Accomplishments of the 123rd Legislature:  2007 Session

1. Jobs, Jobs, Jobs

Investing in businesses, innovation and education for Maine’s future workforce

• LD 1796 – Bond package (subject to voter approval)
  • $136 million for transportation upgrades, drawing almost $260 million in matching funds to fix and upgrade roads and bridges
  • $55 million in research and development, drawing more than $50 million in matching funds for a total of more than $100 million invested in developing the economy of the future
• LD 499 – STATE BUDGET
  • Extends Pine Tree Development Zone benefits to Maine manufacturing companies that create new, quality jobs and make large capital investments
  • Dedicates $4 million for Maine Technology Innovation Clusters
  • Supports Realize!Maine initiative, to make Maine more attractive to young professionals through better career and social networking
  • Funds small business development centers and Technology Innovation Cluster
  • $41.5 million for infrastructure upgrades to the University of Maine, Community Colleges, Maine Maritime Academy and K-12 schools
  • Increased funding to higher education to reduce University tuition hikes and increase enrollment capacity at the Community Colleges
• LD 1369 – Requires the Department of Health and Human Services to determine best practices for high quality after school services
• LD 1856 – The “Opportunity Maine” bill - Establishes a tax credit for Maine college graduates to help pay off their student loans if they live and work in Maine after graduation
• LD 755 – Establishes a commission to review a wide range of children’s related issues, including the economic development value of investment in children, the child care system, the home visitation system, and related issues with a focus on recommending prioritized investments in these and related areas

2. Affordable Health Care

Increasing access to quality health care for every Mainer

• LD 1796 – Bond package (subject to voter approval) -- Creates the Health InfoNet Program, to improve access to complete health information for providers
• LD 807 – Keeps co-pays on prescription drugs down and prevents overcharging
• LD 224 – Ensures that domestic workers are paid at least minimum wage
• LD 841 – Extends coverage and lowers insurance costs overall by allowing dependent children up to age 25 to stay on their parents’ insurance policy
• LD 1849 – cosponsored by Seth -- Creates more transparency in rising health care costs, and strengthens the state’s ability to study cost drivers and identify savings
• LD 431 – Allows the Dirigo Health agency to self-administer Dirigo Choice, which would save the state millions of dollars and allow the program to expand access to affordable health care

3. Responsible Fiscal Management

Weathering the D.C. deficit without losing the farm

• LD 499 – STATE BUDGET
  • Cuts spending in original budget proposal by $114 million
  • Balances state revenues and spending without raising taxes
  • Develops more sustainable long term funding in school and health care services
  • Meets the citizens' mandate to increase state funding for public education to 55%
• LD 1469 - "Resolve, To Enhance Accountability in Future Tax Increment Financing" (sponsored by Seth)
  • Improves oversight of $23 million in annual corporate subsidies by Maine taxpayers
  • Requires study of intended and unintended consequences (e.g., job creation, impact to free market, increased sprawl)
  • Provides for greater future transparency and accountability
• LD 1884 - Returns $68 million in workers' comp. taxes to businesses; establishes a skilled workforce training program; eliminates the social security/unemployment offset; and eliminates the sunset on part-time workers' compensation
• HP 1352 - "Joint Resolution Memorializing the President and the Congress of the U.S. to Enact the Social Security Fairness Act of 2007" (sponsored by Seth)
  • Requests the restoration of roughly $6 billion to Maine taxpayers, taken under unfair Social Security rules
  • Seeks to restore lost benefits to teachers and other state workers, to help us retain and attract the best and brightest in the future
  • Over 150 cosponsors in Maine Legislature; supported by Gov. Baldacci and Maine's entire Congressional delegation

4. Strong Families and Communities

Protecting consumers, workers and families

• LD 1796 – Bond package (subject to voter approval)
  • Increases property tax relief for veterans
  • Additional funding for blind and visually impaired children; Women, Work and Community; and domestic violence prevention
• LD 1824 - "An Act to Regulate Outdoor Wood Boilers" (sponsored by Seth)
  • Allows existing boilers, except for health threats to neighbors
  • Sets rules for siting and stack height, and emissions levels for new boilers
• LD 1658 - Phases out deca-BDE flame retardant in Maine households -- proven to have negative impacts on human brain development
• LD 1869 – cosponsored by Seth -- Protects Maine homeowners from predatory lending practices that strip home equity and lead consumers into foreclosure or loans they cannot afford
• LD 375 – Extends family medical leave benefits to domestic partners and siblings
• LD 555 – Requires landlords to notify tenants before doing work that disperses lead paint
• LD 1428 – Protects senior citizens from financial abuse by allowing banks to report suspected exploitation
• LD 416 – Protects seniors from manipulative insurance sales practices
• LD 1058 – Extends the legislature's lobbyist disclosure requirements to the executive branch 

5. A Healthy Natural Heritage

Preserving quality of life and access to healthy woods and clean waters

• LD 1851 – cosponsored by Seth -- Enters Maine into the Northeastern Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a multi-state accord to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in ten northeastern states by 10 percent in the next 12 years.
• LD 1796 – Bond package (subject to voter approval)
  • $20 million for Land for Maine’s Future, drawing $11.5 million matching funds, all to preserve quality places including the working waterfront
  • $25 million for natural resource based and environmental cleanup projects, drawing almost $53 million in matching funds
• LD 1743 - Sets new standards for withdrawals of water from Maine rivers and streams
• LD 340 – Requires replacement of illegally cleared shoreland trees or vegetation
• LD 134 – Expands tax credits for home and business solar energy systems
• LD 1810 – Protects small local businesses and traditional Maine communities by requiring “big box” retail stores to fund an independent impact study before establishing themselves in a new location