May 16, 2019

Over the past seven years, the wirelessindustry has invested nearly $100 millioneach year to improve service in the state ofMaine. This laudable and necessary efforthas helped to keep our state moving forwardand enabled Maine’s residents and business-es to capitalize on new opportunities.

One such opportunity could be betterfacilitated by LD 1517, a bill sponsoredby Rep. Teresa Pierce to bring enhancedwireless service to a broader swath ofMaine through the use of an importantwireless technology called “small cells.”Small cells, which are unobtrusive anten-nas that attach to utility poles along roadsand highways, boost capacity and speed ofmobile wireless service, allowing for bet-ter coverage and faster downloads. Thesedevices can also greatly expand capacityfor consumers in congested areas.

Today, people are consuming moreand more wireless data on more and moredevices. Researchers have found that thenumber of connected devices in theUnited States is 180 million and growing.Total mobile data traffic is projected togrow to 49 gigabytes in 2023 – nearly aseven-fold increase from 2017. Cisco pro-jects that by 2021, networks will bestrained when smart devices are expectedto account for three-quarters of all devices

Support “small cell” infrastructureinvestment in Maine

connected to a mobile network – generat-ing 98 percent of mobile data traffic.

Consumer demand for data hasgrown and will continue to increase expo-nentially as the technology of tomorrowbecomes part of our daily lives. Smallcells can help by enhancing service andpreparing a community’s network forfuture increases in demand.

But the benefits extend beyond today.Small cells will form the backbone

for eventual 5G service and the next gen-eration of technology. Investment in thesenew technologies holds exciting prospectsfor communities, public safety, business-es, entrepreneurs, schools and students.

For example, with the additionalcapacity provided by small cells, newwireless technologies will enableadvances in artificial intelligence, con-nected cars, smart infrastructure andtelemedicine. They will connect thingslike lighting, water utilities, parking,public transportation and more to theinternet – saving money, preserving nat-ural resources and fostering more con-nected communities.

5G and smart cities technology areexpected to have a positive impact oneconomic development, whether it is by

Legislators andbusiness leadersdiscuss session’sprogress

Financial impact reportindicates legislation’s

effect will ultimately add costs to

small businesses

On Tuesday evening, May 14, theMaine State Chamber convened a groupof legislative leaders and its board ofdirectors to discuss key pieces of legisla-tion and the progress of the current ses-sion. With approximately a month to gobefore statutory adjournment (June 19),legislators are working hard to meet leg-islative deadlines. To that end, commit-tees are holding many, lengthy publichearings and work sessions, and both theHouse and Senate are moving billsthrough the process (see page 8).

Our panel of legislative leadersincluded Senate President Troy Jackson(D-Aroostook), Senate Republican LeaderDana Dow (R-Lincoln), House MajorityLeader Matt Moonen (D-Portland), andAssistant House Minority Leader TreyStewart (R-Presque Isle). Additional keylegislators and administrators joined theevening’s program, including Rep. SethBerry (D-Bowdoinham); Rep. RichardBradstreet (R-Vassalboro); Sen. StaceyGuerin (R-Penobscot); Sen. Lisa Keim(R-Oxford); Laura Fortman,

Continued on Page 2... Continued on Page 4...

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following Special to the Portland Press Herald was written byBen Gilman, general counsel for the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, and pub-lished on Tuesday, May 14, 2019. It can be accessed online atpressherald.com/2019/05/14/commentary-support-small-cell-infrastructure-invest-ment-in-maine. We have reprinted it here for your review.

2 III Impact III 05/16/2019 For the most current information, visit www.mainechamber.org

Inside Impact...Budget Change Package . . . p. 2Education Tax Credit . . . . . . p. 6Health Care Forum . . . . . . . p. 12LD 647 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 9LD 1685 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 7Leadership Summit Follow-Up . . . . . p. 1LIFT Legislation . . . . . . . . . p. 10New Legislation . . . . . . . . . . p. 11Path of Legislation . . . . . . . . p. 8Small Cell Infrastructure . . . p. 1University System . . . . . . . . . p. 3Work Sessions . . . . . . . . . . p. 11Workers’ Compensation . . . . p. 3

Vol. 53, No. 16 Impact(207) 623-4568

Impact (ISSN 1055-3029) is published weeklyJanuary through June and monthly July throughDecember by the Maine State Chamber ofCommerce, 125 Community Dr., Suite 101,Augusta, Maine 04330-8010. Periodicals postagepaid at Augusta, Maine, and additional mailingoffices. Maine State Chamber member companiesare assessed $75.00 yearly for each newsletter sub-scription (subscribers or out-of-dues assessement).POSTMASTER: Please send any addresschanges to Impact, 125 Community Dr., Suite 101,Augusta, Maine 04330-8010.

Chairman of the Board of Directors: Larry Wold

President: Dana F. Connors

Information in this newsletter is intended to provideguidance, not legal advice. Since exact language anddefinitions of key terms are critical to understanding therequirements of legislation, rules or laws, we encourageyou to read each carefully. Articles and informationcontained in this newsletter may be reprinted with attri-bution given to: Maine State Chamber of Commerce.Please address comments to Melanie Baillargeon,director of communications. Information about theMaine State Chamber of Commerce may also beviewed on the Internet at: www.mainechamber.org. Ouremail address is news@mainechamber.org.

About the Maine State Chamber ofCommerce: Since 1889, the Maine State Chamberhas been fighting to lower your cost of doing business.Through our Grassroots Action Network and OneVoiceprogram, we work with a network of approximately 5,000companies statewide who see the value in such a serviceand provide the financial support that keeps our access,advocacy, and assistance efforts going strong. AsMaine's Chamber, we make sure that the business envi-ronment of the state continues to thrive. The Maine StateChamber of Commerce advocates on behalf of their inter-ests before the legislature and regulatory agencies andthrough conferences, seminars, and affiliated programs.

creating jobs, giving entrepreneurs newresources, enabling investment in infra-structure or empowering employers andemployees to work and think differentlythrough things like telework, videocon-ferencing or streamlined operations.

Ultimately, the possible innovationsof the future are endless, and states thatembrace forward-thinking foundationprojects like small-cell installation will be

Small Cell Infrastructure...(Continued from Page 1...)

Governor Mills releases budget changepackage for fiscal year 2019

upward by $66.7 million, over 6.9% ofFY18’s amounts. The RFC also revisedState revenues for FY20 by $13.2 millionand for FY21 by $7.5 million. Revenuescontinue to come in ahead of projections,which indicates Maine’s economy alongwith the rest of the U.S. economy is stillgoing strong. The RFC’s report attributesmost of this additional revenue is fromone-time income or tax avoidance actionstaken by taxpayers because of the enact-ment of the Federal Tax Cuts and JobsAct, which contained provisions in it deal-ing with repatriation and other base ero-sion provisions. The RFC indicated this islikely one-time money. The report notedother adjustments to revenues including adecrease in the cigarette and tobacco taxrevenues of $3.5 million and an increasein the estate tax revenues of $4.5 million.

Other Revenues and Projections…Estimates for the highway fund have

been revised upward as well, by $4.8 mil-lion for FY19. Projections for FY20 andFY21 were changed by minor amounts.The report also revised the forecast forwage and salary employment upwards by0.1% and left future years unchanged. Thereport also projects the employment figureto reach 633,100 by 2020 and projects it toremain there through 2021-2023.

If you have any questions taxation orthe state’s budget process, please contactLinda Caprara by calling (207) 623-4568,ext. 106, or by emailing lcaprara@mainechamber.org.

The Joint Standing Committee onAppropriations held a public hearing onWednesday, May 15 which focused onGovernor Janet Mills’ Budget ChangePackage for FY 2019. Items in thechange package include changes thatcould improve Maine’s child welfare sys-tem, repair school infrastructure, paydown debt, and add more funds to thestate’s “rainy day” fund. Change pack-ages are often used to make necessaryadjustments to previously approved bud-gets. The Governor’s change packageincludes the following proposals to:

w Pay off debt for RiverviewPsychiatric Center;

w Hire new staff for the Office of Childand Family Services;

w Add $5.5 million for opioid preven-tion programs;

w Add $20 million for school renova-tion projects; and,

w Place $20 million in the BudgetStabilization Fund, often called the“rainy day” fund.

State Revenues Continueto Look Good…

As the Joint Standing Committee onAppropriations continues to work throughthe State’s 2020-2021 Biennial Budget,committee members recently receivedsome additional good news. The State’sRevenue Forecasting Committee (RFC)recently revised its revenue projectionsfor the General Fund Fiscal Year 2019

leaders in crafting that future.This is where we see the greatest

opportunity for Maine – to give our peo-ple the tools needed to succeed and leadin the digital age.

Elected officials can facilitate thisfuture by clarifying and streamlining theapproval process for small-cell deployment.LD 1517 does just that, and we encourageour legislators to support this effort.

From Portland to Presque Isle,growth, opportunity and innovation canflourish if we facilitate wireless infra-structure investment today.

Labor committee takes first step with workers’ comp bills

Work session defeats some, tables others

At the Labor and Housing committee’s long-awaited first work session on themore than 20 workers’ compensation bills, the Joint Standing Committee on Laborand Housing began the process of sorting through the bills they want to focus onand killed off the proposals that they didn’t.

The following unanimously received “ought-not-to-pass” reports: w LD 298 (presumption of compensability for heart disease for corrections workers);w LD 312 (to prohibit minimum premiums);w LD 819 (enhancing predetermination of independent contractors); w LD 901 (statute of limitations); w LD 1203 (retirement presumption); w LD 1205 (allowing full retirement benefits); w LD 1501 (occupational disease); and,w LD 1624 (to prevent discrimination).

In addition, several bills remain alive for further consideration, including: w LD 580 (advocate pay study); w LD 600 (mental health parity); w LD 601 (cost of living adjustments); w LD 756 (omnibus placeholder);w LD 758 (work search requirement changes); w LD 809 (under the influence disqualification expansion); w LD 947 (notice); w LD 1095 (lien limitation); w LD 1204 (max benefit rate); w LD 1253 (death benefit claims); w LD 1385 (corrections officers’ supplemental benefit and presumption for infec-

tious and cardiovascular disease); w LD 1500 (uninsured injured workers); w LD 1600 (PTSD presumption for 9-1-1 and corrections officers); and,w LD 1625 (durational cap for permanent impairment).

All these bills were tabled, pending further action at work session scheduledfor Monday, May 20. Clearly, there are more than enough workers’ comp billsremaining to be dealt with next week. It was strongly suggested by committee co-chair Sen. Shenna Bellows (D-Kennebec) that, of the remaining bills, the max rateand durational limits were of utmost importance. Committee co-chair Rep. MichaelSylvester (D-Portland) indicated that he would be seeking to include correctionalofficers and 9-1-1 dispatchers in the PTSD claims study, which is due to the com-mittee in 2022 (part of the sunset on the previously enacted PTSD presumption billfor first responders).

It is unclear what, if anything, will happen on May 20. It appears the committeeis poised to perhaps send out a package of bills as a single omnibus bill, but whetherthis happens on Monday, May 20, or at a later date, is yet to be determined.

The Maine State Chamber of Commerce is following events in this policy areaextremely closely and will be present at the meeting on May 20. For additionalinformation or question, please contact Peter Gore by calling (207) 623-4568, ext.107, or by emailing pgore@mainechamber.org.

05/16/2019 III Impact III 3For the most current information, visit www.mainechamber.org

Funding to expand the University of MaineSystem’s capacityincluded in GovernorMills’ FY 20-21 budgetThis investment will address

critical state workforce needs,while lowering student debt

Governor Janet Mills’ FY 20-21 bud-get includes new funding that will expandthe University of Maine System’s capaci-ty to address critical state workforceneeds, while lowering student debt. Thebudget proposes a three-percent increasein the University of Maine System’s basefunding in each year of the budget, aswell as targeted investments in early col-lege and adult degree completion. Similarincreases are proposed for the MaineCommunity College System and theMaine Maritime Academy. 

Despite increases that have averagedjust 1.4 percent annually over the pastfive years, the University has reduced theinflation-adjusted cost of in-state tuitionin that same time period and driven thedebt of its graduates 30 percent below thenational average. Campuses in Augusta,Fort Kent, Machias, and Presque Islenow guarantee that qualified, Pell-eligiblestudents will pay no out-of-pocket tuitionand mandatory fees.

The increases proposed in theGovernor’s budget allow the Universityto further advance college affordabilityfor Maine families with the greatest needwithout compromising student servicesand supports. If fully funded, theUniversity will make available a record$93.3 million investment in direct studentaid in the coming academic year.

“Our workforce challenge is the defin-ing issue of our time,” said Educate MaineExecutive Director Ed Cervone. “The fund-ing recommendations for the UniversitySystem will make college an affordableoption for more Maine people while alsobringing more talent to our state to grow oureconomy and our communities.”

Continued on Page 6...

4 III Impact III 05/16/2019 For the most current information, visit www.mainechamber.org

Commissioner of the Maine Departmentof Labor; Kimberly Smith, DeputyCommissioner of the Maine Departmentof Labor; Barry Hobbins, PublicAdvocate; and, Jeremy Kennedy, Chief ofStaff for Governor Janet Mills.

After dinner, the legislative panelistsresponded to questions posed by ourboard officers on a range of issues stem-ming from the 2018 report, MakingMaine Work: Critical Investments forMaine’s Economy. The 2018 report pre-sented top public policy priorities based acomprehensive review of prior studiesand plans regarding the Maine economy;the input of dozens of experts; and a sur-vey which represented the voices of morethan 1,000 Maine business and profes-sional leaders. The top issues of focuswere the costs of health insurance; theavailability of professional workers;high-speed internet services; availabilityof skilled technical workers; availabilityof entry-level workers; energy costs,Maine’s transportation system; and,Maine-based research and development.While some questions garnered passion-ate responses at times, other questionswere met with a spirit of consensus.

There are many individual billsbefore the legislature that are concerningfor businesses across the state, regardlessof size or sector. However, it is their col-lective impact that should be most con-cerning to legislators, administrators, andemployers. To better understand thatimpact, the Maine State Chamber askedMichael LeVert of Stepwise DataResearch to develop an analytical modelto estimate the cumulative financialimpact of the following initiatives onMaine businesses:w The minimum wage increase from

$11 to $12 scheduled for January 1,2020;

w A proposal to require companies of10 employees or more to providepaid sick time for eligible employeesat the rate of 1 hour for every 40hours worked;

w A proposal to increase the annualsalary level at which employees

Summit Follow-Up...(Continued from Page 1...)

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Thank you to our

Registration Sponsor

become exempt from overtime pay to$55,224 in 2022, from roughly$33,000 today;

w A proposal to eliminate the cap onweekly indemnity benefits for work-ers compensation; and,

w A proposal to establish an annualcost of living adjustment for total andpartial incapacity benefits underworkers compensation.

In his closing remarks at the May 14dinner, board chair Larry Wold of TDBank noted: “While many variables gointo these calculations, there’s one veryclear conclusion – the small businesscommunity carries the heaviest load ofthis impact! For some, that means apotential cost increase of 15%. Don’t for-get, 60% of Maine businesses employfewer than five people, and 75% employfewer than 10. No matter how you sliceit, Maine is indeed a small business stateby anyone’s definition!”

The report is currently available byemailing melanieb@mainechamber.org.The Maine State Chamber’s board, staff,and members look forward to workingwith legislators and Governor Mills in theremaining final weeks of this session tominimize, as much as possible, the cumu-lative effect of these proposals.

Summit Follow-Up...(Continued from Page 4...)

05/16/2019 III Impact III 5For the most current information, visit www.mainechamber.org

Thank You to our Supporting Sponsors

AT&TConsolidated

Communications, Inc.Hannaford

SupermarketsIDEXX

Laboratories, Inc.MaineHealth

Procter & Gamble

Thank you to our Program Sponsors

6 III Impact III 05/16/2019 For the most current information, visit www.mainechamber.org

The budget also proposes a $3.1 mil-lion investment over the biennium toexpand early college access.  Early col-lege programs allow Maine high schoolstudents to earn college credit at little orno cost to their families. Participating stu-dents are more likely to graduate, applyand be admitted to college, and completetheir degree on-time and with less debt. 

An additional $4.1 million will sup-port Maine’s 200,000 plus adults withsome college but no degree to return torealize their full potential − and earningpower − while meeting the growing needsof Maine employers for workers with afour-year or advanced degree. Funds willbe used to develop flexible adult creden-tials and courses to accommodate work-ing adults’ schedules, as well as pilotsmall debt forgiveness program toremove financial barriers that too oftenprevent adults from returning to collegeand earning that door-opening degree.

Both of these investments help theUniversity move Maine toward theState’s goal of 60 percent of Maine work-ers holding some post-secondary degreeor credential that positions them for suc-cess by 2025.

“The University’s efforts to keepcosts down for tuition-paying studentsand for the taxpayer, while expandingaccess affordably, is impressive. There isno greater return on our investment thanincreasing appropriations for theUniversity of Maine System and the needto invest in it for the future workforcethat they develop, has never beengreater,” said Kennebec Savings BankPresident/CEO Andrew Silsby, whochairs the University of Maine at AugustaBoard of Visitors.

As thousands of jobs go unfilled dueto a size and skills gap in the state’sworkforce, the Maine State Chamberbelieves investing in the  state’s publicpostsecondary schools is the best way toput more Mainers on the path toward col-lege, completion and career success. Formore information on education and work-force legislation, please contact MeganSanborn by calling (207) 623-4568, ext.108, or by emailingmsanborn@mainechamber.org.

UMaine System Budget...(Continued from Page 3...)

LD 1164 simplifies the method for calculating the tax credit and the eligible degree qualifications

Maine Educational Opportunity Tax Credit is an important tool to attract people

to live and work in Maine

The Maine Educational Opportunity Tax Credit (EOTC) reimburses student

loan payments for college graduates who live and work in Maine. The Maine

State Chamber of Commerce believes this program is a powerful statement from

state legislators to taxpayers who work and live in Maine and are making pay-

ments on their student debt. The EOTC is a great tool to attract people to Maine

with a credential of value and or a degree. As a member of MaineSpark, we sup-

port Maine’s goal that by the year 2025, 60% of adults in Maine’s workforce

will hold a post-secondary degree or credential of value in demand by Maine

employers.

Currently the program is hard to navigate and administer. The Maine State

Chamber testified on a bill this week that would make changes and simplify the

program LD 1164, An Act to Improve the Educational Opportunity Tax Credit.

Sponsored by Sen. Matthew Pouliot (R-Kennebec), the bill simplifies the method

for calculating the tax credit. LD 1164 simplifies the degree qualification by

treating everyone equally so the reimbursement applies to students in all educa-

tional fields, not just graduates from the Science Technology Engineering and

Math (STEM), as the current program does.   

The Maine State Chamber has long supported the Maine Educational

Opportunity Tax Credit because we feel it is an important tool to attract stu-

dents/people to live and work in Maine. As we all know, Maine has workforce

issues and Maine employers have difficulty attracting and keeping

talent. Anything we can do to encourage students to attend school in Maine, and

live and stay in Maine to work after graduation, is absolutely critical and impor-

tant for our future economy here in this state. It helps to ensure a future work-

force and economic success for Maine and Maine employers. For more infor-

mation on education and workforce legislation, please contact Megan Sanborn

by calling (207) 623-4568, ext. 108, or by emailing

msanborn@mainechamber.org.

05/16/2019 III Impact III 7For the most current information, visit www.mainechamber.org

The Maine State Chamber of

Commerce testified on a bill that would

establish and provide funding for the

Foreign Credentialing and Skills

Recognition Revolving Loan Program to

be administered by the Finance Authority

of Maine (FAME). Under the program,

the authority may provide interest-free

loans to foreign-educated or foreign-

trained, experienced immigrants who

need assistance while awaiting federal

employment authorization to pay the costs

of certain actions and activities that will

improve their work-readiness once they

receive their work permits. LD 1685, An

Act To Facilitate Entry of Immigrants into

the Workforce, sponsored by Rep. Kristen

Cloutier (D-Lewiston), continues the con-

versation to create an easier pathway for

skilled credential immigrants to enter

Maine’s workforce.

Maine’s workforce shortage contin-

ues to be a topic of conversation among

businesses, legislators and all Maine peo-

ple. Across all sectors and regions, by

2025 Maine will need approximately

158,000 more workers than exist here

today. For a state facing an enormous

workforce shortage we need policies to

designed to improve the recognition and

transferability of foreign credentials. For

many business owners, immigrant work-

ers have been a vital reason why their

businesses have been able to thrive in

recent years despite the rapidly-aging,

native-born population.

Maine must make it easier for immi-

grants with advanced educations and skill

sets to enter its workforce. It would be a

shame if Maine continued to ignore these

employment barriers and for the expertise

that brought these skilled workers to

Maine to go to waste. Many highly

skilled, college-educated immigrants often

encounter a series of obstacles when they

try to find jobs in the career for which

they hold credentials. This often leads to

these people settling for lower-skilled and

lower-paying positions because they are

unable to make full use of their academic

and professional credentials.

As education-attainment levels rise in

the modern economy, there is an increas-

ing employer emphasis on the need for

well-trained and well-educated employ-

ees. For job-seeking immigrants with

academic credentials, LD 1685 could

make a real difference on the quality of

job and life they are able to have. Policies

designed to improve the recognition and

transferability of foreign credentials are

imperative to better integrating skilled

immigrants into our workforce and to

assist in closing the gaps in Maine’s

workforce shortage.

For more information on education

and workforce legislation, please contact

Megan Sanborn by calling (207) 623-

4568, ext. 108, or by emailing msan-

born@mainechamber.org.

LD 1685 could make a real difference in the quality of work and life for job-seeking immigrants with academic credentials

GOVERNOR: After final passage(enactment) the bill is sent to thegovernor. The governor has 10days in which to sign or veto thebill. If the governor does not sign

the bill and the legislature is still insession, the bill after 10 days becomes law as if the gov-ernor signed it. If the legislature has adjourned for theyear the bill does not become law. This is called a“pocket veto.” If the legislature comes back into specialsession, the governor on the fourth day must deliver aveto message to the chamber of origin or the billbecomes law.

GENERAL ORDER: When the bill isreported to the floor it receives its first read-

ing and any committee amendments are adopt-ed at this time. The committee reports the bill to

the originating body as is, with amendment, witha divided report, or with a unanimous recom-

mendation of Ought Not to Pass.

S E C O N DCHAMBER:The bill goesthrough a sim-

ilar process. Ifthe second cham-

ber amends the bill, it isreturned to the first cham-ber for a vote on thechanges. It may then besent to a conference com-mittee to work out a com-promise agreeable to bothchambers. A bill receivesfinal legislative approvalwhen it passes both cham-bers in identical form.

SECOND READING: The next legislativeday the bill is given its second reading andfloor amendments may be offered. Whenone chamber has passed the bill to beengrossed, it is sent to the other body for its

consideration. The House has a consent calen-dar for unanimous “Ought to Pass” or “Ought to Pass asAmended” bills which takes the place of First andSecond readings.

REPORTINGBILLS FROMCOMMITTEE:C o m m i t t e ereports shall

include one of thefollowing recommendations: Ÿ Ought to Pass; Ÿ Ought to Pass as

Amended;Ÿ Ought to Pass in New

Draft; Ÿ Ought Not to Pass;Ÿ Refer to Another

Committee; or,Ÿ Unanimous Ought

Not to Pass.With the exception of

Unanimous Ought Not toPass, a plurality of thecommittee may vote tomake one of the other rec-ommendations. When thisoccurs, a minority reportor reports are required.

BILL DRAFTED: At the legislator's direc-tion, the Revisor's Office, Office of Policyand Legal Analysis, and Office of Fiscal andProgram Review staff provides research anddrafting assistance and prepares the bill inproper technical form.

IDEA DEVELOPED: A legislator decides tosponsor a bill, sometimes at the suggestion of aconstituent, interest group, public official, or thegovernor. The legislator may ask other legisla-tors in either chamber to join as co-sponsors.

BILL INTRODUCED: The legislator givesthe bill to the Clerk of the House or Secretaryof the Senate. The bill is numbered, a sug-gested committee recommendation is madeand the bill is printed. The bill is placed on

the respective body's calendar.

COMMITTEEREFERENCE:

The bill isreferred toone of the

Joint Standingor Joint Select committeesin the originating branchand then sent to the otherbody for concurrence.

COMMITTEE ACTION: When scheduledby the chairs, the committee conducts a pub-lic hearing where it accepts testimony sup-porting and opposing the proposed legisla-tion from any interested party. Notices of

public hearings are printed in newspapers withstatewide distribution.

LAW: A bill becomes law 90 daysafter the end of the legislative sessionin which it was passed. A bill canbecome law immediately if theLegislature, by a two-thirds vote ofeach chamber, declares that an emer-

gency exists. An emergency law takes effect on the datethe governor signs it unless otherwise specified in itstext. If a bill is vetoed, it will become law if theLegislature overrides the veto by a two-thirds vote ofthose members present and voting of both chambers.

Participate in democracy...

Maine’s Path of LegislationSource: State of Maine’s web site

8 III Impact III 05/16/2019 For the most current information, visit www.mainechamber.org

158,000 more workers than exist heretoday. We are the oldest state in thenation and getting older. More people aredying than are being born. Our medianage has gone up. Our workforce is small-er than it was 10 years ago; baby boomersare exiting the workforce, and there arefewer younger workers to take their place.Unless this trend is reversed, the Maineeconomy will begin to suffer. Capitalinvestment simply will not flow to a placewith a shrinking and aging workforce.

There is some great work being donein attracting people to move to our state, butwe must do more. Just as we are the oldeststate in the nation, we are also the leastdiverse. Maine has experienced a recentpopulation growth, which has been dueentirely to immigrants. Maine is home toroughly 49,000 immigrants. These peoplehave higher educational levels, on average,than Mainers. If they are asylums seekers,they tend to have advanced degrees and areprofessionals. They have become entrepre-neurs and opened new businesses. We con-stantly hear about the workforce shortageacross the state of Maine and across offields, health care, construction, hospitality.

Communities are all experiencing moreimmigrants in the community and the corre-sponding need for ESL classes. There aremany Maine people who are not employedto their full potential, but immigrants face amore unique barrier. Maine needs specificstrategies and supports to integrate them intothe workforce. Some immigrants have limit-ed English skills, a lack of familiarity withthe job application and interview process,lack of U.S. work experience, difficultieswith credential recognition and recertifica-tion challenges, lack of transportation andthe list goes on. Maine needs a coordinatedinitiative to invest in this new workforce.

The Maine State Chamber believesthat LD 647 is a first step to proactivelysupport immigrants and increase the sup-port systems to help address our work-force shortages. For more information oneducation and workforce legislation,please contact Megan Sanborn by calling(207) 623-4568, ext. 108, or by emailingmsanborn@mainechamber.org.

The Maine State Chamber has beenworking with Rep. Kristen Cloutier (D-Lewiston) on LD 647, An Act To Attract,Educate and Retain New State Residents ToStrengthen the Workforce, which createsvarious programs to provide education, ser-vices and training for the State’s workforceimmigrant populations. The bill begins toaddress some of the basic barriers to inte-grate immigrants into the workforce andbecome a welcoming state so that we will beable to attract people of all nationalities.

First and foremost, this bill proposesmore resources to help immigrants learnEnglish, with an emphasis on English lan-guage classes tailored to specific workplacesand industries. The more English proficientpeople are, the higher their earnings andability to contribute to the local economy.

The bill helps immigrants understandthe economic landscape, the needs ofemployers, and the process for applyingand interviewing for jobs. LD 647 alsoplaces responsibility in the Office ofAdult Education at the Department ofEducation to administer competitive grantprograms to spread money beyond justthe urban areas to communicate withemerging immigrant populations.

It establishes the Welcome CenterInitiative to operate welcome centers inadult education programs to provide educa-tion, services and training for foreign-trained workers in municipalities or regionsof the state that have immigrant populationsor that have industries that are experiencinga shortage of trained workers, patternedafter the New Mainers Resource Centeroperated by the City of Portland adult edu-cation program through a pilot program cre-ated by the 126th Legislature. These centerswould work particularly with higher-skilledimmigrants to provide services and trainingto prepare them to enter Maine’s job marketwithin a period of 6-18 months.

Additionally, the bill tasks theDepartment of Education to providegrants for English language instructionfor adult education programs.

Maine is faced with a workforceshortage across all sectors and regions. By2025, Maine will need approximately

05/16/2019 III Impact III 9For the most current information, visit www.mainechamber.org

LD 647 addresses some of the basic barriers to integrate immigrants into the workforce

Changes to help families grow and thrive are receiving bipartisansupport from the Legislature

In 2017, the Maine State Chamber of Commerce joined a diverse group of

stakeholders to align efforts toward a common goal of increasing economic

opportunity and ending child poverty in Maine. The Invest in Tomorrow stake-

holder group has been working to develop policy recommendations to create

more economic opportunity for children and families and to ensure all Maine

families with children can meet their basic needs and have opportunities for good

jobs and a brighter future. By addressing key areas, we can lift Maine children

out of poverty and start to strengthen Maine’s workforce.

A bipartisan effort supporting some of the Invest in Tomorrow goals

through two important bills is getting underway. The bill package, which

advances the Invest in Tomorrow goals, includes one bill from Speaker of the

House, Rep. Sara Gideon (D-Freeport), and one from Assistant House

Republican Leader, Rep. Harold “Trey” Stewart III (D-Presque Isle).

Speaker Gideon’s Leveraging Investments so  Families can

Thrive (LIFT) legislation builds on two previous, successful LIFT bills. It would

help more parents pursue education as a pathway out of poverty in the Parents

as Scholars program. LIFT would also ensure more families with children can

meet their basic needs and have access to MaineCare when moving off TANF

into employment. On top of that, LIFT will increase accountability and Maine’s

effectiveness at reducing child poverty by establishing benchmarks and outcome

measures at DHHS. 

Rep. Stewart’s bill  is the perfect complement to LIFT as it would make

investments in a “whole-family” approach that helps both children and their par-

ents move out of poverty. It would reduce the “benefits cliff” for families who

are transitioning from TANF to employment, setting them up for success. It

would also ensure that parents who are getting a GED can count their studies

toward requirements in TANF to support them on their path out of poverty. 

Together, these pieces of legislation  represent thoughtful and meaningful

bipartisanship. The Maine State Chamber is pleased to be working closely with

both bills’ sponsors because we believe both bills are something everyone can

get behind – and because we all want to see children grow up to succeed in

Maine’s economy.  

For more information on education and workforce legislation, please con-

tact Megan Sanborn by calling (207) 623-4568, ext. 108, or by emailing msan-

born@mainechamber.org.

10 III Impact III 05/16/2019 For the most current information, visit www.mainechamber.org

05/16/2019 III Impact III 11For the most current information, visit www.mainechamber.org

JUDICIARY

LD 1701, An Act To Clarify VariousProvisions of the Maine Human RightsAct. (Rep. Bailey, D-Saco, for the MaineHuman Rights Commission) JointStanding Committee on Judiciary. Thisbill describes the behaviors that may con-stitute harassment in reference to unlaw-ful discrimination; clarifies the Act’s cov-erage of claims based on association andbased on the perception that an individualbelongs to a protected class; and providesa definition of “gender identity.” The billprovides needed clarification related toseveral Maine Human Rights Act provi-sions highlighted by recent court deci-sions, including confirming that a leaveof absence can be a reasonable accommo-dation for a disability in employment, andthat individual employees may be liablefor their discriminatory behavior in cer-tain circumstance

LD 1702, An Act To Enhance theAdministration of the Maine HumanRights Act. (Rep. Bailey, D-Saco, forthe Maine Human Rights Commission)Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary.This bill amends the Maine HumanRights Act so as to make more efficientthe processing and investigation of com-plaints. The bill:

1 Specifies that the Act must be con-strued to provide broad protectionfrom discrimination; that it may notbe construed to provide less coveragethan the federal law; and that theinterpretation of the Act by theMaine Human Rights Commission isentitled to deference by the court;

2 Authorizes the executive director ofthe commission to appoint or hireadditional necessary personnel sub-ject to the Civil Service Law;

3 Replaces certain references to theenumerated potential bases for dis-crimination with references to “pro-tected class characteristics, member-ship or status;”

4 Specifies that funds received by thecommission for the purpose of imple-menting a third-party neutral media-tion program are not subject to anystatewide cost allocation plan;

5 Designates as confidential certaininformation that is collected duringthe investigation of a complaintunder the Act and exempts suchinformation from the definition of“public record” for purposes of theFreedom of Access Act;

6 Authorizes the executive director ofthe commission to administrativelydismiss a complaint brought underthe Act for specified reasons;

7 Provides that any post-finding concil-iation agreement that includes thecommission as a signatory is a publicrecord;

8 Authorizes the executive director toissue a right-to-sue letter in any casein which the commission has notfiled a civil action in the case or hasnot entered into a conciliation agree-ment in the case within 180 days ofthe complaint being filed, whether ornot such a letter has been requestedby the complainant; and,

9 Prohibits the awarding of attorney’sfees and costs to the commission andspecifies that the commission is notliable to pay attorney’s fees and costsof another party.

LD 1703, An Act To ImproveConsistency within the Maine HumanRights Act. (Rep. Bailey, D-Saco, forthe Maine Human Rights Commission)

Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary.The purpose of this bill is to addressinconsistencies in the protections provid-ed in different areas of jurisdiction underthe Maine Human Rights Act. The billprovides more inclusive protection by:

1 Including adult family membersdependent for care in the definitionof “familial status;”

2 Including familial status as a protect-ed class in employment;

3 Including age as a protected class inpublic accommodations;

4 Providing that public entities cannotdiscriminate on the basis of protectedclass; and,

5 Clarifying the scope of the MaineHuman Rights Act application ineducation.

The bill also clarifies the protectionsprovided to pregnant persons in employ-ment and that the sexual orientation pro-visions already in the Maine HumanRights Act extend to gender identity.

Digest of New LegislationMaine Chamber staff have studied each of these recently printed bills to assess potential impact on busi-ness trends. If you have concerns regarding any bill, please communicate those concerns to a memberof our governmental services staff at (207) 623-4568.

A total of 335 business-related bills have been tracked to date since the session began on January 2, 2019!

Monday, May 20, 2019

Education and Cultural Affairs10:00 a.m.; Cross Building, Room 208LD 1607 (work session), An Act ToCreate the Department of Early Care andLearning (Sen. Millett of Cumberland)

Judiciary1:00 p.m.; Statehouse, Room 438

LD 1596 (work session), An Act ToEnhance the Long-term Stability ofCertain At-risk Youth (Rep. Bailey ofSaco)

Public Hearings and Work Sessions

Public hearings are open to everyone. Thispublic hearing schedule is subject to change.Questions may be directed to the Secretary ofthe Senate’s Office at (207) 287-1540. For themost current schedule, please visit http://legisla-ture.maine.gov/committee/#Committees or con-tact the committee clerk.

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Lisbon, ME

125 Community Drive, Suite 101Augusta, Maine 04330-8010

Health Care ForumWednesday, May 22 | 9:00 a.m. to Noon

Bangor Savings Bank, Senator Way, Augusta

Health care and health insurance was the single biggest public policyissue that impacted - and motivated - voters this past November at the polls.Newly-elected officials from both sides of the aisle – in Maine and inWashington – have pledged to do something “meaningful” to address cost andaccess to health care. On May 22, the Maine State Chamber of Commerce ishosting its annual informative and timely presentation on the status of healthcare here and beyond, and what you as a business in Maine need to know aswe head into 2019, and what specifically is being considered here in Mainethis session. We will be joined by Katie Mahoney, vice president of healthpolicy and a national speaker from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, as wellas other state-based experts on health insurance and health care delivery.

To register for this event, please visit mainechamber.org or contact Angie Arno by calling (207) 623-4568, ext. 104,or by emailing aarno@mainechamber.org.

Thank You to Our Sponsors!Premier Sponsor: Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Presenting Sponsor: Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield

Program Sponsors: Central Maine Health Care; Community Health Options; Cross Insurance; Martin's Point Health Care; University of New England

Supporting Sponsor: MaineHealth