An Act To Improve Access to Property Tax Exemptions for New Homeowners
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 0560
Committee Amendment CA_A_H77 (House)
Amends: 36 MRSA §681

FffiST REGULAR SESSION 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ",4" to H.P. 404, L.D. 560, Bill, "An Act To 
Improve Access to Property Tax Exemptions for New Homeowners" 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and inserting the 
following: 
'Sec. 1. 36 MRSA §681, sub-§5, 18, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 647, §3 and 
affected by §5, is amended to read: 
B. Shareholaer Prior to property tax years beginning on or after April 1. 2020, 
shareholder for the preceding 12 months in the cooperative housing corporation 
specified in paragraph A; and 
Sec. 2. 36 MR.SA §683, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2017, c. 478, §1, is further 
amended to read: 
1. Exemption amount. ~ 
Prior to property tax years beginning on or after 
April 1. 2020. except for assessments for special benefits, the just value of $10,000 of the 
homestead of a permanent resident of this State who has owned a homestead in this State 
for the preceding 12 months is exempt from taxation. Beginning with property tax years 
beginning on or after April 1. 2020. except for assessments for special benefits. the just 
value of $10.000 of the homestead of a permanent resident of this State is exempt from 
taxation. Notwithstanding this subsection, a permanent resident of this State who loses 
ownership of a homestead in this State due to a tax lien foreclosure and subsequently 
regains ownership of the homestead from the municipality that foreclosed on the tax lien 
is deemed to have continuously owned the homestead and may not be determined 
ineligible for the exemption provided in this section due to the ownership of the 
homestead by the municipality. In determining the local assessed value of the exemption, 
the assessor shall multiply the amount of the exemption by the ratio of current just value 
upon which the assessment is based as furnished in the assessor's annual return pursuant 
to section 383. If the title to the homestead is held by the applicant jointly or in common 
with others, the exemption may not exceed $10,000 of the just value of the homestead, 
but may be apportioned among the owners who reside on the property to the extent of 
their respective interests. A municipality responsible for administering the homestead 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT .A "to H.P. 404, L.D. 560 
exemption has no obligation to create separate accounts for each partial interest in a 
homestead owned jointly or in common. 
Sec. 3. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF 
Homestead Property Tax Exemption Reimbursement 0886 
Initiative: Provides funding to allow homeowners who have lived in their residences for 
less than 12 months to qualify for the homestead property tax exemption. 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
2019-20 
$0 
$0 
2020-21 
$1,000,000 
$1,000,000 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment provides that the bill's expansion of the homestead property tax 
exemption to include persons who have not owned a homestead for the preceding 12 
months first applies for property tax years beginning on or after April 1, 2020. The 
amendment also adds an appropriations and allocations section. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 03/01/19 ;t!l'ac:.. 
LD560 
LR2224(02) 
An Act To Improve Access to Property Tax Exemptions for New Homeowners 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment,/),{ ff 7j 
Committee: Taxation 
Net Cost (Savings) 
General Fund 
Appropriations/ Allocations 
General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY 2019-20 
FY2020-21 
$0 
$1,000,000 
$0 
$1,000,000 
Projections 
FY 2021-22 
$1,350,000 
$1,350,000 
Projections 
FY 2022-23 
$1,400,000 
$1,400,000 
The bill includes a General Fund appropriation in fiscal year 2020-21 to the Department of Administrative and 
Financial Services to increase homestead property tax exemption payments for homeowners who have lived in their 
residence for less than twelve months. 
LR2224(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1