REAL TAX RELIEF   

• Income Tax Relief – $10,200 exemption for taxpayers that did not already receive one for unemployment income (using projected additional funds)
• Increase the Homestead Exemption Reimbursement to Municipalities from 70% to 100% – provides direct property tax relief to homeowners
• Increase Revenue Sharing from 3.75% to 5%

“Mainers deserve to know what Republican priorities are and how they relate directly to Maine citizens trying to recover and prosper in the month and years ahead. Additional funds should go back to the people directly. The following list is not exhaustive and will be updated as more information and fiscal analysis becomes available. It is the product of members working at the State House.

Republican members, through their policy committees, have spent countless hours helping develop this list of priorities. It protects the taxpayers by funding needs not wants. Income and property tax relief goes directly to workers, property owners and municipalities rather than new government programs. Other financial support goes to frontline workers, and programs that serve citizens impacted by the pandemic. One-time spending can also be used for economic development grants. The investments we are supporting will benefit Maine as a whole.”

Senate Republican Leader Jeff Timberlake and House Republican Leader Kathleen Dillingham –

OTHER PRIORITIES (Partial list, others to be added HERE as costs are determined)

HEALTHCARE AND INSURANCE

SUPPORT FOR TELEHEALTH SERVICES

LD 649 – An Act Expand and Promote Telehealth Services
LD 1007 – An Act To Increase Availability of Health Care through Telehealth
LD 1194 – An Act To Reduce Health Care Worker Shortages
LD 1391 – An Act To Amend Telehealth Laws Regarding Out-of-state Telehealth

INCREASING REIMBURSEMENT RATES FOR WORKERS

LD 684 – Resolve, To Amend MaineCare Reimbursement Provisions Governing Supplemental Payments to Nursing Facilities with High MaineCare Use (EMERGENCY)
LD 1112 – Resolve, To Classify Employee Health Insurance as a Fixed Cost for MaineCare Reimbursement in Nursing Homes
LD 1197 – Resolve, To Require Continued MaineCare Reimbursement to Nursing Facilities for Bed Hold Days during Hospitalizations and Therapeutic Leaves of Absence
LD 1204 -An Act To Address the Shortage of Direct Care Workers for Children with Disabilities in Maine

REDUCING HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS

LD 365 – An Act To Protect Consumers from Surprise Medical Bills
LD 750 – An Act To Increase Transparency of and Lower Health Care Costs
LD 751 – An Act To Allow Employers To Shop for Competitive Health Plan Options

SUPPORTING VETERANS

LD 614 – Resolve, To Extend Funding to Maine Veterans’ Homes during the COVID-19 Pandemic
LD 658 – An Act To Provide Funding for 3 Veterans Services Officers in the Maine Bureau of Veterans’ Services
LD 693 – An Act To Make the Pilot Program Providing Mental Health Case Management Services to Veterans a Permanent Program

ENSURING TRANSPARENCY & REDUCING GOVERNMENT WASTE

LD 315 – An Act To Require State Departments To Report on Rule Changes within State Government since the Beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic
LD 584 – Resolve, To Establish the Commission to Study the Reduction of Unfunded and Outdated Municipal Mandates
LD 817 – Resolve, To Establish the COVID-19 Review Commission (EMERGENCY)
LD 1155 – An Act To Require Election Transparency and Audits
LD 1241 – An Act To Establish More Transparency, Due Process, Education and Understanding between the Department of Health and Human Services and Certain Maine Businesses
LD 1496 – An Act To Establish the Board of Canvassers for Certifying Election Results
LD 564 – An Act To Save Money by Eliminating the Requirement That the Annual Reports of State Agencies Be Printed
LD 1073 – Resolve, Establishing the Commission To Research Effective Strategies and Efficiencies of Legislatures
LD 1108 – An Act To Promote Legislative Oversight of Federal COVID-19 Relief Funds

ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND RECOVERY

LD 149 – An Act To Facilitate Licensure for Credentialed Individuals from Other Jurisdictions
LD 784 -An Act To Amend the Law Governing Approval Authority Over and Oversight of Certified Nursing Assistant Educational Programs
LD 942 – An Act To Waive Professional and Occupational Licensing Fees for Calendar Year 2020
LD 1047 – An Act To Create an Alternative Minimum Wage Applicable to Student Employees Who Are under 20 Years of Age and to Employees Who Are under 18 Years of Age
LD 1381 – An Act To Establish a Sales Tax Holiday To Help Maine Businesses Affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic
LD 1403 – An Act To Protect Maine Businesses, Nonprofits, Educational Institutions and Municipalities during the COVID-19 Pandemic
LD 1507 -An Act To Establish a Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Program and Allocation (EMERGENCY) (GOVERNOR’s BILL)

CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION (CTE)

LD 313 -An Act To Advance Career and Technical Education Opportunities in Maine
LD 516 – Resolve, Directing the Department of Education To Review Career and Technical Education Courses and Provide Guidance on High School Credit Equivalencies
LD 975 – An Act To Create and Additional Pathway to Certify Industrial Arts Teachers To Foster Career and Technical Subjects in Maine Schools

OUTDOOR RECREATION

LD 1468 -An Act To Support All-terrain Vehicle Trail Improvements
LD 280 – An Act To Increase Funding for Snowmobile Trails and Capital Equipment Grants

CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM & PUBLIC SAFETY

LD 12 – An Act To Require Annual Information Reporting by the Maine Information and Analysis Center
LD 242 – An Act To Support the Maine Fire Protection Services Commission
LD 346 – An Act Requiring the Use of Propane and Natural Gas Detectors
LD 521 – An Act To Modify the Rule-making Process for Establishing County and Municipal Jail Standards
LD 546 – An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Maine Juvenile Justice System Assessment and Reinvestment Task Force
LD 679 – An Act To Establish a Statewide Electronic Warrant System
LD 1140 – An Act To Establish a Sales Tax Exemption for the Purchase of Firearm Safety Devices

PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES

LD 802 – An Act To Ensure Decommissioning of Solar Developments
LD 911 – An Act to Prohibit the Reception of Foreign Waste Plastic in Maine Ports
LD 1208 – An Act To Amend the State’s Electronic Waste Recycling Law
LD 866 – An Act Concerning Advance Refrigeration Technology
LD 1202 – An Act to Establish a Wood-fired Combined Heat and Power Program
LD 129 – Resolve, To Protect Consumers of Public Drinking Water by Establishing Maximum Contaminant Levels for Certain Substances and Contaminants
LD 780 – An Act Regarding Uncontrolled Hazardous Substance Sites

ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE

LD 1235 – An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Connect Maine with a World-class Internet Infrastructure. Replace with ARPA money rather than borrowing 
LD 1107 – An Act To Create Needed Broadband Infrastructure in Rural Maine through the Establishment of a Satellite-based Broadband Grant Program
LD 1484 – An An Act To Enhance the ConnectMaine Authority’s Capacity To Provide World-class Internet

OTHER

LD 182 – An Act To Expand the Definition of “Essential Worker” To Include Retail and Food Service Workers
LD 635 – An Act To Repeal The Requirement To Obtain a Permit before Hunting with a Noise Suppression Device
LD 884 – An Act To Ban the Surveillance of Firearm Purchases