Legislation to hold lawmakers accountable passes Senate unanimously

The bill submitted by Senator Linda Baker (R-Sagadahoc) to dock the pay of legislators who have an excessive number of absences has passed the Maine Senate unanimously.

LD 1046, “An Act To Penalize Legislators for Excessive Absences,” requires that a member of the Legislature be penalized by having that member’s salary reduced for each legislative day the member is absent after five days of unexcused absence in the first regular session and after three days of unexcused absence in the second regular session.

An amendment attached to the bill by the State and Local Government Committee clarifies that every two years, at the beginning of each new Legislature, the Legislative Council will establish how to keep attendance and the amount of the salary deduction for absences.

Governor nominates economist Bruce Williamson to Maine Public Utilities Commission

Dr. Bruce Williamson, an economist at the University of Tennessee’s Howard Baker Center for Public Policy, has been nominated as Commissioner of the Maine Public Utilities Commission (MPUC). If approved by the Legislature, Williamson would join engineer and Commission Chair Mark Vannoy, and attorney Carlisle McClean, at the Commission.

In addition to his role as senior economist at the Howard Baker Center, Dr. Williamson has served as a research professor at the University’s College of Business Administration; a lecturer in advanced data analytics; and as a senior economist at the National Defense Business Institute. Prior to 2009, Dr. Williamson held various high level positions in technology, utility, telecommunications, and economic modeling firms.

The MPUC regulates electric, natural gas, telecommunications and water utilities to ensure that Maine consumers enjoy safe, adequate and reliable services at rates that are just and reasonable for both consumers and utilities.

Williamson would replace outgoing Commissioner David Littell. He will appear before the Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology in the upcoming weeks.

Department of Labor offering workplace safety classes in May

The Maine Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Standards is hosting its no-charge safety courses for employers throughout May.

Courses are held at no charge to employers and their employees to ensure, and promote safety in the workplace. The courses are held at the SafetyWorks! Training Institute at the Maine Department of Labor, 45 Commerce Drive in Augusta unless otherwise noted.

OSHA Recordkeeping: May 15, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Presque Isle CareerCenter, 66 Spruce Street

Public Sector Compliance: May 28, 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., Rockland CareerCenter, 91 Camden Street, Ste. 201

Safety Officer Training: May 29, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Wilton CareerCenter, 864 US Route 2E

Employers interested in registering can learn more and register at http://www.safetyworksmaine.com and clicking “More Classes” from the homepage. Space is limited so reservations are required.

Events at Maine’s state parks and public lands

Now that the warmer weather has arrived there are plenty of opportunities to take advantage of Maine’s beautiful natural resources. To find info on parks and sites or an event or activity near you, visit: http://www.maine.gov/dacf/parks/.