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131st MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2023
Legislative Document No. 1198H.P. 758House of Representatives, March 14, 2023
Resolve, Directing the Department of Economic and Community
Development to Convene a Working Group to Improve the State's
10-year Economic Development Strategy
Reference to the Committee on Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and
Business suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative MILLETT of Waterford.
Cosponsored by Senator BALDACCI of Penobscot and
Representatives: BRADSTREET of Vassalboro, COLLAMORE of Pittsfield, MOONEN of
Portland, NESS of Fryeburg. Page 1 - 131LR1460(01)1
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3 That the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development, referred
4 to in this resolve as "the commissioner," shall convene a working group, referred to in this
5 resolve as "the group," to improve the State's 10-year economic development strategy in
6 order to develop a diverse and sustainable economy that raises the State's standard of living;
7 raises the State's average weekly wage; reduces poverty; attracts outside investment and
8 venture capital in order to compete with other states regionally and nationally; attracts
9 research and development opportunities; improves the State's regulatory environment;
10 improves the State's competitive position; creates and retains jobs that add economic value
11 or bring in money from outside the State, supporting public sector and service jobs;
12 provides economic development that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and addresses
13 climate change; supports individuals' aspirations and enables each person to maximize that
14 person's contribution to productive work, community and personal fulfillment; and makes
15 the State an economic contributor to the country's national and international goals.
16 That the commissioner shall appoint to the group
17 at least 12 members who have knowledge and experience in economic and community
18 development in the State. The commissioner or the commissioner's designee shall serve as
19 an ex officio member of the group. All appointments must be made within 30 days of the
20 effective date of this resolve. The members of the group shall select a chair from the group's
21 membership. Members of the group serve without compensation. The Department of
22 Economic and Community Development shall provide administrative support to the group.
23 The group shall disband after completing its duties under section 3.
24 That the chair shall schedule the first meeting
25 of the group within 30 days of the date of the final appointment to the group. The group
26 shall meet at other times the chair determines necessary to perform and complete the duties
27 of the group. In its work, the group shall consider and develop improvements to the State's
28 10-year economic development strategy, including, but not limited to:
29 1. The development of workforce skills;
30 2. The attraction and retention of a diverse workforce;
31 3. The creation and retention of quality jobs that add economic value or bring in money
32 from outside the State;
33 4. The attraction of outside investment and venture capital and how the State can
34 successfully compete with other states for investment and venture capital;
35 5. The attraction of research and development opportunities;
36 6. The connection to and development of sectors tied to the 21st century economy;
37 7. Establishing connections to cutting-edge growth sectors;
38 8. Providing education that produces career or college-ready graduates and provides
39 training for 21st century jobs and integrating all educational institutions for appropriate
40 lifetime learning;
41 9. The best ways to promote stability and certainty in the economic environment;
42 10. Incentives and penalties that should be put in place to help attract and support jobs; Page 2 - 131LR1460(01)
1 11. Potential solutions to the economic disparity between the urban and rural areas of
2 the State; and
3 12. Identifying the strategy's potential impacts on taxes, regulation, health care, energy
4 costs and labor laws, as well as anything that affects the State's ability to compete for
5 innovative companies and jobs that add economic value or bring in money from outside
6 the State.
7 Upon completion of its work, the group shall submit its work to the commissioner for
8 review and make any changes to its proposed improvements that the commissioner
9 determines appropriate.
10.
11 shall submit a report including the proposed improvements to the 10-year economic
12 development strategy as described in section 3 and any recommended legislation to the
13 Joint Standing Committee on Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and
14 Business. The joint standing committee may report out legislation concerning
15 improvements to the 10-year economic development strategy to the Second Regular
16 Session of the 131st Legislature.
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18 This resolve directs the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development to
19 establish a working group to improve the State's 10-year economic development strategy
20 in order to develop a diverse and sustainable economy that raises the State's standard of
21 living; raises the State's average weekly wage; reduces poverty; attracts outside investment
22 and venture capital in order to compete with other states regionally and nationally; attracts
23 research and development opportunities; improves the State's regulatory environment;
24 improves the State's competitive position; creates and retains jobs that add economic value
25 or bring in money from outside the State in order to sustain public sector and service jobs;
26 provides economic development that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and addresses
27 climate change; supports individuals' aspirations and enables each person to maximize that
28 person's contribution to productive work, community and personal fulfillment; and makes
29 the State an economic contributor to the country's national and international goals. The
30 resolve directs the commissioner to submit the proposed improvements to the 10-year
31 economic development strategy to the Joint Standing Committee on Innovation,
32 Development, Economic Advancement and Business by December 6, 2023 and authorizes
33 the joint standing committee to report out legislation to the Second Regular Session of the
34 131st Legislature.
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