Representative Norman Higgins [Common Sense Independent]
Dover-Foxcroft ~ District 120
Towns in District: Atkinson, Brownville, Dover-Foxcroft, Lake View, Medford, Milo and Orneville Township
Would be term limited: 2022Joint Committees:
♦ Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business
✉ Norman.Higgins@legislature.maine.gov
☎ 1-800-423-2900
✉ P. O. Box 594
Dover-Foxcroft, Maine 04426
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Organization | Score | Source |
Maine People's Alliance (MPA), 2019 | 2 of 10 | Maine People's Alliance, 2019 |
Maine People's Alliance, Will of the Voters, 2018 | 36% | Maine People's Alliance Will of the Voters, 2018 |
Maine People's Alliance, 2018 | 50% | Maine People's Alliance, 2018 |
Maine Conservation Voters (MCV), 2019 | 7 of 7 | Maine Conservation Voters, 2019 |
Maine Conservation Voters, 2018 | 8 of 8 | Maine Conservation Voters, 2018 |
Maine Conservation Voters, 2017 | 7 of 7 | Maine Conservation Voters, 2017 |
Maine AFL-CIO, 2019 | 2 of 10, 2 unexcused absences | AFL-CIO, 2019 |
Maine AFL-CIO, 2017 | 40% | No longer available online |
Maine Women's Lobby, 2019 | 4 of 7 | Maine Women's Lobby, 2019 |
Planned Parenthood Maine Action Fund, 2019 | 3 of 6 | Planned Parenthood ME Action Fund, 2019 |
Planned Parenthood Maine Action Fund, 2017 | 25% | Planned Parenthood Maine Action Fund, 2017 |
Firearms Control, 2019 | 1 of 7 | This website, see below for roll calls included. |
Scorecards are an organization's means of holding legislators accountable to the organization's interests and values. Each organization chooses a subset of bills that are a priority for them, and then scores each legislator by the legislator's vote relative to what would be the organization's preferred vote on the bill.
For a listing of the votes included on scorecards prior to 2019, see the hyperlinked sources given in the table above or the "Explanations, Legislative Scorecards" tab on this site. For 2019 scorecards, see the hyperlinked site given in the table above or the vote detail below, "Roll Call Vote Detail for 2019 Scorecards."The graphs below are frequency histograms that show this representative's score relative to the scores of all representatives by placing an "X" over this representative's score. In all graphs, D is Democrat (blue), R is Republican (red) and Ind is Independent (black). For graphs prior to 2019, additional parties include Common Sense Independent (goldenrod) and Green Independent (green).Roll Call | Bill | Motion | MPA vote | Representative's vote |
---|---|---|---|---|
16 | LD 179 An Act to Change the Name of Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass | Yea | 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 | Yea |
272 | LD 308 An Act to Increase Notification Time Periods for Rent Increases and Terminations of Tenancies at Will | Reconsider passage after Governor's veto | Yea | Nay |
75 | LD 369 An Act to Support Healthy Workplaces and Healthy Families by Providing Paid Sick Leave to Certain Employees | Accept Committee Report A, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment S-79 | Yea | 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 | Nay |
70 | LD 820 An Act to Prevent Discrimination in Public and Private Insurance Coverage for Pregnant Women in Maine | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment H-210 | Yea | Nay |
237 | LD 949 An Act to Prevent Overdose Deaths | Accept Majority Report, Ought Not to Pass | Nay | Yea |
306 | LD 1177 An Act to Improve Public Sector Labor Relations | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment S-308 | Yea | Nay |
182 | LD 1282 An Act to Establish a Green New Deal for Maine | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment H-413 | Yea | Nay |
307 | LD 1317 An Act to Restore Services to Help Certain Noncitizens Meet Their Basic Needs | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment H-248 | Yea | Nay |
Total for Representative Higgins: | Present for 10 votes, agreed on 2 votes, 20 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 | Yea |
Total for Representative Higgins: | Present for 7 votes, agreed on 7 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 | Nay |
75 | LD 369 An Act To Support Healthy Workplaces and Healthy Families by Providing Earned Paid Sick Leave to Certain Employees | Accept Committee Report A, Ought to Pass as amended by Commitee amendment S-79 | Yea | 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 | Nay |
111 | LD 1232 An Act To Ensure the Right To Work without Payment of Dues or Fees to a Labor Union as a Condition of Employment | Accept Majority Report, Ought Not to Pass | Yea | Nay |
182 | LD 1282 An Act To Establish a Green New Deal for Maine | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as amended by Committee amendment H-413 | Yea | Nay |
120 | LD 1459 An Act To Expand Application of the Maine Agricultural Marketing and Bargaining Act of 1973 to Harvesters and Haulers of Forest Products | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass | Yea | Nay |
206 | LD 1524 An Act To Prevent Wage Theft and Promote Employer Accountability | Enact LD 1524 as amended by Commitee amendment S-203 | Yea | Yea |
195 | LD 1560 An Act Regarding Utility Reorganizations | Enact LD 1560 as amended by Committee amendment S-192 as an emergency measure | Yea | Absent |
156 | LD 1564 An Act To Authorize Project Labor Agreements for Public Works Projects | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as amended by Committee amendment S-158 | Yea | Nay |
190 | LD 1658 An Act To Clarify Prevailing Wage Rates on State Projects Using Federal Funds | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as amended by Committee amendment S-200 | Yea | Absent |
Total for Representative Higgins: | Present for 8 votes, agreed on 2 votes, 25 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 | Nay |
80 | LD 1025 An Act To Prohibit the Provision of Conversion Therapy to Minors by Certain Licensed Professionals | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment H-213 | Yea | Yea |
114 | LD 1261 An Act To Authorize Certain Health Care Professionals To Perform Abortions | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass | Yea | Nay |
307 | LD 1317 An Act To Restore Services To Help Certain Noncitizens Meet Their Basic Needs | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment H-248 | Yea | Nay |
Total for Representative Higgins: | Present for 7 votes, agreed on 4 votes, 57 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 | Nay |
246 | LD 820 An Act To Prevent Discrimination in Public and Private Insurance Coverage for Pregnant Women in Maine | Enact LD 820 as amended by Committee amendment H-210 and amended by Senate amendment S-275 | Yea | Nay |
114 | LD 1261 An Act To Authorize Certain Health Care Professionals To Perform Abortions | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass | Yea | Nay |
No roll call; passed under gavel | LD 1580 An Act To Protect Licensing Information of Medical Professionals | Enact LD 1580 as amended by Committee amendment H-631 | Yea | Yea assumed (i.e., no objection) |
Total for Representative Higgins: | Present for 4 votes, agreed on 1 votes, 25 percent agreement |
Roll Call | Bill | Motion | Vote to agree | Representative's vote |
---|---|---|---|---|
204 | LD 379 An Act To Protect Children by Requiring the Safe Storage of Loaded Firearms | Accept Majority Report, Ought Not to Pass | Nay | Yea |
211 | LD 533 An Act To Eliminate the Statutory Duty To Retreat and Affirm the Right of Self-defense | Accept Majority Report, Ought Not to Pass | Yea | Nay |
252 | LD 1099 An Act To Reduce Suicides and Violent Crimes by Requiring a 72-hour Waiting Period after the Sale of a Firearm | Accept Majority Report, Ought Not to Pass | Nay | Yea |
253 | LD 1276 An Act To Better Enforce the Prohibition against Dangerous Persons Possessing Firearms | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment S-274 | Yea | Nay |
296 | LD 1312 An Act Regarding Access to Firearms by Extremely Dangerous and Suicidal Individuals | Accept Report A, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment S-285 | Yea | Nay |
235 | LD 1470 An Act To Allow the Prohibition of Weapons at Public Proceedings and Voting Places | Accept Majority Report, Ought Not to Pass | Nay | Yea |
315 | LD 1811 An Act To Enhance Personal and Public Safety by Requiring Evaluations of and Judicial Hearings for Persons in Protective Custody Regarding Risk of Harm and Restricting Access to Dangerous Weapons | Accept Majority Report, Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee amendment S-357 | Yea | Yea |
Total for Representative Higgins: | Present for 7 votes, agreed on 1 votes, 14 percent agreement |
LD 95 | An Act To Clarify Residency Requirements for Legislative Candidates | Status: Referred to Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, Dead, Concurrence in Ought Not to Pass, April 2, 2019 | |
LD 95 This bill clarifies that the primary residence of a candidate for election as a State Senator or State Representative must be located in the district the candidate seeks to represent on the date of the candidate's nomination for placement on a primary, general or special election ballot. The bill also clarifies that the primary residence of a candidate for election as a State Senator or State Representative must be located in the district the candidate seeks to represent for the 3 months immediately preceding the general election and, if the candidate is elected, throughout the candidate's term of office. |
LD 224 | An Act To Fund the Municipal Gigabit Broadband Network Access Fund | Status: Referred to Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, April 23, 2019 | |
LD 224 This bill provides funds to the ConnectME Authority to be used to provide grants to municipalities for high-speed broadband infrastructure development and improvement. |
LD 422 | Resolve, Directing the Department of Transportation To Increase the Number of Signs on the Mt. Katahdin Trail | Status: Referred to Transportation Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, April 11, 2019 | |
LD 422 This resolve requires the Department of Transportation to develop a plan to increase the number of directional and identification signs on the Mt. Katahdin Trail and to submit the plan to the Joint Standing Committee on Transportation by January 1, 2020. |
LD 504 | An Act To Enhance the Development of Innovative Career and Technical Education Programs | Status: Referred to Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, May 21, 2019 | |
LD 504 This bill streamlines the procedure for authorizing career and technical education satellite programs. Current law requires any affiliated unit that wishes to operate a career and technical education satellite program to submit a written request to operate a satellite program to the governing body of the center or region with which the unit is affiliated. The governing body of the center or region considers the request and then forwards its recommendation to the Commissioner of Education. Instead, the bill provides that the written request be submitted directly to the Commissioner of Education for approval. |
LD 834 | An Act To Establish Minimum Service Standards for Electric Utilities | Status: Referred to Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-109, Enacted, Signed into law May 14, 2019 | |
LD 834 This bill proposes to establish service interruption standards and require transmission and distribution utilities that do not meet these standards to take corrective action. The bill directs the Public Utilities Commission to require, by rule, transmission and distribution utilities to keep records and report service interruptions to the commission. It also requires a utility that experiences service interruptions at a rate that exceeds the statewide average service interruption rate by 50% or more to submit a plan for, implement and track corrective actions to address the service interruptions. Amendment H-109 The amendment changes the provision in the bill regarding the metrics for evaluating service interruptions for transmission and distribution utilities and the threshold for requiring corrective action. Rather than calculating a statewide average service interruption rate and establishing the threshold for corrective action at 50% above that statewide average, as in the bill, the amendment requires the Public Utilities Commission by rule to set standards regarding the frequency and duration of service interruptions, establish performance targets and specify guidelines for requiring corrective action by a utility. The amendment authorizes the commission to exempt transmission and distribution utilities serving 50,000 or fewer customers from rules regarding service interruption reporting and standards. LD 834 Chaptered Law LD 834 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 878 | An Act To Make Clean Election Filing Deadlines Consistent for All Candidates | Status: Referred to Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, Dead, Concurrence in Ought Not to Pass, April 11, 2019 | |
LD 878 This bill changes the date on which a candidate who is not enrolled in a party must file to participate in the Maine Clean Election Act from April 20th to June 1st for a candidate for the Legislature and from April 1st to June 1st for a candidate for Governor. Current law provides that a nomination petition must be filed in the office of the Secretary of State by June 1st. |
LD 1029 | An Act To Expand Educational Opportunities for Students Attending Public Secondary Schools with Enrollments of 300 or Fewer Students | Status: Referred to Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, May 30, 2019 | |
LD 1029 This bill requires private and public secondary schools with more than 300 students to enter into contracts with secondary schools with 300 or fewer students to establish academic opportunity programs that make available to resident students of the smaller schools the courses and academic programs of the larger schools, including, but not limited to, advanced placement courses, international baccalaureate programs and early college programs. The bill also requires the secondary schools with 300 or fewer students to inform their resident students of the academic opportunity program and provides that the schools participating in an academic opportunity program are not responsible for providing transportation to participating students. |
LD 1036 | Resolve, Establishing a Task Force To Study the Creation of a Comprehensive Career and Technical Education System and Increased Crosswalks for Academic Credit between Secondary Schools and Career and Technical Education Programs (Emergency) | Status: Referred to Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-506 and Senate amendment S-311, Finally passed, Governor placed on hold, July 2, 2019, Became law without the Governor's signature, January 11, 2020 | |
LD 1036 This resolve establishes the Task Force To Study the Creation of a Comprehensive Career and Technical Education System to examine the feasibility of establishing a comprehensive 4-year high school career and technical education program to provide a technical high school setting for middle school students to attend at the completion of the 8th grade. Amendment H-506 This amendment expands the membership of the task force to include a principal of a secondary school, a superintendent of a school administrative unit, an administrator at the University of Maine System and the Commissioner of Education or the commissioner's designee and requires that the member from a community college be an administrator. This amendment also expands the duties of the task force to require that the task force examine the advantages and disadvantages of a comprehensive 4-year career and technical education high school, obstacles to implementation and other models of comprehensive 4-year career and technical education high schools around the State and on a national level. The task force is also required to examine increasing crosswalks and intersections between technical and occupational knowledge and curricula and academic standards in order to promote multiple pathways for awarding content area credit to students enrolled in career and technical education programs. This amendment also requires the task force to seek funding contributions to fully fund the costs of the task force. If sufficient funding is not received within 30 days after the effective date of the resolve, no meetings are authorized and no expenses of any kind may be incurred or reimbursed.Amendment S-311 This amendment increases the membership of the task force from 14 to 16 members by adding one additional member of the House of Representatives and one additional member of the Senate and specifies that the House and Senate appointments must include a member from each of the 2 parties holding the largest number of seats in the Legislature, which conforms with Joint Rule 353. LD 1036 Chaptered Law LD 1036 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 1139 | An Act To Eliminate Restrictions on Capacity and the Number of Accounts for Net Energy Billing | Status: Referred to Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, April 23, 2019 | |
LD 1139 This bill provides that the Public Utilities Commission may not limit the installed capacity of an eligible facility or the number of accounts or meters a customer or shared ownership customer may designate for net energy billing. Current commission rules limit the capacity to 660 kilowatts and the number of meters or accounts to 10. |
LD 1186 | An Act To Address Electricity Costs of Agricultural Fairs (Emergency) | Status: Referred to Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-228, Enacted as an emergency measure, Signed into law May 30, 2019 | |
LD 1186 This bill provides that a transmission and distribution utility may not assess a person or entity licensed to hold an agricultural fair a demand charge in connection with electric power or service provided for an agricultural fair. Amendment H-228 This amendment replaces the bill. The amendment establishes a program administered by the Efficiency Maine Trust to help agricultural fairs reduce electricity costs through efficiency and conservation. The program includes outreach and technical assistance to agricultural fairs to identify opportunities to lower electricity costs and enroll agricultural fairs in existing programs offered by the trust as appropriate. The program also provides custom financial incentives to agricultural fairs to implement electric efficiency and conservation measures, including but not limited to measures to reduce peak electricity demand. Funds for the program are set at the total amount paid in demand charges by agricultural fairs in the State during the prior year and are collected from electricity customers by transmission and distribution utilities. The trust is required to report to the Legislature on the program in January 2022 and January 2024, and the program has a sunset date of June 30, 2024. The amendment also directs the Public Utilities Commission to examine rate design and related issues for electricity customers that, like agricultural fairs, have seasonal, limited-duration, concentrated load profiles. It requires the commission to submit a report on its findings and recommendations to the Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology and authorizes the committee to report out a bill to the Second Regular Session of the 129th Legislature based on the report. LD 1186 Chaptered Law LD 1186 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 1393 | An Act To Change the Requirements for Recording Plans at the County Registries of Deeds | Status: Referred to State and Local Government Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-291, Enacted, Signed into law June 20, 2019 | |
LD 1393 This bill makes the following changes to the laws governing recording plans in a registry of deeds.
Amendment H-291 This amendment sets the 20-pound weight for paper as the minimum weight for recording plans at the county registries of deeds. The amendment requires that a digital image be at least 300 dots per inch or 300 pixels per inch. The amendment retains the last paragraph of the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 33, section 652 in current law, which regards standards for the reproduction of copies. The fiscal note on the amendment identifies certain clerical changes in this bill as amended 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 certain changes in this legislation, such as the size of the register's block and the minimum weight of paper, do not require a registry of deeds to expand or modify its activities. The committee finds that these changes and others in this legislation, such as the minimum size of plans, do not apply to the activities of a registry of deeds but to members of the public. The committee finds that the changes to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 33, section 652, subsection 5 that remove microfiche and microfilm as options for public copies while retaining the option of paper or digital copies do not necessitate additional expenditures from local revenue. Microfiche and microfilm copies require use of separate equipment and a physical storage space. Digital copies do not require either of these and are, therefore, likely to result in savings for a registry of deeds. The committee finds that the requirement that a registry of deeds microfilm each plan for archival purposes conforms to current archival practice as established by the State Archivist and is not a new requirement. LD 1393 Chaptered Law LD 1393 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 1708 | An Act To Provide for the Merger of Hospital Administrative District No. 4 into MRH Corp., a Maine Nonprofit, Nonstock Private Corporation (Emergency) | Status: Referred to State and Local Government Committee, Amended by Committee amendemnt H-537 and Senate amendment S-367, Enacted as an emergency measure, Signed into law June 26, 2019 | |
LD 1708 Private and Special Law 1973, chapter 76 created the charter for Hospital Administrative District No. 4, which is served by Mayo Regional Hospital. While the charter allows for the dissolution of the district, it does not provide for the merger. The effect of this bill is to authorize Mayo Regional Hospital to merge into a new entity known as MRH Corp., a Maine nonprofit, nonstock private corporation that has as its sole member Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems and, upon the effective date of the merger, dissolve the district. MRH Corp. is required to continue to serve the health care needs of the communities served by the district. Amendment H-537 This amendment clarifies that Hospital Administrative District No. 4 is the party to the merger and that the district's quasi-municipal rights, privileges and immunities do not transfer to the new nonprofit corporation created by the merger. It clarifies that upon the merger, Mayo Regional Hospital is no longer a municipally funded hospital under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 36, section 2891. It adds reference to the advisory vote of the district inhabitants required by Private and Special Law 2019, chapter 5. It conditions the merger on the assumption by the new corporation of all the obligations and liabilities of the district. It removes the exemption from antitrust laws and stipulates that the merger is subject to the certificate of need process outlined in Title 22, chapter 103-A. It requires the Secretary of State to notify the Joint Standing Committee on State and Local Government when the articles of merger have been filed with and accepted by the Secretary of State. It requires the joint standing committee, once notified that the articles of merger have been accepted, to introduce legislation to repeal the district charter and remove reference to Mayo Regional Hospital from Maine's tax code. The amendment also adds an appropriations and allocations section. Amendment S-367 This amendment strikes and replaces the appropriations and allocations section. LD 1708 Chaptered Law LD 1708 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 1754 | An Act To Amend the Geologist and Soil Scientist Licensing Laws | Status: Referred to Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business Committee, Enacted, Signed into law June 13, 2019 | |
LD 1754 This bill establishes a new pathway to licensure for persons who seek to become licensed soil scientists. The new pathway allows individuals with an associate degree in soil science or another natural resources field to qualify with specific documented work experience to take required state and national exams. Current law requires a 4-year undergraduate degree in soil science. The bill also allows applicants for geologist and soil scientist licenses to take certain required examinations prior to completing all work experience requirements. The bill also updates licensing terminology and deletes outdated provisions. LD 1754 Chaptered Law LD 1754 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 14 | An Act To Improve Science and Engineering Education for Maine's Students | Status: Referred to Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, March 7, 2019 | |
LD 14 This bill requires the Department of Education to include the so-called Next Generation Science Standards for kindergarten to grade 12 in the State's system of learning results and assessment and directs the Commissioner of Education to amend Department of Education rules on or before December 31, 2019 in order to include the science standards as part of the State's system of learning results and assessment beginning with the 2021-2022 school year. |
LD 31 | An Act Regarding Rules Adopted by the ConnectME Authority | Status: Referred to Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, Enacted, Signed into law March 7, 2019 | |
LD 31 This bill changes the designation of rules adopted by the ConnectME Authority from major substantive to routine technical. LD 31 Chaptered Law LD 31 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 139 | An Act To Address the Unmet Workforce Needs of Employers and To Improve the Economic Future of Workers | Status: Referred to Labor and Housing Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-82, Enacted, Signed into law April 30, 2019 | |
LD 139 This bill makes a number of changes to the Competitive Skills Scholarship Program administered by the Department of Labor, including the following.
This bill also amends the laws governing the employment of minors 16 and 17 years of age, providing that such a minor may be employed in an otherwise hazardous occupation for which the minor has been trained or certified from a vocational, career and technical or cooperative education program approved by the Department of Education only if the minor has graduated from the program and has graduated from high school.
LD 139 Chaptered Law LD 139 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 147 | An Act To Extend Internet Availability in Rural Maine (Emergency) | Status: Referred to Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-43, Enacted as an emergency measure, Signed into law April 23, 2019 | |
LD 147 This bill provides one-time funding for 2 years for a program that provides mobile wireless hot spot devices to libraries in Washington County. Amendment H-43 This amendment replaces the bill. The amendment adds language to the law governing the telecommunications education access fund to:
LD 147 Chaptered Law LD 147 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 167 | An Act To Prevent Food Shaming in Maine's Public Schools | Status: Referred to Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-91, Enacted, Signed into law April 26, 2019 | |
LD 167 This bill does the following.
Amendment H-91 This amendment does the following.
LD 167 Chaptered Law LD 167 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 176 | An Act To Enhance Participation on the State Board of Education | Status: Referred to Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-29, Enacted, Signed into law June 20, 2019 | |
LD 176 This bill eliminates the provision in current law prohibiting teachers and school administrators from serving on the State Board of Education. It also provides that a teacher or school administrator serving on the state board must be granted release time for attendance at state board meetings. Any cost related to the release time is the responsibility of the state board. Amendment H-29 This amendment clarifies that the State Board of Education is responsible for the costs of a substitute teacher when a teacher is granted release time to serve on the State Board of Education. It also adds an appropriations and allocations section. LD 176 Chaptered Law LD 176 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 211 | An Act To Open Maine's Primaries and Permit Unenrolled Voters To Cast Ballots in Primary Elections | Status: Referred to Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, Dead, Concurrence in Ought Not to Pass, May 28, 2019 | |
LD 211 This bill allows an unenrolled voter to vote in a primary election without having to enroll in a political party. An unenrolled voter may vote in only one party's primary election. |
LD 215 | An Act To Increase the Reimbursement Rate for Ambulance Service Paid by the Department of Corrections | Status: Referred to Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, Enacted in the House as amended by Committee amendment H-283, tabled to Special Appropriations in the Senate May 29, 2019, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322 | |
LD 215 This bill requires the Department of Corrections, or its contracted medical provider, to pay to a provider of ambulance services 225% of the allowable reimbursement under the MaineCare program for ambulance services provided for a person residing in a correctional or detention facility. Amendment H-283 This amendment incorporates a fiscal note. LD 215 fiscal note LD 215 Amendment H-283 fiscal note |
LD 233 | An Act To Move the Bureau of Parks and Lands from the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife | Status: Referred to Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, May 2, 2019 | |
LD 233 This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208. This bill proposes to move the Bureau of Parks and Lands from the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. |
LD 236 | An Act Regarding the Use of Unanticipated State Aid for Kindergarten to Grade 12 Education | Status: Referred to Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, Dead, Concurrence in Ought Not to Pass, March 26, 2019 | |
LD 236 This bill requires the warrant presented to the legislative body of the regional school unit to include an article describing how unanticipated school aid will be used. In cases where the adjustment prevents the regional school unit board from raising 100% of the required local share, the Commissioner of Education must waive the required proration of the state share. |
LD 288 | Resolve, Establishing the Commission To Create a Statewide Economic Development Plan (Emergency) | Status: Referred to Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, February 21, 2019 | |
LD 288 This resolve establishes the Commission To Create a Statewide Economic Development Plan to study economic development issues and create a strategic, regionally focused economic development plan. |
LD 295 | An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Increase Rural Maine's Access to Broadband Internet Service | Status: Referred to Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee, Public hearing held February 19, 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 295 The funds provided by this bond issue, in the amount of $100,000,000, will be used for the provision of broadband Internet service in unserved and underserved areas through ConnectME Authority grants to partnerships between private, municipal and nongovernmental service providers. |
LD 301 | An Act To Help Older Adults Age in Place through Comprehensive Planning | Status: Referred to State and Local Government Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-31, Enacted, Signed into law April 19, 2019 | |
LD 301 This bill encourages municipalities to develop policies that assist older adults with aging in place and that create age-friendly communities. It amends the law governing comprehensive plans by encouraging municipalities to plan for the needs of older adults in their communities. Amendment H-31 This amendment amends the definition of age-friendly community in the bill to clarify that it refers to older adults. LD 301 Chaptered Law LD 301 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 371 | An Act To Create the Small Communities Tourism Fund | Status: Referred to Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, May 21, 2019 | |
LD 371 This bill establishes the Small Communities Tourism Fund in the Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of Tourism to issue grants to small communities to promote tourism and events. |
LD 394 | An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Provide for Student Loan Debt Relief | Status: Referred to Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee, Work session held May 16, 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 394 The funds provided by this bond issue, in the amount of $50,000,000, will be used to provide funds to the Finance Authority of Maine for zero-interest student loans and loan consolidation or refinancing interest rate reductions for certain Maine residents who agree to live and work in Maine for at least 5 years. The bill creates the Maine Student Loan Debt Relief Program. Under the program, zero-interest loans up to $10,000 per year for a maximum of 5 years are available to certain Maine residents who study at qualified in-state institutions of higher education and agree to live and work in Maine for at least 5 years following graduation. Loans bearing an annual interest rate of the prime rate of interest plus 2% are available to those who do not live and work in the State upon graduation. The Finance Authority of Maine may provide interest rate reduction payments to residents who use the authority's existing loan consolidation and refinancing program. This option is available to individuals who studied in Maine or outside of Maine and agree to live and work in Maine for at least 5 years. The bill exempts from Maine income tax any benefits received under the program to the extent included in federal adjusted gross income and prohibits individuals who have received benefits under the program from receiving the Maine educational opportunity tax credit. |
LD 435 | An Act To Provide for the 2019 and 2020 Allocations of the State Ceiling on Private Activity Bonds (Emergency) | Status: Referred to Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business Committee, Amended by Committee amendment S-8, Enacted as an emergency measure, Signed into law April 5, 2019 | |
LD 435 This bill establishes the allocations of the state ceiling on issuance of tax-exempt private activity bonds for calendar years 2019 and 2020 among the state-level issuers of tax-exempt bonds. Amendment S-8 This amendment incorporates a fiscal note. LD 435 Chaptered Law LD 435 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 451 | An Act To Repeal the Recently Enacted Changes to the Law Governing Tax Lien Foreclosure | Status: Referred to Taxation Committee, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, February 18, 2020 | |
LD 451 This bill repeals or removes the changes to the foreclosure law that were made by Public Law 2017, chapter 478. Under that law, a municipality is restricted in how it may sell a foreclosed property that was owned by a person who is at least 65 years of age, occupied the property as a homestead and meets specified income and asset requirements. The law also places specific notice requirements regarding the foreclosure process on the State Tax Assessor and municipalities and provides for continuous eligibility under the Maine resident homestead property tax exemption for a person who loses ownership of a homestead to tax lien foreclosure and subsequently regains ownership of the homestead; these provisions are also removed by this bill. |
LD 541 | Resolve, To Reduce Food Waste in Schools | Status: Referred to Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-255, Finally passed, Signed into law June 3, 2019 | |
LD 541 This resolve directs the Department of Education to develop a school food sharing policy to encourage schools and food banks to work together to collect whole and packaged school cafeteria surplus or leftover food and share it with the community. Amendment H-255 This amendment directs the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention to collaborate to revise and disseminate by January 1, 2020 to public school food service programs throughout the State the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention's health inspection program guidance titled "Food Sharing Tables - Guidance for Schools." LD 541 Chaptered Law LD 541 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 581 | An Act To Direct Electric Utilities To Provide Comparative Usage Data on Customer Billing Statements | Status: Referred to Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-108, Enacted, Signed into law May 8, 2019 | |
LD 581 This bill requires a transmission and distribution utility to provide on the utility's billing statement to a customer information concerning the previous 24 months of the customer's energy usage comparing same-month usage data between the first year of usage and the 2nd year of usage. Amendment H-108 This amendment limits the applicability of the requirements of the bill to investor-owned transmission and distribution utilities, rather than all transmission and distribution utilities, and to customer bills for residential, small commercial and medium commercial customers, rather than all customers. The amendment also allows the Public Utilities Commission to waive the requirements if it finds these requirements to be unduly burdensome or cost-prohibitive for an investor-owned transmission and distribution utility for the portion of the utility's service territory located in an area of this State in which the retail market is administered by the independent system administrator for northern Maine. LD 581 Chaptered Law LD 581 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 651 | Resolve, To Facilitate School Access to Federal Title I Funds and Improve the Delivery of Special Education Services | Status: Referred to Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-154, Enacted, Signed into law May 16, 2019 | |
LD 651 This bill makes the following changes to the laws governing special education.
Amendment H-154 This amendment replaces the bill with a resolve. The amendment directs the Department of Education to report to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs no later than January 1, 2020 on progress, including recommendations and suggested legislation, on the following:
LD 651 Chaptered Law LD 651 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 672 | An Act To Allow Local Flexibility in Teacher Assignment To Enhance Student Achievement | Status: Referred to Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, Dead, Concurrence in Ought Not to Pass, April 23, 2019 | |
LD 672 This bill allows a holder of a professional teacher certificate to teach no more than 20% of the teacher's teaching assignment outside the teacher's area of endorsement. It also requires a superintendent to notify and provide certain details to the Commissioner of Education when a teacher is assigned to teach outside the teacher's area of endorsement. |
LD 786 | An Act To Reduce Hunger and Promote Maine Agriculture | Status: Referred to Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee, Amended by Committee amendment S-81, Enacted, Signed into law June 28, 2019 | |
LD 786 This bill provides an appropriation to allow the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to contract with a nonprofit organization that provides statewide hunger relief services to allow that organization to:
Amendment S-81 This amendment decreases the ongoing annual General fund appropriation to the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry for statewide hunger relief services from $2,500,000 to $1,500,000. LD 786 Chaptered Law LD 786 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 836 | An Act To Expand Maine's School-based Health Centers | Status: Referred to Health and Human Services Committee, Enacted in the House as amended by Committee amendment H-158, tabled to Special Appropriations in the Senate May 8, 2019, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322 | |
LD 836 This bill provides ongoing funding to the school-based health centers within the Fund for a Healthy Maine program within the Department of Health and Human Services to add an additional 15 school-based health center sites. Amendment H-158 This amendment, which is the majority report of the committee, removes the reference to 15 new school-based health centers from the bill but retains the funding amount. The Department of Health and Human Services distributes the funding through a request for proposals process for the number of sites the funding will support. LD 836 fiscal note LD 836 Amendment H-158 fiscal note |
LD 854 | An Act To Improve Tax Incentives for Broadband Service | Status: Referred to Taxation Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-385, Enacted, Signed into law June 10, 2019 | |
LD 854 This bill expands the allowable use of tax increment financing to include development, expansion or improvement of broadband services, including connecting to broadband service outside the tax increment financing district. Amendment H-385 This amendment clarifies the circumstances under which tax increment financing project costs may include broadband and fiber optics expansion projects that serve residential or other nonbusiness or noncommercial areas within a municipality or plantation. LD 854 Chaptered Law LD 854 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 859 | An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Fund Equipment for Career and Technical Education Centers and Regions | Status: Referred to Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322, Work session March 12, 2020, carried over in the same posture to any special session of the 129th Legislature pursuant to Joint Order SP 788 | |
LD 859 The funds provided by this bond issue, in the amount of $40,000,000, will be used to provide funds to make capital improvements to and purchase equipment for career and technical education centers and regions for high school students. |
LD 874 | An Act To Conform the Clean Election Financing Laws to the Judicially Determined Procedures | Status: Referred to Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, March 14, 2019 | |
LD 874 This bill codifies the decision of the Superior Court in Maine Citizens for Clean Elections v. LePage, No. CV-18-112, 2018 (Me. Super. Ct., Ken. Cty., August 2, 2018). The bill authorizes the Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices to expend existing revenues from the Maine Clean Election Fund in excess of the current year allocations without first obtaining a financial order approved by the Governor, solely for the purpose of making distributions required by the Maine Clean Election Act to certified candidates. |
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 943 | An Act To Allow Laser Spine Surgery in the State | Status: Referred to Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, April 11, 2019 | |
LD 943 This bill allows the use of lasers during spine surgery. |
LD 1051 | An Act To Create the Maine Family First Employer Program | Status: Referred to Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business Committee, Work session held April 30, 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 1051 This bill creates the Maine Family First Employer Program under the Department of Labor to award employers that create family-friendly workplaces by providing, for all full-time employees, advancement and leadership opportunities; the same pay rates for similar work; stipends or assistance for child care; paid leave for the birth or adoption of a child and medical care for employees or family members of employees; flexible work accommodations for other family obligations; and health insurance and retirement plan options. The awards are presented by the Governor and come with a logo that a designated employer may use for promotional purposes. |
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 1118 | An Act To Give the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Rule-making Authority To Establish a Bear Season Framework and Bag Limits | Status: Referred to Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322, Work session held January 29, 2020, carried over in the same posture to any special session of the 129th Legislature pursuant to Joint Order SP 788 | |
LD 1118 This bill allows the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to establish bear hunting and trapping season dates by rule. It reduces the cost of a resident bear hunting permit and a resident bear trapping permit from $27 to $10, and it also repeals the 2-bear limit in statute and instead refers to the bag limit set in rule. |
LD 1187 | An Act To Apply the Same Auditing Standards to All Legislative Candidates | Status: Referred to Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, Enacted in the House as amended by Committee amendment H-313, tabled to Special Appropriations in the Senate May 30, 2019, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322 | |
LD 1187 This bill directs the Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices to conduct random audits of political action committees that are required to file campaign finance reports with the commission and candidates for state office, including candidates for Governor, State Senator, State Representative and presidential elector. The bill directs the commission to adopt rules to implement this requirement. The rules must direct the commission to audit an equal percentage of candidates for state office who are certified as Maine Clean Election Act candidates, candidates for state office who are not certified as Maine Clean Election Act candidates and political action committees. The rules must also establish standard auditing requirements to be applied to each candidate and political action committee. Amendment H-313 This amendment, which is the majority report of the committee, strikes and replaces the bill and title. Under current practice, the Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices uses funding from the Maine Clean Election Fund established in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 21-A, section 1124 to contract with independent auditors to conduct random post-election audits of 20% of the legislative candidates who are certified as Maine Clean Election Act candidates. The amendment provides an ongoing General Fund appropriation to the Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices to contract with independent auditors to conduct random post-election audits of 20% of legislative candidates who are not certified as Maine Clean Election Act candidates. LD 1187 Amendment H-313 fiscal note |
LD 1220 | An Act To Remove Certain Restrictions Imposed on Retired State Employees Who Return to Work | Status: Referred to Labor and Housing Committee, Enacted in the House as amended by Committee amendment H-566, tabled to Special Appropriations in the Senate June 14, 2019, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322 | |
LD 1220 This bill amends the provisions of the Maine Public Employees Retirement System regarding compensation and service retirement benefits for retired state employees and retired teachers who return to service as classroom-based employees or school administrators in the following ways.
Amendment H-566 This amendment is the majority report of the committee and replaces the bill. It amends the provisions of the Maine Public Employees Retirement System regarding compensation and service retirement benefits for retired state employees, retired teachers and retired school administrators who return to service as classroom-based employees or school administrators in the following ways.
LD 1220 Amendment H-566 fiscal note |
LD 1246 | An Act To Protect the Health and Safety of Maine State Park Visitors and Staff | Status: Referred to Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee, Enacted, Signed into law May 14, 2019 | |
LD 1246 This bill requires the Director of the Bureau of Parks and Lands within the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to determine minimum levels of staffing for all state parks, except Baxter State Park, and historic sites and national parks that are controlled and managed by the State. The bill also requires the director to consider a list of factors, including, but not limited to, visitor capacity limits, availability of emergency response services and emergency planning issues specific to a park or historic site, when making a determination of staffing levels for each park or historic site. LD 1246 Chaptered Law LD 1246 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 1263 | An Act Regarding Telehealth | Status: Referred to Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services Committee, Amended by Committee amendment S-176, Enacted, Signed into law June 13, 2019 | |
LD 1263 This bill does the following.
Amendment S-176 This amendment does the following.
LD 1263 Chaptered Law LD 1263 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 1350 | An Act To Improve Rural Health Care | Status: Referred to Environment and Natural Resources Committee, Enacted in the House as amended by Committee amendment S-259, tabled to Special Appropriations in the Senate June 12, 2019, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322 | |
LD 1350 This bill provides that, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2019, student loan payments made by a taxpayer's employer directly to a lender on behalf of a qualified health care employee are not included in federal adjusted gross income for Maine income tax purposes. The bill also directs the Department of Health and Human Services to amend its rule Chapter 101: MaineCare Benefits Manual, Chapter II and Chapter III regarding reimbursement to rural and nonrural hospitals, acute care critical access hospitals and rural health clinics. Amendment S-259 This amendment makes the following changes to the bill.
LD 1350 Amendment S-259 fiscal note |
LD 1502 | An Act To Expand Access to the Workforce through Apprenticeships | Status: Referred to Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business Committee, Dead, Joint rule 310.3, May 14, 2019 | |
LD 1502 This bill establishes an alternative path to licensure through apprenticeship for certain professions. The bill requires that, beginning January 1, 2020, the appropriate licensing authority grant to a person that has successfully completed 8th grade, passed any required examinations and completed an approved apprenticeship a license to practice as:
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LD 1553 | An Act Directing That the Towns Constituting Hospital Administrative District No. 4 Hold a Vote on the Proposed Merger with Northern Light Health (Emergency) | Status: Referred to State and Local Government Committee, Amended by Committee amendment S-63, Enacted as an emergency measure, Signed into law April 25, 2019 | |
LD 1553 This bill requires that, notwithstanding any applicable notice requirements, each of the towns of Abbot, Atkinson, Bradford, Cambridge, Dexter, Dover-Foxcroft, Guilford, Milo, Monson, Parkman, Sangerville, Sebec and Willimantic hold an advisory vote no later than April 30, 2019 on the proposed merger of Hospital Administrative District No. 4 with Northern Light Health. Unless a town's charter otherwise provides, the vote must be taken at a town meeting. The results of the vote in each town must be declared by the municipal officers of the town and transmitted to the board of directors of Hospital Administrative District No. 4. Amendment S-63 This amendment adds a mandate preamble to the bill. This amendment changes the date for the advisory vote from April 30, 2019 to May 7, 2019. This amendment also corrects the date of the merger agreement. LD 1553 Chaptered Law LD 1553 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 1584 | An Act To Attract, Build and Retain an Early Childhood Education Workforce through Increased Training, Education and Career Pathways | Status: Referred to Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business Committee, Enacted in the House as amended by Committee amendment H-464, tabled to Special Appropriations in the Senate June 10, 2019, carried over to any regular or special session per Joint Order HP 1322 | |
LD 1584 This bill requires the Commissioner of Health and Human Services, the Commissioner of Education and the Commissioner of Labor jointly to develop and implement an early childhood educators workforce support program to recruit and retain early childhood educators working with children up to 5 years of age. Components of the program include:
Amendment H-464 This amendment requires the Commissioner of Health and Human Services to collect and review early childhood educators workforce data and, on a biennial basis, conduct a review of the adequacy of the pathways to early childhood education careers. It requires the Commissioner of Health and Human Services, the Commissioner of Education and the Commissioner of Labor to collaborate with local adult education providers of school administrative units, apprenticeship sponsors, career and technical education programs, the Maine Community College System and the University of Maine System to create articulation agreements between these entities for the transfer of credits for course work related to early childhood education and to facilitate enrollment in courses that lead to the issuance of a postsecondary degree by a degree-granting institution. It also requires the commissioners to collaborate with these same entities to provide support for individuals, including immigrants and other populations lacking experience in Maine's workforce, who require foundational skills development to enter and succeed in early childhood education courses, including but not limited to English as a second language, literacy, numeracy and employability skills. LD 1584 fiscal note LD 1584 Amendment H-464 fiscal note |
LD 2044 | An Act To Increase the Death Benefit for Firefighters, Law Enforcement Officers and Emergency Medical Services Personnel | Status: Referred to Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, Amended by Committee amendment H-762, Enacted as an emergency measure, Signed into law March 18, 2020 | |
LD 2044 This bill increases the death benefit for a law enforcement officer, firefighter or emergency medical services person who has died while in the line of duty from $50,000 to $75,000 through June 30, 2021. For deaths occurring after June 30, 2021, the Department of Administrative and Financial Services is required to adopt rules to annually calculate an increase in the death benefit based on the previous year's increase in the Consumer Price Index. Amendment H-762 LD 2044 Chaptered Law LD 2044 Chaptered Law fiscal note |
LD 2092 | Resolve, To Establish the Maine Spaceport Complex Leadership Council | Status: Referred to Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business Committee, Work session held March 12, 2020, carried over in the same posture to any special session of the 129th Legislature pursuant to Joint Order SP 788 | |
LD 2092 This resolve establishes the Maine Spaceport Complex Leadership Council, a public-private partnership of private space flight commercial interests and local, state and federal government and academic entities, to lead the development and implementation of a spaceport complex in the State and to orchestrate engagement with external stakeholders and investors. The resolve requires the council to create a strategic plan and, by December 31, 2021, to present the plan to the Governor and to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over economic development matters. |