This Week in Augusta – 3.9.2015 edition

Date: March 10, 2015

Legislative action is at a gentle but increasing pace at the
beginning of March but will be roaring along before the month is over.

SESSION

Senate & House Sessions – 10 a.m. Tuesday, Wednesday,
Thursday

LEGISLATION

As of today 838 bills have been printed.

www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/bills_127th/billtexts/

Ideas for new legislation include:

·        
Allow businesses up to 10,000 sq. ft. to be open
Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas (LD 613)

·        
Reduce waste from disposable bags; impose 5-cent
fee; make reusable bags available (LD 680)

·        
Protect social media privacy of employees &
job applicants (LD 686)

·        
Provide flexibility on what UI experience rate a
successor owner uses (LD 701)

·        
Allow employers to file separate quarterly state
withholding reports electronically (LD 702)

·        
Establish a commission to study transportation
budget funding reform (LD 706)

·        
Establish a Paid Family Leave Insurance program
(LD 717)

·        
Establish a working group to evaluate raising
the minimum wage (LD 739)

·        
Limit commercial construction contract retainage
to 5% (LD 757)

·        
Establish a Sales Tax Holiday (LD 759)

·        
Establish unified-payor, universal health care
system (LD 815)

·        
Create a 10% income tax bracket for top income
filers (LD 835)

LOOKING BACK

Legislation to make employers responsible for workplace
bullying (LD 188) will be debated in the legislature later this spring after a
majority of the Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development committee
last week voted for further study of the issue. 
Republicans on the committee voted against the bill.

www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?LD=188&snum=127

LOOKING AHEAD

The Taxation committee is begins reviewing tax provisions of
the proposed State Budget.  There is the
committee’s work session schedule:

·        
3/10 @ 1 p.m. – Estate Tax, Corporate Income Tax

·        
3/11 @ 1 p.m. – Sales Tax

·        
3/16 @ 10 a.m. – BETR/BETE conversion

·        
3/16 @ 1 p.m. – Homestead Property Tax
exemption; Partial taxation of certain nonprofits; Revenue sharing

·        
3/17 @ 1 p.m. – Individual Income Tax

·        
3/18 @ 1 p.m. – Tax expenditure authorization;
any other items needing additional work

Some members have talked about coming up with their own tax
plan; however, the April 1 deadline for Taxation to report back to the
Appropriations committee gives little time crafting entirely new tax reform
plans.  Governor LePage said publicly
last week his tax plan may be defeated in the legislature but that he intends
to spend fight for significant income tax relief during his second term in
office and warned that he will campaign against legislators who oppose him.

NFIB will testify Monday against legislation that would make
employers with 1 or 2 workers provide a 30-minute rest break if the workers are
on the job continuously for 6 ½ hours (LD 486).

www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?LD=486&snum=127

NFIB will also testify Monday against legislation that would
require employers to pay certain terminated employees their accrued by unused
sick leave (LD 445), which would create a backdoor paid sick leave law.

www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?LD=445&snum=127

NFIB will submit testimony Tuesday in support of legislation
that limits liability for defendants who are less than 50% at fault to the
percentage of fault of the defendant (LD 434).

www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?LD=434&snum=127

KEY WEBSITES

Governor – www.maine.gov/governor

Legislature – http://legislature.maine.gov

 

Related Content: Small Business News | Maine

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