An Act to Amend the Economic Development Laws LR 2621(02)
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 1818
Committee Amendment CA_A_S452 (Senate)
Amends: 5 MRSA §13054, 5 MRSA §13120-P, 10 MRSA §1464, 20-A MRSA §12705

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A· to S. P. 666, L. D. 1818, Bill, 
Act To Amend the Economic Development Laws" 
Amend the bill by inserting after section 2 the following: 
"An 
. Sec. 3. 5 MRSA §13054, sub-§§1 and 2, as amended by PL 2003, 
c. 451, Pt. L, §l, are further amended to read: 
1. 
Commissioner. 
"Commissioner" means the Commissioner of 
geeBemie--aBa--Gemm~Bity--geye*epmeBt 
~C~Q~m~m~e~r~c~e~,~~C~o~m~m~u~n~~~'t~~~'e~s __ ~a~n~d 
Tourism. 
2. 
Department. 
"Departmen t " 
geeBemie--aBa--Gemm~Bity--geye*epmeBt 
Tourism •• 
means 
the 
Department 
of 
Commerce, 
Communities 
and 
Further amend the bill by striking out all of section 10 and 
inserting in its place the following: 
. Sec. 10. 5 MRSA §13120-P, sub-§§2 and 3, as amended by PL 
2003, c. 281, §8, are further amended to read: 
2. 
Redevelopment 
of 
property. 
Except 
as 
provided 
in 
section 13120-Q, the authority may undertake the redevelopment of 
property as an owner or lender for subsequent use and sale under 
the following conditions: 
A. 
The property has been previously and materially used as 
a 
commercial 
facility or 
the 
property is 
suitable 
for 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A· to S.P. 666, L.D. 1818 
adaptive use as a commercial or industrial facility; 
B. 
The property is currently not in productive commercial 
use or is expected to be" taken out of productive commercial 
use within the immediate future; 
GT--~Ae-p£epe£~y-~-~-~~~~~r-a-~~Feaase-e~EieR 
eF-eeREFaeEf 
D. 
The authority, using due diligence, has determined that: 
(1) 
There 
is 
a 
reasonable 
expectation 
that 
the 
property will become financially viable following its 
redevelopment; and 
(2) 
The economic benefits, 
of employment opportuni ties, 
the redevelopment justify the 
author i ty' s equity, security 
property; and 
including the restoration 
expected to result from 
risks associated with the 
or other interest in the 
E. 
AE 
A municipality, 
another governmental entity or 
a 
local development corporation has provided or will provide 
in connection with the acquisition or redevelopment of the 
property assistance whose value is at least 25% of the total 
eesE--~~--~~~r&r--£eQe¥e~ep--~--FeE~FR value 
of 
the 
authority's 
assistance 
for 
acqu~r~ng, 
redeveloping 
and 
returning the property to productive commercial use will-se 
seFRe-sY-Eae-~~Riei~aliEy-eF-leeal-Qeyele~~eRE-eeF~eFaEieR. 
The authority may finance undeveloped land or personal property 
only if the undeveloped land or personal property is part of the 
overall redevelopment project. 
3. 
Development of property. 
Except as provided in section 
l3120-Q, the authority may undertake the development of property 
as an owner or lender for subsequent use and sale under the 
following conditions: 
A. 
The property consists of real estate that is zoned, 
sited or otherwise suitable for development as a commercial 
facility; 
B. 
The property is currently not in productive commercial 
use; 
GT--~Ae-F£e~£~y-~-~-~~~~~r-a-~~Feaase-e~EieR 
el:=-eeREl:=aeEf 
D. 
The authority, using due diligence, has determined that: 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,A, to S.P. 666, L.D. 1818 
(1) 
There 
is 
a 
reasonable 
expectation 
that 
the 
property will become financially viable following its 
development; 
(2) 
The 
development 
of 
the 
property will 
create 
employment opportunities and other economic benefits 
within the region; and 
(3) 
The economic benefits expected to result from the 
development 
justify 
the 
risks 
associated 
with 
the 
authority's 
equitYL, __ ~l~o~a~n~_o~r __ ~o~t~h~e~r 
interest in 
the 
property; and 
E. 
A~ A municipality, 
another governmental entity or 
a 
local development corporation has provided or will provide 
in connection with the acquisition or development of the 
property assistance whose value is at least 25% of the total 
ee6~-~e-~~~-~~-aaG-9~iR~ value of the authority's 
assistance 
for 
acqu~nng, 
developing 
and 
bringing 
the 
property to productive commercial use 
will-.£>e--bo-r-ne--e.l"-~ae 
m~Rieipali~y-e~-leeal-eeyelepmeR~-ee~pe~a~ieR. 
The authority may finance undeveloped land or personal property 
only if the undeveloped land or personal property is part of the 
overall development project.' 
Further amend the bill by striking out all of sections 13 to 
and inserting in their place the following: 
'Sec. 13. 10 MRSA §1464, as amended by PL 1989, c. 501, Pt. 
DD, §25, is further amended to read: 
§1464. 
Regional Ride Share Services Matching Fund Program 
There is established, to carry out the purposes of this 
chapter, a Regional Ride Share Services Matching Fund Program to 
be 
administered by 
the Department of 
~eeRemie--aRe--G9mm~Ri~y 
QeyelepmeR~ Transportation. 
Sec. 14. 20-A MRSA §12705, sub-§I, as amended by PL 2003, c. 
20, Pt. 00, §2 and affected by §4, is further amended to read: 
1. 
Membership. 
The 
board of 
trustees 
consists 
of 
appointed voting members, one ex officio voting member and 6 one 
ex officio, nonvoting memge~6 member as follows: 
C. 
Twelve 
field of 
public; 
from 
labor, 
the 
the 
field 
field 
of 
of 
business 
education 
and industry, 
the 
and the general 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,A' to S.P. 666, L.D. 1818 
D. 
The Commissioner of Education, 
or the commissioner's 
successor, who serves as an ex officio voting member; 
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e~-~Re-£~~££~e£€£~£-~~~~-~~~~-a&-e~-eff~e~e 
ReRye~~R~-~e~Be~f 
F. 
The 
Commissioner 
of 
Labor, 
or 
the 
commissioner's 
successor, who serves as an ex officio nonvoting member; and 
G. 
One member who is from the student body of one of the 
communi ty college campuses at the time of appointment and 
who is a permanent resident of the State. 
To be eligible 
for 
appointment as 
a 
student member, 
a 
student must be 
enrolled for a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester. 
The student member is a full voting member of the board of 
trustees and serves for a 2-year term and until a successor 
is qualified. 
By 
January 1st of 
every 
2nd 
year, 
the 
president of the system shall solicit a list of 6 eligible 
students from the student governments from 6 of the campuses 
wi thin the Maine Community College System, the 7th campus 
being excluded in accordance with this 
subsection. 
The 
Governor shall then nominate a student trustee chosen from 
the list within 30 days of receiving the list of names. 
The 
nomination 
is 
subject 
to 
review 
by 
the 
joint standing 
committee 
of 
the 
Legislature 
having 
jurisdiction 
over 
education matters and to confirmation by the Legislature. 
The student trustee may not come from the same campus in any 
consecutive terms. 
In the event that the student trustee 
transfers from one campus to another during the student's 
term 
of 
appointment, 
the 
student's 
original 
campus 
of 
enrollment is the campus excluded when the next student 
trustee is appointed. 
Sec. 15. 30-A MRSA c. 206, sub-c. 3, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 
451, Pt. NNN, §2, is repealed. 
Sec. 16. 30-A MRSA c. 206, sub-c. 4 is enacted to read: 
SUBCHAPTER 4 
PINE TREE DEVELOPMENT ZONES 
§5250-H. 
Findings and declaration of necessity 
1. 
Legislative finding. 
The Legislature finds that there 
is a need to encourage development in economically distressed 
areas of the State in order to: 
A. 
Provide new employment opportunities: 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A to S.P. 666, L.D. 1818 
B. 
Improve existing employment opportunities; 
c. 
Improve and broaden the tax base; and 
D. 
Improve the general economy of the State. 
2. 
Authorization. 
For the reasons set out in subsection 
1, a unit of local government or 2 or more cooperating units of 
local government may develop a program for improving a district 
within its boundaries or their collective boundaries, as the case 
may be; 
A. 
To provide impetus for targeted business development; 
B. 
To increase employment; and 
C. 
To provide the facilities outlined in the development 
program 
adopted 
by 
the 
participating 
units 
of 
local 
government. 
3. 
Declaration of public purpose. 
The Legislature declares 
that the actions required to assist the implementation of these 
development 
programs 
are 
for 
a 
public purpose 
and that the 
execution and financing of these programs are a public purpose. 
§5250-I. 
Definitions 
As 
used in this subchapter, unless the context otherwise 
indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. 
1. 
Affiliated business. 
"Affiliated business" 
means 
a 
member of a group of 2 or more businesses in which more than 50% 
of the voting stock of each member corporation or more than 50% 
of the ownership interest in a business other than a corporation 
is directly or indirectly owned by a 
common owner or owners, 
either corporate or noncorporate, or by one or more of the member 
businesses. 
2. 
Applicant. 
"Applicant" 
means 
any 
unit 
of 
local 
government and any group of cooperating units of local government 
in 
the 
State 
that 
apply 
for 
designation 
as 
a 
Pine 
Tree 
Development Zone under section 5250-J. 
• 
Average 
emplQl'lllent 
during 
base 
period. 
"Average 
employment during base period" for a business means the total 
number of qualified employees of that business on each of 
consecutive measurement days in each of the 3 calendar years in 
the base period as chosen by the business divided by 18. 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ~, to S.P. 666, L.D. 1818 
4. 
Base level of employment. 
"Base level of employment" 
means the greater of either the total employment in the State of 
a business and its affiliated businesses as of the December 31st 
immediately preceding its certification as a gualified Pine Tree 
Development Zone business or its average employment during the 
base period. 
5. 
Base period. 
"Base period" means the 3 calendar years 
prior to the year in which a business is certified as a gualified 
Pine Tree Development Zone business. 
6. 
~Qmi&&iQner. 
"CQmmi::i::iiQn~r" 
m~,m::i the CQmmi§siQner of 
ECQnomic and CQmmunity DevelQpment. 
7. 
De~al:tme;gt. 
"Q~piil,rtm~nt" 
m~an::i 
th~ 
Depiil,rtm~nt 
of 
J;;!:;QnQmi!:; ang CQmml.m~ty !2~v~lQpm~nt. 
8. 
Financial services. 
"Finandal servi!:;es" means services 
prQvideg by an insuran!:;e cQmpany ::iubject tQ taxatiQn unger Title 
36, 
chiil,pter 
357; 
a financial institution subject to taxation 
under Title 36, chiil,pter 819; Qr a mutual fung service provider as 
defined in Title 36, section 5212, subsection 1, pariil,graph E. 
9. 
Labor market average weekly wage. 
"LabQr miil,rket average 
weekly wiil,ge" means the iil,verage weekly wage as publi::ihed by the 
Department Qf LabQr for the liil,bQr miil,rket or markets in which 
PQtentiiil,l gualified Pine Tree Development 
Zone 
emplQyees 
are 
lQcateg fQr the 12 mO::it re!:;ently repQrteg mQnth::i pre!:;eding the 
date Qf appliciil,tiQn fQr zQne gesignatiQn. 
10. 
Labor 
market 
UDE!mplo.paent 
rate. 
"Labor 
market 
unemplQyment 
rate" 
meiil,ns 
the 
average 
unemplQyment 
rate 
as 
publisheg by the Department Qf 
Liil,bQr 
fQr the labQr miil,rket or 
markets in which PQtential gualifieg Pine Tree DevelQpment Zone 
employees are lQcated for the 12 most recently reporteg months 
preceding the giil,te Qf iil,ppli!:;atiQn fQr zQne de::iigniil,tion. 
11. 
Manufactul:ing. 
"Manufa!:;turing" means the prQdu!:;tion of 
tiil,ngible 
persQnal 
prQperty 
intengeg 
tQ 
be 
::iQlg 
or 
leiil,sed 
ultimately for finiil,l use Qr 
cQn::iurnptiQn Qr the prQduction of 
tangible 
persQniil,l 
property pursuant to 
a 
cQntract with 
the 
Federal Government Qr any iil,gency thereQf. 
12. 
Person. 
"Person" ha§ the same meaning a§ defined in 
Title 36, sectiQn Ill, subsection 3. 
13. 
Pine Tree Develo.pment 
Zone. 
"Pine Tree Development 
Zone" Qr "zone" meiil,n§ 
iil, specified iil,rea within the bQundaries of a 
unit of local government, Qr within the bQundaries of cooperating 
units of lQcal gQvernment in a multijurisdictional application, 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ;C\. to S.P. 666, L.D. 1818 
that has been designated by the cOmmissioner as 
a 
Pine Tree 
Development Zone in accordance with section 5250-J. 
14. 
Pine 
Tree 
Development 
Zone 
benefits. 
"Pine 
Tree 
Development Zone benefits" means: 
A. 
The exclusion 
from 
the limitations established under 
section 
5223. 
subsection 
of 
tax 
increment 
financing 
districts included within a Pine Tree Development Zone; 
B. 
Expanded 
employment 
tax 
increment 
financing 
benefits 
under Title 36. chapter 917; 
C. The sales tax exemptions under Title 36, section 1760. 
subsections 86 and 87; and 
D. 
The Pine Tree Development Zone tax credits provided by 
Title 36, sections 2529 and 52l9-W. 
15. 
Production. 
"Production" 
has 
the 
same 
meaning 
as 
defined in Title 36, section 1752. subsection 9 B. 
16. 
Oualified 
business 
activity. 
"Oualified 
business 
activity" means a business activity that is conducted within a 
Pine Tree Development Zone and is directly related to financial 
services, manufacturing or 
a 
targeted technology business for 
which the business receives a certificate from the commissioner 
pursuant to section 5250-0. 
17. 
Qualified 
Pine 
Tree 
Development 
Zone 
business. 
"Oualified Pine Tree Development Zone business" or "qualified 
business" means any for-profit business in this State engaged in 
financial 
services. 
manufacturing 
or 
a 
targeted 
technology 
business that adds qualified Pine Tree Development Zone employees 
above its base level of employment in this State and that meets 
the following criteria: 
A. 
It demonstrates that the establishment or expansion of 
operations within the Pine Tree Development Zone would not 
occur within the State absent the availability of the Pine 
Tree 
Development 
Zone 
benefits. 
The 
department 
shall 
investigate whether the business has met the requirements of 
this 
paragraph 
and 
provide 
an 
advisory 
op~n~on to 
the 
Executive Director of the Bureau of Revenue Services in the 
Department of Administrative 
and Financial Services, 
who 
shall make the final determination; and 
B. It has received a certificate as a qualified business 
pursuant to section 5250-0. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT r," to S.P. 666, L.D. 1818 
18. 
Qualified 
Pine 
Tree 
Development 
Zone 
employees. 
"Oualified Pine 
Tree 
Development 
Zone 
employees" 
means 
new, 
full-time employees hired in this State by a gualified Pine Tree 
Development 
Zone 
business 
for 
work directly in one 
or 
more 
gualified business 
activities 
for 
whom 
a 
retirement 
program 
subject to the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 
1974,29 United States Code, 
Sections 101 to 1461 
(2003) 
and 
group health insurance are provided and whose wages derived from 
employment within the Pine Tree Development Zone are greater than 
the average annual per capita wages in the local labor market 
area in the county in which the qualified employee is employed. 
Qualified Pine Tree Development Zone employees must be residents 
of this State. 
19. 
State average weekly wage. 
"State average weekly wage" 
means the average weekly wage as published by the Department of 
Labor for the State as a whole for the 12 most recently reported 
months preceding the date of application for zone designation. 
20. 
State unemployment rate. 
"State 
unemployment 
rate" 
means the average unemployment rate published by the Department 
of Labor for the State as 
a 
whole for the 12 most recently 
reported 
months 
preceding 
the 
date 
of 
application 
for 
zone 
designation. 
21. 
Targeted 
technology business. 
"Targeted 
technology 
business" 
means 
a 
business primarily involved in 
a 
targeted 
technology as defined in Title 5, section 15301. 
22. 
Unit of local government. 
"Unit of local government" 
means a municipality, county, plantation, unorganized territory 
or Indian tribe. 
§S2S0-J. 
Pine Tree Development Zones 
1. 
Creation. 
Qne or more units of local government, or an 
organization representing one or more units of local government, 
may apply to the commissioner for the designation of a Pine Tree 
Development Zone within the boundaries of the unit or units of 
local government in accordance with the requirements of this 
subchapter. 
County 
governments 
may 
apply 
on 
behalf 
of 
unorganized territories. Groups of units of local government may 
apply 
for 
multijurisdictional 
or 
joint 
projects. 
Multijurisdictional applications reguire designation of one unit 
of local government as the lead applicant and consent for that 
designation 
by 
each participating unit of 
local 
government. 
Counties may also apply on behalf of a consortium of units of 
local government. The designation of a Pine Tree Development Zone 
~not conflict with the provisions of a municipal or other unit 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ?,." to S. P. 666, L. D. 1818 
of local government charter. 
Zones that meet the requirements of 
subsection 2 are authorized for designation as follows: 
A. 
Aroostook County, 
including up to 100 acres of land 
reserved for the Aroostook Band of Micmacs and the Houlton 
Band of Maliseet Indians; 
B. 
The Androscoggin Valley region, including the Lewiston 
Enterprise 
Community 
Zone 
as 
designated 
by 
the 
federal 
Agriculture, 
Rural 
Development, 
Food 
and 
Drug 
Administration. 
and Related Agencies, 
Appropriations Act, 
Public Law 105-277 (1999); 
C. 
The Penobscot Valley region, including up to 500 acres 
of land reserved for the Penobscot Nation; and 
D. 
Washington County and the Downeast region, including up 
to 500 acres of land reserved for the Passamaquoddy Tribe. 
No more than one zone may be established in each of the areas 
specified in paragraphs A to D, except that the commissioner may 
designate' up 
to 
additional 
zones 
through 
the 
process 
established in section 5250-L. 
2. 
Requirements for designation. 
The commissioner shall 
adopt 
rules 
establishing 
the 
m~n~murn 
requirements 
for 
the 
designation of Pine Tree Development Zones. 
Additionally. each 
participating unit of local government must agree to maintain at 
least one prepermitted construction or deye10pment site available 
within the zone on a continual basis throughout the term of the 
zone. 
3. 
Limitations. 
The designation of Pine Tree Development 
Zones is subject to the following limitations: 
A. 
The total area of a zone, including all noncontiguous 
parcels, may not exceed 5,000 acres; 
B. 
A zone located in Aroostook County as described in 
subsection 1. paragraph A may include property that is also 
included within the Aroostook County Empowerment 
Zone as 
designated by the federal Community Renewal Tax Relief Act 
of 2000. Public Law 106-554; 
C. 
Pine Tree Development Zone benefits may not be used to 
encourage or facilitate the transfer of existing positions 
or property of a qualified business or affiliated businesses 
into a zQne from a location elsewhere in the State; 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 'Au to S.P. 666, L.D. 1818 
D. 
Pine Tree Development Zone benefits may not be provided 
based upon any employees or positions transferred by the 
business 
or 
affiliated 
businesses 
into 
a 
Pine 
Tree 
Development Zone from a location elsewhere in the State; 
E. 
A Pine Tree Development Zone may not consist of more 
than 20 noncontiguous parcels of property; 
F. 
All property included within the boundaries of a Pine 
Tree Development 
Zone 
must be suitable for one or more 
qualified Pine Tree Development Zone business activities; 
G. 
All property included within a Pine Tree Development 
Zone must meet one of the following: 
(I) 
The property is located within a market area for 
which the labor market unemployment rate is greater 
than the state unemployment rate at the time of the 
application: or 
(2) 
The property is included within a county in which 
'the average weekly wage is below the state average 
weekly wage at the time of the application. 
In the case of a multijurisdictional or joint application, 
the requirements of this paragraph are met if the combined 
unemployment 
rate 
of 
the 
cooperating 
units 
of 
local 
government meets the requirements of subparagraph (1) or the 
average 
weekly 
wage 
of 
the 
cooperating units 
of 
local 
government, 
on 
a 
per-employed-worker 
basis, 
meets 
the 
requirements of subparagraph (2); and 
H. 
The restrictions contained in paragraph G may be waived 
for property that is contained within a labor market area 
that has sustained a greater than 5% loss of population or 
employed 
workers 
during 
the 
3-year 
period 
immediately 
preceding the time of application if the loss was caused by 
business closings. 
4. 
Application. 
An application for designation of a Pine 
Tree 
Deyelopment 
Zone 
must 
include, 
but is 
not 
necessarily 
limited to, the following: 
A. 
A narrative description of the Pine Tree Development 
Zone to be designated; 
B. 
Maps 
and any other information necessary to clearly 
identify 
the 
geographic 
boundaries 
of 
the 
Pine 
Tree 
Development Zone and any subzones it may include; 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
to S.P. 666, L.D. 1818 
C. 
Evidence that the Pine Tree Development Zone meets the 
re~uirements of subsection 3; 
D. 
Any information evidencing economic distress; ap-d 
E. 
A development plan that includes: 
(1) Documentation of all municipal commitments 
re~uired 
under subsection 2; 
(2) A description of how the Pine Tree Development Zone 
will be administered, including any related interlocal 
cooperative agreements; 
(3) 
A description of the goals and objectives to be 
accomplished through the Pine Tree Development Zone; 
(4) A description of the resources to be committed to 
the Pine Tree Development 
Zone 
by the applicant or 
applicants; and 
(5) Plans for accomplishing the goals and objectives, 
including a marketing plan and related time line and 
milestones. 
5. 
Termination. 
All 
Pine 
Tree 
Development 
Zone 
designations approved under this subchapter and all Pine Tree 
Development Zone benefits are terminated on December 31, 2018. 
§5250-K. 
Procedure 
1. 
Notice and hearing. 
Before designating a 
Pine Tree 
Development Zone or adopting a development plan, the municipal 
officers of 
each applicant unit of local government or 
the 
municipal 
officers' 
designee 
must 
hold at least 
one 
public 
hearing. 
Notice of the hearing must be published at least 10 
days before the hearing in a newspaper of general circulation 
serving the section of the State in which the local government is 
located. 
2. 
Vote of unit of local government legislative body. 
Each 
applicant unit of local government must designate that portion of 
the Pine Tree Development Zone contained within its boundaries 
and take all actions 
re~uired to satisfy the 
re~uirements of 
section 5250-J, subsection 2 by majority vote of its municipal 
officers. 
3. 
Effective date. 
The 
establishment 
of 
a 
Pine 
Tree 
Development 
Zone 
is 
effective 
upon 
designation 
by 
the 
commissioner. 
Page ll-LR262l(2) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,A" to S.P. 666, L.D. 1818 
4. 
Administration of zone. 
The participating units 
of 
local government may contract or otherwise arrange with a public 
or private organization including a regional council as described 
in section 2302 to administer activities authorized under this 
subchapter. 
The organization may act as the lead entity for the 
purpose of filing and administering the Pine Tree Development 
Zone. 
5. 
Amendments. 
The designation, size, location, number and 
configuration of the parcels in a Pine Tree Deyelopment Zone or 
the 
terms 
of 
the 
development 
plan 
may 
be 
amended 
by 
an 
affirmative 
vote 
of 
all 
the 
participating 
units 
of 
local 
government as evidenced by 
a majority vote of the municipal 
officers of each unit of local government. 
An amendment may not 
result in the zone's being out of compliance with any of the 
reguirements in section 5250-J. 
§5250-L. 
Selection criteria 
1. 
Review and selection. 
The commissioner shall review 
applications and select zones for designation based upon the 
following criteria; 
A. 
Severity of economic distress within the region affected 
by the Pine Tree Development Zone; 
B. 
Viability of a development plan described under section 
525Q-J, subsection 4, paragraph E; 
C. 
Commitment of local and regional financial resources; 
D. 
Partnerships with public and private organizations; and 
E. 
Impact 
on 
surrounding 
regions 
of 
the 
Pine 
Tree 
Development Zone. 
§5250-M. 
Program administration: rules 
The 
commissioner 
shall 
administer 
this 
subchapter. 
The 
commissioner 
shall 
adopt 
rules 
pursuant 
to 
the 
Maine 
Administrative Procedure Act 
for 
implementation of Pine Tree 
Development 
Zones, 
including, 
but not limited to, 
rules 
for 
determining 
and 
certifying eligibility, 
selecting 
zones 
for 
designation and evaluating on a periodic basis the progress and 
success of each zone in achieving its goals. Rules adopted under 
this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, 
chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
§5250-N. 
Unorganized territory 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT A" to S.P. 666, L.D. 1818 
For the purposes of this subchapter, a county may act as a 
municipality for the unorganized territory within the county and 
may 
designate 
development 
districts 
within 
the 
unorganized 
territory. 
When 
a county acts under this section, the county 
commissioners 
act 
as 
the municipality 
and 
as 
the 
municipal 
legislative body, the State Tax Assessor acts as the municipal 
assessor and the unorganized territory education and services 
fund receives the funds designated for the municipal general fund. 
§5250-0. 
Certification of qualified business 
A business may apply to the commissioner for certification 
as a qualified Pine Tree Development Zone business. 
Upon review 
and determination by 
the 
commissioner that 
a 
business is 
a 
qualified Pine Tree Development Zone business, the commissioner 
shall issue a certificate of qualification to the business that 
includes a description of the qualified business activity for 
which the certificate is being issued. 
§5250-P. 
Report 
By January 15, 2004, the commissioner shall report to the 
joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction 
over 
economic 
development 
matters 
regarding 
rulemaking 
and 
progress in implementing Pine Tree Development Zones. 
Not later 
than April 1, 
2005 
and April 1st of each odd numbered year 
thereafter, the commissioner shall report to the joint standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over economic 
development matters on the status of the Pine Tree Development 
Zones. 
Sec. 17. 
Revision clause. 
Wherever 
in 
the 
Maine 
Revised 
Statutes 
the 
words 
"Department 
of 
Economic 
and 
Community 
Development" 
or 
"Commissioner 
of 
Economic 
and 
Community 
Development" appear or reference is made to that department or 
commissioner or to those words, 
they are amended to read and 
mean, as the case may be, "Department of Commerce, Communities 
and 
Tourism" 
or 
"department," 
or 
"Commissioner 
of 
Commerce, 
Communities and Tourism" or "commissioner," as appropriate, and 
the 
Revisor 
of 
Statutes 
shall 
implement 
this 
revision 
when 
updating, publishing or republishing the statutes. 
This section 
takes effect July 1, 2005. 
Sec. 18. Effective date. That section of this Act that amends 
the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, section 13054, subsections 1 
and 2 takes effect July 1, 2005. I 
Further amend the 
nonconsecutive 
Part 
consecutively. 
bill by relettering 
letter 
or 
section 
or renumbering 
number 
to 
any 
read 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT '~' to S.P. 666, L.D. 1818 
SUMMARY 
This 
amendment, 
which 
is 
the 
majority 
report 
of 
the 
committee, does the following: 
1. 
Changes 
the 
name 
of the Department of Economic 
and 
Community Development to "Department of Commerce, Communities and 
Tourism," effective July 1, 2005; 
2. 
Allows the Maine Rural Development Authority to finance 
projects in which the subject property is under purchase option 
or contract, so that the value and ownership of the property may 
be established more easily and with greater accuracy; 
3. 
Clarifies that 
a 
municipality, 
another 
governmental 
enti ty 
or 
a 
local 
development 
corporation 
may 
meet 
its 
requirement to contribute 
25~ of the authority's contribution 
using any type of assistance, not limited to cash; 
4. 
Deletes all the provisions of the bill that concern 
transfer 
of 
the 
Department 
of 
Economic 
and 
Community 
Development's statutory responsibility for energy conservation, 
other 
than 
the 
provision of 
law 
concerning 
the 
ride 
share 
program. 
The program was repealed in the bill. 
The amendment 
transfers 
authority 
over 
the 
ride 
share 
program 
from 
the 
Department 
of 
Economic 
and 
Community 
Development 
to 
the 
Department of Transportation; 
5. 
Repeals the provision of law allowing the Commissioner 
of Economic and Community Development to serve on the Board of 
Trustees of the Maine Community College System; 
6. 
Simplifies the process for amending provisions governing 
a Pine Tree Development Zone, 
including allowing amendment by 
majority vote of municipal officers within a zone; and 
7. 
Corrects an error that was created when Public Law 2003, 
chapters 426 and 451 both enacted a new Title 30-A, chapter 206, 
subchapter 3 in the Maine Revised Statutes with similar section 
numbers by repealing subchapter 3 as enacted by Public Law 2003, 
chapter 451, Part NNN, section 2 and enacting it as subchapter 4 
with new section numbers. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Approved: 03/05/04 ~ae. 
Office of Fiscal and Program Review 
LD 1818 
An Act to Amend the Economic Development Laws 
LR 2621(02) 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment A 
Committee: Business, Research and Economic Development 
Fiscal Note Required: No 
Majority Report 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
Additional costs to the Department of Economic and Community Development, the Department of Transportation and 
the Finance Authority of Maine can be absorbed utilizing existing budgeted resources. 
LR2621(2) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1