An Act To Establish the High-efficiency Biomass Pellet Boiler Rebate Program and the Home Heating Conversion Fund
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 1468
Senate Amendment SA_A_S301 (Senate)
Amends: 35-A MRSA §10123

SENATE AMENDMENT" A" to S.P. 542, L.D. 1468, Bill, "An Act To Establish 
the High-efficiency Biomass Pellet Boiler Rebate Program and the Home Heating 
Conversion Fund" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Establish the High-efficiency 
Biomass Boiler Rebate Program and the Home Heating Conversion Fund' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and before the summary and 
inserting the following: 
'Preamble. Two thirds of both Houses of the Legislature deeming it necessary in 
accordance with the Constitution of Maine, Article IX, Section 14 to authorize the 
issuance of bonds on behalf of the State of Maine to provide funds as described in this 
Act, 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
PART A 
Sec. A-I. Authorization of bonds. The Treasurer of State is authorized, under 
the direction of the Governor, to issue bonds in the name and on behalf of the State in an 
amount not exceeding $10,000,000 for the purposes described in section 5 of this Part. 
The bonds are a pledge of the full faith and credit of the State. The bonds may not run for 
a period longer than 10 years from the date of the original issue of the bonds. 
Sec. A-2. Records of bonds issued; Treasurer of State. The Treasurer of 
State shall ensure that an account of each bond is kept showing the number of the bond, 
the name of the successful bidder to whom sold, the amount received for the bond, the 
date of sale and the date when payable. 
Sec. A-3. Sale; how Illegotiated; proceeds appropriated. The Treasurer of 
State may negotiate the sale of the bonds by direction of the Governor, but no bond may 
be loaned, pledged or hypothecated on behalf of the State. The proceeds of the sale of the 
bonds, which must be held by the Treasurer of State and paid by the Treasurer of State 
upon warrants drawn by the State Controller, are appropriated solely for the purposes set 
SENATE AMENDMENT 
o~s 
~ 
SENATE AMENDMENT "A" to S.P. 542, L.D. 1468 
forth in this Part. Any unencumbered balances remaining at the completion ofthe project 
in this Part lapse to the Office of the Treasurer of State to be used for the retirement of 
general obligation bonds. 
Sec. A-4. Interest and debt retirement. 
The Treasurer of State shall pay 
interest due or accruing on any bonds issued under this Part and all sums coming due for 
payment of bonds at maturity. 
Sec. A-5. Disbursement of bond proceeds from General Fund bond issue. 
The proceeds of the sale of the bonds authorized under this Part must be expended as 
designated in the following schedule under the direction and supervision of the agencies 
and entities set forth in this section. 
EFFICIENCY MAINE TRUST 
Provides funds to the Efficiency Maine Trust to be used to provide rebates through 
the Home Heating Conversion Fund for an owner or occupant of a building who 
installs a high-efficiency, biomass central heating system or boiler. 
Total 
$10,000,000 
Sec. A-6. Contingent upon ratification of bond issue. Sections 1 to 5 do not 
become effective unless the people of the State ratify the issuance of the bonds as set 
forth in this Part. 
Sec. A-7. Appropriation balances at year-end. At the end of each fiscal year, 
all unencumbered appropriation balances representing state money carry forward. Bond 
proceeds that have not been expended within 10 years after the date of the sale of the 
bonds lapse to the Office of the Treasurer of State to be used for the retirement of general 
obligation bonds. 
Sec. A-S. Bonds authorized but not issued. Any bonds authorized but not 
issued within 5 years of ratification of this Part are deauthorized and may not be issued, 
except that the Legislature may, within 2 years after the expiration of that 5-year period, 
extend the period for issuing any remaining unissued bonds for an additional amount of 
time not to exceed 5 years. 
Sec. A-9. Referendum for ratification; submission at election; form of 
question; effective date. This Part must be submitted to the legal voters of the State at 
a statewide election held in the month of November following passage of this Act. The 
municipal officers of this State shall notify the inhabitants of their respective cities, towns 
and plantations to meet, in the manner prescribed by law for holding a statewide election, 
to vote on the acceptance or rejection of this Part by voting on the following question: 
"Do you favor a $10,000,000 bond issue to provide funds to the 
Efficiency Maine Trust to be used to provide rebates for installation of 
high-efficiency, biomass central heating systems or boilers?" 
SENATE AMENDMENT 
~o~s 
SENATE AMENDMENT" A'to S.P. 542, L.D. 1468 
The legal voters of each city, town and plantation shall vote by ballot on this question 
and designate their choice by a cross or check mark placed within a corresponding square 
below the word "Yes" or "No." 
The ballots must be received, sorted, counted and 
declared in open ward, town and plantation meetings and returns made to the Secretaty of 
State in the same manner as votes for members of the Legislature. The Governor shall 
review the returns. If a majority of the legal votes are cast in favor of this Part, the 
Governor shall proclaim the result without delay and this Part becomes effective 30 days 
after the date of the proclamation. 
The Secretary of State shall prepare and furnish to each city, town and plantation all 
ballots, returns and copies of this Part necessary to carry out the purposes of this 
referendum. 
PARTB 
Sec. B-1. 35-A MRSA §10123 is enacted to read: 
§10123. High-efficiency Biomass Boiler Rebate Program 
1. 
High-efficiency Biomass Boiler Rebate Program established. 
The High-
efficiency Biomass Boiler Rebate Program, referred to in this section as "the program" 
and administered by the trust, is established. 
2. Program eligibility. On or after the effective date of this section, an owner or 
occupant of a building who installs a high-efficiency, biomass central heating system or 
boiler is eligible to participate in the program. The trust shall develop an application fonn 
and process to detennine program eligibility. For the purposes of this subsection, "high-
efficiency" means having an efficiency rating of 80% or higher. 
3. Program benefits. A program participant may receive one rebate per building for 
a central heating system or boiler under subsection 2 in the amount of 30% of the cost of 
the central heating system or boiler or $6,000, whichever is less. The trust shall disburse 
rebates under this subsection from the Home Heating Conversion Fund under subsection 
4. 
4. Home Heating Conversion Fund. The Home Heating Conversion Fund, referred 
to in this subsection as "the fund" and administered by the trust, is established. The 
purpose of the fund is to carry out the program. The trust may receive and deposit in the 
fund funds from any General Fund obligation bonds issued for the purposes of this 
subsection and any appropriations or allocations, gifts, grants or donations to the fund. 
The trust may invest proceeds of the fund in an interest-bearing account. Any interest 
earned on funds in the fund must be credited to the fund, and funds not spent in any fiscal 
year do not lapse but carry over to the next fiscal year. Expenses for administration of the 
fund are paid for from the fund and up to 10% of the proceeds in the fund may be used 
for expenses incurred in administering the program. 
Fund proceeds that have not been expended by August 1, 2023 must be used for the 
retirement of any General Fund obligation bonds issued to fund the fund with any 
remaining balance lapsing to the Office of the Treasurer of State for the retirement of 
general obligation bonds. 
SENATE AMENDMENT 
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SENATE AMENDMENT "A" to S.P. 542, L.D. 1468 
Sec. B-2. Contingent effective date. This Part takes effect only if the General 
Fund bond issue proposed in Part A is approved by the voters of the State.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill. This amendment authorizes a General Fund bond 
issue to fund the High-efficiency Biomass Boiler Rebate Program. The funds provided by 
this bond issue, in the amount of $10,000,000, will be used to provide rebates through the 
Home Heating Conversion Fund for an owner or occupant of a building who installs a 
high-efficiency, biomass central heating system or boiler. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
~see 
attached) 
SPONSOREDB~~ 
(Senator JACKSON, 7 
COUNTY: Aroostook 
SENATE AMENDMENT 
• 
Approved: 06117/13 
;;W'ac:. 
LD 1468 
LR 1219(04) 
An Act To Establish the High-efficiency Biomass Pellet Boiler Rebate Program and the Home Heating 
Conversion Fund 
aond Issues 
General Fund - Taxable 
Fiscal Note for Senate Amendment~ to Original Bill 
Sponsor: Sen. Jackson of Aroostook 
Fisc:al Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Current biennium cost increase - General Fund 
Term (years) 
Principal 
$10,000,000 
Rate (%) 
4.5% 
Interest 
$2,475,000 
Referendum Costs 
MonthN ear 
Election Type 
Question 
Length 
Nov-13 
General 
Bond Issue 
Standard 
Total Cost 
$12,475,000 
The Secretary of State's budget includes sufficient funds to accommodate one ballot of average length for the general 
election in November. If the number or size of the referendum questions requires production and delivery of a second 
ballot, an additional appropriation of $107,250 may be required. 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
This amendment replaces the bill with a $10,000,000 General Fund general obligation bond to provide funding for the 
new High-efficiency Biomass Pellet Boiler Rebat,e Program to be adminstered by the Efficiency Maine Trust. 
LR1219(04) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1