An Act To Refine the Maine Rural Development Statutes
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 1408
Committee: Business, Research and Economic Development
Sponsors: BROMLEY, SHOREY, HATCH
Amends: 5 MRSA §13120-D, 5 MRSA §13120-N, 5 MRSA §13120, 5 MRSA §13120-P

12lst MAINE LEGISLATURE 
Legislative Document 
No. 1408 
S.P.464 
In Senate, March 20, 2003 
An Act To Refine the Maine Rural Development Statutes 
Submitted by the Department of Economic and Community Development pursuant to Joint 
Rule 204. 
Reference to the Committee on Business, Research and Economic Development suggested 
and ordered printed. 
Presented by Senator BROMLEY of Cumberland. 
Cosponsored by Representati ve SMITH of Monmouth and 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Senator: SHOREY of Washington, Representative: HATCH of Skowhegan. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §13120-D, sub-§7, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 
703, §6, is amended to read: 
7. 
Employees. 
The 
authority 
may 
employ 
a.n 
executive 
director and such other technical experts, agents and employees, 
permanent and temporary, that it requires and may det,ermine their 
qualifications, duties and compensation. 
Permanent employees of 
the authority are eligible to elect to participate in the Maine 
State Retirement System, 
the state employee health plan under 
section 285, any state-deferred compensation plan or any other 
plan or program adopted by the members to the extent the members 
may determine. 
For required legal services, the authority may 
employ or retain its own counsel and legal staff. 
Sec. 2. 5 MRSA §13120-N, sub-§I, ,D, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 
703, §6, is amended to read: 
D. 
The authority shall adopt rules under chapter 375 with 
respect to: 
(1) 
The methodology and criteria for allocating funds 
to community industrial building projects; 
(2) 
The process through which municipalities and local 
development 
corporations 
must 
apply 
for 
community 
industrial building funds; 
(3) 
Rates 
of 
interest, 
the 
duration 
of 
interest 
payments and any other terms to which municipalities 
and 
local 
development 
corporations 
must 
be 
subject 
under this paragraph; and 
(4) 
Other 
matters 
necessary 
to 
the 
proper 
administration of this section and section 13120-0. 
Rules adopted under this paragraph are 
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routine technical rules pursuant to chapter 375, subchapter 
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Sec. 3. 5 MRSA §13120-0, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 
703, §6, is repealed. 
Sec. 4. 5 MRSA §13120-P, sub-§2, ,A, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 
703, §6, is amended to read: 
A. 
The property has been previously and materially used as 
a 
commercial 
facility or 
the 
property is suitable 
for 
adaptive use as a commercial or industrial facility: 
SUMMARY 
This bill clarifies that 
employees 
of 
the 
Maine 
Rural 
Development Authority are eligible for the state employee health 
plan, 
changes 
the 
rulemaking 
designation 
for 
the 
community 
industrial building program from major substantive to routine 
technical and removes 
the language that requires that unused 
funds be deposited with the Treasurer of State. 
The bill also 
expands the types of buildings the authority may invest in under 
the 
Commercial Facilities Development Program to 
include any 
buildings suitable for adaptive reuse as commercial or industrial 
facilities.