Sen. Chip Curry

Maddy summaryThis bill transfers $18 million from the state's unappropriated General Fund surplus to the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry's Parks program. The funds are specifically designated for the ongoing maintenance, preservation, and promotion of Maine's state historic sites. The transfer occurs as a priority at the close of the 2024-2025 fiscal year, after all other required budget transfers and deductions. This is a funding mechanism, not a new policy, directly affecting state historic site operations managed by the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.

Maddy summaryLD 756 creates the Maine Employee Ownership Center to support businesses transitioning to employee ownership through education, technical assistance, and resource connections. It provides two key tax benefits: a deduction of up to $750,000 for gains from selling a business to an employee-owned structure (like an ESOP or worker cooperative), and a deduction for interest on loans used to acquire such businesses. The bill directly affects Maine business owners selling to employees, employee groups forming ownership structures, and qualifying businesses (non-publicly traded entities registered in Maine). These provisions aim to incentivize employee ownership models that retain jobs and stimulate local economic development.

Maddy summaryLD 1219 requires the University of Maine System (UMS) campuses to receive state funding at 95% of their peer institution's per-student state funding starting July 1, 2026, and 100% starting July 1, 2027. Peer institutions are defined by UMS trustees and determined using the most recent available data. The bill also raises UMS hourly employee wages to 125% of Maine's state minimum wage, effective July 1, 2025. Funding allocations include $14.37 million for fiscal year 2025-26 and $24.53 million for 2026-27 to support these changes.

Maddy summaryLD 762 authorizes Maine to issue $18 million in bonds for the capital costs of maintaining, preserving, and promoting state historic sites, directly affecting the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry's Bureau of Parks and Lands. The bill requires voter approval through a November referendum, where residents would vote on "Do you favor an $18,000,000 bond issue to fund the capital costs associated with the ongoing maintenance, preservation and promotion of state historic sites?" Proceeds must be used exclusively for historic site projects and cannot be carried over after 10 years if unspent.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes a $10 million bond issue to fund workforce housing construction in Maine's federal opportunity zones, administered by the Maine State Housing Authority. It directly affects low-to-moderate income homebuyers in counties outside Cumberland, Sagadahoc, and York by raising the income eligibility limit for the Affordable Homeownership Program from 120% to 150% of area median income. The bill also requires projects to include leveraged funds and specifies that unspent bond proceeds after 10 years will retire general obligation bonds. The bond issue requires voter approval via referendum before implementation.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $1 million from the General Fund to support climate resiliency projects at Southern Maine Community College. It targets historic campus structures used by the public for active transportation (like walking/biking paths) and outdoor recreation, focusing on areas vulnerable to sea level rise, flooding, and erosion. The funding is one-time and aims to encourage matching investments from private sources and federal programs. It directly affects the college's non-educational infrastructure that serves community members.

Maddy summaryLD 691 authorizes Maine to issue up to $25 million in general obligation bonds to fund the Small Enterprise Growth Fund (SEGF), a program supporting Maine-based small businesses. The bond proceeds must be used exclusively for the SEGF to provide direct investments, operational support, and financing for rural, early-stage, and growth-stage companies, including strategies to attract high-growth startups. The bill requires voter approval through a statewide referendum to authorize the bond issuance, with the funds becoming available only after a majority vote in favor. This is not a new program - the SEGF has operated since 1996 - but represents a funding mechanism to expand its existing support for local businesses.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a $100 million state bond issue to fund Maine's housing programs, requiring voter approval through a referendum. If approved, the funds would support the Maine State Housing Authority's rural rental program ($35 million), low-income housing tax credits ($35 million), affordable homeownership ($15 million), and home repair grants ($15 million). Twenty percent of funding for the rural rental, tax credit, and homeownership programs must be used for modular construction projects. The bond proceeds would be repaid through state general funds, with unused balances after 10 years allocated to retire other state bonds.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Maine's sales tax exemption to include more grocery items, making them tax-free when purchased at grocery stores. It defines "grocery staples" to cover bread, condiments, fruit bars, granola bars, pretzels, cheese sticks, nuts, seeds, meat sticks, sandwiches, and salads, while excluding alcohol, water, medicine, candy (except for certain fruit-based snacks like fruit bars), desserts, and cannabis. The exemption applies only to items sold in grocery stores (including convenience stores) but not in separate dining areas within stores. Effective January 1, 2026, this change aims to lower household costs for eligible food purchases.

Maddy summaryLD 1419 increases the sales tax exemption for new manufactured housing (off-site construction) from 50% to 75% of the sale price, excluding materials. This aligns the tax treatment for off-site manufactured housing with on-site construction, which already received a 75% exemption. The change applies to sales occurring on or after January 1, 2026, directly reducing sales tax costs for buyers and manufacturers of manufactured housing.