#131st-Legislature

Legislation aims to curb violence against health care workers in emergency settings
Wed, 06/28/2023 - 6:00pm

A bill that would expand the scope of Maine’s criminal code for assaults against an emergency care provider passed easily in both chambers last week but advocates say there is still more to be done to protect health care workers. Maine law currently states that a person who commits assault against an “emergency medical care provider” while the provider is administering emergency medical care is a Class C crime and carries a punishment of up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine. This...
Sen. Curry introduces bill to support creation of good-paying wind energy jobs
Wed, 05/10/2023 - 10:15pm

AUGUSTA — Senator Chip Curry, D-Belfast, introduced a bill Tuesday that would help ensure jobs created to support offshore wind energy pay a strong, living wage, according to a news release. LD 1818, “An Act Regarding Port Facilities Relating to Offshore Wind Power Projects,” was the subject of a public hearing for the Labor and Housing Committee. “The development of offshore wind power in the Gulf of Maine is a critical component of Maine's plan for ending its dependence on fossil fuels and...
House enacts Rep. Doudera bill to strengthen qualifications of evaluators in child custody cases
Wed, 05/10/2023 - 9:30pm

AUGUSTA — The Maine House of Representatives voted Tuesday to enact legislation sponsored by Rep. Vicki Doudera, D-Camden, that would require expert witnesses in child custody cases to meet training standards and demonstrate knowledge of domestic abuse and child resilience, safety and security. “This constituent bill will help ensure that expert witnesses testifying in child custody cases have the proper training and expertise in how domestic abuse and violence continues after the separation of...
Rep. Doudera introduces bill to establish clean hydrogen pilot program
Sat, 05/06/2023 - 11:00am

AUGUSTA — Rep. Vicki Doudera, D-Camden, introduced LD 1775 this week before the Legislature’s Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, which would establish a clean hydrogen pilot program. The bill would direct the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to design and operate a pilot program to produce clean hydrogen. Facilities selected for the pilot would be chosen, in part, for their ability to produce hydrogen while reducing life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions and would have to meet federal...
Rep. Doudera reappointed to Maine Climate Council subcommittee
Wed, 04/26/2023 - 11:00pm

AUGUSTA — Speaker of the House Rachel Talbot Ross appointed seven House Democrats to serve on the Maine Climate Council, including on its subcommittees and working groups. Among the seven lawmakers is Rep. Vicki Doudera, who represents Camden and Rockport in Augusta. The Maine Climate Council was established by Gov. Janet Mills and the Legislature in June 2019 and is charged with establishing strategies and initiatives to help the state meet its greenhouse gas reductions and renewable energy...
Sen. Reny introduces bill to invest in affordable housing options in rural Maine
Sun, 04/16/2023 - 1:30pm

AUGUSTA — Sen. Cameron Reny, D-Bristol, has introduced a bill that would invest in increasing affordable housing options in rural Maine communities. LD 724, “An Act to Expand Workforce Housing in Rural Maine by Funding the Maine State Housing Authority's Rural Affordable Rental Housing Program,” was recently the subject of a public hearing before the Legislature’s Joint Select Committee on Housing. “Our rural communities are facing an ongoing affordable housing crisis that disproportionately...
Sen. Curry introduces bill to improve ferry service reliability through MMA scholarships
Sun, 04/16/2023 - 11:00am

AUGUSTA — Sen. Chip Curry, D-Belfast, recently introduced LD 1139, “An Act to Improve Ferry Service Reliability by Providing Scholarships at the Maine Maritime Academy,” to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. This bill aims to address staffing shortages in the Maine State Ferry Service by providing scholarships for maritime training, according to a news release. LD 1139 would allocate funding for a minimum of 115 scholarships, valued at up to $1,250 each, to Maine...
Sen. Reny introduces bill to increase community action grants for climate resilience
Sun, 04/09/2023 - 1:45pm

AUGUSTA – Sen. Cameron Reny, D-Bristol, has introduced a bill that aims to increase community action grants for climate resilience in Maine. LD 1126, “Resolve, to Increase Community Action Grants,” was the subject of a public hearing before the Legislature's Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. The measure would increase the available grant funding for the Community Resilience Partnership program, which assists communities across Maine in tackling the effects of...
idea came from BCOPE students
Senate gives initial nod to Sen. Curry bill ensuring young adults have safe access to banking services
Sun, 04/09/2023 - 10:30am

AUGUSTA — The Legislature’s Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services Committee voted unanimously in March in favor of a bill from Senator Chip Curry, D-Belfast, to provide safe and secure banking services for minors who do not have a trusted adult in their lives. And last week, the Maine Senate gave initial approval to the bill. LD 752 faces additional votes in the Senate and House. The idea for LD 752, "An Act to Expand Access to Banking Services for Minors," came from a group of...
Committee gives unanimous support to Sen. Curry bill to support first responders
Sat, 04/01/2023 - 9:30am

AUGUSTA — The Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee voted unanimously this week in favor of a bill from Sen. Chip Curry, D-Belfast. LD 588, “An Act to Promote Public Safety and Retain Essential First Responders by Funding the Maine Length of Service Award Program,” would provide ongoing funding to support retirement benefits for volunteer firefighters and emergency medical services personnel in Maine. “I am grateful for the committee’s strong bipartisan support for our first responders...
Rep. Dodge introduces bill to support students and reduce food waste
Mon, 03/27/2023 - 12:30pm

AUGUSTA — Rep. Jan Dodge, D-Belfast, recently introduced legislation to require school administrative units to provide a 30-minute lunch period for Maine students. “When children do not have enough time to eat, they often leave food behind on the tray,” said Dodge. “This creates two problems: hungry students and more food waste. By creating a standard lunch length, we can ensure our students have enough time to get to the cafeteria, make it through the line and sit down to eat before the period...
Public hearing held for bill to allow kickboxing, muay thai competitions in Maine
Thu, 03/23/2023 - 10:00pm

AUGUSTA — A public hearing was held this week for a bill by Rep. Amanda Collamore (R-Pittsfield) that would authorize the sports of kickboxing and muay thai to hold competitions in Maine: LD 950, "An Act to Define "Kickboxing" and "Muay Thai" in the Laws Governing Mixed Martial Arts and Boxing.” “In order for that to happen, definitions for those two types of full-combat combat sports need to be added to our laws governing mixed martial arts and boxing,” said Rep. Collamore. Rep. Collamore...
Sen. Reny introduces bill to help schools buy and serve more local food
Thu, 03/23/2023 - 9:45pm

AUGUSTA — Sen. Cameron Reny, D-Bristol, introduced a bill this week to help Maine public school districts purchase and serve more locally produced food to students. LD 921, “An Act to Allow the Local Foods Fund for Public Schools to Be Used for Processed and Value-added Maine Food Products,” was the subject of a public hearing before the Legislature’s Education and Cultural Affairs Committee. Under current law, the Local Foods Fund incentivizes schools to purchase produce and other minimally-...
Sen. Curry introduces bill to better support first responders
Tue, 03/21/2023 - 12:00pm

AUGUSTA — Sen. Chip Curry, D-Belfast, has introduced LD 588, “An Act to Promote Public Safety and Retain Essential First Responders by Funding the Maine Length of Service Award Program,” before the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee. This bill would provide ongoing funding to support retirement benefits for volunteer firefighters and emergency medical services personnel in Maine, per a news release. “Our volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel are critical to ensuring the safety and...
Rep. Geiger introduces bill related to consumer-owned utility initiative
Mon, 03/13/2023 - 2:15pm

AUGUSTA — Rep. Valli Geiger, D-Rockland, recently introduced a bill to help ensure that savings generated in the event that Mainers approve a measure to establish a large consumer-owned utility (COU) would be passed on to ratepayers, a press release stated. For several years, Mainers have considered the question of transitioning from an investor-owned utility model, like the one Maine’s largest electricity utilities currently utilize, to a COU model, according to the release. These...
Sen. Beebe-Center introduces bill to make local election information more available online
Tue, 03/07/2023 - 9:45pm

AUGUSTA — Earlier this month, Senator Pinny Beebe-Center, D-Rockland, introduced LD 577, “An Act to Increase Availability of Election Information on Local Government Websites.” The bill was the subject of a public hearing before the Joint Standing Committee on State and Local Government. LD 577 aims to increase the availability of official online information about local elections for all Maine voters, regardless of where they live. This would entail the Secretary of State’s Office assisting...
Rep. Dodge introduces bill to support retired state employees
Fri, 02/17/2023 - 10:00pm

AUGUSTA — Rep. Jan Dodge, D-Belfast, introduced LD 70, An Act to Eliminate the Cap on Retirement Benefits for State Employees and Teachers to Which a Cost-of-living Adjustment Is Made, before the Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing this week. This bill would amend current statute to provide an automatic equal percentage increase in retirement benefits whenever there is a percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index. The matched percentage would apply to a retiree’s entire yearly...
Sen. Curry introduces bill to improve EMS career pathways
Thu, 02/16/2023 - 9:45pm

AUGUSTA — Senator Chip Curry, a Democrat from Belfast, introduced legislation Wednesday to study and strengthen education and professional development for emergency medical services (EMS) personnel in Maine. The proposal — LD 244, “Resolve, Directing Maine Emergency Medical Services to Convene a Stakeholder Group to Explore Emergency Medical Services Career Pathways and Educational Opportunities in the State.” — is based on a recommendation from the Blue Ribbon Commission to study Emergency...
131st Maine Legislative session: Representatives Jan Dodge, Vicki Doudera, Paige Zeigler
From teacher’s insurance to retirement home temp controls, area legislators sponsor variety of bills
Fri, 01/27/2023 - 12:00pm

AUGUSTA — With Maine’s 131st Legislative session underway, the printing of bills is moving at a fast pace. Several Midcoast representatives and senators have sponsored a number of new bills printed, as of Jan. 13. The following were printed as of last week. Legislators will have more in the coming weeks, as the Revisor of Statute's Office, which takes care of legislative drafting and editing, evaluates proposed Legislative Requests (LR) and moves them forward as Legislative Documents (LD). For...
Winterport lawmaker faces fine for missing campaign expenditure reporting deadline
Wed, 01/25/2023 - 4:00pm

AUGUSTA — Rep. Reagan Paul, R-Winterport, is facing a Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices fine of as much as $1,945.30 for missing a filing deadline related to reporting her campaign’s expenditures. She represents House District 37, representing the communities of Winterport, Prospect, Stockton Springs, Searsport and part of Frankfort. Candidates spending $1,000 or more in a single transaction within the last 13 days before an election must disclose that expenditure...
Waldoboro lawmaker under investigation for allegedly forging signatures
Wed, 01/25/2023 - 9:00am

AUGUSTA — Just a little more than a month after being elected to serve in the 131st Maine State Legislature, a Waldoboro man is under investigation by the Maine Attorney General’s Office over an accusation of signature fraud related to his legislative campaign. Rep. Clinton Collamore, a Democrat, qualified in April 2022 for initial payments for his primary and general election races, and for six supplemental payments thereafter, according to a memo by Jonathan Wayne, the...
Step by step, Maine’s political leadership is becoming more diverse
Tue, 12/06/2022 - 11:45pm

When Jill Duson made Maine political history over 20 years ago, she was the first and only Black woman on Portland’s school board and later its city council. When she takes office Wednesday, she’ll be among five Black state lawmakers, four of whom are women. “We keep saying we’re going to start a Black caucus,” Duson, a Democrat, said during a recent interview. “We haven’t done that yet, but it’s great to not be ‘the only’ now.” This story was originally published by The Maine...