GROWING MAINE FROM WITHIN:
Promoting Small Business and Entrepreneurship in Maine

If you have trouble reading this e-mail, go to www.mainehousespeaker.org/business/bizlistserve2005-05-05.htm.

Speaker of the House John Richardson

Small Business Update
Thursday May 6, 2005

As the Legislature approaches the final month and a half of the Legislative Session, business is reaching a very hectic pace. Most of the bills in the Small Business Initiative have had their Public Hearing and Work Session. In most cases we've had a positive resolution, either through committee recommendation for passage, or through a non-legislative solution that comes about as a result of the process. Success sometimes comes through passage of a bill, and sometimes it comes in bringing attention to an issue and working out a non-legislative solution. Check out the RECAP below for details on bills heard in committee so far.

Be sure to watch next week for Speaker Richardson's bill, LD 1518, to establish a business court to expedite business and complex litigation. The establishment of the court aims to increase the capacity of our courts to respond to business needs by creating a consumer and commercial court, to expedite business-related litigation that often gets delayed – and causes delay – in the existing court system.

Assigning new positions the business court would also free up resources for family law, criminal, and other court cases to help move those more efficiently, as well.

Legislators need to hear from you on this bill! Consider attending the Public Hearing on May 10.

Read the bill and follow its status.

Here's what's happened since April 14:

• LD 1440, An Act to Encourage the Implementation of High-Speed Internet Access in Rural and Isolated Areas
  Rep. Hannah Pingree presented testimony on this bill before the Utilities and Energy Committee. The committee voted to carry this bill over to the next legislative session for continued review.
  
  Rep. Pingree's testimony, the bill text, and more is availabe online.
  

• LD 825, An Act to Establish “3-1-1” as a Statewide Business Assistance Line
  The BRED Committee has voted to establish a pilot program to expand the currently existing Biz Answers line run by the Department of Community and Economic Development. The line will be staffed and open later in the evening to better serve Maine's small business people. The bill will be sent to the House and then Senate for action.
  
  Check the Bill Status

• LD 1387, An Act to Develop a Statewide Entrepreneurship Curriculum from Kindergarten through College
  The committee unanimously recommended passage of the bill at the May 5 workshop. The bill now goes to the House and then the Senate for passage.
  
  Check the Status
  
  Read the Press Release
  
  
• LD 1015, An Act to Increase Small Business Access to Maine State Contracts
  The committee unanimously recommended passage of the amended version of the bill, which is in line with the original version. The bill will go to the full House and Senate for passage.
  
  Check the Status
  
  Read the Press Release
  
  
• LD 1263, An Act to Contain Costs, Reduce Paperwork, and Streamline the Regulatory Process for Maine’s Small Businesses
  Public Hearing was held before the Business Research and Economic Development Committee on May 4. The bill is scheduled for a work session on May 10. The bill creates the position of the Small Business Ombudsman in the Governor’s Office to advocate for the concerns of Maine’s small businesses. Also reinvigorates the Maine Regulatory Fairness Board charging it to recommend regulatory and statutory changes to enhance the State’s business climate.
  
  Check the status

Tuesday, May 10

• LD 1518, An Act To Increase Access to Justice in Maine's Court System - PUBLIC HEARING
  Judiciary Committee, Room 438, State House, 1 p.m.

• LD 1263, An Act to Contain Costs, Reduce Paperwork, and Streamline the Regulatory Process for Maine’s Small Businesses - WORK SESSION
  Business Research and Economic Development, Room 208, Cross Office Building, 1 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.

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.

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.

You have received this e-mail because you signed up for e-mail news updates on the small business initiative from the House Democrats in Augusta. Please forward this message to others who you think would appreciate this service. For more information about this service, please visit the business page on the House Speaker's website:

www.mainehousespeaker.org/business.

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