Sec. 1. 26 MRSA §1221, sub-§5-A is enacted to read:

5-A.__Transfers of experience and assignment of rates.__ Notwithstanding subsection 5, the following applies to the assignment of rates and transfers of experience.

A.__If an employer transfers its trade or business, or a portion of its trade or business, to another employer and, at the time of the transfer, there is substantially common ownership, management or control of the 2 employers, then the unemployment experience attributable to the transferred trade or business is transferred to the employer to whom the business is transferred. The rates of both employers must be recalculated and made effective immediately upon the date of the transfer of the trade or business.

B.__Whenever a person who is not an employer under this chapter acquires the trade or business of an employer, the unemployment experience of the acquired trade or business is not transferred to that person if the commissioner finds that the person acquired the trade or business solely or primarily for the purpose of obtaining a lower rate of contributions. In such circumstances, the person acquiring the trade or business is assigned the applicable new employer rate under subsection 4-A.__In determining whether the trade or business was acquired solely or primarily for the purpose of obtaining a lower rate of contributions, the commissioner shall consider objective factors that may include the cost of acquiring the trade or business, whether the person continued the business enterprise of the acquired trade or business, how long the business enterprise was continued or whether a substantial number of new employees were hired for performance of duties unrelated to the business activity conducted prior to acquisition.

C.__If a person knowingly violates or attempts to violate paragraph A or B or any other provision of this chapter related to determining the assignment of a contribution rate or if a person knowingly advises another person in a way that results in a violation of such a provision, the person commits a Class D crime.__In addition, the person is subject to the following:

(1)__If the person is an employer, then that employer is assigned the highest rate assignable under this chapter for the rate year during which the violation or attempted violation occurred and for the 3 rate years immediately following that rate year, except that, if the person's business is already at the highest rate