An Act Regarding the
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1450
Committee Amendment CA_A_S176 (Senate)
Amends: 7 MRSA §60, 7 MRSA §60-A

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "/+" to S.P. 591, L,D. 1450, "An Act Regarding the
Voluntary Municipal Farm Support Program"
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and inserting the
following:
'See. 1. 7 MRSA §60, sub-§3, ^B, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 301, § 1, is amended
to read;
B. Is limited to a term of not less than SO 10 years.
Sec. 2. 7 MRSA §60-A, sub-§l, as amended by PL 2007, c, 693, §2, is further
amended to read;
1. Program, to The Voluntary Municipal Farm Support Program is established in
order to protect and support local farms, preserve fai'mland and reduce the potential tax
burdens from new development fiscal burden for participatitig municipalities that results
from new development in rural areas. Under this program, a municipality may enter into
farm support arrangeinents with the owners of qualified farmland.
A. A farm support arrangement must be approved by majority vote of the
municipality's legislative body or municipal officers or by a mumcipal einployee
appointed by the municipal officers and desienated to review and apDrove farm support
arrangements.
B. Unless approved by a 2/3 vote of the municipality's legislative body, the
municipality may not enter into farm support arrangements;
(1) Affecting more than 3% of the total annual valuation of taxable land in the
iminicipality;&H4or
(2) In any calendar year> affecting more than 1% of the total annual valuation of
taxable land in the municipality,
Sec. 3. 7 MRSA §60-A, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 2007,c, 301, § 1, is amended to
read;
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
^
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" /4' to S.P, 591, L.D. 1450 [^ i
4. Rules. The department shall adopt rules governing farm support ai't'angemertts.
Rules adopted under this subsection are major substantive I'Qutine teclmical rules as defined
in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.'
Amend the bill by relettering or t'enumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section
number to read consecutively.
SUMMARY
This amendment replaces the bill. The amendment retains the allocation of the
Voluntary Municipal Farm Support Program in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 7» which
contains laws governing agriculture, rather than reallocating the program to Title 36, which
contains laws governing taxation,
The amendment retains certain provisions proposed in the bill. First, the amendment
reduces the minimum term of a qualified easement from 20 years to 10 years, Secondly,
the amendment allows the municipal officers or a municipal employee appointed by the
municipal officers to review and approve farm support arrangements.
The amendment provides that rules adopted by the Department of Agriculture,
Conservation and Forestry under the Voluntary Municipal Farm Support Program statutes
are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A, rather than
major substantive rules as provided in current law,
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Approved: 05/22/25 t-Rt-
LD 1450 LR 1755(02)
An Act Regarding the Voluntary Municipal Farm Support Program
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "^
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
Minor cost increase - General Fund
Fiscal Detail and Notes
Any additional costs to the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to adopt the changes in this bill are
expected to be minor and can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources.
LR1755(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1