MaineMaine’s blue economy center coordinates ocean industries and tracks trends
The Maine Technology Institute’s center coordinates ocean industry partners and tracks economic and ocean resource trends across Maine.
What it does
The Maine Technology Institute houses a center that coordinates partners and supports sustainable ocean industries, including traditional fishing and working waterfront businesses.
A board with members from ocean businesses, research, education, and coastal communities oversees the center. The center tracks ocean economy and resource trends and reports each year.
The center receives $160,000 in one-time state funding for operations in fiscal year 2026–27.
The State Controller moves $160,000 in settlement money from an Attorney General account into the General Fund.
Argument forShared research, public data, and partner coordination could help ocean businesses find useful information and connect with training or investment opportunities.
Argument againstCollecting data and preparing detailed reports could take staff time and public funds that might otherwise support other state work.
More detail
The Maine Technology Institute houses a center that coordinates work to support Maine’s ocean-based economy. It covers economic activity that depends on sustainable use of Maine’s ocean, coastal, or marine resources. The center works with government, businesses, schools, research groups, and nonprofit organizations. Its work must support sustainable ocean industries while recognizing the Gulf of Maine and the marine resources used by coastal communities and traditional industries.
A board oversees the center, which tracks trends, coordinates partners, and reports on its work. The board includes representatives from ocean businesses, research and education, tribes, finance, fishing, coastal towns, aquaculture, and tourism. The 17-member board has 13 voting members appointed by the Governor, subject to Senate confirmation, and four nonvoting state officials. The center’s database tracks economic, workforce, and environmental trends relevant to Maine’s blue economy. Its annual report is public. The center must submit its annual report within 120 days after its fiscal year ends.
The center receives $160,000 in one-time General Fund support for operations. The funding supports the Maine Blue Economy Center. The funding is listed as one-time support for the center’s operations. The funding is for fiscal year 2026–27.
The State Controller transfers $160,000 from an Attorney General account to the General Fund. The transfer moves money between state funds. The money comes from settlement agreements held in the Department of the Attorney General’s Other Special Revenue Funds account. The transfer must be completed by June 30, 2027.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 16Signed by Governor Janet MillsLatest
- Apr 14PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence.Major
- Apr 14Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- Apr 14PASSED TO BE ENACTED.Passed 2nd Chamber
- Apr 13Ordered sent down forthwith.
- Apr 13On motion by Senator PIERCE of Cumberland the Senate RECEDED and CONCURRED to PASSAGE TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED by Committee Amendment "A" (S-637) as Amended by House Amendment "A" (H-1060) thereto.Minor
- Apr 13ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- Apr 13In NON-CONCURRENCE and sent for concurrence.
- Apr 13The Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-637) as Amended by House Amendment "A" (H-1060) thereto.Minor
- Apr 13Committee Amendment "A" (S-637) as Amended by House Amendment "A" (H-1060) thereto was ADOPTED.Minor
- Apr 13On motion of Representative GATTINE of Westbrook, House Amendment "A" (H-1060) to Committee Amendment "A" (S-637) was READ and ADOPTED.
- Apr 13On motion of Speaker FECTEAU of Biddeford, the House RECEDED.
- Apr 13Sent down for concurrence.
- Apr 13On motion by Senator ROTUNDO of Androscoggin Bill and accompanying papers COMMITTED to the Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs In NON-CONCURRENCE.Minor
- Apr 13On motion by Senator STEWART of Aroostook OBJECTED.
- Apr 13Same Senator moved to SUSPEND THE RULES to RECONSIDER whereby the Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED by Committee Amendment "A" (S-637) in concurrence.Minor
- Apr 13On motion by Senator ROTUNDO of Androscoggin taken from the Special Appropriations Table.
- Apr 7On motion by Senator ROTUNDO of Androscoggin PLACED ON THE SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS TABLE pending PASSAGE TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence.
- Vote recorded ACC MAJ OTP AS AMENDED REP. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 7Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- Apr 7PASSED TO BE ENACTED.Became Law
- Apr 7In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- Apr 7The Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-637).Minor
- Apr 7Under suspension of the rules, the Bill was given its SECOND READING without REFERENCE to the Committee on Bills in the Second Reading.
- Apr 7Committee Amendment "A" (S-637) was READ and ADOPTED.Minor
- Apr 7The Bill was READ ONCE.Minor
- Apr 7(Yeas 78 - Nays 68 - Absent 4 - Excused 0 - Vacant 1)
- Apr 7ROLL CALL NO. 741
- Apr 7On motion of Representative GERE of Kennebunkport, the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report was ACCEPTED.
- Apr 7Reports READ.
- Apr 6Reported Out - OTP-AM/ONTP
- Vote recorded ACCEPT MAJORITY OUGHT TO PASS AS AMENDED REPORT. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 6Sent down for concurrence.
- Apr 6Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED by Committee Amendment "A" (S-637)Minor
- Apr 6Committee Amendment "A" (S-637) READ and ADOPTED.Minor
- Apr 6READ ONCE.Minor
- Apr 6Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 893 Yeas 20 - Nays 12 - Excused 3 - Absent 0
- Apr 6On motion by Senator CURRY of Waldo The Majority Ought to Pass As Amended Report ACCEPTED.
- Apr 6Reports READ.
- Mar 12Voted - Divided Report
- Mar 12Work Session Held
- Mar 11Work Session Held - TABLED
- Feb 24In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- Feb 24The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTMinor
- Feb 24Report was READ and ACCEPTED.
- Feb 24Sent down for concurrence
- Feb 24Bill and accompanying papers REFERRED to the Committee on HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.Minor
- Feb 24Report READ and ACCEPTED.
- Feb 24Reported that the same be REFERRED to the Committtee on HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, pursuant to Resolve, chapter 114, section 7.Introduced
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