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Legislation of interest:
LD 119, An Act To Allow a Tax Credit for Students Enrolled in Postsecondary Nondegree Programs: Proposes to amend the educational opportunity tax credit to allow a credit for tuition paid for postsecondary education courses taken as part of a nondegree program, such as the Aspirations Program offered by the University of Maine. Status: Public hearing and work session held but not yet reported out of Taxation Committee.
LD 164, An Act To Extend the Dental Care Access Credit for Dentists Who Practice in Underserved Areas of the State: As amended by Taxation Committee, extends the sunset date for the program until December 31, 2020; allows a dentist who is currently certified for a credit at a certain level to maintain that level of credit; lowers the credit from $15,000 to $12,000 for dentists determined to be eligible after December 31, 2010; and allows six rather than five dentists to be certified for eligibility for the credit each year. Status: Enacted by Legislature but placed on Special Appropriations Committee Table due to fiscal note.
L.D. 184, An Act to Promote the Financial Literacy of High School Students: As amended, would require the Department of Education to distribute annually to schools financial literacy information, including a listing of what various state-side stakeholders offer for financial education information, and to annually report to the committee on such efforts. Status: Not reported out of committee. Anticipated divided report.
L.D. 209, Resolve, to Establish a Stakeholder Group to Review the Maine State Grant Program: Authorizes FAME to coordinate a review of the program that includes the participation of a stakeholder group of higher education policy makers, agencies, institutions, students and financial aid administrators in the state and report to the Education Committee with recommendations by December 1, 2011. Status: Enacted by Legislature and signed into law by Gov. LePage.
LD 835, An Act To Strengthen Maine's Economy through Improvements to the Educational Opportunity Tax Credit: Promoted by Opportunity Maine, this bill would remove restrictions on the term of eligible loans and make the Educational Opportunity Tax Credit refundable, allowing a full reimbursement for education loan payments for college graduates who live and work in Maine. Status: Public hearing and work session held in Taxation Committee. Not reported out of committee yet, however.
LD 944, An Act to Increase College Attainment: Would require secondary school students to complete a federally accepted free application for federal student aid and at least one application to a postsecondary educational institution to assess eligibility for financial aid. Status: Not reported out of Education Committee.
LD 1008, An Act to Limit the Use of Social Security Numbers by State Agencies: Would prohibit state agencies from including an individual's social security number in written correspondence. Status: Public hearing before State and Local Government Committee scheduled for April 25 at 1 p.m.
LD 1173, An Act to Make Changes to the Maine College Savings Program: Makes changes to the Maine College Savings Program, also known as NextGen® or the NextGen College Investing Plan®, by vesting the act of "holding" the program fund in the Authority and not the Treasurer of State; by clarifying that in holding the program fund, the Authority may invest, reinvest or commingle the assets in the program fund as authorized or may cause such assets to be invested, reinvested or commingled. Also alters the composition of the Advisory Committee on College Savings by changing the position held by a member with knowledge of student financial assistance to an at-large position and by changing the Governor-appointed positions held by two members representing institutions of higher education with experience in and knowledge of higher education financial and investment matters to one Governor-appointed member with experience in and knowledge of institutional investment of funds and one member appointed by the chair of the authority's board of directors who is a member of the authority's board of directors, other than the Treasurer of State. Status: Public hearing before Education Committee scheduled for April 29 at 1 p.m.
LD 1174, An Act To Help Maine's Employers To Recruit Skilled Workers by Expanding the Availability of the Educational Opportunity Tax Credit: Another Opportunity Maine bill, would allow a tax credit for student loans incurred by a person who receives an associate degree or a bachelor's degree from out-of-state accredited community colleges, colleges or universities, not just those located in Maine. Status: Public hearing and work session held in Taxation Committee. Not reported out of committee yet, however.
To follow the proceedings of the Legislature and its various joint standing committees, please visit:
http://www.maine.gov/legis/lio/
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