On April 15, the Maine Joint Committee on State and Local Government held a work session on LD 407, the Maine Buy American Act. TechAmerica provided testimony in opposition to the bill at the March 4 public hearing, urging against adoption on the grounds that LD 407 will significantly limit the ability of state procurement officials to purchase information and communications technology products, increase costs to the state, and impede Maine’s technology economy.
During the work session, the Committee issued a divided report (not unanimous) on party lines with Democrats supporting passage and Republicans opposing. Five members of the Committee voted that the bill “ought not to pass,” while four members voted that LD 407 “ought to pass.” Additionally, four members of the Committee were not present at the time of the vote. These Committee members may still vote on the bill, which would impact how it is reported either as majority “ought not to pass” or majority “ought to pass,” an important distinction as the bill moves to the floor.
Since the Committee issued a divided report, LD 407 is eligible to next go before the Democratic-controlled House for a vote by the full chamber. TechAmerica continues to oppose the bill and is working with allies to raise awareness of the unintended consequences posed by this legislation.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Kevin Callahan at [email protected].
