Most legislators are good-natured about answering questions from reporters. They want people they represent to know where they stand on issues and why.

On June 6, the big story was a Health Care Reform Committee preliminary vote on the Dirigo Health plan.

On that Friday, several Republicans – who are in the minority – objected to Democrat Sen. Michael Brennan’s insistence that a vote be taken that day. The complicated bill had changed, and Republicans who spoke asked for more time to digest those changes. Over their objections, a vote of the committee was taken; all but one Republican voted against the plan.

“I want to do the right thing (and understand all the changes first),” Rep. Sawin Millett, R-Waterford, said, explaining why he voted no.

Rep. Richard Mailhot, D-Lewiston, said he voted yes because he felt reform is needed. “Something needs to be done.”

But Rep. Thomas Shields, R-Auburn, who hadn’t expressed his opinion during the meeting, responded in an unusual way when asked after the session why he voted no.

He looked the reporter in the eye and stared, and stared. After about 30 seconds, he was asked if he was refusing to comment.

He just stared some more. Contacted later, he said he voted against the bill because he, too, did not want to vote on something he hadn’t had time to understand.

Gowns, tuxes and jeans

Rep. Joan Bryant-Deschenes, R-Turner, was looking sharp Monday. Walking down a State House corridor she was wearing a long, bold blue dress with a matching jacket bordered in sequins. Nearby were a few legislators in black tuxedos.

That’s not normal.

Everywhere there were senators and representatives wearing jeans and stickers that read: “Ask me why I’m wearing jeans.” That’s not normal either. Legislative rules prohibit jeans.

It turned out Monday was a special dress-up/dress-down day to raise money for the Joe Mayo Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Rep. Leila Percy, D-Phippsburg, and Deborah Simpson, D-Auburn, proposed a jeans day to raise money for the former Clerk of the House’s scholarship fund. “But then I couldn’t wear jeans,” Simpson said, pointing to a cast on her leg. She improvised by wearing a jean vest.

Jean wearers donated $10 to dress down.

Republicans “protested” the dress-down day by dressing up. “We paid double,” Bryant-Deschenes said, explaining that GOP members donated $20 each.

The day generated more than $2,300 for the scholarship fund.

Quote of the week:

“Boy, this is boring.”

– Taxation Committee member reviewing the tax reform proposal

– Bonnie Washuk is the Sun Journal State House reporter.