AUGUSTA - Rep. Kyle Bailey, D-Gorham, introduced LD 446, An Act To Reestablish the State Planning Office, before the Legislature's State and Local Government Committee. LD 446 would reestablish the Maine State Planning Office, housed within the Office of the Governor, which was eliminated in 2012.
"I have introduced this legislation to recreate and reimagine the state's planning infrastructure because there is a deficiency in planning support for municipalities at the state level that threatens to undermine our best efforts to solve Maines most pressing problems," said Bailey.
The State Planning Office would be responsible for advising the Governor on developing and implementing policy, assisting the Legislature with information and analysis and administering financial and technical assistance programs to help build sustainable communities.
"The State Planning Office, version 2.0, would operate as a one-stop shop for local governments and their partners to access planning expertise and resources," said Bailey. "It would be a vehicle for the state to incentivize action at the local level around growing Maine's economy, addressing climate change and tackling the many other planning priorities before us."
The public hearing was recorded and will be available for viewing at the State and Local Government Committees YouTube channel under the March 3, 2021 video. The committee will hold a work session on Bailey's bill in the coming weeks.
Bailey is serving his first term in the Maine House and represents part of Gorham and part of Scarborough. He is a member of the Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business Committee.
Contact:
Jackie Merrill [Bailey], c. 812-1111