Last week, our staff and lobbyists appeared before two legislative committees to represent our membership in Augusta.

In the Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee, we presented testimony neither for nor against LD 180, "An Act to Allow a Person to File a Paper Copy of a Timber Harvest Notification Form."

In the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee, we presented testimony in support of LD 57, "An Act to Amend Maine's Endangered and Threatened Species List."

Our testimony on these bills can be found linked above or here on our website under the 'Legislative Action' section.

Next week will be a little bit busier with work sessions scheduled for a number of bills we have engaged on in the ACF and IFW Committees.

We will also testify in the Taxation Committee for the first time this session on a bill regarding third-party certifications, and in the Labor and Housing Committee against a bill to remove intentional acts and omissions from workers' compensation exemptions. The Council is still researching this bill, but we suspect that such a change could open employers up to litigation that would go above and beyond their workers' compensation policy. We will keep you posted on this bill as our research progresses.

A preview of the public hearings and work sessions that we will be monitoring next week are included below. If you need help submitting testimony or have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Best,

Pat Strauch

Maine Forest Products Council

Bills scheduled for a public hearing

Public hearings are livestreamed and archived here on the Legislature's Website. Testimony will be accepted in-person, via Zoom or in writing. Committee meeting guidance for public/interested parties can be found here.

To sign up to testify via Zoom or submit written testimony, click here.

LD 191 - An Act To Amend The Laws Regarding Certain Business Equipment Tax Benefits

Public Hearing before TAX on Tuesday February 14, 2023 @ 1:00 PM in State House, Room 127

MFPC Position: Neither for nor against

Sponsored by Senator Stewart, LD 191 would exclude from eligibility for the business equipment tax exemption and the business equipment tax reimbursement a person that, based on a 3rd-party certification, bans, boycotts or otherwise restricts or prevents the sale or distribution of any product that is legally produced, harvested or grown in the state. This exclusion does not apply to products when a certification system is in place at the consent or request of the producer, manufacturer or grower. The Council worked with the bill sponsor to make sure that our voluntary sustainable forestry certification programs were not included in this legislation.

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LD 53 - An Act To Ensure Accountability For Workplace Harassment And Assault By Removing Intentional Acts And Omissions From Workers' Compensation Exemptions

Public Hearing before LAH on Thursday February 16, 2023 @ 1:00 PM in Cross Building, Room 202

MFPC Position: Oppose

Sponsored by Representative Adam Lee, LD 53 would remove intentional acts and omissions from the exemptions from civil action related to damages sustained by an employee when an employer has secured payment of workers' compensation.

Bills scheduled for a work session

Work Sessions are livestreamed and archived here on the Legislature's Website.

LD 108 - "An Act To Establish A Logger Relations Advocate Within The Maine Forest Service"

Work Session before ACF on Wednesday February 15, 2023 @ 9:00 AM in Cross Building, Room 214

MFPC Position: Neither for nor against

Sponsored by Representative Scott Landry, LD 108 would require the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Bureau of Forestry to establish a logger relations advocate to serve as a liaison to the public.

The Council believes that the MFS does a good job supporting all sectors of the forest products industry.

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LD 24 - "An Act To Prohibit Open Burning Under A Red Flag Warning And Regulate Recreational Campfires"

Work Session before ACF on Wednesday February 15, 2023 @ 9:00 AM in Cross Building, Room 214

MFPC Position: Support

Sponsored by Senator Glenn Curry, LD 24 would protect Maine's forests by prohibiting open burning, including recreational campfires, whether open burning is permitted or not, during periods in which a red flag warning is in effect. The bill also limits the size of recreational campfires, including those that do not require a permit.

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LD 180 - "An Act To Allow A Person To File A Paper Copy Of A Timber Harvest Notification Form"

Work Session before ACF on Wednesday February 15, 2023 @ 9:00 AM in Cross Building, Room 214

MFPC Position: Neither for nor against

Sponsored by Senator Russell Black, LD 180 would allow harvest notification forms to be submitted to the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Bureau of Forestry in either an electronic or paper format. Currently, electronic filing is required. The Council is supportive of continuing efforts to improve the electronic system.

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LD 57 - "An Act To Amend Maine's Endangered And Threatened Species List"

Work Sessions on Wednesday February 15, 2023 @ 1:00 PM in Cross Building, Room 206

MFPC Position: Support

Sponsored by Representative Dill on behalf of the Department, LD 57 amendments to the State's list of endangered and threatened species. It removes the box turtle and the rapids clubtail from the endangered species list. It adds the Ashton's cuckoo bumble bee and the saltmarsh sparrow to the endangered species list. It adds the bank swallow, the Bicknell's thrush, the blackpoll warbler, the cliff swallow, the margined tiger beetle and the tricolored bat to the threatened species list. It also makes some taxonomic nomenclature changes.

About MFPC

Since 1961, the Maine Forest Products Council has been the voice of Maine's forest economy. MFPC's members are landowners, loggers, truckers, paper mills, tree farmers, foresters, lumber processors and the owners of more than 8 million acres of commercial forestland, but they are also bankers, lawyers and insurance executives. The Council represents members at the Maine Legislature throughout the state, in Washington D.C. and the U.S.

Patrick Strauch, Executive Director

Krysta West, Deputy Director

Pat Sirois, SFI Coordinator

Sue McCarthy, Office Manager

207-622-9288

www.maineforest.org

535 Civic Center Drive, Augusta, Maine 04330

Thanks to MFPC's sponsors!

Click on the images below to visit their websites