Biden and McCarthy tasked a handful of representatives to try and close out a final deal, with negotiations beginning late Tuesday.
Politics
Political news and information from the Sun Journal.
DeSantis signs bills targeting drag shows, pronouns, bathroom use and transgender children
Florida is banning gender affirming care for minors among a series of anti-LGBTQ+ bills signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Lawmakers to consider new tribal casino bill
Rep. Ben Collings of Portland introduced the bill as a placeholder intended to keep a tribal gambling proposal in the wings after state lawmakers act on a tribal sovereignty bill expected to come out in the next few weeks.
Prescription drug bill would tie Maine drug prices to Medicare rates
The bill is opposed by the insurance industry, drug manufacturers and the Maine Bureau of Insurance.
Effort to restore parole in Maine appears unlikely after committee vote
The bill was rejected 6-5 by the Legislature’s Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee and faces ongoing opposition from Gov. Janet Mills, a former prosecutor.
Former defense contractor executives plead guilty to illegal donations to Collins’ campaign
Clifford Chen and Lawrence Lum Kee, who worked for the engineering firm Navatek, violated federal laws prohibiting defense contractors from making contributions directly to candidates.
Lawmakers consider adding right to bodily autonomy to Maine Constitution
The bill, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Craig Hickman, has raised a host of possible scenarios that likely would need to be sorted out by the courts if the amendment were to pass.
Republican seeks to challenge Jared Golden
Robert Cross is the first but likely not the last contender in the large district.
Group trying to gain official party status warned against misleading voters
Maine’s secretary of state has sent a cease-and-desist letter to national organization No Labels, expressing concerns that it has confused voters who think they are signing a petition but instead are enrolling in a new party.
Patients, advocates clash with hospitals over bill to restrict facility fees in medical bills
The fees are often included to cover operating costs and pay for uncompensated services, hospital officials say, but they can leave patients on the hook for hundreds or thousands of dollars.