AUGUSTA — Lawmakers struggled Friday to find a compromise on a proposal to allow police to temporarily confiscate the guns of individuals deemed to pose an “immediate and present danger.” After discussing the issue for several hours, members of the Judiciary Committee appeared to be heading down two paths on the only major gun-related bill […]
Maine Legislature
Posted inLocal & State
Bill that allows over-the-counter naloxone for people younger than 21 clears Maine Senate
AUGUSTA — A bill that would remove age restrictions on Mainers who want to buy the anti-overdose drug naloxone without a prescription is on its way to the desk of Gov. Paul LePage after the Republican-controlled Maine Senate unanimously endorsed the measure Friday. Sponsored by Speaker of the House Sara Gideon, D-Freeport, the bill is […]
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Tempers flare as Maine House approves ban on conversion therapy
AUGUSTA — A House debate over legislation to ban conversion therapy in Maine devolved Thursday into an emotional and, at times, personal display of the lingering cultural divide at the State House over sexual orientation and religion. House Speaker Sara Gideon, D-Freeport, sternly warned several speakers against “impugning the motives” of other lawmakers and even […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Maine Senate passes marijuana market bill, and it’s veto proof
The Maine Senate on Wednesday passed the bill to launch the state’s adult-use marijuana market, putting the legislation on the brink of heading to Gov. Paul LePage’s desk with veto-proof margins from both chambers of the Legislature. The bill passed by a 24-10 margin one day after being approved 112-34 in the House, which killed a […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Maine Democrats advance bill to partially fund Medicaid expansion
Democratic lawmakers Monday unveiled a $10.4 million bill that would partially fund a Medicaid expansion – a topic that Republican Gov. Paul LePage and state Democrats have been fighting about since Mainers overwhelmingly voted in favor of extending benefits to more people last fall. LePage has been a steadfast opponent of Medicaid expansion, which voters […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Maine House passes bill that would launch recreational marijuana market
The latest bid to launch Maine’s adult-use marijuana market cleared its toughest political hurdle Tuesday with a veto-proof margin that bodes well for the compromise bill. If the bill continues on its current path, Mainers can expect to see the first recreational business licenses issued in the spring of 2019. It allows recreational retailers to […]
Posted inLetters, sj-web
A dangerous bill
The Maine Legislature is reviewing a bill to zone convicted sexual offenders from living in homes (even their own homes) that are within 750 feet of any school, park, state or municipal garage … or the same distance from any property owned by a local or state government. I am not sure lawmakers meant to […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Legislative fix on ranked-choice voting falters in Senate, leaving fate to courts
AUGUSTA — A last-minute attempt by Maine lawmakers to resolve some of the issues surrounding ranked-choice voting failed Thursday, leaving it up to the courts to decide the fate of the first-in-the-nation system. A 17-17 vote on a joint order in the Maine Senate scuttled attempts by Democrats to resolve concerns that Republicans had raised […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Lawmakers told Maine must reassess how it deals with children who commit crimes
Three experts in juvenile justice urged lawmakers on Wednesday to do a top-to-bottom assessment of how the state responds to troubled children. The recommendation came during a joint meeting of two legislative committees to discuss ongoing problems at the Long Creek Youth Development Center in South Portland, the state’s only correctional facility for youths, where […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
First pot-business licenses would go to Maine residents of at least 4 years
Maine lawmakers want to offer the first recreational marijuana business licenses to residents who have lived here for at least four years. A legislative committee voted Tuesday to boost the minimum residency requirement to get a state license to grow, manufacture or sell recreational marijuana from three to four years during its final review of […]