment S-86 fiscal note

LD 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.

Amendment H-431
This amendment strikes and replaces the bill and does the following.

1. It requires the Public Advocate to contract with a person or entity to serve as the nonwires alternative coordinator.
2. It provides that funding of the contracted services of the nonwires alternative coordinator is provided through a special assessment on investor-owned transmission and distribution utilities.
3. It adjusts the salary range of the Special Assistant to the Public Advocate from range 20 to range 25.
4. It amends the definition of "transmission project" to cover projects expected to cost in excess of $5,000,000, rather than those in excess of $20,000,000 as in current law.
5. It amends the provisions relating to transmission lines and transmission projects subject to investigation of nonwires alternatives in several ways. It limits the requirement for a nonwires alternative investigation to apply to transmission lines and projects proposed by investor-owned transmission and distribution utilities, rather than transmission and distribution utilities in general. It also adds a category of small transmission and distribution projects subject to nonwires alternatives investigation.
6. It establishes cost-effectiveness as the analytical framework and standard for the investigation of nonwires alternatives for all types of projects and requires a benefit-cost analysis to evaluate cost-effectiveness. It requires the nonwires alternative coordinator to develop and make recommendations regarding the cost-effectiveness of nonwires alternatives and a proposed plan for procurement of nonwires alternatives.
7. It requires an investor-owned transmission and distribution utility to submit annually to the Office of the Public Advocate a planning study for small transmission and distribution projects.
8. It requires the nonwires alternative coordinator to provide recommendations to investor-owned transmission and distribution utilities for nonwires alternatives to small transmission projects and distribution projects and requires the coordinator and the utility to attempt to reach a good faith agreement on the adoption of nonwires alternatives. If no agreement is reached, the utility is required to petition the Public Utilities Commission to resolve the dispute.
9. It includes provisions regarding procurement of nonwires alternatives. These provisions require a transmission and distribution utility to contract with the Efficiency Maine Trust to deliver nonwires alternatives that are on the customer side of the meter and require the commission to determine the entity, which may be the utility or a 3rd party, to deliver nonwires alternatives that are on the grid side of the meter.
10. It provides that a transmission and distribution utility's prudently incurred costs to deliver nonwires alternatives are recoverable in rates.
11. It adds a provision to reference the activities of the nonwires alternative coordinator in the Efficiency Maine Trust Act regarding coordination with activities and programs of state agencies and authorities.
12. It makes changes to the law on smart grid infrastructure policy and establishes that it is in the public interest to establish a nonwires alternative coordinator for the State.

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 1188 Amendment fiscal note

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, carried over in the same posture to any special session of the 129th Legislature pursuant to Joint Order SP 788
LD 1224 This bill authorizes the issuance of bonds. 1. Part A of this bill authorizes the issuance of bonds, in the amount of $5,000,000, to be used to support improvements to sea level prediction models by providing more detailed mapping of coastal zones and monitoring sea level changes in order to mitigate the impact of and help prepare for rising sea levels. 2. Part B of this bill authorizes the issuance of bonds, in the amount of $6,000,000, to be used to provide partnership funds and matching grants for geospatial data acquisition to communities that are creating or improving digital parcel maps to accurately identify existing boundaries and land use, identify potential community development areas and protect environmental resources. 3. Part C of this bill authorizes the issuance of bonds, in the amount of $3,000,000, to be used to collect data, monitor waterways and perform tests related to the known increasing ocean acidity along the Maine coast and its impact on natural wildlife and commercially important species in Maine waters, such as lobsters and clams. LD 1224 Amendment fiscal note

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 1316 Amendment fiscal note

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 1334 Amendment fiscal note

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.

Amendment H-437
This amendment changes the bill as follows:

1. It modifies the definition of "high-impact electric transmission line" to include a transmission line that is:

A. Greater than 50 miles in length;
B. Capable of operating at 200 kilovolts or more;
C. Not a generator interconnection transmission facility; and
D. Not constructed primarily to provide electric reliability within the State;

2. It replaces the requirement that a high-impact electric transmission line provide significant tangible benefits with requirements that:

A. The petitioner for a certificate of public convenience and necessity for the line pay an amount of tax benefits projected by the petitioner; and
B. The petitioner for a certificate of public convenience and necessity for the line provide a community benefits package with a total value of no less than $20,000 per year per megawatt of capacity of the line;

3. It requires that at least 2/3 of the local governments through which the high-impact electric transmission line will pass approve the line and clarifies that if a referendum vote is held, that vote supersedes any vote by local government officers; and
4. It makes other clarifying changes.

LD 1363 Amendment H-437 fiscal note

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. 1. It changes the name of the occupation licensed from "dental hygiene therapist" to "dental therapist" to conform to the name used by other state licensing boards and the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation. 2. It identifies the educational requirement as a master's degree in dental therapy. It also clarifies that a dental therapy program must either be accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Education or approved by the Board of Dental Practice by rulemaking consistent with the curriculum standards of a dental therapy program as adopted by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Education. 3. It requires a provisional dental therapist and a dental therapist to maintain a current certification in advanced cardiac life support. 4. It clarifies the level of supervision of a provisional dental therapist to require both direct and general supervision as identified in a written practice agreement with a supervising dentist. It authorizes a dental therapist to practice under the general supervision instead of direct supervision of a dentist pursuant to a written practice agreement. 5. It removes the practice setting requirements. 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:

1. Amends provisions in the law regarding the conservation programs of the Efficiency Maine Trust by clarifying that conservation programs seek to increase the efficiency with which electricity is used and defining "beneficial electrification" as the electrification of a technology that would otherwise require energy from a fossil fuel that provides a benefit to a utility, a ratepayer or the environment by improving the efficiency of the electricity grid or reducing consumer costs or emissions, including carbon emissions;
2. Requires the Efficiency Maine Trust to conduct a study regarding the barriers to beneficial electrification of the transportation and heating sectors in the State; and
3. Requires the Public Utilities Commission to issue a request for proposals from utilities and entities that are not utilities to conduct a pilot program to support beneficial electrification of the transportation sector of the State.

Amendment H-477
This amendment makes the following changes to the bill.

1. It clarifies the definition of "beneficial electrification."
2. It clarifies that the Efficiency Maine Trust must conduct the study of barriers to beneficial electrification in consultation with stakeholders, rather than in coordination with the Public Utilities Commission, and specifies that the commission is required to facilitate the trust's access to information the trust requests from electric and gas utilities.
3. It changes certain dates in the bill regarding the timeline for the study of beneficial electrification by the Efficiency Maine Trust and for pilot program proposals to implement beneficial electrification in the transportation sector administered by the Public Utilities Commission.
4. It adds language to clarify the review and selection of proposals for a pilot program for beneficial electrification in the transportation sector.

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 1561 Amendment fiscal note

LD 1563

An Act To Encourage the Development of Broadband Coverage in Rural Maine

Status: Referred to Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322, Amended by Committee amendment S-405 and Senate amendment S-443, Enacted, Signed into law March 18, 2020

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.

Amendment S-405
This amendment replaces the bill, which is a concept draft. The amendment does the following:

1. Renames the ConnectME Authority the ConnectMaine Authority in the Maine Revised Statutes;
2. Amends the law governing collection of data by the ConnectMaine Authority to require, rather than permit, certain data collection and to specify the purposes for which data may be required. It also specifies that the authority may initiate a proceeding to determine whether to remove confidential designation of specific information;
3. Repeals the broadband sustainability fee;
4. Amends the law regarding broadband plans funded by broadband planning grants to remove the requirement that the plans include certain elements, instead allowing these elements to be included; and
5. Requires the authority to initiate rulemaking within 90 days of the effective date of the Act to implement the provisions of the Act.

Amendment S-443
Under current law, data that communication service providers and certain wireless providers are required to provide to the ConnectME Authority may be designated as confidential information by an order of the authority and not subject to the Freedom of Access Act. This amendment instead designates all data provided to the authority as confidential and, like the committee amendment, allows the authority to remove that confidential designation following a proceeding to determine whether to remove the confidential designation of specific information.

LD 1563 Chaptered Law
LD 1563 Chaptered Law fiscal note

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: 1. It increases the membership of the Commission To Study the Economic, Environmental and Energy Benefits of Energy Storage to the Maine Electricity Industry from 13 to 14, adding the Public Advocate or the Public Advocate's designee as a member, and requires one of the public members appointed by the President of the Senate to be from the northern part of the State; 2. It removes the limitation that the members representing energy storage owners specifically represent battery storage owners; 3. It amends the duties of the commission to include a review of economically efficient and effective implementation approaches to energy storage targets and consideration of bring-your-own-device programs and storm outage and response management programs for behind-the-meter energy storage to reduce peak reduction and increase resiliency; 4. It removes certain language regarding invited staff support from state agencies; and 5. It directs the commission to submit its report to the Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. 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, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322, carried over in the same posture to any special session of the 129th Legislature pursuant to Joint Order SP 788
LD 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 1646 Amendment fiscal note

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, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, January 30, 2020
LD 1687 This bill provides that for the purposes of water quality certification under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act: 1. Graham Lake located in the Union River in the City of Ellsworth may be subject to drawdowns of lake levels of up to 4 feet and still be deemed to meet state water classification standards; 2. The Department of Environmental Protection may not waive water quality certification under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission license for the Ellsworth Hydroelectric Project and failure of the department to file timely a water quality certification is deemed to be a denial of water quality certification; and 3. The Ellsworth Hydroelectric Project is subject to an involuntary water quality decertification if the project does not provide for a volitional upstream fish passage over both the Graham Lake Dam and Ellsworth Lake Dam within 10 years of the project's relicensure. LD 1687 Amendment fiscal note

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:

1. Establishing parameters on the financial interest and limits of accounts for net energy billing;
2. Directing the Public Utilities Commission to establish a pilot program implementing a tariff rate for nonresidential customers of new distributed generation resources if the commission determines a tariff rate is the most cost-effective manner possible to promote the development of distributed generation resources;
3. Amending the Maine Solar Energy Act by:

A. Adding specific measures to support solar energy;
B. Establishing a standard buyer designation and detailing the standard buyer's obligations and cost allocation;
C. Directing the Public Utilities Commission to procure 125 megawatts for the output of distributed generation resources associated with commercial or institutional customer accounts through a bid solicitation process;
D. Directing the Public Utilities Commission to procure 250 megawatts for the output of large-scale shared distributed generation resources through a bid solicitation process; and
E. Detailing the process by which credits are applied to a customer's bill and how entities that own or operate a large-scale shared distributed generation resource on behalf of customers that own a proportional interest in the large-scale shared distributed generation resource may recover costs incurred on behalf of an investor-owned transmission and distribution utility;

4. Directing the Public Utilities Commission to report to the Legislature the results of the implemented tariff rates for distributed generation resources and the status of metering and billing system capabilities for investor-owned transmission and distribution utilities;
5. Directing the Public Utilities Commission to evaluate net energy billing when the total amount of generation capacity involved in net energy billing in the State reaches 8% of the total maximum load of transmission and distribution utilities in the State;
6. Directing the Public Utilities Commission to solicit bids for long-term contracts to supply up to 400 megawatts of electricity from solar energy projects; and
7. Directing the Executive Department, Governor's Energy Office to make recommendations to the Legislature regarding long-term contracts for installed capacity and associated renewable energy and renewable energy credits produced by solar energy projects.

Amendment S-295
This amendment replaces the bill. The amendment:

1. Changes the net energy billing law to:

a. Allow a customer to participate if the customer has a financial interest in a distributed generation resource, which is defined as a generator with a capacity of less than 5 megawatts that uses a renewable resource and is located in the service territory of a transmission and distribution utility in this State;
b. Permit any number of customers of an investor-owned transmission and distribution utility to share the financial interest, except in the northern Maine grid, where the limit is 10, unless the Public Utilities Commission finds the utility system can accommodate a higher number; and
c. Add a new commercial and institutional net energy billing program that provides for a tariff rate for the energy exported by the distributed generation resource that is based on the applicable standard offer rate for the customer plus a percentage of the transmission and distribution utility rate for a specific class of customers;

2. Requires the Public Utilities Commission to report on metering and billing issues to the joint standing committee on utilities and energy and to evaluate net energy billing when certain events occur; and
3. Creates a requirement for the procurement of distributed generation resources by each investor-owned electric utility, or by a separate buyer, if one is designated by the commission. The amendment:

a. Directs procurements of 125 megawatts of output associated with commercial and institutional accounts and 250 megawatts of shared distributed generation resources to be achieved by July 1, 2024;
b. Directs that procurements must be through a competitive bidding process with solicitations for certain blocks of output and contract rates, after the first block, set in declining relation to the previous block;
c. Provides procedures to address cases of under-procurement for any block;
d. Requires subscriptions to certain portions of shared distributed generation resources to satisfy certain minimum requirements related to the types and sizes of subscribers or subscriptions; and
e. Provides for consumer protections and transparency requirements.

4. Adds an appropriations and allocations section.

LD 1711 Chaptered Law
LD 1711 Chaptered Law fiscal note

LD 1933	An Act To Promote Bulk Retail Purchasing	Status: Referred to Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business Committee, Work session held February 11, 2020, carried over in the same posture to any special session of the 129th Legislature pursuant to Joint Order SP 788
LD 1933 This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208. This bill proposes to allow retail establishments to permit customers to supply their own containers for the purchase of certain food items. LD 1933 Amendment fiscal note

LD 2031	An Act To Require a Cable System Operator To Provide a Pro Rata Credit When Service Is Cancelled by a Subscriber	Status: Referred to Energy, Utilities and Technology, Amended by Committee amendment H-717, Enacted, Signed into law March 18, 2020
LD 2031 This bill requires a cable system operator to grant a subscriber a pro rata credit or rebate if that subscriber requests service disconnection during the first 2 weeks of a monthly billing period. Amendment H-717 This amendment is the majority report of the committee. The amendment makes the following changes to the bill. 1. It adds a provision to require a cable system operator to discontinue billing a subscriber within 2 working days after a request to cancel service, instead of within 10 working days of the request, which is current law. 2. It requires a pro rata credit or rebate for cancellation of service if a subscriber requests cancellation 3 or more working days before the end of the monthly billing period. The bill requires the credit or rebate if the subscriber requests cancellation during the first 2 weeks of a monthly billing period. 3. It clarifies the provision in the bill regarding the notice on subscriber bills regarding the right to a pro rata credit or rebate. LD 2031 Chaptered Law LD 2031 Chaptered Law fiscal note

LD 2045	An Act Relating to the Valuation of Certain Retail Property	Status: Referred to Taxation Committee, carried over in the same posture to any special session of the 129th Legislature pursuant to Joint Order SP 788
LD 2045 This bill provides that, for property tax purposes, retail sales facilities in excess of 20,000 square feet must be valued based on their current use compared to similar properties in their retail market segment or, if vacant, according to their highest and best use. LD 2045 Amendment fiscal note

LD 2096	An Act To Save Lives by Capping the Out-of-pocket Cost of Certain Medications	Status: Referred to Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-772 and House amendment H-778, Enacted as an emergency measure, Signed into law March 18, 2020
LD 2096 This bill provides that a health insurance carrier that provides coverage for prescription insulin drugs may not impose a cost-sharing requirement on the enrollee that results in out-of-pocket costs to the enrollee in excess of $100 per 30-day supply of insulin. Amendment H-772 This amendment replaces the bill. Part A provides that a health insurance carrier that provides coverage for prescription insulin drugs may not impose a cost-sharing requirement on an enrollee that results in out-of-pocket costs to the enrollee in excess of $35 per prescription for a 30-day supply of insulin. The requirements apply to all health insurance policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2021. Part B authorizes a pharmacist to dispense emergency refills of insulin and associated insulin-related supplies. The amendment requires that the insulin dispensed be in a quantity that is the lesser of a 30-day supply and the smallest available package. The amendment also requires the Maine Board of Pharmacy to adopt rules to establish adequate training requirements and protocols for dispensing insulin. Amendment H-778 This amendment adds an emergency preamble and an emergency clause. LD 2096 Chaptered Law LD 2096 Chaptered Law fiscal note

LD 2121	Resolve, To Establish the Task Force To Study the Coordination of Services and Expansion of Educational Programs for Young Adults with Disabilities	Status: Referred to Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, carried over in the same posture to any special session of the 129th Legislature pursuant to Joint Order SP 788
LD 2121 This resolve establishes the Task Force To Study the Coordination of Services and Expansion of Educational Programs for Young Adults with Disabilities. The membership of the task force consists of Legislators who serve on the joint standing committees of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education and cultural affairs, health and human services matters and labor and housing matters, the Commissioner of Education, the Commissioner of Health and Human Services and the Commissioner of Labor, members of organizations or associations knowledgeable about services for young adults with disabilities after high school, a parent or guardian of a young adult with a disability and a a young adult with a disability who is receiving services from the State. The Commissioner of Education convenes the task force, which must hold a minimum of 4 meetings and submit a report to the joint standing committees of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education and cultural affairs, health and human services matters and labor and housing matters on recommendations and targeted reforms to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of services provided by different agencies and continuing educational opportunities for young adults with disabilities after high school. LD 2121 Amendment fiscal note

Organization	Score	Source
Maine People's Alliance (MPA), 2019	10 of 10	Maine People's Alliance, 2019
Maine Conservation Voters (MCV), 2019	6 of 7, 1 unexcused absence	Maine Conservation Voters, 2019
Maine AFL-CIO, 2019	9 of 10, 1 unexcused absence	AFL-CIO, 2019
Maine Women's Lobby, 2019	7 of 7	Maine Women's Lobby, 2019
Planned Parenthood Maine Action Fund, 2019	6 of 6	Planned Parenthood ME Action Fund, 2019
Firearms Control, 2019	4 of 7	This website, see below for roll calls included.

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, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, February 6, 2020
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 508 Amendment fiscal note

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. Amendment H-77 This amendment provides that the bill's expansion of the homestead property tax exemption to include persons who have not owned a homestead for the preceding 12 months first applies for property tax years beginning on or after April 1, 2020. The amendment also adds an appropriations and allocations section. Amendment H-194 Committee Amendment H-77 allows permanent residents to participate in the homestead property tax exemption without having to wait a year. This amendment increases the state reimbursement rate of property taxes lost due to such participation to 100% for the first year; thereafter, the rate of state reimbursement returns to the current rate of 62.5%. 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 Senate amendment S-257, 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 S-257 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. (Site editor's note: the provision from amendment H-342 that is incorporated is the definition of "reasonable network management practices". In addition to prohibitions on throttling and paid prioritization, the bill prohibits "blocking of lawful content, applications, services or devices subject to reasonable network management practices;" a "reasonable network management practice" is defined as a practice that has a primarily technical network management justification and is primarily used for and tailored to achieving a legitimate network management purpose, taking into account the particular network architecture and technology of the Internet service. "Reasonable network management practice" does not include other business practices.) 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 2083	An Act To Require the Board of Pesticides Control To Annually Publish Certain Information Regarding Pesticides and To Prohibit Certain Uses of Neonicotinoids	Status: Referred to Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee, Work session held February 20, 2020, carried over in the same posture to any special session of the 129th Legislature pursuant to Joint Order SP 788
LD 2083 This bill requires: 1. The Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Board of Pesticides Control to annually publish a summary of the reports received during the previous calendar year from commercial applicators of pesticides. For each pesticide reported to the board, the board's annual summary must include information on the total quantity of pesticide applied and the total area treated in each county in the State; and 2. The Board of Pesticides Control to prohibit the use of any product containing neonicotinoids for landscape gardening by certified applicators or limit the use of any product containing neonicotinoids if the board determines that use is necessary to protect the State. The bill also requires the board to adopt rules establishing restrictions for the use of products containing neonicotinoids. LD 2083 Amendment fiscal note

LD 2097	An Act To Establish Requirements for the Construction of Elective Transmission Lines by Transmission and Distribution Utilities	Status: Referred to Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, Work session held March 12, 2020, carried over in the same posture to any special session of the 129th Legislature pursuant to Joint Order SP 788
LD 2097 This bill establishes requirements for the approval of construction of elective transmission lines when the party seeking approval from the Public Utilities Commission is a transmission and distribution utility. The bill defines "elective transmission line" as a transmission line that is not being constructed primarily for reliability purposes or to serve retail customers in the State. In addition to meeting the existing requirements in law for approval of a transmission line, a transmission and distribution utility petitioning for commission approval for an elective transmission line is required to demonstrate: 1. That the petitioner provided equal access to rights-of-way and data and information about the petitioner's transmission system to any person seeking to compete with the petitioner to construct the transmission line; and 2. That the proposed elective transmission line either will not use ratepayer-funded assets or will use ratepayer-funded assets and the petitioner made these assets available on equal terms to any person seeking to compete with the petitioner to construct the transmission line and agrees to provide a benefit to ratepayers in the State of equal value, as determined by the commission, to the ratepayer-funded assets used to construct the transmission line. LD 2097 Amendment fiscal note