LEWISTON — Former Ward 7 City Councilor Mike Lachance has announced his intention to seek the Republican nomination for the Maine House of Representatives District 61 seat. The seat is currently held by Democrat Rep. Heidi Brooks. Citing the need for a “rational revolution” in Augusta, Lachance chose to enter the race after another candidate […]
Maine Legislature
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Maine lawmakers in special session finally respond to opioid crisis
AUGUSTA — After two years of virtually no progress, the most recent session of the Legislature finally produced what treatment advocates regard as meaningful responses to Maine’s epidemic of opioid abuse. Three new laws moved forward earlier this month, despite veto attempts by Republican Gov. Paul LePage. The first funds the creation of a so-called […]
advertisement
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Lawmakers endorse sweeping medical marijuana reforms in veto override
Maine lawmakers overturned Gov. Paul LePage’s veto to pass a sweeping medical marijuana reform bill Monday. The Maine House voted 119-23 and the Maine Senate voted 25-8 to override the Republican governor’s veto and adopt legislation that will allow patients to use marijuana if a doctor deems it medically beneficial, grant six new medical dispensary […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Lawmakers save lead paint program, school clinic funding, but not hearing aids
AUGUSTA — By a lopsided margin, legislators agreed Monday to override a veto that threatened to derail a new lead abatement initiative that proponents said will pump hundreds of thousands of dollars into efforts in Lewiston and Auburn to remove dangerous lead paint in old houses. The $4 million proposal is part of a $41.6 […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Maine House sustains LePage's veto of Medicaid expansion
AUGUSTA — The Maine House sustained Gov. Paul LePage’s veto of a funding bill for Medicaid expansion Monday, handing the Republican another victory in his long campaign to stifle expansion of the program to another 70,000 Mainers. However, the state Supreme Judicial Court could alter the expansion picture next week, when it hears arguments in […]
Posted insj-web
Maine House sustains LePage veto of Medicaid expansion
AUGUSTA – The Maine House Monday failed to override a Gov. Paul LePage veto of a bill that funds a voter-approved expansion of the state’s Medicaid system. Conservative House Republicans stood with LePage, voting against the override on an 85-58 tally that fell short of the two-thirds necessary. The vote came with no debate on […]
Posted inLocal & State
Paul LePage vetoes bill that would ease access to medical marijuana
Gov. Paul LePage vetoed a medical cannabis bill Friday that would allow doctors to certify patient use for any medical reason. In a veto letter fired off late Friday afternoon, LePage, a staunch marijuana opponent, ticked off 11 reasons why he was vetoing the sweeping reform bill, ranging from complaints about the establishment of a medical […]
Posted inLocal & State
Paul LePage vetoes 23 bills, including funds for Medicaid expansion
AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage vetoed nearly two dozen bills Monday, including one that was spurred by Maine’s failure to investigate the deaths of more than 130 developmentally disabled Medicaid patients. LePage is continuing his historic use of the veto pen as he attempts to block legislation dealing with everything from Medicaid expansion to needle […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Paul LePage vetoes Medicaid expansion bill
Gov. Paul LePage vetoed a $60 million Medicaid expansion funding bill Friday, an expected move that sets up a veto override vote by lawmakers when they return on July 9. LePage said in a statement Friday evening that he vetoed the bill, passed by the Legislature last week, because lawmakers acted in a fiscally irresponsible […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Legislature votes to eliminate proficiency-based learning requirements
AUGUSTA — Six years after Maine became one of the first states to adopt new high school graduation standards, lawmakers are poised to roll back those requirements by allowing towns to decide whether to issue proficiency-based diplomas. The House and the Senate voted Tuesday night to eliminate the state mandate that students demonstrate proficiency in […]