Policy
Maine Policy News
Work Session Planned for Lobster Industry Legal Defense Fund
A Feb. 15th work session is scheduled for bill creating a Maine Lobster Industry legal defense fund.…
Public Hearing For Affordable Agricultural Homestead Act
Feb 14th Public Hearing scheduled for small-scale agriculture bill.…
Feb 3rd Public Hearing For Act Supporting State & Local Broadband Infrastructure Ownership
LD 1894 creates the ‘Internet Access Expansion Investment Fund’ to improve internet & fund projects that assist state or local ownership of broadband infrastructure…
Public Hearing on Jan. 31 to create ‘Service Charge’ For Restaurants Paying Minimum Wage
LD 1878 lets Restaurants use a ‘service charge’ to help cover financial burden of paying all employees at least minimum wage.…
Work session on Jan. 20 for LD 1771 – Creates an Advisory Panel to “seek outside funding” to investigate genome editing tech and its potential effects on Maine public policy
Resolve, To Establish the Advisory Panel To Better Understand and Make Recommendations Regarding the Implications of Genome-editing Technology for the Citizens of the State…
LD 1929 Provides Assistance to Areas Severally Infested with Browntail Moths
Jan. 20th work session for bill calling for over 340k for control measures and for two new etymologist positions at the Dept of Ag, Conservation & Forestry.…
Nov 3rd Work Session For LD 48 – Resolve, To Provide for Participation of the State in the Planning and Negotiations for the Atlantic Loop Energy Project (EMERGENCY)
This resolve provides for the immediate, direct involvement of the State in the planning and negotiations on the Atlantic Loop, a Canadian electric transmission and power supply 4project intended to pass through the State….…
Nov 3rd Work Session For LD 1634 – An Act To Create the Maine Generation Authority
The purpose of the authority is to finance and own electricity generation projects that generate electricity using renewable fuels that produce zero greenhouse gas emissions and 28that are located in the State or, for those located in federal waters in the Gulf of Maine……
Gov. Janet Mill’s Official Press Release on New Vaccine Mandate
Any individual employed by a hospital or emergency medical service organization, multi-level health care facility, home health agency, nursing facility, residential care facility, intermediate care facility for individuals with intellectual disabilities or at a dentist practice must be vaccinated for Covid-19 by Oct. 1st.…
Public Hearing Scheduled for May 3rd on LD 1265 – An Act To Control the Means of Hunting Coyotes.
Proposed by Sen. Miramant, The Bill Would End Coyote Night Hunting & Forbid Using Dogs For Coyote Hunting.
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Several Changes Proposed In LD 1363 – An Act To Amend the Laws Governing Elections
Work Session Scheduled for April 30th On Bill Proposing 18 Seperate Changes to Maine Election Law…
No Committee Recommendation Yet on Bill Prohibiting Legislators from Legislating While Intoxicated
Despite Strong Support at its April 23rd Public Hearing, No Work Session or Committee Decision Has Been Made on LD 1394…
No movement On Act Requiring Majority Vote For Maine To Join Any Multi-state Compact
Rep. Libby’s bill declaring that Maine or any of its state agencies may not join, adopt or implement any multi-state compact unless approved by a majority of the legislature appears stuck in committee.…
Committee Votes Ought-Not-To-Pass on Bill Looking to Count Total Number of Public Benefit Recipients Who Are Also Employed By “Large” Companies.
This bill requires the Department of Labor with the assistance of the Department of Health and Human Services to gather data regarding the number of persons who are employed by businesses in this State that have 50 or more employees and who receive public benefits
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Committee Expected to Split on Support For Bill Ending the Legal But Rare Practice of Charging Employees for Direct Deposit.
After an April 24th Work Session, A divided report is expected from the Committee on Labor & Housing on Sen.Pouliot‘s Bill to End The Practice of Employers Charging Their Employees for Direct Deposit.…
An Act To Protect Farm Workers by Allowing Them To Organize for the Purpose of Collective Bargaining
Public Hearing Scheduled April 7th For LD 151 – This bill proposes to allow persons working in agriculture to organize for the purposes of collectively bargaining for wages, hours, other working conditions and benefits without fear of reprisal. The bill would exempt farms under a certain size and with a limited number of employees.…
An Act To Protect Minor Political Parties That Seek Official Party Status
Public Hearing Scheduled for April 5th For LD 1061 – This bill reduces the number of voters that must be enrolled in a proposed political party in order for that political party to participate in a primary election from 5,000 to 2,500.…
An Act To Increase High-speed Internet In Rural Maine
Public Hearing Scheduled April 6th for LD 848 – This bill would expand high-speed Internet access in rural communities in the State by creating incentives for companies to expand their services to those communities. It would expand the definition of “rural” to include specific levels not included in the federal definition.…
An Act To Require Election Transparency and Audits
Public Hearing Schedule April 5th for LD 1155 – This bill requires the Secretary of State to:
1. Produce and publicly disseminate a guide to election procedures;
2. Develop an election complaint process;
3. Report to the Legislature on certain election issues after a general election; and
4. Conduct a pilot post-election audit…
An Act To Ensure That Assemblies, Protests and Demonstrations in Maine Remain Peaceful
Public Hearing Scheduled For April 5th on LD 1016 – This bill amends the definition of “terroristic intent” in the Maine Criminal Code to include the intent to do any of the following for the purpose of intimidating or coercing a civilian population or to affect the conduct of government……