The Maine Legislature Works Toward Adjournment

June 17, 2021 |

Earlier this month, the Legislature returned to the State House to resume its work at the capitol for the first time since March 2020. Since then, there have been many long days as the Legislature worked to consider approximately 1,000 bills. The presiding officers had hoped to adjourn on June 16 but were not able to do so. Despite this, the Legislature is close to completing the bulk of their legislative work.

The League continues to closely monitor all legislative activity and will provide a full legislative review during the Credit Union Town Hall on July 12. In the meantime, here are some notable updates from recent days at the State House.

Several credit union leaders expressed concerns about LD 553, An Act To End At-Will Employment. This bill was largely opposed by those within the business community and was closely watched by the League. While the bill passed along party lines in the Labor and Housing Committee, it was defeated in both chambers when it came to the floor.

The pandemic caused many challenges for nonprofits that utilize in-person raffles to raise money. LD 671, an emergency measure signed into law by Governor Mills on June 10, will enable the state’s Gambling Control Unit to create new rules that will provide nonprofit organizations a mechanism to sell raffle tickets online. With the rules in place, the Gambling Control Unit will then provide a list of approved software and vendors for raffle ticket sales. The League is working on behalf of our credit unions to determine what steps need to be taken before online raffle tickets can be sold, and will provide guidance once that information is in hand.

Bills recently signed into law by the Governor include:

  • LD 183: An Act To Establish Juneteenth as a Paid State Holiday
  • LD 340: An Act for the Establishment of Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy Programs (there will be a significant update from the League on this bill during the upcoming Town Hall)
  • LD 645: Resolve, To Create an Electronic Titling Work Group
  • LD 1320: An Act To Allow Maine Shareholders of Banks and Members and Corporators of Credit Unions To Hold Virtual Meetings

Bills recently killed by the Legislature include:

  • LD 100 & LD 286: Bills to make Election Day a State Holiday
  • LD 501: An Act To Amend Maine’s Corporate Income Tax by Increasing the Top Rate from 8.93 Percent to 12.4 Percent
  • LD 1130: An Act To Establish a Public Registry for Automated Telephone Calls and So-called Robocalls
  • LD 1655: An Act To Create a Data Broker Registry and Improve Consumer Protections

It is widely believed that even upon completion of their work, the Legislature will need to return to consider any vetoes that could be issued by the Governor, a supplemental budget, and bonds. A bond package agreement must be reached by August in order to place measures on the November ballot for voter approval.