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Good morning from Augusta,
Democrats and Republicans at the Legislature remained deadlocked on the supplemental budget this week which created a diversion for most to focus on other matters. Senate Republicans were advocating to rein in spending that is allocated to general assistance and Democrats refused to budge from their position. The House provided bi-partisan support and a 2/3rd’s vote to implement the budget upon passage but the Senate did not and the bill ultimately died between the House and Senate in non-concurrence. We are hearing that might try to pass a majority budget for the next fiscal year before March 31st, similar to what they did in prior years, and include the supplemental budget amounts. If passed, this would go into effect in 90 days and provide supplemental funds before the end of the current fiscal year and also provide funds for the next biennium. Stay tuned as the gamesmanship seems to have hit an all-time high in Augusta.
Last week the PLC signed onto a coalition letter with 29 other organizations in opposition to LD 799, “An Act to Report Gender Wage Gaps”. This bill would require Maine companies with one or more employees to report annually the number of male, female and nonbinary employees in the employer's employ, the median hourly equivalent rates of pay of all male, female and nonbinary employees in the employer's employ and the gender wage gap calculation. The testimony in opposition can be found here. This bill is scheduled for a work session on Wednesday next week.
In addition to LD 799, we testified in support of LD 750, “Resolve, Regarding Legislative Review of Portions of Chapter 27: Standards for Timber Harvesting and Timber Harvesting Related Activities Within Unorganized and Deorganized Areas of the State, a Major Substantive Rule of the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Bureau of Forestry”. LD 750 is a direct result of the rule-making process that took place in the fall of 2024 regarding Chapter 27. Rulemaking was triggered by statute when a majority of municipalities adopted statewide standards in 2024. Statewide standards are important to the timber harvesting community because they provide consistency of rules for timber harvesting in a shoreland zone from municipality to municipality.
The updated rule establishes a state-wide shoreland protection standard for timber harvesting in the organized and deorganized territories. We believe this is a positive change that will remove inconsistencies when harvesting within a shoreland zone. Our testimony can be found here.
Next week, we continue to play defense against bad policy that will have a negative impact on your businesses in the Labor Committee as well as the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee. More information on those policies can be found below.
You can also follow along this session with our most recent bill tracker that can be found here.
If there are issues affecting your businesses, big or small, we want to hear about them.
Have a good weekend,
Dana
If you are interested in testifying on any piece of legislation no matter the subject, please reach out to Ben Grant and he would be happy to assist you. He can be reached on his cell at 207-598-6223 or his email at ben@plcloggers.org. Senators and Representatives like to hear from the people in their districts as it helps provide knowledge to shape policy decisions.
Last Week’s Legislative Activity – March 10 – March 14, 2025
Wednesday, March 12th
LD 799, “An Act to Report Gender Wage Gaps”, (Rep. Amy Roeder (D-Bangor) Public Hearing - Labor Committee. (Oppose)
More information on LD 799 can be found above.
The PLC signed onto joint coalition testimony in opposition to LD 799 which included 29 associations and trade organizations. The testimony can be found here.
Thursday, March 13th
LD 750, “Resolve, Regarding Legislative Review of Portions of Chapter 27: Standards for Timber Harvesting and Timber Harvesting Related Activities Within Unorganized and Deorganized Areas of the State, a Major Substantive Rule of the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Bureau of Forestry”, (Rep. Bill Pluecker (I-Warren)) Public Hearing – ACF Committee (Support)
More information on LD 750 can be found above.
The PLC testified in support of the updated Chapter 27 Standards. Our testimony can be found here.
Next Week’s Legislative Activity – March 17 – March 21, 2025
Tuesday, March 18th
LD 402, ”An Act to Move the Natural Areas Program from the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and to Amend the Law Governing Administration of the Bureau of Resource Management Within the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife”, Rep. Jim Dill (D-Old Town) Public Hearing – ACF Committee (Support)
This bill repeals the laws governing the Maine Natural Areas Program (MNAP) administered by the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and reassigns certain responsibilities under the program to the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife IFW). The PLC supports this consolidation of MNAP to IFW.
LD 750, “Resolve, Regarding Legislative Review of Portions of Chapter 27: Standards for Timber Harvesting and Timber Harvesting Related Activities Within Unorganized and Deorganized Areas of the State, a Major Substantive Rule of the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Bureau of Forestry”, (Rep. Bill Pluecker (I-Warren) Work Session – ACF Committee (Support)
More information on LD 750 can be found above.
The PLC testified in support of the updated Chapter 27 Standards. Our testimony can be found here.
Wednesday, March 19th
LD 599, “An Act to Codify the Federal Salary Threshold for Overtime Pay”, (Sen. Mike Tipping (D-Penobscot)) Public Hearing – Labor Committee (Oppose)
This bill codifies the federal paid overtime salary threshold for a salaried employee by adding the salary level of $58,656 per year. The federal standard must be followed in Maine but codifying it ties the state’s hands if the federal threshold changes in the future. There is no need for this legislation.
LD 797, “An Act to Amend the Laws Regarding Work Search Efforts for Unemployment Benefits and to Eliminate Benefits for Temporary Unemployment”, (Sen. Trey Stewart (R-Aroostook) Public Hearing – Labor Committee (Oppose)
Removes the work search waiver and benefits for workers who are temporarily unemployed with a recall date. We are currently working with the sponsor to amend the bill and eliminate this change.
Thursday, March 20th
LD 371, “An Act to Expand Hydroelectric Development by Removing the 100-megawatt Cap”, (Sen. Joe Martin (R-Oxford), Public Hearing – Energy, Utilities, and Technology Committee (Oppose)
This bill provides that sources of electrical generation relying on hydroelectric generators are not subject to a limit of 100 megawatts of power production capacity. The bill also amends the law governing the criteria that must be met for the Department of Environmental Protection to approve a hydropower project. The bill requires the department to make a decision on a complete application for a project within six months of the date the complete application is received. It also clarifies that an approved hydropower project may operate at its full nameplate capacity subject to the requirements of applicable laws and rules. The PLC is opposed to this change because it puts biomass at a disadvantage compared to hydroelectric generation.
LD 638, “An Act to Create Equal Opportunity Access to Clean Energy by Removing the 100-megawatt Limit on Clean Energy Sources,” (Rep. Donnie Ardell (R-Monticello), Public Hearing – Energy, Utilities, and Technology Committee (Oppose)
This bill removes the 100-megawatt maximum capacity limit for a source of electrical generation to qualify as a renewable resource for purposes of meeting the State's renewable resource portfolio requirement. The PLC opposes this change because it will only serve to benefit hydroelectric generation and will not benefit biomass.