An Act To Reduce Student Loan Debt through an Expansion of the Educational Opportunity Tax Credit
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 0898
Committee Amendment CA_A_H229 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A " to H.P. 617, L.D. 898, Bill, "An Act To 
Reduce Student Loan Debt through an Expansion of the Educational Opportunity Tax 
Credit" 
Amend the bill in section 2 in paragraph D-l by striking out all of subparagraphs (1) 
to (3) and inserting the following: 
'(1) For an individual graduating from aR aeeredited MaiRe COmmQRity college, 
college or unPl6rsity before January 1,2015, the amount calculated by the State 
Tax Assessor under Title 20-A, section 12542, former subsection 2-A; 
(2) For an individual obtaining a bachelor's degree and graduating from aR 
acoredited MaiRe COtnmlHlity college, college or Ufliv-ersity on or after January 1, 
2015, the average in-state tuition and mandatory fees for attendance at the 
University of Maine System for the academic year ending during the calendar 
year prior to the year of graduation mUltiplied by 4; and 
(3) For an individual obtaining an associate degree and graduating from aR 
acoredited Maine COftlll'lHnity college, college or Ufliversity on or after January 1, 
2015, the average in-state tuition and mandatory fees for attendance at the Maine 
Community College System for the academic year ending during the calendar 
year prior to the year of graduation multiplied by 2.' 
Amend the bill in section 3 in paragraph G in subparagraph (1) in division (b) in the 
last line (page 2, line 44 in L.D.) by inserting after the following: "2007" the following: 
'as long as no more than 30 credit hours of course work toward the degree were earned at 
an accredited non-Maine community college, college or university other than as part of 
the regional student program' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment extends to a graduate who pursued a course of study available only 
at a public institution outside the State as part of the New England regional student 
program offered by the New England Board of Higher Education the same allowance as 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 'A "to H.P. 617, L.D. 898 
is provided for graduates of Maine accredited institutions, which provides that a graduate 
is not disqualified if 30 or fewer of the graduate's credit hours were obtained from a 
nonqualifying non-Maine community college, college or university. The amendment also 
makes changes to the definition of "principal cap" in order to avoid misinterpretation. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 05/20/15 
;!;PaC!-
LD898 
LR 1646(02) 
An Act To Reduce Student Loan Debt through an Expansion of the Educational Opportunity Tax 
Credit 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment~' (H -~ c1 q ) 
Committee: Taxation 
Net Cost (Savings) 
General Fund 
Revenue 
General Fund 
Other Special Revenue Funds 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY2015-16 
$0 
$0 
$0 
FY2016-17 
$95,000 
($95,000) 
($5,000) 
Projections 
FY 2017-18 
$123,500 
($123,500) 
($6,500) 
Projections 
FY2018-19 
$152,000 
($152,000) 
($8,000) 
The bilI allows Maine residents with out of state degrees available as part of the regional student program offered by 
the New England Board of Higher Education to receive the educational opportunity tax credit as long as no more than 
credit hours were obtained from a non-qualifYing non-Maine institution. This change would result in a reduction 
in General Fund revenue of $95,000 in fiscal year 2016-17 and a reduction in Local Government Fund revenue of 
$5,000 in fiscal year 2016-17. 
LRI646(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1