Appropriations panel corrects supplemental budget errors, approves LD75 on 12–11–1 vote

The Maine Senate Appropriations Committee on Saturday approved LD75, a technical “errors” bill that corrects several mistakes in the supplemental budget and clarifies implementation language for tax and human services items.

Representative Drew Gatine, sponsor, read the bill summary for the committee, saying the measure preserves the standard deduction for tax year 2025 at $15,000, clarifies the application date for the pass-through entity tax, restores omitted sections of the MaineCare implementation for cost-of-living adjustments for direct care and essential support workers and makes several grant funding changes, including converting some one-time grants to ongoing funding.

Committee debate focused on items members said remained unresolved. Representative Ber said she had expected the bill to address a tip tax, overtime tax and a $6,000 exemption for seniors and said she would not support the measure because those issues remained unaddressed. Senator Renie and others argued the measure’s intent was narrowly to correct technical errors and to align fiscal language with the Legislature’s prior intent.

After the sponsor moved the bill "ought to pass as amended" and a second was recorded, the committee voted. The chair announced the tally as 12 yes, 11 no and 1 abstention; the motion carried. Committee staff were asked to prepare a minority report reflecting the objections other members raised.

The committee record shows LD75 includes explicit language directing that funds provided in PL 2025, chapter 650 for unmet needs of older adults be distributed to area agencies consistent with local advisory-council priorities and that COLA-related MaineCare reimbursement rates reference the specified MaineCare benefits manual sections and appendices. The bill also uses a one-time transfer from the MaineCare stabilization fund to support FY27 costs for the direct care COLA.

The committee did not adopt broader tax policy changes requested by some members; Representative Ber and at least one other member signaled opposition and asked staff to file a minority report listing those concerns. The committee moved on to a sequence of other bills after the LD75 vote.