1 p.m.

Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee; public hearings; room 436, State House

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L.D. 266, “An Act To Improve the Law Regarding Bail Commissioners”: requires law enforcement agencies to maintain a list of available bail commissioners and give each commissioner equal opportunities to set, requires the bail commissioner to gain information about the victim in domestic-violence cases and gives the bail commissioners discretion to waive the bail commissioner fee.

L.D. 887, “An Act To Repeal a Specialized Form of the Generic Crime of Theft by Unauthorized Taking or Transfer”: repeals the crime of theft by unauthorized taking or transfer at a casino or slot machine facility.

Education and Cultural Affairs Committee; public hearings; room 202, Cross Building

L.D. 383, “An Act To Increase Public Awareness Regarding School Budget Elections”: requires a budget validation referendum for a regional school unit to include the total dollar amount and the percentage increase or decrease compared to the budget of the previous year.

L.D. 417, “An Act To Ensure That All Voters Are Able To Vote in Regional School Unit Budget Elections”: changes the annual budget meeting which the regional school unit’s budget is initially adopted by district voters to an annual public hearing where residents have an opportunity to offer comments but do not vote, authorizes the RSU’s board to make changes to the budget for approval by voters at a referendum and budget adoption will now be an annual referendum vote.

L.D. 521, “An Act To Change the Budget Approval Process for Alternative Organizational Structures”: requires who approves school budget approval process for alternative organizational structures be determined by a special meeting authorized by a majority of the governing body.

L.D. 638, “An Act To Require That School Budget Referenda Be Held on the Same Day as Primary Elections”: requires a regional school unit board to hold a budget meeting no later than 30 days before the date of the statewide primary or referendum election in June or the second Tuesday in June and changes the provisions governing absentee ballots for a budget validation referendum.

L.D. 666, “An Act To Limit the Amount a School Administrative Unit May Spend without Voter Approval”: requires approval in a local vote before a school administrative unit may spend any funds on a school construction project except with a cost of less than $2 million.

L.D. 742, “An Act To Amend the Regional School Unit Budget Validation Process”: requires that if the budget approved by the regional school unit budget meeting does not gain approval by voters at the budget validation referendum, the process must be repeated until a budget is validated, until Aug. 30; if the budget is still not validated and two complete budget cycles are completed, then the RSU’s budget approved at its last meeting becomes the budget for the fiscal year. If by Aug. 30 two complete cycles are not completed, then once two cycles are completed and no budget is approved, the RSU’s budget approved at its last meeting becomes the budget for the fiscal year.

Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee; public hearings; room 211, Cross Building

L.D. 248, “An Act To Encourage Workforce Development in the Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, Efficiency and Energy Conservation Trades and Reduce Carbon Dioxide Emissions”: adds another category of carbon dioxide emissions offset projects for workforce development in the trades of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, efficiency and energy conservation.

L.D. 774, “Resolve, Regarding a Fire and Police Protocols Pilot Program for E-911 Call Processing”: gives the Public Utilities Commission the authority to conduct pilot programs at public safety answering points to examine the benefits of and resources needed to implement a statewide fire and police protocols program for E-911 call processing in the state’s public safety answering points and report by Dec. 31, 2014.

L.D. 876, “Resolve, To Establish a Working Group To Study Issues Relating to Broadband Infrastructure Deployment”: directs ConnectME to establish a working group to identify technical, legal, funding and jurisdictional challenges and solutions to the deployment of broadband conduit for fiber-optic communications and report to the Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology and the Joint Standing Committee on Transportation by Feb. 1, 2014.

Environment and Natural Resources Committee; public hearings; room 216 Cross Building

L.D. 105, “An Act To Allow Motor Fuel Containing Five Percent Ethanol To Be Sold in the State”: allows a distributor, blender or retail dealer of gasoline in the state to sell, consign or distribute gasoline containing only 5 percent ethanol.

L.D. 115, “An Act To Join in a Prohibition on Motor Fuel Containing Corn-based Ethanol”: prohibits the sale of motor fuel that contains corn-based ethanol if at least two other New England states pass a similar prohibition.

L.D. 261, “An Act To Provide That a Distributor, Blender or Retail Dealer of Motor Fuel May Not Be Required To Sell, Consign or Distribute Motor Fuel Containing Ten Percent or More Ethanol”: provides that a distributor, blender or retail dealer of motor fuel may not be required to sell, consign or distribute motor fuel containing 10 percent or more ethanol.

L.D. 453, “An Act To Prohibit the Sale of Gasoline That Contains Ethanol as an Additive at a Level Greater than 10 Percent by Volume”: prohibits the sale of gasoline that contains ethanol as an additive at a level greater than 10 percent by volume, if at least two other New England states enact laws that prohibit such sales.

L.D. 695, “An Act To Amend the Site Location of Development Laws”: exempts from review a site of new construction at or modification of an existing licensed development if the additional disturbed area not to be regrown does not exceed 20,000 square feet and does not exceed 40,000 square feet in total and does not involve a division of the parcel of land.

Judiciary Committee; public hearings; room 438, State House

L.D. 396, “An Act To Appropriate Sufficient Funds for Indigent Legal Services”: adds $9.5 million to increase reimbursement for legal services provided by the state for those who are entitled to it to $70 per hour effective Oct. 1 and $75 per hour effective July 1, 2014.

L.D. 415, “An Act To Require a Warrant To Obtain the Location Information of a Cell Phone or Other Electronic Device”: prohibits a government entity from obtaining location information from a cellphone or other electronic device without a valid warrant, except with consent, to respond to an emergency services call or certain emergency situations when a warrant can’t be issued in time to prevent death or serious injury. The owner must be notified the government obtained the information within three days unless the court decides otherwise.

L.D. 552, “An Act To Expedite Court Proceedings by Providing Funds for Additional District Court Personnel”: adds $1.2 million for two judges, two deputy marshals, two assistant clerks and one law clerk to expedite District Court proceedings.

L.D. 581, “An Act To Amend the Laws Governing Service of Process in Eviction Actions”: allows the mailing of the complaint to the defendant’s last known address and leaving the complaint at the defendant’s last and usual place of abode if at least three good-faith efforts on three different days have been made to serve the defendant.

L.D. 640, “An Act Regarding Legal Representation in Certain Eviction Actions”: allows a person who is the sole member of a limited liability company or is a member of a LLC that is owned by a married couple or registered domestic partners who is not an attorney to appear in court for that company in an action for eviction.

Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development Committee; public hearings; room 208, Cross Building

L.D. 118, “An Act To Ensure the Authenticity of Items Reported To Have Been Crafted by Native Americans”: requires any person that sells authentic Indian arts and crafts to display the name, trademark, if any, and tribe of the person who made the product; and inauthentic product must be clearly labeled as inauthentic.

L.D. 722, “Resolve, To Establish a Task Force To Review Section 8 Housing Construction Standards”: the director of the Maine State Housing Authority is required to convene and coordinate a task force to review the eligibility standards for Section 8 housing construction in order to identify recommendations for improving the process.

L.D. 853, “Resolve, Requiring the Department of Labor To Establish a Fund To Assist Unemployed Individuals Lacking Transportation to Job Interviews”: requires the Department of Labor to establish a fund for the department’s career centers to assist unemployed people with costs associated with transportation to job interviews, including automotive repair costs.

L.D. 867, “An Act To Streamline, Amend and Clarify Certain Professional and Occupational Licensing Statutes”: provides a letter of guidance is appropriate only when a complaint is dismissed and the licensing entity feels that additional education or guidance is necessary; eliminates the member of the Manufactured Housing Board reserved for the owner or operator of a mobile home park with 15 or fewer lots and adds a position for a manufactured housing dealer; reduces the number of public members of the State Board of Funeral Service to two; extends the exemption from licensure until 60 days after examination results for graduate-level physical therapy applicants and eliminates the requirement that applicants who fail the examination obtain additional education; eliminates one journeyman and adds one master plumber to the Plumbers’ Examining Board; requires that an applicant licensed in another state for an equivalent license from the Board of Counseling Professionals Licensure need only a valid license for five years before applying; replaces “state of domicle” with “another jurisdiction,” adds pellets to the definition of solid fuel; removes the need for references for a license as an auctioneer, occupational therapist, social worker, real estate broker, associate broker, sales or timeshare agent, counseling professional; or real estate appraiser; removes the need for designation of the licensing official for licenses as an auctioneer, accountant; real estate broker or brokerage, associate broker, sales or timeshare agent, counseling professional, real estate appraiser or a transient seller.

Marine Resources Committee; public hearings; room 206, Cross Building

L.D. 585, “An Act To Require the Development of a Statewide Approach to Seaweed Management”: repeals the laws establishing the Cobscook Bay Rockweed Management Area and directs the commissioner of marine resources to develop a fisheries management plan for a consistent approach to the management of seaweed harvesting and report by Jan. 31, 2014.

L.D. 643, “An Act To Create a Tax Incentive Program To Improve the Maine Lobster Industry”: provides a sales tax refund and exemption, beginning July 1, 2013, to encourage capital investment in commercial lobster processing companies in the state and creates a working group that will examine broader issues and make recommendations by Jan. 15, 2014, for improving the competitiveness of commercial lobster processing companies.

State and Local Government Committee; public hearings; room 214, Cross Building

L.D. 787, “An Act To Encourage Municipal Infrastructure Improvement”: expands the permissible uses for municipal incentive development zones to include municipal infrastructure improvements and provides that increases in the equalized just value of industrial and commercial property within a municipal incentive development zone will not be included in the just value of the municipality for the purposes of education funding.

L.D. 814, “An Act To Clarify the Request for Proposal Process”: proposes to require the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Bureau of General Services to notify winning bidders that, once their initial contract for supplying goods or services has expired, they are required to go through the request for proposal process again in order to continue providing their goods or services.

L.D. 878, “An Act To Provide a Preference for Maine Bidders on State Contracts”: gives preference in the award of construction and public works contracts to workers and bidders who are residents of this state as long as their bids are not more than 5 percent greater than bids submitted by out-of-state bidders.

1:30 p.m.

Health and Human Services Committee; work sessions; room 209, Cross Building

L.D. 257, “An Act To Protect Newborns Exposed to Drugs or Alcohol”: once a health care provider has notified the Department of Health and Human Services of an infant from birth to 12 months of prenatal alcohol or drug exposure, DHHS must prepare a plan for the safe care of the infant. Repeals the requirement that the department investigate every notification for abuse or neglect.

L.D. 488, “An Act To Improve Access to Home-based and Community-based Care in the MaineCare Program”: provides that Department of Health and Human Services coverage for services to a member who is served under one of the home-based and community-based care waiver programs in MaineCare must be at least 95% of the cost of a member served in a nursing facility.

L.D. 499, “An Act To Promote Dental Care for Low-income Populations”: provides funding for the dental clinic operated in Portland by Riverview Psychiatric Center.

L.D. 507, “Resolve, Directing the Department of Health and Human Services To Amend Its Rules To Improve the Oral Health Education of Children”: requires the Department of Health and Human Services to require a child care provider to assist children in brushing their teeth as a part of a daily curriculum.

L.D. 597, “An Act To Inform Persons of the Options for the Treatment of Lyme Disease”: directs the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention to include on its publicly accessible website information about the treatment of Lyme disease, both alternative treatments and the treatment recommended by the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

L.D. 634, “An Act Regarding Permits for Final Disposition of Dead Human Bodies”: adds the State Registrar of Vital Statistics as a source for obtaining the disposition permit required for transportation, burial, cremation or other disposal of a dead human body after a body is disinterred or removed from a vault or tomb and requires a person in charge of burial grounds or a crematory to add the date that body was disposed of on the disposition permit and return the permit to the registrar or the clerk of the municipality.

L.D. 650, “Resolve, To Require the Department of Health and Human Services To Seek a Federal Waiver of Certain Requirements Regarding Contracting for Transportation Services under MaineCare”: requires the Department of Health and Human Services to request a federal waiver from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Center of Medicare and Medicaid Services to award nonprofit regional transportation providers with contracts for MaineCare non-emergency transportation without the involvement of a broker by Oct. 1.

L.D. 710, “Resolve, Requiring the Department of Health and Human Services To Adopt an Alternative MaineCare Nonemergency Transportation System to the Current Risk-based Prepaid Ambulatory Health Plan”: emergency bill; requires the Department of Health and Human Services to adopt an alternative MaineCare nonemergency transportation system that is not a risk-based prepaid ambulatory health plan.

2 p.m.

Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee; work sessions; room 211, Cross Building

L.D. 196, “An Act Regarding the Implementation of the Quality Assurance Program for Public Safety Answering Points”: directs the Public Utilities Commission, Emergency Services Communication Bureau to implement the public safety answering point quality assurance program.

L.D. 275, “Resolve, To Require the Emergency Services Communication Bureau To Expand the Existing Quality Assurance System”: directs the Public Utilities Commission, Emergency Services Communication Bureau to expand its quality assurance system to include fire and police call processing and dispatching and also to expand its emergency medical dispatch structured protocol system to include equivalent fire and police protocols and to authorize necessary 911 funding.

L.D. 372, “An Act To Transfer the Responsibilities of the Department of Public Safety, Maine Communications System Policy Board to the Bureau of Consolidated Emergency Communications”: transfers the powers and duties of the Department of Public Safety, Maine Communications System Policy Board to the Bureau of Consolidated Emergency Communications.

State and Local Government Committee; work sessions ; room 214, Cross Building

L.D. 27, “An Act To Enable the Town of Livermore Falls To Withdraw from Androscoggin County and Join Franklin County”: authorizes the Town of Livermore Falls to withdraw from Androscoggin County and be annexed by Franklin County.

L.D. 211, “An Act To Amend the Laws Governing the Limitation on County Assessments”:

L.D. 558, “Resolve, To Erect a State Monument to Franco-Americans”: directs the Capitol Planning Commission to raise and maintain a monument to men and women of Franco-American heritage in the state and the commission may accept gifts and private contributions for this purpose.

L.D. 587, “An Act To Designate Election Day as an Official State Holiday”: designates Election Day, the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, as a state holiday.