STATE OF MAINE

123rd LEGISLATURE

______________

LEGISLATIVE NOTICES

 

JOINT STANDING COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS AND FINANCIAL AFFAIRS

 

      Sen. Margaret Rotundo, Senate Chair

      Rep. Jeremy Fischer, House Chair

 

      Public Hearing Schedule for the 2008-2009 Biennial Budget for the period:  February 7 to March 9, 2007, Room 228, State House

 

            The Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs and the identified policy committees of the Legislature will be holding public hearings in Room 228 of the State House on the Governor’s budget bill for the 2008-2009 biennium LD No. 499 "An Act Making Unified Appropriations and Allocations for the Expenditures of State Government, General Fund and Other Funds, and Changing Certain Provisions of the Law Necessary to the Proper Operations of State Government for the Fiscal Years Ending June 30, 2008 and June 30, 2009”.  The proposed budget initiatives may be viewed on the Bureau of Budget’s website at:

 

http://www.maine.gov/budget/budget_information.htm

 

The audio portions of public hearings and work sessions held in Room 228 of the State House may be monitored over the Internet by addressing:

 

http://janus.state.me.us/legis/audio/approps_cmte.html

 

The committee will hear testimony regarding all portions of the bill except Part B (self-funded position reclassifications and range changes).  Agencies are to address all initiatives regardless of fund type (Note: this is a change from past years when agencies only addressed initiatives funded by the General Fund and Fund for a Healthy Maine).

 

 

(To be held in conjunction with the Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary):

 

Monday

9:00 a.m.

Baxter Compensation Authority

3/5/07

and

 

 

expected

Maine Indian Tribal-State Commission

 

to

 

 

continue

Pine Tree Legal Assistance

 

into

·         Legal Assistance

 

the

 

 

afternoon

Human Rights Commission, Maine

 

 

·         Human Rights Commission - Regulation

 

 

 

 

 

Judicial Department

 

 

·         Courts – Supreme, Superior, District and Administrative

 

 

·         FHM – Judicial Department

 

 

 

 

 

Attorney General, Department of

 

 

·         Administration – Attorney General

 

 

·         Chief Medical Examiner – Office of

 

 

·         Civil Rights

 

 

·         District Attorneys Salaries

 

 

·         FHM – Attorney General

 

 

·         Human Services Division

 

 

·         Victims’ Compensation Board

 

(To be held in conjunction with the Joint Standing Committee on Utilities and Energy):

 

Tuesday

1:00 p.m.

Executive Department

3/6/07

 

·         Public Advocate

 

 

·         Renewable Resource Fund  (Kurt Adams of the PUC may address this program)

 

 

 

 

 

Public Utilities Commission

 

 

·         Conservation Administrative Fund

 

 

·         Conservation Program Fund

 

 

·         Emergency Services Communication Bureau

 

 

·         Public Utilities – Administrative Division

 

 

·         Solar Rebate Program Fund

 

 

·         Language (Part “P” – creates an assessment mechanism for the PUC)

   

(To be held in conjunction with the Joint Standing Committee on Taxation):  Rescheduled, due to snow storm, from 2/14

 

Tuesday

2:00 p.m.

Property Tax Review, State Board of

3/6/07

 

 

 

 

Administrative and Financial Services, Department of

 

 

·         Bureau of Revenue Services Fund

 

 

·         County Tax Reimbursement

 

 

·         Elderly Tax Deferral Program

 

 

·         Homestead Property Tax Exemption – Mandate Reimbursement

 

 

·         Homestead Property Tax Exemption Reimbursement

 

 

·         Maine Asthma and Lung Disease Research Fund [DAFS]

 

 

·         Revenue Services – Bureau of

 

 

·         Snow Grooming Property Tax Exemption Reimbursement

 

 

·         Tree Growth Tax Reimbursement

 

 

·         Veterans Tax Reimbursement

 

 

·         Waste Facility Tax Reimbursement

 

 

·         Language (Part “S” delays the increase in municipal revenue sharing to July 1, 2009)

 

 

·         Language (Part “T” increases the tax on cigarettes and tobacco products effective July 1, 2007)

 

 

·         Language (Part “U” delays implementation of the education tax credit)

 

 

·         Language (Part “V” bases the corporate income apportionment formula on sales effective January 1, 2007)

 

 

·         Language (Part “II” authorizes the continuation of funding for each individual tax expenditure reported in the budget document)

 

 

·         Language (Part “MM”  directs that property tax reductions occur due to the increased level of K-12 education funding provided)

 

 

Wednesday

9:00 a.m.

Policy Committee Reports and Recommendations (Schedule)

3/7/07

 

  Regarding the Governor's 2008-2009 Biennial Bill (LD 499)

 

 

 

Thursday

1:00 p.m.

Policy Committee Reports and Recommendations (Schedule)

3/8/07

 

  Regarding the Governor's 2008-2009 Biennial Bill (LD 499)

 

 

 

 

 

 

(To be held in conjunction with the Legislative Council):

 

Friday

9:00 a.m.

Law and Legislative Reference Library

3/9/07

 

 

 

 

Legislature

 

 

·         Interstate Cooperation, Commission on

 

 

·         Legislature

 

 

·         State House and Capitol Park Commission

 

 

·         Study Commissions - Funding

 

 

·         Uniform State Laws, Commission on

 

 

 

 

 

Program Evaluation and Government Accountability, Office of

 

 

 

 

 

State House Preservation and Maintenance, Reserve Fund for

 

 

(To be held in conjunction with the Joint Standing Committees on Insurance and Financial Services:  Rescheduled, due to a snowstorm, from 3/2

 

Friday

following

Administrative and Financial Services, Department of

3/9/07

the

·         Accident – Sickness – Health Insurance

 

9:00 a.m.

·         Trade Adjustment Assistance Health Insurance

 

hearing

 

 

with the

Dirigo Health Fund

 

Legislative

 

 

Council

Professional and Financial Regulation, Department of

 

 

·         Financial Institutions – Bureau of

 

 

·         Insurance – Bureau of

 

 

·      Office of Consumer Credit Regulation

 

 

·      Office of Securities

 

11:30 a.m.

·         Language (Part “H” – directing the development of a plan to merge DPFR with the Department of Economic and Community Development) Hear jointly with BRED

 

(To be held in conjunction with the Joint Standing Committee on Business, Research and Economic Development):   Rescheduled, due to a snowstorm, from 3/2

 

Friday

11:30 a.m.

Economic and Community Development, Department of

3/9/07

(see above)

·         Language (Part “H” – directing the development of a plan to merge DECD with the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation) Hear jointly with IFS

 

1:00 p.m.

·            Administration – Economic and Community Development

 

 

·            Applied Technology Development Center System

 

 

·            Business Development

 

 

·            Community Development Block Grant Program

 

 

·            Economic Conversion Division

 

 

·            International Commerce

 

 

·            International Northeast Biotechnology Corridor

 

 

·            Maine Economic Growth Council

 

 

·            Maine Small Business Commission

 

 

·            Maine State Film Commission

 

 

·            Office of Innovation

 

 

·            Office of Tourism

 

 

·            Language (Part “K” – changes the name of the EPSCoR steering committee)

 

 

·            Language (Part “L” – changes the name of the Maine Small Business Commission – DECD)

 

 

 

 

 

Downeast Institute for Applied Marine Research and Education

 

 

 

 

 

Foundation for Blood Research

 

 

·         Scienceworks for ME

 

 

 

 

 

Housing Authority, Maine State

 

 

·         Housing Authority - State

 

 

·         Low-Income Home Energy Assistance - MSHA

 

 

·         Shelter Operating Subsidy

 

 

 

 

 

Centers for Innovation

 

 The report-backs will continue on Monday, March 12th . When the Legislature is not in session, the AFA Committee will meet at 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. When the Legislature is in session, the AFA Committee will meet at 1:00 p.m. only.

CONTACT PERSON:                                         Diane Pruett

                                                                                5 State House Station

                                                                                Augusta, Maine  04333-0005

                                                                                287-1316  or  287- 1635