MSBA Legislative Update 04-17-09

LEGISLATIVE SESSION QUIET NEXT WEEK

The House and Senate will not be in session during the week of April 20, which is the school vacation week in Maine. A number of Committees will be meeting, especially during the latter part of the week. The Taxation, Labor, Appropriations, and Judiciary Committees are all expected to have public hearings and work sessions, so we encourage you to review your attached Databases. The full Legislature will re-convene on Tuesday, April 28, and will quicken its pace of deliberations and actions on bills, as it nears its statutory adjournment date of June 17, 2009.

Big issues which are still very much in play include the establishment of a biennial budget, the possibility of an additional fiscal gap for the current fiscal year ending June 30, the establishment of an overall energy plan, and tax reform.

UPCOMING ISSUES

• LD 148 (notice of foreclosure to tenants) – Public Hearing 4/28/09 at 1:00 p.m., Room 127 of the State House.
  
• LD 1028 (municipal home rule) – Public Hearing 4/29/09 at 1:00 p.m., Room 216 of the Cross Office Building.
  
• LD 1258 (duty to report serious injury) – Public Hearing 4/27/09 at 10:00 a.m., Room 436 of the State House.
  
• LD 1275 (criminal law advisory) – Public Hearing 4/27/09 at 10:00 a.m., Room 436 of the State House.
  
• LD 1279 (reduce income tax to 4.5%) – Work Session 4/30/09 at 1:00 p.m., Room 127 of the State House.
  
• LD 1368 (increase sales tax) – Public Hearing 4/29/09 at 1:00 p.m., Room 127 of the State House.
  
• LD 1401 (changes to tax laws) – Work Session 4/27/09 at 10:00 a.m., Room 127 of the State House.
  
• LD 1418 (preventing unnecessary foreclosure) – Public Hearing 4/28/09 at 1:00 p.m., Room 427 of the State House.