The public hearing on the bill to allow the Penobscot and Passamaquoddy tribes to have a casino occurred April 11 at the Augusta Civic Center, the normal location for proposals expected to attract crowds.
As the hearing opened, Judiciary Committee co-chair Sen. Peggy Pendleton looked at the audience and set the ground rules:
• No displaying of signs. “If you have them, put them down.”
• The public will have three minutes to speak, “and we have a timer.”
• Everyone must be respectful of one another.
• All cell phones and pagers must be turned off. If a cell phone or pager goes off, “there will be a fine. A bag of candy,” Pendleton said sternly, then cracked a smile as the audience laughed.
At least once during the hearing a cell phone did ring while someone was speaking. Pendleton’s eyes turned from the podium and scanned the crowd. “We heard that,” she said, urging the “perpetrator” to pay up.
No word if Pendleton collected.
‘Graduated license’ closer to reality
The legislative Transportation Committee gave a big green light Thursday to a bill that would create a “graduated license” for those under 18.
The bill would stretch out the time between when teenagers get their permit and when they can receive an unrestricted license. A permit would have to be held for six months instead of three, and then the teen would get a “junior license” for six more months. During that time they could not drive between midnight and 5 a.m., could not drive with friends and could not appeal any violations.
The Transportation Committee unanimously voted to recommend to the House and Senate that LD 1439 be passed. Typically lawmakers approve legislation that has received a unanimous committee vote.
If passed, the law would most likely take effect in the fall.
Quote of the week: “A Texas farmer was talking to a Maine farmer about how big his farm was. The Texan said he had a car and it took him all day to get around his farm. The Maine farmer looked over at him and said, ‘I used to have a car just like that too.'”
— A joke Gov. John Baldacci shared with Eric Bost, undersecretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Bost is from Texas, and was in Maine to unveil the new food stamp “debit” cards.
Bonnie Washuk is the Sun Journal State House reporter.
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