Weekly Advocacy Update | April 6th, 2026

Each week, the KV Chamber's Advocacy Committee meets on your behalf to survey the current legislative landscape to highlight specific bills being considered that could have significant impact on your business.

As the legislative session begins to wind down, several important bills are still being debated and finalized ahead of adjournment.

Below is important information about upcoming legislation that could impact your business.

Supplemental Budget

Last week the Legislature's Appropriations Committee advanced the Supplemental Budget along party lines after a series of late-night votes. The proposal is now heading to the full House and Senate, and it's expected to one of the legislature's main priorities in the days ahead.

Below are some of the policy decisions that are raising concerns for Maine's business community:

• The budget includes a new 2% "millionaire's tax" on income above $1 million. Governor Janet Mills indicates she is in support of this proposal, a noticeable shift from her previous positions on similar tax increases.

• The proposal relies heavily on the state's Budget Stabilization Fund (aka Rainy Day Fund) to finance initiatives including the governor's $300 "affordability checks. Earlier proposals called for roughly $300 million to be drawn from the fund to support these payments and other spending priorities.

• The Appropriations Committee voted to remove retail (only retail) from the Business Equipment Tax Reimbursement (BETR) program. Removing retail from the program, while leaving others in place, raises both competitiveness and fairness concerns.

Supporters argue the budget is necessary to provide short-term relief to Maine people, but critics have raised concerns about the long-term sustainability of this budget, as well as the potential impact on Maine's competitiveness. Although we don't have exact figures, there are rumors that the budget will now exceed $12 billion, a 20% increase in 2 years.

LD 1822 - An Act to Enact the Maine Online Data Privacy Act

Last week the Maine House of Representatives delivered a decisive vote on LD 1822, rejecting final enactment of the data privacy bill in a strong bipartisan 80-68 margin.

The rejection of the final enactment shows strong momentum and does not happen without the engagement of our members and business community. In just a short amount of time, more than 300 businesses came out in opposition to the bill, and that number is continuing to grow.

This vote represents a meaningful shift in momentum, but it is not the end of the conversation.

First, we want to thank our members who took the time to sign-on, your advocacy is not only noticed, but also creating a real impact. If you would like to sign-on to the joint letter opposing this bill, they are still urging as many businesses as possible to sign on before the bill reaches the Senate floor.

If you are interested in signing on, click here. If you would like to view what businesses have already signed on, you can view the letter here.

LD 1822 is expected to be taken up by the Maine Senate early this week, likely Monday. While the House vote was encouraging, continuing outreach to State Senators will be critical in the days ahead. Many legislators who supported our position may face renewed pressure as the bill moves forward.

You can find and contact your State Senator here.

If you would like more information about the KV Chamber Advocacy Committee or would like to learn more about how you can get involved in the legislative process, check out our advocacy resources on our website!

If you are interested in learning about how to support the Chamber's Advocacy Committee through sponsorships, please reach out to Katie at KLD@kennebecvalleychamber.com!

Sincerely,

KVCC Staff

Katie Doherty, President & CEO

Lindsay Corbett, Chief Operating Officer & Events

Melissa Walden, Membership & Development Director

Lauren Turcotte, Marketing & Communications Coordinator

Megan Bachelder, Office Administrator