The Legislature’s budget committee failed to allocate $44,650 in funding needed to send the sovereignty bill to Gov. Janet Mills, who was expected to veto it, but officials say negotiations are ongoing.
Randy Billings
Staff Writer
Randy Billings is a government watchdog and political reporter who has been the State House bureau chief since 2021. He was named the Maine Press Association’s Journalist of the Year in 2020. He joined the Press Herald in 2012 as the Portland City Hall reporter, where his beat touched on a wide range of topics, including municipal government, immigration, homelessness, housing and social services. Prior to that, he worked at various weeklies as well as business and arts publications. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maine, Orono. He lives in North Yarmouth with his wife and two children and enjoys the outdoors and playing his upright bass.
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Maine lawmakers to vote on bills awaiting funding
The more than 200 bills that were approved by the Legislature would cost more than $1.6 billion to implement.
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House Democrats reverse course and Legislature passes utility accountability bill
A day after delivering a major setback to Democratic Gov. Janet Mills’ efforts to hold utility companies more accountable, House Democrats reversed course and approved a slightly modified version of the bill Wednesday.
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Pressure builds for Gov. Mills to sign bill expanding tribal rights
The Legislature passed a historic bill to restore sovereignty to Maine’s four tribes, but it didn’t have enough votes to overcome an expected veto.
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Gov. Mills’ electric utility accountability bill stalls in Maine House
The bill, which establishes performance measures and financial penalties for failing to achieve them, was supported in the Senate but hit resistance in the House
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Expansion of Good Samaritan Law gets bipartisan backing, but may face a veto
The Mills administration has supported a more modest expansion of the law, which would protect certain people from arrest if someone reports a potentially fatal overdose.
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Maine Senate advances historic tribal sovereignty bill
The bill faces further votes in the Legislature but is headed toward passage, and an expected veto by Gov. Janet Mills.
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Maine House advances bill to legalize sports betting
The bill would grant Maine’s tribes with exclusive rights to operate all mobile sports betting in the state, while casino operators would be allowed to conduct in-person sports betting.
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Maine House passes bill to boost state’s housing supply
Speaker Ryan Fecteau hails the bill as a ‘huge step’ toward meeting the state’s housing needs even though it has been scaled back to address concerns over local control of land use.
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Maine House advances historic bill to restore tribes’ sovereignty
The bill, which faces opposition from Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, passed 81-55 and now goes to the Senate.