An Act To Amend the Foreign Credentialing and Skills Recognition Revolving Loan Program
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 1533
Committee: Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business
Sponsors: CLOUTIER, LIBBY, BAILEY, BRENNAN, HARNETT, RIELLY, ROBERTS, SYLVESTER, TEPLER, DAUGHTRY
Amends: 10 MRSA §1100-A

Legislative Document
No. 1533
H.P. 1137
House of Representatives, April 19, 2021
An Act To Amend the Foreign Credentialing and Skills Recognition 
Revolving Loan Program
Received by the Clerk of the House on April 15, 2021.  Referred to the Committee on 
Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 
and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative CLOUTIER of Lewiston.
Cosponsored by Senator LIBBY of Androscoggin and
Representatives: BAILEY of Gorham, BRENNAN of Portland, HARNETT of Gardiner, 
RIELLY of Westbrook, ROBERTS of South Berwick, SYLVESTER of Portland, TEPLER of 
Topsham, Senator: DAUGHTRY of Cumberland.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  10 MRSA §1100-AA, sub-§1, ¶A, as enacted by PL 2019, c. 447, §1, is 
amended by amending subparagraph (7) to read:
(7)  Fees related to obtaining a Maine driver's license, including but not limited to 
driver's education course fees, learner's permit application fees and driver's license 
fees; and
Sec. 2.  10 MRSA §1100-AA, sub-§1, ¶A, as enacted by PL 2019, c. 447, §1, is 
amended by amending subparagraph (8) to read:
(8)  Costs to travel to the nearest location of any exam or test needed to establish 
the applicant's skills or credentials or English language proficiency if there is no 
location within 60 miles of the Maine town in which the immigrant resides.; and
Sec. 3.  10 MRSA §1100-AA, sub-§1, ¶A, as enacted by PL 2019, c. 447, §1, is 
amended by enacting a new subparagraph (9) to read:
(9)  Costs of a filing fee required by the United States Department of Homeland 
Security, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, or any successor 
federal agency, to apply for the immigrant’s initial work permit.
Sec. 4.  10 MRSA §1100-AA, sub-§1, ¶C-1 is enacted to read:
C-1.  "Initial work permit" means the first work permit that the immigrant is authorized 
to apply for under 8 Code of Federal Regulations, Section 274a.12(c) (2019).
Sec. 5.  10 MRSA §1100-AA, sub-§1, ¶E, as enacted by PL 2019, c. 447, §1, is 
amended to read:
E.  "Work permit" means a document provided by the United States Department of 
Homeland Security or any other federal immigration authority confirming a federal 
authorization of a person who is not a United States citizen to work in the United States.
Sec. 6.  10 MRSA §1100-AA, sub-§4, ¶B, as enacted by PL 2019, c. 447, §1, is 
amended to read:
B.  Must have filed an application or petition with federal immigration authorities that 
entitles the immigrant to request a work permit in any of the categories set forth in 8 
Code of Federal Regulations, Section 274a.12(c)(2019) 274a.12(c) (2019).  The 
immigrant shall provide electronic or paper evidence establishing that the application 
or petition was filed with federal immigration authorities and shall state which section 
of 8 Code of Federal Regulations, Section 274a.12(c)(2019) 274a.12(c) (2019) allows 
the immigrant to request a work permit.  An immigrant is not eligible if the immigrant 
has been denied a work permit at the time of making the application.  In the case of 
asylum seekers, an immigrant who, pursuant to 8 Code of Federal Regulations, Section 
274a.12(c)(8) (2019) or other federal statute or regulation, is required to wait a period 
of time after filing an application for asylum or another immigration benefit or relief 
before becoming authorized to receive an initial work permit, the immigrant is eligible 
if the immigrant's request for asylum has been pending for fewer than 150 days since 
the date of its filing and the immigrant has not yet been able to apply for a work permit 
pursuant to 8 Code of Federal Regulations, Section 274a.12(c)(8)(2019) or, if more 
than 150 days have elapsed since the asylum application was filed, the immigrant has 
a pending application for a work permit underlying application for asylum or another 
immigration benefit or relief entitling the immigrant to request an initial work permit 
following the required period has been filed and is pending at the time of making the 
application to the program; and
SUMMARY
This bill amends the Foreign Credentialing and Skills Recognition Revolving Loan 
Program to reflect changes in federal regulations, including:
1.  Adding as a loan-eligible expense the costs of the filing fee for an immigrant's initial 
work permit application;
2.  Defining "initial work permit";
3.  Ensuring that a change in federal regulations will not require a future statutory 
amendment of the provision of the program governing eligibility under the program; and
4.  In the provision governing eligibility under the program, changing a specific time 
frame while waiting for asylum to an unspecified time period while waiting on an 
application for asylum or other immigrant benefit or relief.