AUGUSTA (AP) — Maine lawmakers voted to extend the legislative session by five days in an attempt to hash out budget deal amid lawmakers wrapping up debates on key bills and the threat of a potential state government shutdown looming. The House voted 111-31 on Wednesday to extend the session, hours after the Senate voted 33-0 […]
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House Dems, GOP spar over police bills, highway funding and procedure
The Legislature will breeze past its scheduled adjournment Wednesday because of the two-year budget impasse, but things got testy Tuesday about what seemed like everything but the budget. In the House of Representatives, Republicans attacked Democrats for supposedly not backing police. In the Senate, Democrats hit Republicans who backed what they called an anti-abortion bill. Even Maine’s uncontroversial $1.4 […]
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Maine lawmakers vote to ban use of handheld phones while driving
AUGUSTA (AP) — Maine drivers may soon only be able to use cellphones and electronic devices with hands-free technology. The Maine House voted 85-60 Tuesday to pass the bill limiting the cellphone use, joining the Senate which voted last week voted 21-14 in favor of the measure. It’s unclear whether Republican Gov. Paul LePage would […]
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Janet Mills joins other attorneys general to probe cause of opioid crisis
AUGUSTA — Maine’s attorney general is joining most of her counterparts in other states to probe the sales and marketing efforts of opioid manufacturers. “We need to get the genie back in the pill bottle,” Attorney General Janet Mills said. “Our society is awash in pills and it is killing us.” More than half of […]
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Bill to prohibit discussing wage history with employers faces uncertain future
AUGUSTA (AP) — A bill to prohibit employers from seeking information about a prospective employee’s prior wage history faces an uncertain future after passing the Maine House and Senate. The Democratic-controlled House on Monday voted 79-68 in favor of Democratic Sen. Cathy Breen’s bill in an initial round of votes. The Republican-controlled Senate voted 22-13 […]
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Maine’s food sovereignty law touted as nationwide first
With a stroke of his pen, Gov. Paul LePage last week enacted landmark legislation putting Maine in the forefront of the food sovereignty movement. LePage signed LD 725, An Act to Recognize Local Control Regarding Food Systems, Friday legitimizing the authority of towns and communities to enact ordinances regulating local food distribution free from state […]
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Maine lawmakers to vote on slew of vetoes but no budget
AUGUSTA — Wednesday marks the statutory adjournment date for the Legislature, which means that’s the day that was set months ago for lawmakers to wrap up their work. To go beyond that day will require a vote of the Legislature, a routine matter which in the past has caused controversy. Lawmakers are not paid salaries for […]
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Maine casino referendum attorneys refuse to accept ethics panel’s subpoenas
AUGUSTA — Attorneys for the backers of a York County casino referendum walked out of a hearing on Friday without accepting subpoenas for financial records after the state’s ethics watchdog voted to investigate them. The probe will focus on $4.3 million in campaign funds as of March’s end given to Lisa Scott, a Miami woman […]
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Two Republicans, union say LePage emptying Washington County prison
AUGUSTA (AP) — Republican Gov. Paul LePage is taking steps to empty out a minimum-security state prison and force a closure over the objections of state lawmakers, according to union representatives and two Republican legislators from Washington County. Republican Sen. Joyce Maker, Republican Rep. Will Tuell and representatives of the American Federation of State, County […]
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Analysis: House Dems offer to cut income surtax rate to advance budget
House Democrats have blinked in a standoff over education funding, offering an deal to increase the threshold for Maine’s surtax on high earners and lower it from 3 percent to 1.75 percent. Republicans are on the record as wanting the surtax gone. Progressives still want to keep it and Senate Democrats didn’t join their House […]