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Good morning from Augusta,
The Legislature is now operating on screech with policy committees in overdrive as they work through an overwhelming number of bills. At the moment, more than 1,700 bills have been printed, with another 500 or so still in the pipeline waiting to be printed and referred to committee. Committees are working diligently to move legislation to the floor of the House and Senate, but unfortunately, have moved very few bills, creating an inevitable logjam that will likely be addressed in a last-minute marathon at the end of the session.
High profile distractions such as the budget, Laurel Libby censure and efforts to affirm gender identity are drawing attention away from the pressing issues truly affecting our industry. Legislators seem increasingly out of touch and are continuing to chip away at what little capacity Maine’s business community has left.
Looking ahead, we’re bracing for 14 public hearings scheduled for Wednesday, April 23rd at 1:00 p.m. on the Maine Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) program. The committee plans to take testimony on all fourteen bills at once and members of the public will be given just four minutes to comment on all of them combined.
This format is unprecedented and deeply concerning. Each of these bills is unique, some call for a full repeal, others for delays, or targeted exemptions. They deserve individual consideration, and Wednesday’s hearing is shaping up to be a legislative circus, carried out at the expense of Maine’s business owners.
You can find the public hearing notice for the PFML bills here.
In addition to the PFML bills, LD 1313, An Act to Promote Equity in the Forest Products Industry by Allowing Commercial Wood Haulers to Be Eligible for Certain Sales Tax Exemptions and Refunds has been scheduled for its first work session on Tuesday at 1 pm in the Taxation Committee. LD 1313, will provide a permanent sales tax exemption on log trucks, trailers, service trucks, and pick-up trucks used primarily in commercial wood harvesting. We will be in attendance to answer any questions the committee may have, and we remain hopeful to gain their full support for a favorable outcome.
We are happy to report that LD 1212, Resolve, to Study Opportunities for the Efficiency Maine Trust to Support the Promotion and Use of Modern Wood Heating had a work session in the Energy Utilities and Technology Committee on Thursday. This bill, sponsored by Senator Matt Harrington (R-York), would require the Efficiency Maine Trust, in collaboration with the Department of Economic and Community Development, to work with representatives of the modern wood heating system industry to study and make recommendations relating to programs and incentives encouraging the promotion and use of modern wood heating systems in the State. The resolve was passed unanimously with a unanimous Ought to Pass as amended report, which expanded the scope to include wood stoves to be included in modern wood heating. The PLC testified in support of LD 1212.
Earlier this week, our fourth priority bill was released by the Revisor’s Office. This bill, which has not yet been assigned an LD number, creates a revolving loan fund for logging contractors and commercial fishermen to purchase harvesting equipment with a 2% interest rate. The program mirrors the Agriculture Marketing Loan Fund, which is available to farmers in Maine and would provide parity to the logging and fishing heritage industries. We were successful in securing great bipartisan support for the bill with the following sponsors: Sen. Rick Bennett (R-Oxford), Sen. Sue Bernard (R-Aroostook), Sen. Craig Hickman (D-Kennebec), Rep. Morgan Rielly (D-Westbrook), Minority Leader Rep. Faulkingham (R-Winter Harbor), Rep. Nate Wadsworth (R-Hiram), Rep. Laurie Osher (D-Old Town), Rep. Bill Pluecker (I-Warren), Rep. Amanda Collamore (R-Pittsfield), and Rep. Lucien Daigle (R-Fort Kent).
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.
Bills we are tracking this session including the PFML bills can be found here.
If there are issues affecting your businesses, big or small, we want to hear about them.
Have a great weekend and stay in touch,
Dana
Last Week’s Legislative Activity – April 14 – April 18, 2025
Tuesday, April 15
LD 588, An Act to Enact the Agricultural Employees Concerted Activity Protection Act, Sen. Rachel Talbot Ross (D-Cumberland), Work Session– Labor Committee (Oppose)
This bill enacts the Agricultural Employees Concerted Activity Protection Act, which gives agricultural employees of agricultural employers the right to engage in certain concerted activity. The PLC Testified in opposition to LD 588.and asked the committee to amend the bill and remove forestry workers. The Democrats on the committee ignored our request and the bill was voted in committee with a divided report. The majority report as ought to pass and the minority report was ought not to pass. The Governor is likely to veto this legislation.
Wednesday, April 16
LD 191, An Act to Support Maine Businesses by Establishing a Pass-through Entity Tax and Tax Credit, Rep. Tavis Hasenfus (D-Winthrop), Public Hearing – Taxation Committee (Support)
This bill allows a member of a pass-through entity a credit of 90% of the member's share of Maine income taxes paid as a pass-through entity.
The PLC signed on to a coalition letter supporting LD 191.
LD 1587, An Act to Establish Greater Alignment of Penalties for Certain Labor Law Violations, Rep. Matthew Beck (D-South Portland), Public Hearing – Labor Committee (Oppose)
This bill codifies into the Maine Revised Statutes provisions of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 and creates a criminal penalty for any person who intentionally or knowingly violates the employment practices laws or the laws governing preference to Maine works and contractors. A person convicted of a willful violation is subject to a fine of not more than $10,000 or to imprisonment of not more than 6 months, or both, except that a person may not be imprisoned unless that person has been previously found guilty of willfully violating these laws. The Director of Labor Standards within the Department of Labor may refer these violations to the Attorney General for prosecution. The Attorney General must respond to the director within 30 days of receiving the referral, indicating whether the Attorney General will prosecute the case. If the Attorney General declines to prosecute, the Attorney General must provide to the director the reasons for the denial.
This bill also requires that any information related to these willful violations must be included in the department's annual report, including any fines sought or collected by the department, the number of referrals made by the director and the number of referrals declined by the Attorney General, including the reasons for the denials.
The PLC testified in Opposition to LD 1587.
LD 1210, An Act to Regarding Renewable Electricity Generation by Hydropower Projects, Sen. Brad Farrin (R-Somerset) Work Session – Environment and Natural Resources Committee (Support)
This bill amends the laws regulating the Department of Environmental Protection's process for approving or disapproving a permit for a hydropower project and for issuing or denying a water quality certification for a hydropower project as required under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. It requires the department, in determining whether to approve or deny a permit, or issue or deny a water quality certification, to consider the effect of that approval, disapproval, issuance or denial on the State's renewable energy, decarbonization and economic development policies and goals; the environmental and economic benefits to the State of the hydroelectric generation provided by the project; and, taking those factors into consideration, whether approval of the permit or issuance of the certification for the project is permissible notwithstanding the project's effect on wildlife habitat and aquatic life within the waters affected by the project, including affected waters downstream of the project.
The PLC Testified in Support of LD 1210.
Thursday, April 17
LD 1525, An Act to Promote Firewood Banks in Maine, Rep. D. Ray (D-Lincolnville) Public Hearing – ACF Committee (Support)
The bill requires the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Bureau of Forestry to provide information to the public to increase awareness of firewood banks and to maintain a list on the bureau's publicly accessible website that lists all of the operating firewood banks in this State. The bureau must also develop informational resources to promote the successful operation of firewood banks in this State. In fulfilling these obligations, the bureau may consult with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Service.
The bill requires that any time there are timber or forest harvesting operations on state-owned land located within 50 miles of a firewood bank, the State is required to offer a donation of 8 to 13 cords of hardwood to that firewood bank.
The bill clarifies that a firewood bank and the municipality or county in which a firewood bank is located is not liable for any damages caused by the taking or use of firewood obtained from a firewood bank. The bill also requires the Commissioner of Environmental Protection to provide guidance to municipalities and counties concerning management of environmental impacts and solid-waste disposal associated with the operation of a firewood bank.
The PLC Testified in Support of LD 1525.
LD 1529, An Act to Enhance the Protection of High-value Natural Resources Statewide, Sen. Rick Bennett (R-Oxford) Public Hearing – ACF Committee (Oppose)
Directs the Land for Maine's Future Board to give preferential consideration in land acquisition projects that conserve late-successional forests and old-growth forests, while mandating that any projects funded with late-successional and old growth forests are taken out of production for timber harvesting forever.
Requires the Director of the Bureau of Forestry within the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to include information regarding late-successional forests and old-growth forests in the director's report on state forests; directs the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to develop a comprehensive, statewide strategy to enhance the conservation of late-successional forests and old-growth forests.
The PLC Testified in Opposition to LD 1529.
LD 1212, Resolve, to Study Opportunities for the Efficiency Maine Trust to Support the Promotion and Use of Modern Wood Heating, Sen. Matt Harrington (R-York) Work Session – Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee (Support)
More information on this bill is above.
The PLC Testified in Support of LD 1212.
Next Week’s Legislative Activity – April 21 – April 25, 2025
Tuesday, April 22
LD 1313, An Act to Promote Equity in the Forest Products Industry by Allowing Commercial Wood Haulers to Be Eligible for Certain Sales Tax Exemptions and Refunds, Sen. Brad Farrin (R-Somerset) Work Session – Taxation Committee (Support)
More information on this bill can be found above.
LD 1252, “An Act to Amend the Laws Governing the Maine Agriculture, Food System and Forest Products Infrastructure Investment Advisory Board”, Rep. Allison Hepler (D-Woolwich), Work Session – Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee (Support)
This bill modifies provisions of the law governing the Maine Agriculture, Food System and Forest Products Infrastructure Investment Advisory Board and disbursements from the Maine Agriculture, Food and Forest Products Investment Fund, which the advisory board oversees. The PLC supported a similar bill last year sponsored by the Speaker of the House Rachel Talbot Ross (now Senator Talbot Ross); however, it was not acted upon before the session ended and died.
The PLC testified in support of LD 1252.
LD 1525, An Act to Promote Firewood Banks in Maine, Rep. D. Ray (D-Lincolnville) Public Hearing – ACF Committee (Support). The PLC Testified in Support of LD 1525. More information on LD 1525 can be found above.
Wednesday, April 23
The Labor Committee will be hearing fourteen bills regarding the Paid Family Medical Leave Law. You can find the public hearing notice for the PFML bills here.
The List of PFML Bills can be found in the Labor Committee Section of the Bill Tracker.
The PLC is still reviewing all of the bills and will take a measured approach, recognizing that a repeal of the program is not probable this legislative session. We will likely support those bills that make changes to the program that will help remove ambiguity for businesses.
Thursday, April 24
LD 1275, An Act to Promote the Production of Natural Resources Bioproducts by Amending the Renewable Chemicals Tax Credit, Rep. Dan Sayre (D-Kennebunk) Work Session – Taxation Committee (Support)
This bill amends the law governing the renewable chemicals tax credit to remove the requirement that the taxpayer must demonstrate to the Department of Economic and Community Development that at least 75% of the employees of the contractors hired or retained to harvest renewable biomass used in the production of renewable chemicals meet the eligibility conditions specified in the Employment Security Law. This bill was enacted in 2020 with this provision, which the PLC was adamantly opposed to at that time. This was a provision added by then Senator Troy Jackson at the end of the session shortly after the pandemic had began. This bill will correct the wrong that has deterred any investment in the state which could use this tax credit.
The PLC Testified in Support of LD 1275. In addition to the testimony, we have asked the sponsor to amend the bill to create a second tier of incentive in the Renewable Chemicals Program for wood that is derived from third party forest land. This could encourage mills to site operations in Maine because they know their feedstock is 3rd party certified, and they would get a higher incentive for purchasing that wood. This would also provide an incentive for landowners that choose to certify their land and have a place to sell it.