AUGUSTA — In a letter sent to the Democratic legislative leadership Wednesday, Republican Gov. Paul LePage said time is running out to reconvene the Legislature and approve sending his proposed $100 million transportation bond to voters this November. Both parties say they support the transportation bond, but there is disagreement over how quickly it needs […]
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Posted inMaine
For the most part, legislators reported for votes
AUGUSTA — There’s a political adage that nobody cares about government when it works like it’s supposed to. Still, it’s worth noting that for the most part, Maine’s elected representatives in Augusta showed up when they were called on for their most important task: voting. According to figures released by the House and Senate offices […]
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LePage signs law that targets human trafficking
AUGUSTA — A new Maine law aims to crack down on human trafficking, a problem supporters of the legislation say is growing but often unnoticed. The law (LD 11 59) ceremonially signed by Gov. Paul LePage on Thursday expands the definition of human trafficking to include more crimes that involve the victimization of someone for […]
Posted inMaine
Legislative Analysis: Why it didn’t look like the Democrats were in the majority
AUGUSTA, Maine — Democrats campaigned in 2012 with a promise to end the authoritarian rule of Republican Gov. Paul LePage. That message resonated last November with voters who returned Democrats to majority status in both the House and Senate after giving Republicans control of the Legislature in 2010, the same year LePage won the Blaine […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Group plans to collect signatures for bear-baiting referendum
PORTLAND — A coalition that wants another statewide vote aimed at banning the use of bait, traps and dogs to hunt bears says it’s launching a petition drive in Maine. Mainers for Fair Bear Hunting announced Tuesday that it plans to gather 80,000 signatures of Maine voters, exceeding the 57,277 signatures needed to qualify for […]
Posted inBusiness, Maine, sj-web
Senate can’t muster enough votes to overturn raw milk veto
AUGUSTA — Despite being passed by lawmakers in June, a bill to deregulate small-scale production of raw milk will not become law after the Legislature failed Tuesday to muster the necessary votes to override Gov. Paul LePage’s veto. LePage vetoed the bill, An Act to Help Small Farmers in Selling Raw Milk Products, Monday night. On […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine Senate votes to keep cellphone privacy bill alive
AUGUSTA — Maine lawmakers have voted to override a veto by Gov. Paul LePage of a bill requiring law enforcement to have a warrant to get location information from a person’s cellphone. The Democratic-led Senate overturned the veto on a 22-11 vote on Tuesday. Veto overrides require a two-thirds majority of present and voting members. […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Nine vetoes survive override attempt in Maine Senate
AUGUSTA — The Maine Senate opened its work Tuesday by upholding nine vetoes issued by Republican Gov. Paul LePage. Legislators returned to Augusta on Tuesday for what many called “veto day,” during which members of the two chambers will vote on a flurry of vetoes LePage issued — including 21 on Monday — since the […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
State budget fix fails in Maine House
AUGUSTA — A bill to make technical corrections to the controversial $6.3 billion biennial budget bill passed late last month failed by several votes in the House on Tuesday. Defeat of the bill could cause a $6 million budget gap over the biennium if the Senate follows suit. LD 1572 makes several corrections to the […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine House rejects bill allowing extra school funds to be spent without a vote.
AUGUSTA — A bill to allow Maine’s cities and towns to redo their schools’ budgets to spend unexpected state funds without voter approval has failed in the Maine House. The Democratic-controlled House voted 97-54 Tuesday. The bill required a two-thirds majority vote because it would take effect immediately. With the late passage of the $6.3 […]