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Good afternoon from Augusta,
It was wonderful to see everyone who was able to attend our 30th Annual Meeting and Log A Load for Kids auction the last two days. Your generosity and commitment to the industry as well as the children served by the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals in Maine and Vermont is truly inspiring. After spending many hours at the State House last week navigating policy debates and partisan disputes, it was a welcome reminder to take a step back and focus on what really matters.
This past week, the PLC attended work sessions in the Labor Committee regarding the 14 Paid Family Medical Leave bills that have been proposed this session. As expected, the Democrats on the Labor Committee are resisting any changes they believe would weaken the program. The tone was set early on with ought not to pass votes on all proposed legislation except for two bills. Of those two bills, the most significant is LD 894, An Act to Amend the Laws Governing Paid Family and Medical Leave, sponsored by Senate President Mattie Daughtry. This bill creates a new bureaucratic office, the Bureau of Paid Family Medical Leave, within the Department of Labor and authorizes the department to enforce penalties and collect delinquent payments from employers who fail to comply with program requirements.
The Republican Minority Report for LD 894 proposes ten practical adjustments aimed at making the program more manageable for employers. LD 894 is expected to prompt lengthy debate in both the House and Senate. While the House likely has the votes to pass the Minority Report, the key hurdle will be in the Senate. The PLC will continue to engage with stakeholders to develop strategies for advancing meaningful PFML reforms.
On Monday of next week (May 12) our 4th priority bill of this session is scheduled for a public hearing at 11am in the Housing and Economic Development Committee. This bill would create a revolving loan program for logging contractors and commercial fishermen to purchase harvesting equipment with a 2% or lower interest rate. The program would provide parity for loggers by creating a program that would mirror the Agriculture Marketing Loan Fund, which has been available to farmers for decades.
We need your help by testifying in support of the bill as it will provide a significant benefit to logging companies looking to reinvest and purchase equipment. Please let us know if you can testify in person, over zoom, or by submitting written comments. For more information, you can find the talking points for LD 1733 here.
To testify over zoom, please follow this link to the Maine Legislature’s website. Select the Housing and Economic Development Committee in the drop-down menu and select Monday’s date. This will bring you to a menu to input your information to receive a zoom link. If you run into issues, 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.
Bills we are tracking this session can be found here.
Have a great weekend and stay in touch,
Dana
Last Week’s Legislative Activity – May 5 – May 9, 2025
Monday, May 5
LD 1808, An Act to Enact the Maine Climate Superfund Act, Rep. Grayson Lookner (D-Portland), Public Hearing – Environment and Natural Resources Committee (Oppose)
This bill would establish the Climate Superfund Cost Recovery Program within the Department of Environmental Protection. Under the program, an entity or a successor in interest to an entity that was engaged in the trade or business of extracting fossil fuel or refining crude oil between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2024 is assessed a cost recovery demand for the entity's share of fossil fuel extraction or refinement contributing to greenhouse gas-related costs in the State.
The PLC testified in opposition to both LD 1808 and LD 1870. By retroactively penalizing fossil fuel companies for their effects on climate change, these bills would create a new fuel tax and the costs will trickle down to all consumers.
LD 1870, An Act to Establish a Climate Superfund Cost Recovery Program to Impose Penalties on Climate Polluters, Sen. Stacy Brenner (D-Cumberland), Public Hearing – Environment and Natural Resources Committee (Oppose)
This bill establishes the Climate Superfund Cost Recovery Program within the Department of Environmental Protection. Under the program, an entity or a successor in interest to an entity that was engaged in the trade or business of extracting fossil fuel or refining crude oil between January 1, 1995 and December 31, 2024 is assessed a cost recovery demand for the entity's share of fossil fuel extraction or refinement contributing to greenhouse gas-related costs in the State.
The PLC testified in opposition to both LD 1808 and LD 1870. By retroactively penalizing fossil fuel companies for their effects on climate change, these bills would create a new fuel tax and the costs will trickle down to all consumers.
Tuesday, May 6
LD 1804, An Act Concerning Funding and Oversight of Transportation Matters, Sen. Brad Farrin (R-Somerset), Public Hearing – Transportation Committee (Support)
This bill makes clear in statute that the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over transportation matters has complete jurisdiction over the Highway Fund.
The PLC testified in support of LD 1804. It establishes a minimum level of funding for transportation infrastructure programs related to bridges, highway lights and multimodal transportation by increasing from 40% to 60% the percentage of automobile-related sales and use taxes transferred to the Highway Fund and adds automobile-related sales and use taxes to the list of revenue that is allocated to and becomes part of the Highway Fund beginning July 1, 2027. It also makes clear in statute that the transportation committee has complete jurisdiction over the Highway Fund.
LD 1761, An Act to Prohibit Indemnification Agreements, Rep. Josh Morris (R-Turner), Public Hearing – Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services Committee (Support)
The PLC testified in support of LD 1761. This bill prohibits contract agreements that indemnify or hold harmless the promisee from or against any negligence, claim or liability arising out of an intentional act or omission of the promisee or promisor. Parties to a contract are not prohibited from agreeing that the promisee must be included as an additional insured in an insurance contract. The bill does not affect the validity of workers' compensation or other insurance contracts.
Wednesday, May 7
The Labor Committee held a work session on fourteen bills regarding the Paid Family Medical Leave Law. The List of PFML Bills can be found in the Labor Committee Section of the Bill Tracker.
The PLC provided testimony in support of bills that aim to make changes to the program and help remove ambiguity for businesses. A full recap on what happened with these bills above.
Thursday, May 8
LD 1529, An Act to Enhance the Protection of High-value Natural Resources Statewide, Sen. Rick Bennett (R-Oxford) Work Session – ACF Committee (Oppose)
The PLC Testified in Opposition to LD 1529. The sponsor brought forward an amendment that he thought fixed all of the concerns, but that was not the case. The PLC still has major concerns with the amended bill language.
The bill was very quickly considered by the committee and passed unanimously. However, after push-back from DACF, PLC, and other stakeholders the Republicans on the committee reconsidered and the bill was promptly tabled.
The bill and the new amendment have many flaws. It overlooks important work already being done to support forest conservation and carbon goals in Maine and ignores the research and recommendations from the Governor’s Forest Carbon Task Force in both 2021 and 2024. These initiatives provided important strategies and market solutions that are currently in use.
Additionally, the bill fails to recognize the Maine forestland managed under voluntary third-party certification programs like the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Master Logger Certification. These standards already incorporate requirements and practices to protect old-growth characteristics, which are currently not mandated by the government.
LD 1630, An Act to Amend the Open Space Tax Law, Rep. Dan Sayre (D-Kennebunk) Work Session – Taxation Committee (Oppose)
Similar to a bill proposed in the 131st Legislature (LD 1648), this bill aims to make changes to the Open Space current use tax law. We were in support of LD 1648, An Act to Make Changes to the Farm and Open Space Tax Law, in the 131st legislature, but we believe that this bill goes too far. It incentivizes taking forestland out of timber production, provides equal if not greater tax treatment than Tree Growth and has created a burdensome implementation system which relies upon professionals that do not have knowledge or experience to write, implement and oversee plans for landowners, effectively relegating logging contractors to the sideline in forest management. Our testimony in opposition can be found here.
LD 1630 was unanimously voted ought not to pass after the sponsor and the committee agreed that the bill had too many issues. Representative Sayre has encouraged stakeholders to continue working together to reach a consensus.
LD 1305, An Act to Improve Access to Transportation to Work for Forestry Workers and Migrant and Seasonal Farm Workers, Sen. Trey Stewart (R-Aroostook) Work Session– Transportation Committee (Oppose)
This bill allows a forestry worker or migrant and seasonal farm worker who meets federal driver qualifications and possesses a valid or recently expired driver's license in the worker's home country to operate a motor vehicle in this State for the purpose of driving workers between the workers' lodgings and work sites each day. If a worker provides documentary evidence that the worker meets the driver qualifications under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 26, section 643, subsection 1, paragraph B and possess a valid or recently expired driver's license from the operator's home country, the Secretary of State is required to issue the worker a temporary driver's license. The license issued to a forestry worker or migrant and seasonal farm worker is considered a Class B license and is valid only for driving workers between the workers' lodgings and work sites each day.
This bill was submitted to help support a farmer in Aroostook County and should not apply to forestry workers. The PLC Testified in opposition to LD 1305.
The Transportation Committee voted unanimously ought not to pass on LD 1305.
LD 1619, Resolve, to Establish a Commission to Study Pathways for Creating a Thermal Energy Networks Program in Maine, Rep. Walter Runte (D-York), Work Session – Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee (Support if amended)
This resolve establishes the Commission to Study Pathways for Creating a Thermal Energy Networks Program in Maine. The commission is composed of legislators and public members, including, but not limited to, members with experience in engineering, research in the fields of thermal energy network development and workforce development.
The resolve requires the commission to study the feasibility of implementing thermal energy networks for residential, commercial and industrial sectors in this State by examining a number of considerations, including, but not limited to, compatibility with existing systems, certain legal considerations, grid impacts, labor and workforce considerations and funding opportunities.
The PLC testified in support of the bill, but only if it was expanded to add biomass and wood heat added to the study. However, the PLC was not successful and the bill was amended to direct the Governor’s Energy Office to request information from the public pertaining to thermal networks, specifically those related to heat pumps, and compile the information for review later in the year.
LD 1699, An Act to Create a Refundable Tax Credit for Agricultural Enterprises, Rep. Bill Pluecker (I-Warren), Public Hearing – Taxation Committee (Support)
This bill would provide logging companies a tax credit up to 40% of the cash equity for reinvesting in your businesses, by improving or upgrading equipment. It could have a significant impact on logging contractors' ability to invest in new equipment. The PLC will support the bill as an agricultural enterprise also includes logging businesses.
The PLC testified in support of LD 1699. This bill is likely to be carried over to the next legislative session in 2026 and the sponsor is going to be working with stakeholders to come up with a solution to determine the best path forward.
Next Week’s Legislative Activity – May 12 – May 16, 2025
Monday, May 12
LD 1733, An Act to Provide Reduced Interest Rates for Logging and Fishing Operations, Sen. Rick Bennett (R-Oxford), Public Hearing – Housing and Economic Development Committee (Support)
Further details regarding this bill can be found above.
Tuesday, May 13
LD 1808, An Act to Enact the Maine Climate Superfund Act, Rep. Grayson Lookner (D-Portland), Work Session – Environment and Natural Resources Committee (Oppose)
Further details regarding this bill can be found above.
LD 1870, An Act to Establish a Climate Superfund Cost Recovery Program to Impose Penalties on Climate Polluters, Sen. Stacy Brenner (D-Cumberland), Work Session – Environment and Natural Resources Committee (Oppose)
Further details regarding this bill can be found above.
Wednesday, May 14
LD 1549, RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine Regarding the Use and Oversight of Transportation-related Revenues, Sen. Brad Farrin (R-Somerset), Public Hearing – Transportation Committee (Support)
This resolution proposes to amend the Constitution of Maine to provide that, beginning July 1, 2027, at least 60% of automobile-related sales and use tax revenue must be transferred to the Highway Fund and must be expended solely for costs of all modes of transportation, including public highways, bridges, aviation, transit, railroads, ferries, ports and other marine infrastructure, trails, pedestrian infrastructure and bicycle facilities and related appurtenances. The resolution also provides that, beginning July 1, 2027, the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over transportation matters has jurisdiction over all financial matters related to the Highway Fund.
The PLC testified in support of LD 1549, which if passed, would give voters an opportunity to vote on increasing and stabilizing transportation funding for infrastructure improvements through a referendum.
LD 1804, An Act Concerning Funding and Oversight of Transportation Matters, Sen. Brad Farrin (R-Somerset), Work Session – Transportation Committee (Support)
Further details regarding this bill can be found above.
LD 1587, An Act to Establish Greater Alignment of Penalties for Certain Labor Law Violations, Rep. Matthew Beck (D-South Portland), Work Session – 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.
Thursday, May 15
LD 1733, An Act to Provide Reduced Interest Rates for Logging and Fishing Operations, Sen. Rick Bennett (R-Oxford), Work Session – Housing and Economic Development Committee (Support)
Further details regarding this bill can be found above.