AUGUSTA (AP) – A bill to extend Maine loggers’ collective bargaining powers with landowners, which was carried over from last year’s session, is due for debate Monday in the House of Representatives.

The bill has divided Democrats and Republicans on the Labor Committee, which almost guarantees debate when it reaches the floor.

Eight Democratic members of the committee favor passage of an amended version, while the remaining five Republicans oppose it.

As amended in committee, forest products haulers and harvesters would be allowed to organize associations and negotiate collectively with certain landowners, provided those activities are for the purpose of an authorized rate-setting proceeding.

The bill has gone through extensive review since it was introduced last year by Rep. William Smith, D-Van Buren.

The original version included more sweeping language that sought to allow individual forest products harvesters and haulers to join together to bargain with forest landowners over the prices and other terms of contracts for harvesting and hauling trees.

Minimum wage bill faces further votes

AUGUSTA (AP) – A bill to increase Maine’s minimum wage in two steps to $7 an hour is due for further legislative debate this week.

The House has endorsed the bill, but the Senate has not yet taken a roll call vote.

Supporters, who include organized labor, say the bill would raise Maine’s minimum wage to the current New England median by October 2005. It would ratchet the current state minimum wage of $6.25 an hour to $6.65 in October 2004 and then to $7 on Oct. 1, 2005.

Among other New England states, Connecticut’s minimum wage is $7.10 an hour, while the minimum in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont is $6.75. Vermont’s minimum wage will increase to $7 in 2005.

New Hampshire retains the current federal minimum of $5.15 an hour.

Congress last authorized a federal minimum wage increase in 1996. States may enact minimum wage rates higher than the federal standard, but not lower.

Committee

wants probe

into spending

AUGUSTA (AP) – Members of the Legislature’s Transportation Committee are calling for an investigation into state spending for a new computer system for Maine’s motor vehicle records.

The project, which has spent $11 million, is more than a year overdue but only about half completed.

Secretary of State Dan Gwadosky’s office is taking over the project from Keane Inc., a private contractor hired in 2001.

Gwadosky said his department will complete the job with money already allocated, but it’s not clear how soon it can be finished. The final cost is expected to be more than $15 million.

Legislative critics say they learned of the problems last month after hearing indirect reports. They also said the project has siphoned off scarce state funds.

“I feel as though this whole thing has been mismanaged by the secretary of state,” said Rep. Ron Collins, R-Wells. “I just feel as though this was an out-of-control situation.”

Gwadosky, a former House speaker, said he apologized for not informing lawmakers sooner, but he said the problems have not affected services and the department believes it has enough money left over to complete the work.

The Bureau of Motor Vehicles has been working over the past decade to create new Web-based computer data systems to replace the state’s 30-year-old mainframe computer system. The new system is supposed to provide quicker access to motor vehicle records.

“It’s a much more complex project than anyone had envisioned up front,” said Gary Rader, an executive vice president for Keane, which is based in Boston. “That’s very common in our business. You can never anticipate everything.”

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