GROWING MAINE FROM WITHIN: The Small Business Initiative

If you have trouble reading this e-mail, go to www.mainehousespeaker.org/business/business/bizlistserve2005-04-01.htm.

Speaker of the House John Richardson

Small Business Update
Friday, April 1, 2005

A lot has been happening over the last month with the Small Business Initiative. All of the bills have now been drafted, and many of them are coming up for hearings in the coming weeks.

Here is a brief recap of the status of the bills. Now is the time to make your way to Augusta and testify, or at least to contact your legislators and let them know which bills you support and why. Thank you for your continued support of, and interest in, our small business legislation effort.

LD 169, An Act to Amend the Law Regarding Resale Certificates, was passed to be engrossed in the House and is on the Unfinished Business calendar in the Senate, meaning it could be voted on as early as Monday. The bill repeals changes made last session to the resale certificate and returns resale certificates to retailers with annual gross sales of $10,000 or more.

We'll keep you posted in the coming days on the status of that bill.

Since the last Small Business Update, LD 136, An Act to Allow an Appeal for Cancellation of Commercial Insurance, has been defeated in committee. The bill would have offered small businesses some of the protections against arbitrary insurance cancellation that homeowners now enjoy.

But another bill by Rep. David Webster of Freeport, LD 1192, An Act to Extend Insurance Notification and Protection to Small Businesses and Farms, is making its way through the process and includes many of the same elements as LD 136. That bill will come before the Insurance and Financial Services Committee on Thursday at 1 p.m.

If these issues are important to you, please be sure to check out the proposed legislation and speak to legislators on the Insurance and Financial Services Committee. Or better yet, come to Augusta and testify. Your voice does make a difference, especially at the committee level. See below for links to information about the bills and about how you can testify before a committee or submit written testimony.

Five public hearings next week on bills in the Small Business Initiative
Come to to the State House to testify

All 16 bills in the Small Business Initiative package of legislation have now been drafted and will be coming up soon for public hearing in the various committees. This is your opportunity to come out and testify.

Coming up next week, committees will be holding public hearings and work sessions on five of the bills in the Small Business Iniative legislative package.

Monday, April 4

LD 975, An Act to Create Entrepreneurship Internships for Maine High School and College Students - PUBLIC HEARING
Appropriations Committee, Room 228 in the State House, 9 a.m.

This resolve would reinstate the MERITS scholarship program. The MERITS scholarship program has a proven track record of helping Maine educators and businesses.

Tuesday, April 5

LD 1299, Resolve, To Establish the Commission to Study the Efficiency of State Business Assistance Services - PUBLIC HEARING
Business, Research and Economic Development Committee, Room 208 Cross Office Building, 1 p.m.

Establishes a commission to review state-funded business assistance services and make recommendations for streamlining, coordinating, and packaging services to enhance the delivery of state resources and expertise.

LD 1440, An Act to Encourage the Implementation of High-Speed Internet Access in Rural and Isolated Areas - PUBLIC HEARING
Utilities and Energy Committee, Room 211 Cross Office Building, 1 p.m.

Seeks to provide Maine businesses and people with access to affordable broadband internet access.

LD 192, An Act to Establish the Pine Tree Recreation Zone - PUBLIC HEARING
Business, Research and Economic Development Committee, Room 208 Cross Office Building, 1 p.m.

Encourages Maine’s natural resource based recreation industries by providing them with the same sort of considerations provided to other industries that operate in Pine Tree Enterprise Zones.

Thursday, April 7

LD 1192, An Act to Extend Insurance Notification and Protection to Small Businesses and Farms - PUBLIC HEARING
Insurance and Financial Services Committee, Room 427 State House, 1 p.m.

Recourse for small businesses which unfairly have their policies cancelled prior to the end of term; provides appeals process through the Supt. of Insurance; requires layman’s explanation of co-insurance policies; provides grace period before final cancellation in some circumstances.

Friday, April 8

LD 1192, An Act to Extend Insurance Notification and Protection to Small Businesses and Farms - WORK SESSION
Insurance and Financial Services Committee, Room 427 State House, 9:30 a.m.

LD 1299, Resolve, To Establish the Commission to Study the Efficiency of State Business Assistance Services - WORK SESSION
Business, Research and Economic Development Committee, Room 208 Cross Office Building, 1:30 p.m.

Check our website often for the full list of bill titles in the Small Business Initiative package, and to track the legislation.

Click here for the full list of bill titles included in the Small Business Initiative. The listing includes links so that you can follow the status of the bills throughout the legislative session.

You have a right and an obligation to make your voice heard in Augusta. We will send updates as often as we can to let you know which bills are going to public hearing so you can testify or submit testimony. You can also follow legislation by going to the legislative website and looking up various bills.

Testifying or submitting written testimony
Click here to learn more about testifying on a bill or submitting written testimony.

Contacting your legislator
Be sure to contact your legislator about small business legislation and let them know your opinion and suggestions. You can find your legislators in several ways.

To find your local Democratic legislator, go to www.mainehousedems.org/contactus. To find all state representatives, go to http://janus.state.me.us/house/townlist.htm.\

Rep. Stan Moody's bill to create Pine Tree Recreation Zones has been getting excellent press, and a boost from the Governor, who held a press conference Thursday to promote the idea. Rep. Moody's bill would allow tax incentives to recreation-based industries in areas of Maine.

From the Governor's press release:

"Our hotels and sporting camps are part of the significant network of small businesses that employ the majority of our workforce," Representative Moody said. "It is critical that we give them the support they need in order to remain competitive. The tax incentives offered through the Pine Tree Recreation Zone Act will help existing accommodations upgrade their offerings and enable new businesses to enter the market."

Proposed tax incentives include:

• Refund of 20 percent of approved project costs through refundable tax credits;
• Sales tax exemption on construction supplies and equipment; and
• Refund of new incremental meals and lodging tax generated for the first five years; refund must be used to implement an approved marketing plan.

For the full release, click here.

These updates will start coming more often now that the proposed legislation is working its way through committees. Watch for updates on how the legislation is faring, and on upcoming public hearings.

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