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LD 2244

An Act To Implement Certain Preliminary Recommendations Of The Real Estate Property Tax Relief Task Force And To Make Other Changes To Tax Law

132nd Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Nicole Grohoski

The amendment keeps current property tax fairness credits and restricts task force meetings, removing the proposed under-65 credit increase.

Signed by Governor
#propertytax #provisionsrevised #taskforcerecommendations
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Bill Summary · LD 2244

Summary: An Act To Implement Certain Preliminary Recommendations Of The Real Estate Property Tax Relief Task Force And To Make Other Changes To Tax Law (LD 2244, 132nd Legislature, Maine)

Note: This summary reflects the Senate amendment and related fiscal notes described in the provided material.

Main purpose and intent

  • The bill seeks to implement preliminary recommendations from Maine’s Real Estate Property Tax Relief Task Force and to make related changes to the state tax framework.
  • A key component under consideration would have increased the maximum property tax fairness credit to $1,500 for taxpayers under age 65 starting in tax years beginning January 1, 2026. However, the Senate amendment eliminates that increase and retains existing credit levels (see “Key change” below).

Key provisions and changes (as amended)

  • Revisions to the bill’s organization:
    • The amendment strikingly removes Sections 1 and 2 of the original bill and reorganizes the remaining content for consistency.
    • It adds a provision to Sec. 4 that amends a prior resolution (Resolution 2025, c. 108) to reflect new structure and timing (per the amendment text), and adds a new Sec. 5 outlining task force meeting requirements.
  • Real estate property tax relief task force:
    • The task force is required to meet at least 4 times but no more than 8 times in 2025, and no more than 8 times in 2026 (not counting subcommittee meetings).
    • The task force must meet at least once jointly with the Joint Standing Committee on Taxation at a time determined by the chairs.
    • Task force chairs may appoint subcommittees as needed for efficient operation.
  • Property tax fairness credit (as amended):
    • The amendment explicitly removes the provision that would have increased the maximum property tax fairness credit to $1,500 for taxpayers under 65 for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2026.
    • In effect, the under-65 credit increase is not enacted in this amendment; current credit levels remain in place (subject to the bill’s other provisions).
  • Technical corrections:
    • The amendment includes a technical correction to reletter/renumber sections to ensure consecutive order.

Who/what is affected

  • Individual taxpayers in Maine who qualify for the property tax fairness credit, particularly those under 65, would have been affected by the proposed credit increase, but that increase is removed by this amendment.
  • The Real Estate Property Tax Relief Task Force and its staff/operational funding would be affected by the mandated meeting schedule and potential subcommittee structure.
  • State agencies: Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and the University of Maine are noted as potential bearers of minor costs, which are expected to be absorbable within existing resources.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • The bill contemplates meeting schedules for 2025 and 2026, with specifics on the number of meetings and a joint meeting with the Taxation Committee.
  • The fiscal notes project:
    • If the under-65 credit increase were enacted, General Fund revenue would decrease by about $11.4 million in FY 2026-27 and growing in subsequent years; Local Government Fund would lose about $0.6 million annually.
    • The amendment, by removing the credit increase, would avoid those General Fund revenue losses as described in the provided fiscal notes.
  • Legislative cost/study funding is outlined to support the task force and related legislative studies, with minor anticipated operating costs.

Fiscal notes (key figures)

  • General Fund impact (if the credit increase were included; as amended, this is avoided):
    • FY 2026-27: about -$11.4 million
    • FY 2027-28: about -$11.628 million
    • FY 2028-29: about -$11.645 million
  • Other Special Revenue Funds:
    • FY 2026-27: about -$600,000
    • FY 2027-28: about -$612,000
    • FY 2028-29: about -$645,000
  • The amendment notes that the legislative study costs are minor and can be absorbed with existing resources.

Summary of status

  • The Senate amendment was enacted in April 2026, with subsequent concurrence actions affirming the amendment and passage to enactment.
  • Sponsor: Sen. Rotundo (with a co-sponsor: Sen. Nicole Grohoski).

If you want, I can provide a plain-language comparison showing the bill’s original credit increase versus the amended version, or a simplified table of annual fiscal impacts under the amended bill.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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