AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage’s controversial proposal to eliminate a requirement that Maine power companies increase the amount of electricity they deliver from renewable resources by 2017 is on hold. At least for now. The Legislature’s Energy and Utilities Committee voted unanimously this week to essentially delay the governor’s plan, which would cap electricity derived […]
Maine Legislature
Posted inLocal & State
Union tensions, partisanship renew as GOP brings back right-to-work bill
AUGUSTA — Republican lawmakers, with the backing of Gov. Paul LePage, on Wednesday reintroduced a right-to-work bill. The late-session move is destined to mobilize organized labor protests at the State House as the Legislature speeds toward adjournment. Democrats blasted the GOP for assisting LePage in what they saw as a politically motivated decision at the […]
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Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Republicans bring back right-to-work bill
AUGUSTA — Republican lawmakers Wednesday reintroduced a so-called right-to-work bill, a week after saying that the legislation wouldn’t be a priority this session. An amended version of the bill was expected to be unveiled this afternoon and sent back to committee for a public hearing. Democrats nearly killed the bill this morning when Rep. John […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Maine lawmakers reject bill to raise minimum wage
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Maine’s House of Representatives has rejected a bill to raise the state’s minimum wage. By a vote of 77-69 along party lines, legislators on Tuesday shot down a proposal to raise the minimum wage from $7.50 to $8 an hour over the next two years. Republican lawmakers argued that the bill […]
Posted inLocal & State
House delays vote on DeCoster bill as key Republican withdraws support
AUGUSTA — A bill that eliminates workers’ right to unionize at the DeCoster-owned Quality Egg farm in Turner continues to languish in the House of Representatives, possibly because of workplace violations. The bill, LD 1207, was slated for a preliminary House vote on two occasions this week but was delayed each time. To what extent, […]
Posted inLocal & State
Arrested lawmaker showed pattern of bizarre behavior
AUGUSTA — The Garland lawmaker arrested Saturday for allegedly pointing a handgun at a newspaper photographer had been displaying increasingly bizarre behavior at the State House over the last several months, according to Capitol Police and members of legislative leadership. In early March that behavior led Capitol Police to impose a trespass notice on Rep. […]
Posted inLocal & State, The Franklin Journal
Political Pulse: Losers and winners lobbying the Legislature
Last week’s story about how lobbyists flocked to the Republican overhaul of the state’s insurance laws showed how various stakeholder attempted to influence the legislation. But the data used in that report also contained some revealing information about other bills and initiatives. Take this one: Preti Flaherty Beliveau & Pachios, a firm hired by the […]
Posted inLocal & State
Committee unanimously approves LePage’s change to conflict law
AUGUSTA — A legislative committee on Friday unanimously approved a bill designed to amend conflict-of-interest provisions that prompted the resignation of the state’s top environmental regulator and suspended hearings on its permitting board. Gov. Paul LePage is sponsoring the proposal. It has the support of Republican and Democratic leaders. LePage has said the bill would […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Maine lawmakers kill anti-nepotism bill
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — A bill to bar Maine officials from hiring family members, prompted by Gov. Paul LePage’s hiring of his daughter to work in his office, has been killed. A 22-13 Senate vote Wednesday to not pass the bill finishes it off for the session. The House voted a day earlier to kill […]
Posted inLocal & State
Lobbyists flocked to insurance overhaul bill
AUGUSTA — A recently enacted law that repeals and rewrites many of Maine’s insurance laws has been the most contentious bill this legislative session. It also was one of the most intensely lobbied. According to records at the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices, lobbyists representing at least 24 organizations — mostly insurance […]