An Act To Provide ali Exception to the Pine Tree Development Zone Requirements for Seafood Processing Businesses
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 1393
Committee: Business, Research and Economic Development
Sponsors: PINGREE, DAMON, EATON, KRUGER, PENDLETON, PERCY, TILTON, WEAVER, RECTOR
Amends: 30-A MRSA §5250-R, 30-A MRSA §5250-U

MAINE STATE LEGISLATURE 
The following document is provided by the 
LAW AND LEGISLATIVE DIGITAL LIBRARY 
at the Maine State Law and Legislative Reference Library 
http://legislature.maine.gov/lawlib 
Reproduced from scanned originals with text recognition applied 
(searchable text may contain some errors and/or omissions) 
n 
u 
[0\'i~q 
124thMAINE LEGISLATURE 
FIRST RRGULAR SESSION.;2009 
Legislative Document 
No. 1393 
H.P.972 -
House of Representatives, April 2, 2009 
An Act To Provide ali Exception to the Pine Tree Development Zone 
Requirements for Seafood Processing Businesses 
Reference to the Committee on Business, Research and Economic Development suggested 
and ordered printed. 
Presented by Speaker PINGREE ofNOlih Haven. 
Cosponsored by Senator DAMON of Hancockand 
~7f/d~ 1/1. 7IltU~{ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: EATON of Sullivan, KRUGER of Thomaston, McKANE of Newcastle, 
PENDLETON of Scarborough, PERCY of Phippsburg, TILTON of Hanington, WEAVER of 
York, Senator: RECTOR of Knox. 
Prillied Oil j'cc\c!t:d p"pt:1' 
Be it enacted by the People ofthe State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 30-A MRSA §5250-R, sub-§6 is enacted to read: 
. -
6. Seafood processing business. "Seafood processing business'! means a business 
. that processes any living marine organism caught or harvested from the sea or raised and 
harvested in aquaculture. For the purposes of this subsection, "aquaculture,'! "marine 
organism" and "process" have the same meaning as defined in Title 12, section 6001. 
Sec. 2. 30-A MRSA §5250-U is enacted to read: 
§S2S0-V. Exceptions for seafood processing businesses 
1. Establishment of seafood processing business. The commissioner may certify a 
business that does not otherwise qualify as a qualified Pine. Tree Development Zone 
business pursuant to section 5250-1, subsection 17 or that does not locate in a Pine Tr~e 
Development Zone as qualified to receive Pine Tree Development Zone benefits if that 
business: 
A. Is a for-profit business that makes a written commitment to expahd or establish a 
seafood processing business within the State;· 
B. Makes a written commitment to meet the following employment criteria: 
0) 
Employment of at least 8 employees whose compensation, including 
benefits, calculated on a calendar year basis is equal to or greater than $40,000, 
. including a retirement program subject" to the· federal Employment Retirement 
Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and group health coverage; and 
(2) 
Employment of at least 50 employees whose compensation, including 
benefits, calculated on a calendar year basis is equal to or greater than $30,000; . 
and 
C. Makes a written commitment to invest a minimum of $500,000 in expanding or 
establishing its seafood processing business within the State. 
2. 
Application for benefits. A seafood· processing business may apply to the 
commissioner for certification to receive Pine Tree Development Zone benefits pursuant 
to subsection 1. An application must include, but is not limited to, a detailed narrative 
description of the seafood processing business's plans to establish or expand a seafood 
processing business and goals for achieving the requirements listed under subsection 1 
and a description of resources to be committed, including a related timeline for achieving 
these goals. 
Upon review and determination by the commissioner that the business 
satisfies the requirements under subsection 1, the commissioner shall issue a certificate to 
the seafood processing business for qualification for Pine Tree Development Zone 
benefits. 
3. Sunset. Applications for Pine Tree Development Zone benefits under this section 
must be received by the corrimissioner by June 30, 2011. 
) 
) 
) 
() 
SUMMARY 
This bill provides a· new exception category for qualification for Pine Tree 
Development Zone benefits for a seafood processing business that makes certain written 
commitments. 
The process for qualifying for this exception and the conditions for 
meeting those qualifications are similar to those that presently exist for manufacturing 
businesses in order for them to qualify for Pine Tree Development Zone benefits under 
circumstances in which they would not otherwise be qualified. 
L ' 
. 
/