Legislature Update for the Week of March 24th, 2026
Weekly Advocacy Update | March 24th, 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.
Below, you'll find information on what's happening this week at the State House, as well as important action alerts.
Action Alert: Contact Your Legislators Today
We’re encouraging members to contact their legislators and ask them to oppose LD 1870 and LD 1822.
LD 1870 would introduce new requirements that increase operational complexity and costs for businesses. Many employers are concerned about the added burden and how it could impact their ability to remain flexible and competitive.
LD 1822 would create new data processing rules for data collected by companies online. It would strictly limit the processing and sale of sensitive data, and limit data collection to “reasonably necessary and proportionate to provide or maintain a specific product or service...”
This is the Governor’s Supplemental Budget Bill for FY 26-27. Maine State Chamber of Commerce testified in opposition to the bill for three reasons:
As originally drafted, the bill would eliminate the Business Equipment Tax Reimbursement (BETR) Program
This bill would utilize the Budget Stabilization Fund for non-emergency purposes
This bill only partially conforms to the federal R & D immediate expensing for larger businesses over ($31 million in receipts).
The bill proposes to conform fully for smaller businesses (under $31 million). The Governor has put forth a change package that will amend the original bill. The amendment proposed is to keep the BETR program for non-retail businesses as is and to phase out retail businesses from the program starting in 2028.
Implications: Elimination of the BETR Program for retail businesses will increase taxes on those Maine businesses currently in the program. Utilizing the Budget Stabilization Fund for non-emergency purposes leaves the State exposed in economic downturns and may result in tax increases to fund essential services down the road. The State should conform to the federal R & D immediate expensing for all businesses regardless of size to allow businesses to compete for innovation.
Upcoming Work Sessions for LD 2212:
Tue 3/24 2:00 PM @ State House, Room 228
Wed 3/25 2:00 PM @ State House, Room 228
Thur 3/26 2:00 PM @ State House, Room 228
Fri 3/27 11:00 AM @ State House, Room 228
HEALTH COVERAGE, INSURANCE, AND FINANCIAL SERVICES
Summary of Original Bill: Reaffirms equal loan payments with limited exceptions, allowing payment differences up to 50% and reduced payments during the first 36 months.
Summary of Amended Bill: Clarification that this only applies to new vehicle purchases and limits payment differences to 36%.
Implications: This bill provides greater flexibility in structuring simple-interest loan payments, allowing modest variation while still placing clear limits on how much payments can differ. It can support more practical repayment options for borrowers and lenders, while maintaining consumer protections by capping payment differences at 36% for new vehicle purchases only.
Upcoming House Vote for LD 2056:
Tue 3/24 @ State House
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!
