An Act To Implement Recommendations on Reinventing Government
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 1437
Committee Amendment CA_A_S447 (Senate)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A " to S.P. 444, L.D. 1437, Bill, "An Act To 
Implement Recommendations on Reinventing Government" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'Resolve, Directing the Maine Economic Growth Council To Develop the Maine 
Prosperity Action Plan of2012' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and before the summary and 
inserting the following: 
'Preamble. Whereas, per capita income in the other New England states is 38% 
higher than per capita income in Maine; and 
Whereas, numerous advisory groups have convened in recent years to assess 
Maine's policy environment, government systems and public sector costs, with the 
objective of creating a more prosperous Maine economy; and 
Whereas, the reports that have emerged from these efforts have been widely praised 
and overlap substantially in their recommendations; and 
Whereas, although these reports have informed ongoing work by legislative policy 
committees and have influenced legislation on certain issues, those reports have not been 
translated into a single, comprehensive, economically trans formative and legislatively 
specific action plan; and 
Whereas, the Maine Economic Growth Council is a 19-member panel of established 
and trusted Maine leaders, appointed jointly over time by the Governor, the President of 
the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives and empowered by statute to 
set the long-term plan for the sustainable economic development of Maine; and 
Whereas, the Maine Economic Growth Council appointees are established Maine 
leaders who have earned broad respect for their leadership, vision and commitment to 
Maine and have broad public credibility and a deep understanding of Maine's economic 
conditions, challenges and opportunities; now, therefore, be it 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A "to S.P. 444, L.D. 1437 
Sec. 1. Development of Maine Prosperity Action Plan. Resolved: That the 
Maine Economic Growth Council, established in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 10, 
section 929-A and referred to in this resolve as "the council," shall develop the Maine 
Prosperity Action Plan, referred to in this resolve as "the plan," which must contain a 
comprehensive and specific action plan for a sustainable state economy. In developing 
the plan, the council shall undertake a thorough review of the proposals and 
recommendations contained in recent reports assessing the State's policy environment, 
government systems and public sector costs, with the objective of creating a more 
prosperous Maine economy. 
Specifically, the council's review must include its own 
annual report on economic indicators, "Measures of Growth in Focus," as well as: 
1. "Charting Maine's Future: An Action Plan for Promoting Sustainable Prosperity 
and Quality Places," prepared by the Brookings Institution in collaboration with 
GrowSmart Maine and published in 2006; 
2. "Time for Change," the final report of the Joint Select Committee on Future Maine 
Prosperity, issued in 2008; 
3. "Reinventing Maine Government," prepared by Envision Maine and published in 
2010; and 
4. "Making Maine Work: Critical Investments for the Maine Economy," the 3-part 
series prepared by the Maine State Chamber of Commerce and the Maine Development 
Foundation and published in 2010 to 2012. 
After reviewing the recommendations and reports, the council shall identify those 
proposals it determines offer the most potential for positively transforming economic 
conditions in the State, extract from those proposals concrete proposals for legislative 
action and translate them into proposed legislation; and be it further 
Sec. 2. Staff assistance. Resolved: 
That the council shall contract with the 
Maine Development Foundation for primary staff support to carry out the purposes of this 
resolve; and be it further 
Sec. 3. Outside funding. Resolved: That the council shall seek outside funding 
to fund the costs of developing the plan. The council may not accept contributions from 
any party having a pecuniary or other vested interest in the outcome of the plan. To the 
extent that outside contributions are inadequate to fully fund all costs of developing the 
plan, the council is not required to develop the plan; and be it further 
Sec. 4. Report. Resolved: That the council shall submit the plan, including any 
necessary implementing legislation, to the joint standing committee of the Legislature 
having jurisdiction over labor, commerce, research and economic development matters no 
later than December 5, 2012. The joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over labor, commerce, research and economic development matters is 
authorized to report out a bill to implement the recommendations to the First Regular 
Session of the I 26th Legislature.' 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to S.P. 444, L.D. 1437 
SUMMARY 
This amendment strikes the bill, which was a concept draft, and replaces it with a 
resolve directing the Maine Economic Growth Council, if it receives sufficient outside 
funding, to develop a comprehensive and specific action plan for a sustainable state 
economy. Under this resolve, the council is directed to: 
1. Undertake a thorough review of the proposals and recommendations contained in 
various reports issued within the past 6 years assessing the State's policy environment, 
government systems and public sector costs; 
2. 
After reviewing the recommendations and reports, identify those proposals it 
determines offer the most potential for positively transforming economic conditions in 
the State and translate those proposals into proposed legislation; and 
3. Submit the plan, together with proposed legislation necessary to implement the 
plan, to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over labor, 
commerce, research and economic development matters no later than December 5, 2012. 
The committee is authorized to report out a bill related to these recommendations to the 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 03/08112 frac.. 
LD 1437 
LR 1981(02) 
An Act To Implement Recommendations on Reinventing Government 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" 'S - J.f4i7 
Committee: Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
The Legislature will incur some minor additional costs for the per diem and expenses of Legislative members of the 
Maine Economic Growth Council associated with additional meetings of the growth council to address the new 
requirements in this bill. 
The cost to the Economic Growth Council to develop the Maine Prosperity Action Plan is estimated to be 
approximately $20,000. However, because this legislation provides that the development of the plan is contingent 
upon the receipt of outside funding, there is no net fiscal impact to the State or the Council. 
LR1981(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1