Can Maine become more business friendly?

 Gov. John Baldacci held a ceremonial bill signing Monday on L.D. 1413, which calls for a Regulatory Fairness Board to review the way the state treats businesses and the way state agencies interact with each other.

 "The report called for in this resolve would include ways we can improve the efficiency, effectiveness and consistency of state regulations," Baldacci said in a statement.

 The idea came from the Prosperity Committee, a limited-time legislative group that suggested several changes to tax, education and regulatory policy. Rep. Joan Cohen, D-Portland, a freshman lawmaker, sponsored the bill directing the fairness board to study the regulatory system.

 The board is now required to issue a report by Feb. 10 to the Legislature’s Business, Research and Economic Development Committee.

 You can check out the full text of the bill here: http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/bills_124th/chapters/RESOLVE...