Gov. Mills signs $430 million supplemental budget into law

Apr. 22—Gov. Janet Mills on Monday signed into law the $430 million addition to the biennial budget that lawmakers approved last week.

The supplemental budget includes $302 million in one-time expenses, including $60 million in winter storm relief and another $127 million in general fund appropriations for the remainder of the biennium. It adds to the current $10.34 billion biennial state budget.

"This budget makes vital investments in things Maine people need right now — like storm relief, mental health services, child care, housing, and much more," Mills said in a statement. "It is the product of a lot of discussion and negotiation, and while we will need to keep a close eye on the budget next year in light of flattening revenues, this budget takes important steps forward to address our state's most pressing problems."

The budget includes $76 million to increase affordable housing through investments in emergency housing, low-income housing tax credits and the state's Affordable Homeownership and Rural Affordable Rental Housing programs; $21 million to ensure the state continues to share the total cost of funding K-12 education at 55%; and $26 million to support nursing homes.

It also includes $14.1 million to fully fund the income eligibility expansion for the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary Program, also known as the Medicare Savings Programs; $12.9 million in child care investments; and $19.6 million in mental and public health funds for mobile response services, crisis receiving centers and other investments.

The budget sets a minimum wage for education technicians starting in July 2025 that is 125 percent of the state minimum hourly wage, and a minimum wage of 115 percent of the state minimum for other school support staff who are paid hourly. The first year of implementation will be paid for by the state, after which the cost will be shared by the state and local school districts.

And it creates and provides for two positions in a new Office of New Americans.

Mills also signed bills Monday authorizing a $25 million bond to make grants available for research and development projects and a $30 million bond to make improvements to trails around the state to appear on the November ballot.

And she signed L.D. 2007, which expands the authority of tribal courts to prosecute certain crimes that occur on their lands.

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