#130th-Legislature

AUGUSTA — Governor Janet Mills has signed into law LD 1619, which prohibits new offshore wind projects in State waters.

The prohibition, according to a news release, preserves State waters…

AUGUSTA — The Maine Legislature voted overwhelmingly in favor Wednesday of a budget that includes 55 percent state funding for education, a full restoration to revenue…
Measure classifies intentional balloon releases as littering

AUGUSTA — A bill defining intentional releases of more than 15 balloons as an act of littering is now law, according to a news release. 

LD 1023, sponsored by Rep. Genevieve McDonald, D-…

AUGUSTA — The Legislature’s Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee reached a unanimous, bipartisan…

AUGUSTA — Governor Janet Mills recently signed landmark legislation to establish the Maine Connectivity Authority, a new entity charged with achieving universal availability of high-speed…

AUGUSTA — Governor Janet Mills has signed into law a bill from Senator Chloe Maxmin, D-Nobleboro, focused on improving to improve the state’s political action committee finance laws. 

LD…

reforms could change how Maine provides legal services to its poor and pays court-appointed attorneys

A multi-million dollar deal to overhaul Maine’s troubled criminal public defense system passed the state House and Senate on Thursday in rebuke of Gov. Janet Mills, who has resisted adding money…

AUGUSTA — A bill from Representative Stanley Paige Zeigler, D-Montville, to increase the membership of the Lincolnville Sewer District Board of Trustees from three members to five was signed into…

AUGUSTA — A bill from Senator Chip Curry, D-Belfast, was recently signed into law by Governor Janet Mills.

LD 814, “Resolve, Directing the Maine Community College System To Evaluate the…

AUGUSTA — The Maine Senate voted 20-15 on Wednesday to advance legislation sponsored by Representative Vicki Doudera, D-Camden intended to protect Maine children from death and injury from loaded…

AUGUSTA — The Maine House of Representatives gave initial approval Wednesday to a measure sponsored by Representative Scott Cuddy, D-Winterport, that would ensure that future renewable energy…

AUGUSTA — The Maine House of Representatives gave initial approval Tuesday to a bill from Representative Stanley Paige Zeigler, D-Montville, that would create the Maine Clean Energy and…

AUGUSTA — Governor Janet Mills signed into law a bill sponsored by Senator David Miramant, D-Camden recently.

The new law, LD 491, “An Act To Create the Crime of Hate Crime False Public…

AUGUSTA — The Senate enacted Monday a bill from Sen. Chloe Maxmin, D-Nobleboro, to improve Maine’s laws regarding spending by political action committees.

LD 1621, “An Act To Reform…

AUGUSTA — Two bills sponsored by State Representative Bill Pluecker, I-Warren, to help farmers with contaminated farmland and to protect existing farmland have been signed into law. 

LD …

AUGUSTA — A measure by Representative Jan Dodge, D-Belfast, to require telephone utilities to provide details of services designed to reduce the volume of calls received from automated telephone…

AUGUSTA —  Two bills sponsored by State Representative Bill Pluecker (I-Warren) were signed into law this week by Governor Janet Mills. 

LD 870, Resolve, “Directing the Permanent…

AUGUSTA — A bill from Senator Chip Curry, D-Belfast, to ease the transition into the workforce for veterans was signed into law by Governor Janet Mills.

LD 374, “An Act To Allow Veterans,…

AUGUSTA — The Senate approved a bill this week from Senator Chloe Maxmin, D-Nobleboro, to improve Maine’s laws regarding spending by political action committees. LD 1621, “An Act To Reform…

AUGUSTA — A bill from Senator Chip Curry, D-Belfast, was enacted Wednesday by the Maine Senate, according to a news release. 

LD 814, “Resolve, Directing the Maine Community College System…

AUGUSTA — The Senate enacted this week a bill from Senator Chloe Maxmin, D-Nobleboro, to expand recovery resources in underserved areas of Maine.

LD 488, “Resolve, To Expand Recovery…

AUGUSTA — The Senate passed a bill Monday from Senator David Miramant, D-Camden, that would require the State of Maine to meet its 55 percent contribution requirement to schools.

LD 1114…

AUGUSTA — The Maine Senate passed a bill Tuesday from Sen. Chloe Maxmin, D-Nobleboro, that would create semi-open primaries in Maine.

LD 231, “An Act to Create Semi-Open Primaries,”…

AUGUSTA — The Maine House approved a bill Monday sponsored by Senator Chloe Maxmin, D-Nobleboro, authorizing a pilot project to provide nonmedical transportation services for people receiving…

AUGUSTA — The Maine Senate voted Monday in favor of a bill from Senator David Miramant, D-Camden, to expand the use of ranked-choice voting in Maine elections.

LD 202, “Resolution,…

lawmakers, governor in funding standoff

Since opening his law practice on Lisbon Street in downtown Lewiston in 1990, Jim Howaniec has never been in a situation like the one he now faces. He has four murder cases awaiting trial, on top…

AUGUSTA — The Maine Senate passed a bill Thursday from Senator Chip Curry, D-Belfast, to help Maine veterans, service members and their families find employment.

LD 374, “An Act To Allow…

Voters in Camden, Rockport and Thomaston have the opportunity on June 8 to get the ball rolling for high speed broadband service for their towns, with universal access and fiber to the premises…

AUGUSTA — In a Thursday vote, the State of Maine Senate unanimously confirmed Justice Valerie Stanfill as Maine’s next Chief Justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, according to a news…

AUGUSTA — The Senate approved Thursday a bill sponsored by Senator Chloe Maxmin, D-Nobleboro, authorizing a pilot project to provide nonmedical transportation services for people receiving certain…

AUGUSTA — The Maine House gave its initial approval to a bill Wednesday that would decriminalize possession of hypodermic syringes, improving public health and ensuring more Mainers with substance…

AUGUSTA — The Maine House of Representatives gave unanimous initial approval Wednesday to a bill that would provide state funding to Maine’s Length of Service Award Program (LOSAP), a program that…

AUGUSTA — Senator Chip Curry, D-Belfast, will hold virtual public office hours Tuesday, June 8 at 7 p.m. over Zoom.

Sen. Curry will give updates on his work on various policy committees…

‘the public has earned a right to weigh in’

AUGUSTA — Maine State Senator Chloe Maxmin, a Democrat representing Senate District 13, joined House District 101 Representative Jennifer Poirier, R-Skowhegan, in calling on Governor Janet Mills…

AUGUSTA — Governor Janet Mills signed the following bills into law, according to a Thursday evening announcement from her Office: 

LD 28  …

AUGUSTA — The Legislature’s Taxation Committee voted Tuesday in favor of a bill from Senator Chip Curry, D-Belfast, that would provide incentives to employers to participate in apprenticeship…

AUGUSTA — Maine State Representative Sherman Hutchins, R-Penobscot, has been stripped of his committee assignment by Speaker of the House Ryan Fecteau after video (attached to this story for…

AUGUSTA — Legislation sponsored by State Representative Bill Pluecker, I-Warren, to reinstate COVID-19 hazard pay to Department of Corrections Staff was unanimously approved by the Legislature’s…

AUGUSTA — The Legislature’s Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs passed a bill from Senator Chloe Maxmin, D-Nobleboro, to improve Maine’s laws regarding spending by political action committees…

AUGUSTA — The semi-open primaries bill, LD 231, sponsored by Senator Chloe Maxmin, D-Lincoln, received a majority ought to pass as amended recommendation Friday out of the Veterans and Legal…

AUGUSTA — The Maine Senate voted Wednesday in favor of a bill from Senator Chip Curry, D-Belfast, to help Maine veterans and service members and their families find employment.

LD 374, “An…

AUGUSTA — The Maine House gave its initial approval Wednesday to a bill defining intentional balloon releases as an act of littering.

LD 1023, sponsored by Representative Genevieve…

AUGUSTA — The Legislature approved a bill Wednesday that would require telephone utilities to provide customers with services to reduce the volume of calls received from automated telephone…

AUGUSTA — State Representative Bill Pluecker, I-Warren, presented LD 1683, “An Act To Compensate Department of Corrections Employees for Hazardous Work” to the Legislature’s Criminal Justice…

Maine’s first commercial aquaculture permit was granted to Ed Meyers in 1975. Known as the “…

AUGUSTA — Legislation supported by Secretary of State Shenna Bellows that would make permanent many of the innovative measures the State put in place for voting during the pandemic passed in the…

AUGUSTA — Senate President Troy Jackson, of Allagash, and House Speaker Ryan Fecteau, of Biddeford, have announced that the Maine Legislature will convene Wednesday, May 19, at the Augusta Civic…

FARMINGTON — During a Friday tour of Foster Career and Technical Education (CTE) Center in Farmington, Governor Janet Mills highlighted the importance of Maine CTEs in training skilled workers and…

The following is a transcript of a radio address presented by Governor Janet Mills: 

Seventeen years ago Maine people overwhelmingly voted to require the State to fund 55 percent…

AUGUSTA — A bill sponsored by Senator Chloe Maxmin, D-Nobleboro, authorizing a pilot project to provide nonmedical transportation services for people receiving certain services under MaineCare,…