130th MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST SPECIAL SESSION-2021
Legislative Document No. 1462
H.P. 1078 House of Representatives, April 12, 2021
An Act To Serve the Public Interest, Promote Journalism and Save
Jobs by Restoring the Sales and Use Tax Exemption for Newspapers
Received by the Clerk of the House on April 8, 2021. Referred to the Committee on
Taxation pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative BABBIDGE of Kennebunk.
Cosponsored by Representatives: BERRY of Bowdoinham, BRYANT of Windham, OSHER
of Orono, STEARNS of Guilford, WHITE of Waterville, Senator: DAUGHTRY of
Cumberland.
Printed on recycled paper
 1 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
2 Sec. 1. 36 MRSA §1760, sub-§14-B is enacted to read:
3 14-B. Newspapers serving the public interest. Beginning January 1, 2021, sales of
4 newspapers serving the public interest.
5 As used in this subsection, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have
6 the following meanings.
7 A. "Newspaper" means a publication on newsprint sold for a monetary fee that is
8 published not less than every 2 weeks; and
9 B. "Serving the public interest" means:
10 (1) Providing information on the activities of state or local government, including,
11 but not limited to, state agencies, town councils, municipal officers and school
12 boards, and the elected or appointed officials of state or local government;
13 (2) Providing information on community affairs, including business, nonprofit and
14 school activities; and
15 (3) Providing editorial commentary that invites divergent opinions to be published
16 in a newspaper.
17 SUMMARY
18 This bill provides an exemption from the sales and use tax for newspapers serving the
19 public interest, which are publications on newsprint, sold for money and published not less
20 than once every 2 weeks, that provide news coverage on the activities of state and local
21 governments and community affairs and that provide a format for editorial commentary.
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