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NFIB Maine Legislative Update for April

April 7, 2023

NFIB Maine Legislative Update for April

April showers inside the State House means public hearings and committee work sessions on hundreds of proposed laws. There also is a drizzle of new bills printed that must go through a vetting by legislative committees over the next four weeks, as legislators scramble to “process paper” and be decisive about issues small and large, simple and complex. More than 1,500 bills had been printed by early April, but hundreds more new bills are expected. https://legislature.maine.gov/ Paid Family Leave (LD 738) has yet to be proposed in detail. Advocates continue to push for an expansive law, recommended by a two-year study commission, which applies to all employers regardless of size, covers all workers, provides an opt-in for self-employed people, entitles workers to take 12-16 weeks annually of job-protected leave annually for family leave, caregiving and safe leave, and establishes a tax on wages/earnings that would raise from $353 million to over $450 million annually by 2029. So far, the only concession to very small employers would be to make the employer share of the payroll tax voluntary. Specifics about LD 738 are expected later this month. Meanwhile, Gov. Janet Mills is taking an active interest in the issue but has not yet indicated publicly what she would support. https://legislature.maine.gov/commission-to-develop-a-paid-family-and-medical-leave-benefits-program http://www.mainesenate.org/sen-daughtry-rep-cloutier-present-final-report-from-paid-family-and-medical-leave-commission/ Energy bills include:

Consider impact on low-income households when setting rates (LD 1427)
Popularly elect commissioners of the Public Utilities Commission (LD 1452)

Health bills include:

Expand health plan design choices for small employers (LD 1252)
Provide single-payer health care insurance to all children (LD 1387)

Labor bills include:

Delay phase-in of the Maine Retirement Savings program (LD 1082)
Predictive scheduling of certain hourly employees (LD 1190)
Make Election Day a state holiday with employee leave to vote (LD 1239)
Create livable wage by increasing minimum wage to $24 by 2033 (LD 1376)
Remove waiting period for unemployment benefits (LD 1464)
Prohibit noncompete agreements (LD 1496)

Tax bills include:

Raise the gas tax and create a seasonal exemption (LD 1093)
Reduce rates for the three personal income tax brackets (LD 1213)
Allow municipalities to adopt a 1% local tax on short-term lodging (LD 1298)
Allow only $2 million exclusion in Maine Estate Tax (LD 1338)
Enact a summer season sales tax rate (LD 1445)

A paid family leave mandate is the biggest issue to face Maine employers. NFIB will alert you once specific details of legislation are known – and advise you on how to let legislators and the Governor know about the potential impacts on your business.

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Maine

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NFIB Maine Legislative Update for April

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