An Act To Expand the Types of Nonprofit Organizations to Which Surplus Property May Be Sold by the State
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 0648
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: GRANT, BELLOWS, BEEBE-CENTER, BRYANT, HARRINGTON, JORGENSEN, MARTIN
Amends: 5 MRSA §1828

Legislative Document
No. 648
H.P. 462
House of Representatives, February 28, 2017
An Act To Expand the Types of Nonprofit Organizations to Which 
Surplus Property May Be Sold by the State
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative GRANT of Gardiner.
Cosponsored by Senator BELLOWS of Kennebec and
Representatives: BEEBE-CENTER of Rockland, BRYANT of Windham, HARRINGTON of 
Sanford, JORGENSEN of Portland, MARTIN of Sinclair.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  5 MRSA §1828, sub-§1, ¶B, as amended by PL 2011, c. 9, §1, is further 
amended to read: 
B.  "Qualifying nonprofit organization" means: 
(1)  A public or private nonprofit entity that owns or operates a project or facility 
for the homeless; or 
(2)  A nonprofit organization that has been determined to be exempt from 
taxation under the United States Internal Revenue Code, Section 501(c) and that 
provides services to persons with physical or mental handicaps as defined in 
section 4553, subsection 7-A;  
(3)  A nonprofit organization that has been determined to be exempt from 
taxation under the United States Internal Revenue Code, Section 501(c) and that 
contracts with the Department of Health and Human Services to provide vehicles 
to low-income families to assist them in participating in work, education or 
training; or 
(4)  A nonprofit organization that has been determined to be exempt from 
taxation under the United States Internal Revenue Code, Section 501(c) and that 
houses animals and operates for the purpose of providing stray, abandoned, 
abused or owner-surrendered animals with sanctuary or finding the animals 
temporary or permanent adoptive homes. 
(5)  A nonprofit organization that has been determined to be exempt from 
taxation under the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, Section 501(c). 
Sec. 2.  5 MRSA §1828, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2011, c. 9, §2, is further 
amended to read: 
2.  Surplus property.  Pursuant to this chapter and rules adopted under section 1813, 
the Department of Administrative and Financial Services through the Bureau of General 
Services shall allow private sales of surplus property to: 
A.  Nonprofit organizations that contract with the Department of Health and Human 
Services to provide affordable vehicles to low-income families to assist them in 
participating in work, education or training; 
B.  Homeless shelter sponsors; 
C.  Educational institutions; and 
D.  Nonprofit organizations that house animals and operate for the purpose of 
providing stray, abandoned, abused or owner-surrendered animals with sanctuary or 
finding the animals temporary or permanent adoptive homes. 
E.  Nonprofit organizations that have been determined to be exempt from taxation 
under the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, Section 501(c). 
SUMMARY 
This bill amends the law regarding sales of government surplus property to expand 
the types of nonprofit organizations that must be given an opportunity to purchase 
government surplus property through private sales.