The fee - to be paid by paint manufacturers and wholesalers - passed the Health and Human Services Committee on May 27. Supporters say the fee would not be assessed at the retail level and should not raise the price of paint in Maine.

Rep. Sarah Lewin, (R-Eliot), does not believe that the pending bill takes the right approach. Lewin reportedly said she favors working with the paint industry to set up a long-term plan that may include contributing to a fund, or give homeowners a tax break if they remove the lead from their homes.