# Maine LD 1733: An Act to Provide Reduced Interest Rates for Logging and Fishing Operations Maine LD 1733, An Act to Provide Reduced Interest Rates for Logging and Fishing Operations, is a 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) Senate bill sponsored by Richard A. Bennett (Independent); status became law, last action 2025-06-22 (ACTPUB Chapter 413); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1733-132 - As of: 2026-10-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Maine LD 1733 - State: Maine - Session: 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) - Title: An Act to Provide Reduced Interest Rates for Logging and Fishing Operations - Status: became law - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-04-22 - Last action: 2025-06-22, ACTPUB Chapter 413 - Sponsor: Richard A. Bennett (Independent) - Cosponsors: 9 - Subjects: FINANCIAL PRACTICES, FINANCIAL PRACTICES - LOANS - Touches household money: yes - Economic provisions PRIA read: 3 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Low-interest loans for loggers and fishers: benefit, medium. The law creates a state loan program run by the Finance Authority of Maine for logging and fishing businesses in Maine. Existing enterprises can borrow to buy new or used harvesting equipment or to refinance eligible equipment debt. With Authority approval at commitment, fund money can secure insur… - Loan caps and private match for loggers and fishers: cost, medium. Loans can cover at most 90% of a project’s total cost. For projects over $200,000, you must show private funds of at least 5% of the total cost. For cooperative projects over $200,000, the group must show the 5% private funds. For projects of $200,000 or less, only the 90% loan cap applies. - Small funding and admin costs for loan fund: mixed, low. The Finance Authority can charge the fund for administration, up to 3% of the fund balance each year. Interest earned on the fund can pay these costs. The law also provides $500 in FY 2025–26 and $500 in FY 2026–27 so the Authority can spend receipts to run the program. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Richard A. Bennett (Independent), Senate - Cosponsor: Amanda Collamore (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Billy Bob Faulkingham (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Craig V. Hickman (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Laurie Osher (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Lucien Daigle (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Morgan Rielly (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Nathan Wadsworth (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Susan Bernard (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: William Pluecker (Independent), House ## Actions (7) - 2025-06-22: ACTPUB Chapter 413 - 2025-06-10: PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence. (Senate) - 2025-06-09: PASSED TO BE ENACTED. Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-06-09: CONSENT CALENDAR - FIRST DAYUnder suspension of the rules CONSENT CALENDAR - SECOND DAY.The Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-294).In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-06-05: Report READ and ACCEPTED.READ ONCE.Committee Amendment "A" (S-294) READ and ADOPTED.Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY Committee Amendment "A" (S-294).Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrence. (Senate) - 2025-04-22: The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-04-22: Committee on HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT suggested and ordered printed REFERENCE to the Committee on HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrence (Senate) ## Bill text - Amendment C-A (S-294), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0679&item=2&snum=132) - Enacted: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0679&item=3&snum=132) - Introduced: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0679&item=1&snum=132) ## Related bills - LD 1522: An Act to Establish the Maine Eviction Prevention Program (failed) - LD 1665: An Act to Provide Property Tax Relief to Maine Families (failed) - LD 1872: An Act to Reinvest in the Pension Funds of the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (failed) - LD 2067: An Act to Include Community Mental Health Workers Under the 1998 Special Plan for Retirement (failed) - LD 1611: An Act to Decrease the Retirement Contributions Required for Teachers and State Employees (failed) - LD 1294: An Act to Expand the Dependent Exemption Tax Credit (failed) ## Sources - [Amendment C-A (S-294), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0679&item=2&snum=132) - [Enacted (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0679&item=3&snum=132) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0679&item=1&snum=132) ## Related - [LD 1522: An Act to Establish the Maine Eviction Prevention Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1522-132) - [LD 1665: An Act to Provide Property Tax Relief to Maine Families](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1665-132) - [LD 1872: An Act to Reinvest in the Pension Funds of the Maine Public Employees Retiremen…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1872-132) - [LD 2067: An Act to Include Community Mental Health Workers Under the 1998 Special Plan f…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD2067-132) - [LD 1611: An Act to Decrease the Retirement Contributions Required for Teachers and State…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1611-132) - [LD 1294: An Act to Expand the Dependent Exemption Tax Credit](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1294-132) - [Maine bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/maine/bills) - [Maine state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/maine) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1733-132 (as of 2026-10-17).