An Act To Provide Funding for the Maine Coworking Development Fund
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 0138
Committee Amendment CA_A_H146 (House)
Amends: 5 MRSA §13056-G

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT .. //, " to H.P. 120, L.D. 138, Bill, "An Act To 
Provide Funding for the Maine Coworking Development Fund" 
Amend the bill by striking out eve1ything after the enacting clause and inserting the 
following: 
'Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §13056-G, sub-§3, ,rB, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 362, §1, is 
amended to read: 
B. The department shall solicit applications for grants or loans from the fund through 
a request for proposals competitive application process, which must include, at a 
minimum, the following criteria for the submission of applications: 
(1) A description of the parties involved in the project, including the professional 
expertise and qualifications of the principals; 
(2) A description of the scope of work that will be undertaken by each party 
involved in the project; 
(3) The proposed budget, including verification of funding from other sources; 
(4) A statement of the project objective, including specific information on how 
the project will promote the use of the space as a collaborative workspace; 
(5) 
A statement that sets forth the implementation plan, the facilities and 
resources available or needed for the project .and the proposed commencement 
and termination dates of the project; 
(6) 
A description of the expected significance of the project, including a 
description of the market demand for the type of collaborative workspace 
proposed in the region in which the space will be located and the number of 
tenants and participants that will be served as a result of the project; 
(7) 
Guidelines for the review and approval of applications that include 
preferences for applications that propose to redevelop existing properties located 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,A "to H.P. 120, L.D. 138 
in the downtown area of a municipality, dedicate at least 25% of accessible space 
to collaborative use and support a cluster of at least 5 separate tenants; 
(8) A description of the ability of the collaborative workspace business to carry 
out the provisions of this section; 
(9) A summary of the proposed economic impact of the collaborative workspace 
on the community; 
(10) A description of plans for conformance with regional and local economic 
development plans, if such plans exist; and 
(11) 
A statement of the proximity of the collaborative workspace to an 
accredited Maine community college, college or university, as defined in Title 
20-A, section 12541, subsection 1. 
Sec. 2. 5 MRSA §13056-G, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 362, §1, is 
amended to read: 
5. Report. Beginning Febmary 1, ~ 
2020, the department shall annually provide 
a report to the Governor, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of 
Representatives and the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction 
over innovation, development, economic advancement and business matters that must 
include, but is not limited to: 
A. 
The number of applications for collaborative workspace submitted to the 
department; 
B. 
The number of applications for collaborative workspace approved by the 
department; 
C. The number of collaborative workspaces created through the fund; 
D. 
The numbers of tenants and participants engaged in each collaborative 
workspace; 
E. The number of jobs provided by each collaborative workspace; 
F. The occupancy rate of each collaborative workspace; and 
G. 
The number of tenants that have left collaborative workspace and that are 
operating in the State and the number of jobs they have provided. 
Sec. 3. 
Development of collaborative workspaces. 
The Department of 
Economic and Community Development shall provide funds from the Maine Coworking 
Development Fund, as established in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, section 
13056-G, to entities that maintain collaborative workspace businesses to allow those 
entities to expand those collaborative workspace businesses and to entities to develop 
new collaborative workspaces. 
fu providing funds pursuant to this section, 
notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the department shall prioritize 
development of new collaborative workspaces and shall give preference to applicants 
with collaborative workspace businesses located in municipalities and counties in which 
the unemployment rate exceeds the State's unemployment rate. The department shall 
engage in at least 2 rounds of competitive applications to expend the funds. 
Funds 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,A" to H.P. 120, L.D. 138 
appropriated to the Maine Coworking Development Fund in fiscal year 2019-20 do not 
lapse and must be carried over into fiscal year 2020-21 and used for the purposes 
described in this section. 
Sec. 4. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, DEPARTMENT OF 
Maine Coworking Development Fund Zl95 
Initiative: Provides one-time funds for the development of collaborative workspace 
businesses, with preference given to applicants with projects in towns and counties in 
which the unemployment rate exceeds the State's unemployment rate. 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
2019-20 
$300,000 
$300,000 
2020-21 
$0 
$0 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment requires the Department of Economic and Community 
Development, when determining grants from the Maine Coworking Development Fund, 
to solicit applications through a competitive bid process, instead of a request for proposal 
process. The amendment allows for funds to be provided to entities to establish new 
collaborative workspaces and directs the department to prioritize development of new 
workspaces in the competitive application process. 
The amendment replaces the 
requirement for an annual report by the department to the President of the Senate and the 
Speaker of the House of Representatives with a report to the joint standing committee of 
the Legislature having jurisdiction over innovation, development, economic advancement 
and business matters. The amendment directs the department to engage in at least 2 
rounds of competitive applications and also directs that the 2019-20 appropriation be 
carried over into 2020-21. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 03/26/19 feac.. 
LD 138 
LR246(02) 
An Act To Provide Funding for the Maine Coworking Development Fund 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment ./>{ jl-ltj 6) 
Committee: Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY 2019-20 
FY 2020-21 
Projections 
FY 2021-22 
Projections 
FY 2022-23 
Net Cost (Savings) 
General Fund 
Appropriations/ Allocations 
General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
$300,000 
$0 
$300,000 
$0 
$0 
$0 
$0 
$0 
This bill includes a one-time General Fund appropriation of $300,000 in fiscal year 2019-20 to the Maine Coworking 
Development Fund within the Department of Economic and Community Development for the development of 
collaborative workspace businesses, with preference given to applicants with projects in towns and counties in which 
the unemployment rate exceeds the State's unemployment rate. 
LR0246(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1