An Act To Encouraqe and Support Maine Small Businesses Further
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 1325
Committee Amendment CA_A_S486 (Senate)
Amends: 1 MRSA §535, 5 MRSA §13031, 5 MRSA §13032, 5 MRSA §13033

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A' to S.P. 427, L.D. 1325, Bill, "An 
Act 
To 
Encourage 
and 
Support 
Maine 
Owner-operated 
Small 
Businesses" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting 
the fOllowing: 
'An Act To Encouraqe and Support Maine Small Businesses' 
Further 
amend the bill by inserting after the enacting 
clause and before the concept draft summary the following: 
'Sec. 1. 1 MRSA §535, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 713, 
§1, is amended to read: 
3. Powers. 
The network manager may: 
A. 
Negotiate 
and 
enter 
into contracts 
for 
professional 
consulting, research and other services; aBe 
B. 
To the extent permitted by the service level agreement 
between the network manager and the data custodian, have 
access to confidential information if it is necessary to 
carry out the duties of the network manager or the purposes 
of InforME. 
The network manager is subject to the same 
limitations and penalties as a data custodian concerning the 
use and disclosure of confidential informationT; and 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to S.P. 427, L.D. 1325 
C. 
Designate a town, city or municipality as an "InforME 
Goldstar Community" if the network manager believes that 
town, 
city 
or 
municipality 
provides 
exemplary 
on-line 
services for persons seeking to establish businesses in the 
State, including but not limited to on-line application and 
submission of forms by persons seeking licensure and live 
on-line 
assistance 
during 
normal 
business 
hours 
for 
guestions concerning the establishment of a business. 
Sec. 2. 5 MRSA §S6, sub-§l, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 96, §l, 
is amended to read: 
1. 
Membership. 
The board consists of 5 members who are 
owners, 
operators or officers of businesses operating in the 
State. 
The members, at least 3 of whom must represent businesses 
with fewer than 50 employees, are appointed by the Governor. 
In 
selecting the members of the board, the Governor shall make every 
effort to 
ensure 
that different 
regions 
of 
the 
State 
are 
represented. 
Prior to making final appointments of members to 
the board, the Governor or the Governor's designee shall present 
the 
appointments 
to 
the 
joint 
standing 
committee 
of 
the 
Legislature 
having 
jurisdiction oyer 
business, 
research 
and 
economic development matters. 
No member of the board may be an 
officer or employee of State Government. 
Sec. 3. 5 MRSA §13031, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 875, 
Pt. L, §§2 and 4, is amended to read: 
2. 
CODlllission. 
"Commission" means the Maine Small Business 
and Entrepreneurship Commission. 
Sec. 4. 5 MRSA §13032, as amended by PL 2001, c. 142, §l, is 
further amended to read: 
§13032. 
Maine Small Business aDd Entrepreneurship CODlllission 
established 
The Maine Small Business and Entrepreneurship Commission is 
established as an independent commission within the department to 
evaluate 
and 
coordinate 
small 
business 
and 
entrepreneurial 
programs, 
contract with the administrative unit and exercise 
other powers and responsibilities as provided in this chapter. 
Sec. S. 5 MRSA §13033, as amended by PL 2001, c. 142, §2, is 
further amended to read: 
§13033. 
Membership 
The 
Executive 
commission 
consists 
of 
Officer 
of 
the 
Finance 
members: 
Auth .rity 
of 
the 
Chief 
Maine; 
the 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT A" to S.P. 427, L.D. 1325 
Commissioner of Economic and Community Development; the House and 
Senate chairs of the joint standing committee of the Legislature 
having 
jurisdiction 
over 
business, 
research 
and 
economic 
development matters, who are ex officio, nonvoting members; the 
chair of the Small Business Development Centers Advisory Council; 
the 
District Director 
of 
the 
United 
States 
Small 
Business 
Administration I s Maine District Office; and a designee from the 
administrative unit 
and 
public members 
with expertise and 
knowledge in small business and entrepreneurship, appointed by 
the commissioner. 
Sec. 6. Additional InforME services. 
The 
InforME 
network 
manager, 
as described in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 1, 
section 535, in conjunction with the InforME board, as described 
in Title 1, section 534, the Department of Administrative and 
Financial 
Services, 
the Department of Economic 
and 
Community 
Development, the Department of Labor, 
the Department of Human 
Services and Maine Revenue Services, shall enable as part of the 
InforME 
system, 
no 
later 
than 
January 
1, 
2006, 
on-line 
application and submission of forms by persons seeking licensure 
as 
businesses 
through 
the 
"Business 
Licensing 
Assistant" 
program. 
Additionally, the Department of Economic and Community 
Development, with technical assistance from the InforME network 
manager, 
shall provide live on-line assistance during normal 
business hours for questions concerning the establishment of a 
business in this State. 
The services required by this section may be classified 
"premium services," as defined in Title 1, section 532. 
The 
subscription fee for premium services or transaction fees may be 
adjusted to accommodate the services required by this section. 
Any additional costs to agencies or departments as a result of 
this section must be absorbed by those agencies and departments 
within existing budgeted resources. 
Sec. 
7. 
Appropriations 
and 
allocations. 
appropriations and allocations are made. 
LEGISLA'l.'ORE 
Leqislature 
The 
following 
Ini tiati ve: 
Provides funds for the per diem and expenses of 2 
Legislators who 
would serve on the Maine 
Small Business and 
Entrepreneurship Commission. 
General Fund 
Personal Services 
All Other 
2003-04 
$0 
o 
2004-05 
$440 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 'A" to S.P. 427, L.D. 1325 
General Fund Total 
$0 
$840 ' 
SUMMARY 
This 
committee, 
following. 
amendment, 
which 
is 
the 
majority 
report 
of 
the 
replaces the concept draft. 
The amendment does the 
1. 
It authorizes 
the 
InforME 
system 
to 
designate 
as 
"InforME 
Goldstar 
Communities" 
those 
towns, 
cities 
or 
municipalities 
that 
provide 
exemplary 
on-line 
services 
for 
persons seeking to establish businesses in the State. 
2. 
It requires that appointments to the Maine Regulatory 
Fairness Board be presented to the joint standing committee of 
the Legislature having jurisdiction over business, research and 
economic development matters prior to being made final. 
3. 
It 
Commission 
Commission. 
changes 
the 
to 
the 
Maine 
name 
Small 
of 
the 
Business 
Maine 
and 
Small 
Business 
Entrepreneurship 
4. 
It includes the House and Senate chairs of the joint 
standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over 
business, 
research 
and 
economic 
development 
matters 
as 
ex 
officio, nonvoting members and the chair of the Small Business 
Development Centers Advisory Council as a voting member of the 
Maine Small Business and Entrepreneurship Commission. 
5. 
It directs the 
InforME 
system, 
in cooperation with 
certain state agencies, to include, 
no later than January 1, 
2006, as part of its services on-line application and submission 
of forms for licensure as a business. 
Additionally, it requires 
live on-line assistance 
from the Department of 
Economic 
and 
Community Development, with technical assistance from the InforME 
system, 
to 
address 
questions 
concerning 
establishment of 
a 
business in the State. 
FlseAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Net Cost (Savings) 
General Fund 
Appropriations! Allocations 
General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Approved: 04/01104 ?dae 
Office of Fiscal and Program Review 
LD 1325 
An Act To Encourage and Support Maine Owner-operated Small 
Businesses 
LR 1593(02) 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "A 
Committee: Business, Research and Economic Development 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
2003-04 
2004-05 
$0 
$840 
$0 
$840 
Projections 
2005-06 
$840 
$840 
Projections 
2006-07 
$840 
$840 
Adding the House and Senate Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Business, Research and Economic 
Development as members to the Maine Small Business and Entrepreneurship Commission will require ongoing 
General Fund appropriations to the Legislature of $840 annually beginning in fiscal year 2004-05. This appropriation 
will provide funds for the per diem and expenses for the two legislators on an ongoing basis. 
Additional costs to the Department of Economic and Community Development associated with providing live on-line 
assistance to address questions concerning the establishment of a business in the State can be absorbed utilizing 
existing budgeted resources. 
Additional costs to the Department of Economic and Community Development, the Department of Administrative and 
Financial Services, the Department of Human Services, Maine Revenue Services, and the Department of Labor 
associated with working with InforME to include the on-line application and submission of forms for licensure as a 
business as part of its services by January 1, 2006 can be absorbed utilizing existing budgeted resources. 
LR1593(2) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1