2023 Legislative Priorities

MECEP’s legislative priorities in 2023 aim to advance economic justice and opportunity, including racial equity. We want to bring fairness and accountability to the corporate tax code, ensure Mainers have access to affordable child care and paid family leave, and build a budget that helps families who need it most.

LD 258: Funding Maine’s future with the state budget 

We are living through the recovery of an economy built on a foundation of inequality. We now have a choice to make better policy decisions that intentionally fund the brightest future for the Mainers who face significant hardships and barriers.

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Supporting Maine families with kids

LD 1544: Establishing the Maine Dependent Tax Credit

The federal experiment of monthly, direct aid to families led to a massive reduction in child poverty. We can do that on the state level as well by modernizing and increasing Maine’s existing child tax credit and making it accessible to people who need it most. 

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Ensuring corporations pay their fair share of taxes

We will pursue the following bills aimed at closing tax loopholes used by powerful corporations.

Real Profits Tax (Conformity) 

Uses the momentum created by the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act to create a new minimum tax for large, profitable corporations who currently pay little to no taxes.  

Corporate Income Tax Transparency

Taxpayers and legislators should know whether or not the millions of dollars that are being spent on tax breaks for corporations are effective and which companies are actually paying what they owe. 

Increasing worker power

LD 1964: Paid Family Leave

Mainers shouldn’t have to choose between spending time with their newborn and paying their rent, or between putting food on the table and caring for their aging parents. A statewide paid family and medical leave policy would solve this problem. 

LDs 525 and 398: Farm Worker Collective Bargaining and Wage and Hour Rights

The status quo is both harmful and rooted in racism. People who grow our food and power our agricultural economy deserve the same rights as everybody else.

LD 513: Overtime

People should be paid fairly for time worked.

LDs 857 and 1190: Scheduling Reform

Mainers have a right to safe work schedules that honor their humanity.

LD 936: Wage Transparency

Greater transparency in wages during the hiring process gives more power to workers and helps address racial and gender inequality.

Strengthening Maine’s child care system

LD 1726: Supporting Child Care for Working Families

Maine needs more child care opportunities in more places that is more affordable. This package we’re supporting with partners in the Right from the Start coalition will immediately seek to increase subsidies for the current providers while seeking better, actionable information about how to strengthen the child care system as a whole in the long term. 

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Fighting for tribal sovereignty

The Wabanaki Tribes in Maine are the only federally-recognized tribes in the United States that are denied the rights and protections guaranteed under Federal Indian Law. We stand with the Tribes’ call to reform the 1980 Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act and the Maine Implementing Act which limit the Tribes’ inherent rights to self-govern. When the Wabanaki have the tools they need to thrive, all who live within Maine borders benefit.

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MECEP will be supporting additional bills to secure improved economic opportunity for Maine workers, families, and communities.

*MECEP analysis coming soon. Please check back.

2022 Legislative Priorities