Many bills proposed by lawmakers end up in the round file. The odds of that happening for freshmen are greater, since it takes time to learn how to drum up support to get a bill passed.

Freshman Rep. Nancy Smith, D-Monmouth, who in her other life is a farmer and forester, saw success Wednesday when she stood in Gov. John Baldacci’s office and watched him sign her bill into law.

The bill creates a new crime called “”unlawful sexual touching,”” which makes it illegal for an adult to have sexual contact with a child who is 14 or 15 if the adult is 10 years or older than the child.

The law stems from a Lewiston case in August of 2001. A 14-year-old girl got involved with a 47-year-old man. He molested her.

After finding out what happened, the girl’s mother contacted police. Lewiston Police Sgt. Jim Minkowsky was frustrated to discover he could not charge the man with a crime. Even though common sense would tell most that it should be illegal for a 47-year-old man to exploit a 14-year-old girl, there was no law on the books that fit what happened. Police could not charge the man because the girl consented and no sexual intercourse was involved.

Working with Minkowsky, Rep. Stavros Mendros, R-Lewiston, last year sponsored a bill trying to close that loophole, but his bill was rejected. Minkowsky didn’t give up, and this year worked with Smith as well as former district attorney Rep. Janet Mills, D-Farmington. The result means that in September, when the law takes effect, 14- and 15-year-olds will have protection from predatory adults, Smith said.

Seeing her bill signed “”was exciting,”” said Smith, the mother of three. “”Some days you don’t know if you make a difference,”” but this was an occasion where she did. “”This law will make a difference.””

Minkowsky was also pleased. Maine lawmakers have given cops like him the tool he needs to protect youngsters from adults who want to exploit them, he said.

Local co-signers of LD 722 were Sen. Rick Bennett, R-Oxford, Rep. Margaret Craven, D-Lewiston, and Rep. Elaine Makas, D-Lewiston.

Obesity campaign kicked off

You may have already heard the ads, the ones encouraging you to go for a walk. On Tuesday Gov. John Baldacci, Dr. Dora Mills and Maine Olympic marathon champion Joan Benoit Samuelson kicked off the state’s new campaign encouraging Mainers to become more physically active.

Calling attention to “”Maine’s weight problem,”” the state has launched a series of ads to show how easy it can be to get more active, and how even small walks will improve health. (Examples: You don’t have to buy exercise equipment, use the stairs in your home; or park your car farther away and walk more.)

Benoit Samuelson offered ideas on engaging young people to get more active. Baldacci said that while he tries to reform health care, everyone needs to think in healthier ways, including exercise.

The ads promoting physical activity are on television, radio and in newspapers. It’s one part of a broader four-part $1 million “”Healthy Weight Awareness Campaign”” paid for by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Senate says no to Powerball

CasinosNo, a group opposed to further gambling in Maine, applauded the Senate Wednesday after it voted 21-12 not to include Maine in the national Powerball sweepstakes. The vote put the issue to rest, for this year anyway.

Sen. Ethan Strimling, D-Portland, who co-chairs the CasinosNo legislative caucus, compared state governments that try to raise more revenue by expanding lotteries or gambling to a heroin addict. Gambling, he said, is addictive for both players and states looking for easy money.

Quote of the week

“”Driving is a privilege. Those who abuse the privilege should not be permitted to occupy the same roads as you and I. The law needs to be changed to help get these drivers off the road so in the future other families won’t have to suffer the same tragedies as the (Travis) Van Durme and the (Stephen) King families have had to endure.””

– Sen. Richard Bennett, R-Norway, talking about a resolve passed by the Senate Thursday to help give police more power to get reckless drivers off the roads.

– Bonnie Washuk is the Sun Journal State House reporter