Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

APPROVED                 CHAPTER
                                                                 JULY 1, 2025                 118
                                                               BY GOVERNOR               RESOLVES
                                 STATE OF MAINE
                                          _____
                          IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
                       TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE
                                          _____
                                 H.P. 942 - L.D. 1433
 Resolve, to Establish a Working Waterfront Infrastructure Engineer Corps
  Pilot Program and to Conduct a Feasibility Study of a Higher Education
                           Service Corps Program
    Sec. 1. Working Waterfront Infrastructure Engineer Corps Pilot Program
established. Resolved: That the Working Waterfront Infrastructure Engineer Corps
Pilot Program, referred to in this resolve as "the program," is established. The Maine Sea
Grant at the University of Maine shall oversee the program and consult with Volunteer
Maine and the Maine College of Engineering and Computing at the University of Maine.
The purpose of the program is to provide expertise in engineering, planning and permitting
to restore and protect the State's working waterfront and other vulnerable infrastructure.
   Sec. 2. Length of program; number of program participants; program
service activity and member development. Resolved: That the program established
under section 1 begins in the 2026-2027 academic year and lasts through the 2027-2028
academic year. The program must include 5 students each academic year for a total of 10
students for the duration of the program. Program participants may be undergraduate or
graduate students. Program participants shall conduct vulnerability assessments and other
analyses of the working waterfront and other essential working waterfront infrastructure
threatened by extreme weather. Program participants shall complete projects that may be
semester service-learning or summer term projects. Program participants shall engage with
municipalities or other partners in the projects. Program participants must receive
education about permitting requirements and funding opportunities to better understand
how projects progress from proposal to implementation. Program participants must be
exposed to careers in municipalities.
    Sec. 3. Maine Sea Grant at University of Maine to issue interim report;
final report. Resolved: That the Maine Sea Grant at the University of Maine shall
provide an interim report on the program by December 1, 2027 detailing the first year of
the program to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over
education matters and the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction
over state and local government matters. The Maine Sea Grant at the University of Maine
shall provide a final report by November 1, 2028 detailing the final year of the program to
the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education matters
                                   Page 1 - 132LR1344(06)
and the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over state and local
government matters. Each report submitted by the Maine Sea Grant at the University of
Maine must include recommendations, including suggested legislation. Each joint standing
committee may report out legislation related to the contents of each report in the session of
the Legislature following submission of each report.
   Sec. 4. Maine Commission for Community Service to study feasibility of
developing higher education service corps program. Resolved: That the Maine
Commission for Community Service, established in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5,
section 7501, the University of Maine System, the Maine Community College System and
the Maine Maritime Academy shall collaborate to conduct a feasibility study to examine
the expansion of existing service programs and the creation of a higher education service
corps program that focuses on:
    1. Coastal issues;
    2. Transportation;
    3. Energy;
    4. Housing;
    5. Land and freshwater preservation;
    6. Community resilience;
    7. Education; and
    8. Public health.
     The feasibility study must also examine economic development and consider whether
the higher education service corps program will operate out of each campus at the
University of Maine, described in Title 20-A, section 10901-A, each campus of the Maine
Community College System, described in Title 20-A, section 10901-A, and the Maine
Maritime Academy. The Maine Commission for Community Service shall submit a report
on the feasibility study to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs
and the Joint Standing Committee on State and Local Government by December 3, 2025.
Each joint standing committee may report out legislation related to the content of the report
to the Second Regular Session of the 132nd Legislature.
    Sec. 5.      Appropriations and allocations. Resolved: That the following
appropriations and allocations are made.
UNIVERSITY OF MAINE SYSTEM, BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE
Educational and General Activities - UMS 0031
Initiative: Provides one-time funds to support the Working Waterfront Infrastructure
Engineer Corps Pilot Program to provide expertise in engineering, planning and permitting
to restore and protect the State's working waterfront and other vulnerable infrastructure.
GENERAL FUND                                                     2025-26           2026-27
 All Other                                                            $0            $90,000
                                                              __________        __________
GENERAL FUND TOTAL                                                    $0            $90,000
                                   Page 2 - 132LR1344(06)