SESSION
Tuesday – Senate & House, 10 a.m.
Thursday – Senate & House, 10 a.m.
LEGISLATION
LD 1486 – LD 1485 printed
New titles of interest include:
- Attract, educate and retain New Mainers to strengthen workforce (LD 1492)
- Increase success and promote growth among small businesses (LD 1501)
- Provide affordable long-term energy prices in Maine (LD 1513)
- Reduce electric rates for Maine businesses by amending RGGI fund spending (LD 1515)
- Formalize tracking of education attainment and workforce results (LD 1518)
- Authorize local option sales tax (LD 1522)
- Amend laws governing unemployment compensation (LD 1530)
SICK LEAVE MANDATE ADVANCES
Employers with fewer than 50 workers would be required to let employees accrue and use up to 40 hours of unpaid sick leave per year, under legislation (LD 1159) supported by a majority of the Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research & Economic Development. The proposed law would require paid sick leave for employees of an employer that employs 50 or more workers. An exemption is provided for workers covered by a collective bargaining agreement and workers employed by a parent or spouse. Other details include:
- Leave is earned at a rate of no less than 1 hour for every 30 hours worked;
- Accrual begins at the start of employment;
- The employer may require the employee to have been employed for 90 days before the person is eligible to use the leave;
- Employees are permitted to carry forward at least 40 hours of accrued leave;
- An employer is not required to allow the use of more than 40 hours of paid sick leave in one year;
- Employers are not required to pay for unused sick leave;
- Employers may use a paid time off (PTO) policy to meet the sick leave requirements of LD 1159 if that policy provides that the PTO is accrued at the same or faster rate; and,
- Leave may be used for health matters involving the employee or member of the employee’s family or when the employee or a family member is a victim of domestic abuse, sexual assault or stalking.
A minority of the committee voted against the legislation that now goes to the Senate and House for further action. NFIB strongly opposes this political interference with the ability of a small business to effectively manage operating costs and employee benefits.
NOTABLE HEARINGS SCHEDULED
Here is a schedule of hearings on selected issues that may interest small business owners:
Apr. 24, 10 a.m. – Labor, Commerce, Research & Economic Development
- Ensure fair employment opportunity for Maine citizens and legal residents (LD 1307)
- Regarding unemployment benefits for full-time seasonal workers (LD 1464)
Apr. 25, 1 p.m. – Energy, Utilities & Technology
- Establish an energy policy in Maine (LD 1313)
Apr. 25, 1 p.m. – Insurance & Financial Services
- Ensure continued coverage for essential health care (LD 1476)
Apr. 26, 9 a.m. – State & Local Government
- Require responsible contracting on public construction projects (LD 1382)
Apr. 26, 10 a.m. – Labor, Commerce, Research & Economic Development
- Develop a long-range strategic plan for economic improvement in Maine (LD 367)
- Establish a commission to create a statewide economic development plan (LD 1393)
Apr. 27, 1 p.m. – Judiciary
- Ensure liability equity in awarding of compensation for tort claims (LD 194)
Apr. 27, 1 p.m. – Taxation
- Tax political expenditures during an election (LD 1285)
- Change the Maine estate tax exemption amount to $1 million (LD 1276)
May 4, 1 p.m. – Insurance & Financial Services
- Promote universal health care including dental and vision care (LD 1274)
- Ensure patient protection in the health insurance laws (LD 1279)
May 9, 1 p.m. – Judiciary
- Increase efficiency in enforcement of the Maine Human Rights Act (LD 1239)
NOTABLE WORK SESSIONS SCHEDULED
Here is a schedule of work sessions on selected issues that may interest small business owners:
Apr.24, 1 p.m. – State & Local Government
- Qualitatively evaluate state contracts (LD 473)
- Promote efficiency & accountability in personal services contracting (LD 740)
- Ensure cost-efficiency of contracting out state services (LD 1193)
- Protect taxpayers in the privatization of state services (LD 1213)
Apr. 26, 1 p.m. – Labor, Commerce, Research & Economic Development
- Regarding unemployment benefits for full-time seasonal workers (LD 1464)
- Modify unemployment benefits work search requirement for certain seasonal claimants in temporary layoff status (LD 700)
- Exempt certain seasonally unemployment construction workers and loggers from unemployment benefits work search requirement (LD 962)
Apr.26, 9 a.m. – Veterans & Legal Affairs
- Proposing amendment to the Maine Constitution to require that signatures on citizens’ initiative legislation come from each congressional district (LD 31)
- Proposing amendment to the Maine Constitution to require that signatures on citizens’ initiative legislation come from each state Senate district (LD 212)
- Proposing amendment to the Maine Constitution to increase the number of signatures required for citizens’ initiative legislation (LD 715)
- Proposing amendment to the Maine Constitution to require that signatures from a particular county be equal to at least 10% of the vote for governor in that county (LD 796)
