An Act To Streamline the Gaming Permit Process for Veterans' Organizations S.P. 279 L.D. 833
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 0294
Committee: VETERANS AND LEGAL AFFAIRS
Sponsors: DAVIS, SAVIELLO, DOW, LANGLEY, LIBBY

One Hundred and Twenty-Eighth Legislature 
Advance Journal and Calendar 
18th Legislative Day 
In Senate Chamber, Tuesday, March 7, 2017. 
Senate called to Order by President Michael D. Thibodeau of Waldo County. 
Prayer by Pastor Brian Kline, Lighthouse Baptist Church in Farmingdale. 
Pledge of Allegiance led by Senator Mark N. Dion of Cumberland County. 
Reading of the Journal of Thursday, March 2, 2017. 
Doctor of the day, Kenneth Christian, M.D. of Holden. 
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Michael D. Thibodeau 
Senate President 
http://legislature.maine.gov/senate
Heather J.R. Priest 
Secretary of the Senate 
Tuesday, March 7, 2017 
(3-28)  Bill "An Act To Streamline the Gaming Permit Process for Veterans' Organizations" 
S.P. 279  L.D. 833 
Presented by Senator DAVIS of Piscataquis. 
(3-29)  Bill "An Act To Establish a Minimum Payment for Signatures Gathered by Maine 
Citizens for Referendums" 
S.P. 283  L.D. 883 
Presented by Senator SAVIELLO of Franklin. 
Cosponsored by Senator: DOW of Lincoln. 
Committee on VETERANS AND LEGAL AFFAIRS suggested and ordered printed. 
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ORDERS 
Joint Orders 
(4-1)  On motion by Senator LANGLEY of Hancock, the following Joint Order: 
S.P. 293 
ORDERED, the House concurring, that the Joint Standing Committee on Education and 
Cultural Affairs shall report out, to the Senate, a bill regarding attainment of certain goals for 
postsecondary education of the work force. 
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(4-2)  On motion by Senator LIBBY of Androscoggin, the following Joint Order: 
S.P. 294 
WHEREAS, historically, Maine has been world-renowned for its hard-working people, its 
enviable quality of life and its production of high-quality products; and 
WHEREAS, for generations, citizens of the State had jobs in industries such as logging, 
shipbuilding, papermaking, textiles, manufacturing, farming and fishing that allowed workers to 
live and raise families in the State; and 
Tuesday, March 7, 2017 
WHEREAS, jobs that supported a thriving Maine economy were responsible for decades of 
growth in many of our communities in the State, but over the years, jobs that provided living 
wages, benefits and job security became harder and harder to find; and 
WHEREAS, as the prospects for well-paying jobs diminished in the rapidly changing world 
economy, so too did Maine's ability to retain its young people, who increasingly sought 
opportunities elsewhere, contributing to Maine's looming demographic crisis; and 
WHEREAS, a prosperous Maine economy will require skilled workers capable of 
succeeding in the modern economy as well as innovative investments that will help Maine 
businesses grow and thrive; and 
WHEREAS, it is essential that the Legislature work with the State's businesses, education 
community and workforce, as well as with policy experts, to develop and implement measures to 
strengthen the State's economy, bring back jobs and young people and expand the middle class; 
and 
WHEREAS, the members of the Joint Select Committee on Maine's Workforce and 
Economic Future in the 126th Legislature worked together in a bipartisan manner with input 
from experts throughout the State to unanimously support legislation to help move Maine toward 
stronger economic growth and to prepare Maine's workers and businesses to compete in the 
global marketplace; now, therefore, be it 
ORDERED, the House concurring, that, notwithstanding Joint Rule 353, the Task Force on 
Maine's 21st Century Economy and Workforce, referred to in this order as "the task force," is 
established as follows. 
1.  Appointments; composition.  The task force consists of members appointed as follows: 
A.  Four members of the Senate, appointed by the President of the Senate, including 2 
members of the party holding the largest and 2 members of the party holding the 2nd largest 
number of seats in the Senate; 
B.  Four members of the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
Representatives, including 2 members of the party holding the largest and 2 members of the 
party holding the 2nd largest number of seats in the House of Representatives; 
C.  One member representing the interests of the Maine Community College System, 
appointed by the President of the Senate; 
D.  One member representing the interests of the University of Maine System, appointed by 
the Speaker of the House of Representatives; 
E.  One member representing the interests of apprenticeship programs in the State, appointed 
by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; 
F.  One member representing the interests of providers and teachers of adult education in the 
State, appointed by the President of the Senate; 
G.  One member representing the interests of private colleges in the State, appointed by the 
Speaker of the House of Representatives; 
H.  One member representing the statewide interests of the business community, appointed 
by the President of the Senate; 
I.  One member representing the interests of a Maine business that employs more than 1,000 
workers, appointed by the President of the Senate; and 
J.  One member representing the interests of a Maine business that employs fewer than 1,000 
workers, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. 
Tuesday, March 7, 2017 
The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall invite to 
participate as members of the task force the Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner's 
designee, and the Commissioner of Labor, or the commissioner's designee. 
2.  Chairs.  The first-named Senator is the Senate chair of the task force and the first-named 
member of the House of Representatives is the House chair of the task force.  Notwithstanding 
Joint Rule 353, the chairs may appoint, as nonvoting members, individuals who represent the 
interests of those sectors of industry that have experienced significant workforce shortages.  Any 
additional members appointed pursuant to this section are not entitled to compensation or 
reimbursement under section 5. 
3.  Appointments; convening.  All appointments must be made no later than 15 days 
following passage of this order.  The appointing authorities shall notify the Executive Director of 
the Legislative Council once all appointments have been made.  When the appointment of all 
members has been completed, the chairs of the task force shall call and convene the first meeting 
of the task force.  If 15 days or more after the passage of this order a majority of but not all 
appointments have been made, the chairs may request authority and the Legislative Council may 
grant authority for the task force to meet and conduct its business. 
4.  Duties.  The task force shall review ways to strengthen the State's economy, improve the 
State's business climate and facilitate economic growth in the State, including strategies to make 
targeted and strategic investments in the State's workforce and businesses; to expand 
partnerships among the State's workers, educators and businesses to specifically address 
workforce needs and worker training; to develop strategies for attracting, retaining and training 
Maine workers in sectors of industry most acutely affected by workforce shortage, as identified 
in priority order by the Maine Department of Labor, including health care, government, retail 
trade, professional and business services and the hospitality industry; and to help improve the 
ability of small businesses to innovate and expand. 
5.  Compensation.  The legislative members of the task force are entitled to receive the 
legislative per diem, as defined in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 3, section 2, and 
reimbursement for travel and other necessary expenses related to their attendance at authorized 
meetings of the task force. Public members not otherwise compensated by their employers or 
other entities that they represent are entitled to receive reimbursement of necessary expenses and, 
upon a demonstration of financial hardship, a per diem equal to the legislative per diem for their 
attendance at authorized meetings of the task force. 
6.  Quorum.  A quorum is a majority of the voting members of the task force, including 
those members invited to participate who have accepted the invitation to participate. 
7.  Staffing.  The Legislative Council shall contract for necessary staff support for the task 
force during the legislative session and may contract for such staff support for a longer period to 
the extent needed and if sufficient funding is available.  At the request of the task force, the 
Legislative Council may provide drafting assistance to the task force during the legislative 
session and other staffing support to the task force when the Legislature is not in session. 
8.  Reports.  The task force may submit an initial report, including suggested legislation, 
prior to the adjournment of the First Regular Session of the 128th Legislature.  No later than 
March 1, 2018, the task force shall submit a final report that includes its findings and 
recommendations, including suggested legislation, for introduction to the Second Regular 
Session of the 128th Legislature. 
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