Approximately 85 community members, made up of teachers, parents & bus drivers packed the PRHS Library for the March 9th School board meeting.

While the subject of school configuration was not listed on the agenda, Board Chair Mary Martin allowed several parents to speak on the matter and express their concerns regarding plans to reconfigure the district’s 3 elementary schools.

During this question and comment period, Martin stated that……

The parents of Maine School District RSU 16 (Poland, Mechanic Falls & Minot), have recently become aware of an administrative plan to eliminate the district’s three community based, preK-6th grade elementary schools in order to reconfigure the grade-span of each building to only include 2 – 3 grades each.  …

Senators and Representatives have submitted a total of 397 bill requests for The Legislative Council’s consideration during the current legislative session.…

UPDATE:  After reconsidering LD 1363 on May 22^nd, the Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology (the committee) provided three different options for the legislature’s consideration.…

UPDATE: After Passage in the Senate on May 15, Governor Mills signed LD 1209, a bill requiring all citizen-initiated legislation (referendums) face committee hearings prior to being allowed on a ballot, into law on May 23.…

UPDATE: Designed to replace Maine’s Archery Only Deer Season with a combined Archery & Crossbow Deer Season, LD 27 easily passed the legislature, but not without adding a 3 year sunset rule & name change reflecting the inclusion of turkey season.…

Even though a majority of the Veterans and Legal Affairs committee voted against LD 816, it’s future was still unclear with both Committee Chairs, Sen. Louis Luchini (D-Hancock) & Rep. John Schneck (D-Bangor) supporting the minority opinion and the Senate voting to approve on May 14^th. But, after 14 days on the House Floor, ,Rep. Schnieck (D-Bangor) called for a vote and the measure failed 76-66. A total of 9 votes were not cast, 6 abstained, 2 were excused and 1 is vacant…

Despite a third work session held May 22nd, the Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology was still unable to agree on an emergency bill requiring CMP’s New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) receive voter approval from each municipality it intends to cross.…

UPDATE 2: After receiving significant negative feedback to changing the current state flag, the Committee on State & Local Government voted 8 to 4 in favor of supporting a heavily amended LD 687. The amendment does away with re-instating Maine’s original state flag and instead tasks the Secretary of State’s office to develop a commemorative bicentennial flag for 2020.

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The Committee on State and Local Government recently heard testimony on LD 1209, which requires public hearings for any citizen-initiated legislation (referendums) going to ballot. Current rules allow for legislative public hearings, but only if the legislature chooses to hold such hearings.…

Maine’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) established, among other things, a 10 year timetable for having 10% of Maine’s electricity coming from new renewable sources by 2017. LD 1494, An Act to Reform Maine’s Renewable Portfolio Standard, looks to establish a new timetable for reaching 50% by 2030 as well changing several other RPS guidelines.…

The Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs has scheduled public hearings this Wednesday for 6 different Rank-Choice Voting (RCV) bills…

At least 100 people submitted testimony in early March to the Committee On Veterans And Legal Affair’s hearing for LD 816.  Sen. Peter Jackson (D-Aroostook), whom sponsored the bill (co-sponsors), argued that because so many people feel left out of the political process, it’s important that every American’s vote should count equally.…

Rep. Jeff Hanley (R- Pittston) sponsored LD 1027 (co-sponsors) and testified before The Energy Utilities and Technology Committee that the rules were set up to promote growth of renewables and that growth has been achieved. Therefore, and because it’s a renewable energy, we should now allow large-scale hydro-electric facilities to qualify for the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard.…