An Act To Change Maine's Tax Laws
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 0484
Committee Amendment CA_A_S537 (Senate)
Amends: 36 MRSA §4641-B

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "·A " to S.P. 190, L.D. 484, "An Act To Change 
Maine's Tax Laws" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act Relating to the Distribution of State Revenue from the Real Estate Transfer 
Tax' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and inserting the 
following: 
'Sec. 1. 36 MRSA §4641-B, sub-§4-B, ,IE, as amended by PL 2017, c. 284, Pt. 
AAAAAAA, §1, is further amended to read: 
E. In fiscal year years 2015-16 and each fiscal year thereafter to 2021-22, the Treasurer 
of State shall credit the revenues derived from the tax imposed pursuant to section 
4641-A, subsection 1 in accordance with this paragraph. 
(1) At the beginning of the fiscal year, the Maine State Housing Authority shall 
certify to the Treasurer of State the amount that is necessary and sufficient to meet 
the authority's obligations relating to _bonds issued or planned to be issued by the 
authority under Title 30-A, section 4864. 
(2) On a monthly basis., the Treasurer of State shall apply 50% of the revenues in 
accordance with this subparagraph. The Treasurer of State shall first pay revenues 
available under this subparagraph to the Maine State Housing Authority, which 
shall deposit the funds in the Maine Energy, Housing and Economic Recovery 
Fund established in Title 30-A, section 4863, until the amount paid equals the 
amount certified by the Maine State Housing Authority under subparagraph (1), 
after which the Treasurer of State shall credit any remaining revenues available 
under this subparagraph to the General Fund. 
(3) On a monthly basis, the Treasurer of State shall credit 50% of the revenues to 
the Maine State Housing Authority, except that, notwithstanding paragraph F, in 
fiscal year 2015-16, the Treasurer of State shall first credit $6,291,740 of the 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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• 2 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A "to S.P. 190, L.D. 484 ( s--551 J 
revenues available under this subparagraph to the General Fund and except that, 
notwithstanding paragraph F, in fiscal year 2016-17, the Treasurer of State shall 
first credit $6,090,367 of the revenues available under this subparagraph to the 
General Fund and except that, notwithstanding paragraph F, in fiscal years 2017-
and 2018-19, the Treasurer of State shall first credit $2,500,000 of the revenues 
available under this subparagraph to the General Fund. The Maine State Housing 
Authority shall deposit the funds received pursuant to this subparagraph in the 
Housing Opportunities for Maine Fund created in Title 30-A, section 4853. 
Sec. 2. 36 MRSA §4641-B, sub-§4-B, 1E-1 is enacted to read: 
E-1. In fiscal year 2022-23 and each fiscal year thereafter, the Treasurer of State shall 
credit the revenues derived from the tax imposed pursuant to section 4641-A, 
subsection 1 in accordance with this paragraph. 
(1) At the beginning of the fiscal year, the Maine State Housing Authority shall 
certify to the Tr~asurer of State the amount that is necessary and sufficient to meet 
the authority's obligations relating to bonds issued or planned to be issued by the 
authority under Title 30-A, section 4864. 
(2) 
On a monthly basis, the Treasurer of State shall apply the revenues in 
accordance with this subparagraph. The Treasurer of State shall pay revenues 
available under this paragraph to the Maine State Housing Authority, which shall 
first deposit funds in the Maine Energy, Housing and Economic Recovery Fund 
established in Title 30-A, section 4863, until the amount deposited equals the 
amount certified by the Maine State Housing Authority under subparagraph (1 ), 
after which the Maine State Housing Authority shall deposit the remaining funds 
received in the Housing Opportunities for Maine Fund created in Title 30-A, 
section 4853. For fiscal years 2024 to 2030. as long as the revenue to the Maine 
State Housing Authority does not fall below the level of available revenues of fiscal 
year 2021. the Maine State Housing Authority shall use 25% of such remaining 
funds received in the Housing Opportunities for Maine Fund to support the creation 
of new housing units, through new construction or adaptive reuse, that are 
affordable to low-income households. 
Sec. 3. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
HOUSING AUTHORITY, MAINE STATE 
Housing Authority - State 0442 
Initiative: Allocates funds for an increase in revenue caused by eliminating the portion of 
real estate transfer tax credited to the General Fund. 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 
All Other 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL 
2021-22 
$0 
$0 
2022-23 
$27,874,800 
$27,874,800 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section 
number to read consecutively. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
... , 
~0~·-
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" ft "to S.P. 190, L.D. 484 ( S· 5 07) 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill. The amendment changes the distribution of revenue 
from the real estate transfer tax on property transfers by deeds to provide that beginning in 
fiscal year 2022-23 revenue received by the State would be distributed entirely to the Maine 
State Housing Authority for deposit in the Housing Opportunities for Maine Fund after the 
transfer of funds identified to be used by the Maine State Housing Authority for deposit in 
the Maine Energy, Housing and Economic Recovery Fund to meet the authority's 
obligations relating to bonds issued or planned to be issued by the authority for the Maine 
Energy, Housing and Economic Recovery Program. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 03/04/22 feac:.. 
LD484 
LR 1853(02) 
An Act To Change Maine's Tax Laws 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment 'iti'[S-537) 
Committee: Taxation 
fT 
Net Cost (Savings) 
General Fund 
Appropriations/ Allocations 
Other Special Revenue Funds 
Revenue 
General Fund 
Other Special Revenue Funds 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY2021-22 
$0 
$0 
$0 
$0 
FY2022-23 
$27,874,800 
$27,874,800 
($27,874,800) 
$27,874,800 
Projections 
FY2023-24 
$28,830,800 
$28,830,800 
($28,830,800) 
$28,830,800 
Projections 
FY2024-25 
$29,745,800 
$29,745,800 
($29,745,800) 
$29,745,800 
Current law requires that 90% of the revenue collected from the real estate transfer tax be paid to the State with the 
remaining 10% being retained by the county collecting the tax. Of the 90% received by the State, an amount 
necessary to meet the Maine State Housing Authority's (MSHA) obligations relating to bonds issued or planned to be 
issued is credited to the Maine, Energy, Housing and Economic Recovery Fund. The remaining revenue is split, with 
45% being credited to the General Fund and 45% being credited to the Housing Opportunity for Maine (HOME) Fund 
within MSHA. 
This bill changes the distribution of revenue received by the State from the real estate transfer tax by eliminating the 
portion of revenue credited to the General Fund and, instead, directing that revenue be credited to the HOME Fund. 
This will result in a reduction in General Fund revenue of $27,874,800 in fiscal year 2022-23 and a corresponding 
increase in dedicated revenue to the HOME Fund. This bill includes an Other Special Revenue Funds allocation of 
that amount to the Housing Authority - State program within MSHA to authorize additional expenditures from the 
Fund. 
LR1853(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of I