What’s Happening This Week in the Legislature? March 11-15, 2019

|Legislative

Posted

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Monday March 11

Cross Building, Room 214, 9:00 am
Public Hearing
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LD 144, HP 126 An Act To Opt Out of Federal Daylight Saving Time and To Ask the United States Secretary of Transportation To Place the State in the Atlantic Time Zone – Kessler
OPPOSE
This bill would change the State of Maine from the Eastern Time Zone to the Atlantic Time Zone and would eliminate participation in Daylight Savings time. Moving the State of Maine to the Atlantic Time Zone would create an incredible burden for agricultural and other businesses.
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LD 885, HP 659 An Act Regarding Daylight Saving Time in Maine – Bailey
MONITOR
This bill would eliminate Maine’s participation in Daylight Savings Time.
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LD 948, HP 703 An Act To Restrict Ordinances That Affect the Posting of Property for Municipal and Private Land – Corey
SUPPORT
This bill provides that a municipality or political subdivision of the State may not enact an ordinance, law or rule regulating the posting of property by marking with signs or paint that is different from the provisions in state law regulating the posting of property by marking with signs or paint. This is incredibly important for farmers, as certain areas of farm property may be open to hunting and other recreational activities, and other areas of a property may need to be closed to the public for plant and animal protection. Keeping posting requirements uniform helps recreators know what to look for and landowners know what is required for signage.
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Cross Building, Room 214, 1:00 pm
Work Session
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LD 687, HP 508 An Act To Restore the Former State of Maine Flag – Cooper
OPPOSE
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Tuesday March 12

State House, Room 126,1:00 pm
Public Hearing
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LD 198, HP 161 An Act To Require That Nonmotorized Carriages Be Equipped with Reflectors and Lights – McCrea
SUPPORT
MFB members are deeply concerned for the safety of all farmers and livestock and support this effort to ensure that farmers and motorists are all able to use public roads safely.
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LD 526, HP 383 An Act To Require Horse-drawn Carriages and Wagons To Be Equipped with Reflectors – Stanley
MONITOR
Most likely, this bill will be combined with LD 198.
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Cross Building, Room 214, 1:00 pm
Public Hearing
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LD 515, HP 372 An Act To Require Ingredient Lists at Certain Retail Food Locations – Pluecker
OPPOSE
MFB members are deeply concerned about the potential cost, the possibility of unintentionally excluding ingredients when purchased from another vendor and the potential threat to intellectual property rights.
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LD 920, HP 675 An Act To Establish the Fund To Support Local Fruits and Vegetables Purchasing – Pluecker
SUPPORT
MFB strongly supports this important initiative to increase market opportunities for growers and market access for consumers.
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LD 971, HP 726 An Act To Encourage the Purchase and Sale of Locally Grown and Raised Crops and Products – Dunphy
SUPPORT
With the cost of specialty crop certification prohibitive for some farmers, MFB supports this effort.
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Work Session
LD 199, HP 162 An Act To Create the Water Resources Planning Committee -Sylvester
OPPOSE
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LD 620, HP 448 An Act Regarding Licensing of Land-based Aquaculture Facilities -Dodge
MONITOR
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LD 723, HP 528 An Act To Enhance Resource Management of Submerged Lands beneath Impounded Waters – Rykerson
OPPOSE
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LD 782, SP 226 An Act Relating to Animals in Pulling Events – Carpenter
MONITOR
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Wednesday March 13

Cross Building, Room 216, 10:00 am
Public Hearing
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LD 797, HP 585 An Act To Limit Greenhouse Gas Pollution and Effectively Use Maine’s Natural Resources – Tucker
OPPOSE
MFB members are concerned about the impact to farms and the unreasonable goal of achieving a level of zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. MFB believes stakeholders should be involved in the decision-making process, not just the Dept. of Environmental Protection.
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Cross Building, Room 216, 10:00 am
Public Hearing
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LD 893, SP 259 An Act To Create an Updated Unified Maine Climate Action Plan – Dill
MONITOR
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LD 818, SP 254 An Act To Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions – Sanborn
OPPOSE
MFB is concerned about the potentially negative economic impacts to food producers.
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State House, Room 127, 1:00 pm
Public Hearing
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LD 725, HP 530 An Act To Provide an Income Tax Credit To Encourage Small Business Hiring – Fay
SUPPORT
This bill provides a new employee hiring incentive by means of an income tax credit for employers with an average of 25 or fewer full-time employees during a tax year. The credit is equal to the amount of federal social security tax and Medicare tax paid by the employer for the first 40 hours of employment for new employees who are employed for at least 12 consecutive months for year-round jobs or at least 2 consecutive seasons for seasonal jobs.
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LD 903, HP 667 An Act To Improve Corporate Tax Fairness by Amending the Rates Imposed on Corporate Income – Cuddy
OPPOSE
This bill proposes a significant tax increase to businesses, which MFB opposes.
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Thursday March 14

Cross Building, Room 211, 1:00 pm
Public Hearing
LD 754, HP 559 An Act To Ensure the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Trust Fund Continues To Promote Energy Efficiency and Benefit Maine Ratepayers – Wadsworth
MONITOR
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LD 950, HP 705 An Act To Develop a State Energy Plan To Provide a Pathway to an Energy Portfolio Free of Fossil Fuels
MONITOR
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Cross Building, Room 214, 1:00 pm
Public Hearing
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LD 939, HP 694 An Act Regarding the Regulation of Rabbit Production for Local Consumption – Larsen-Daughtry
OPPOSE
MFB strongly opposes the commercial sale of any meat that has not been inspected. This poses a significant risk to public health and is unnecessary, as the Dept of Ag has many programs available to help with supporting animal processing.