Statewide
News From Across The State
Prices at smaller utilities work their way into debate over Maine’s energy future
In addition to Central Maine Power and Versant Power, eight municipal or co-operative utilities do business in Maine. The larger ones sell power at a lower cost than the two dominant investor-owned utilities.…
Geologists discover potentially valuable mineral deposit near Presque Isle
A team of federal, state and University of Maine geologists said it has found a rare deposit of potentially valuable minerals on part of Pennington Mountain in Aroostook County.…
Rural Legal Services Bill Moves Forward with Amendments
LD 1924 requires the UMaine System establish a satellite clinic of UMaine School of Law’s Cumberland Legal Aid Clinic in Aroostook County as a 3-year pilot project…
Majority of Criminal Justice & Public Safety Committee Support Bill Banning Fireworks in Maine
The Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety voted to move forward with LD 1307, which, as it’s currently written, would effectively be a full repeal of the 2011-2012 act making consumer fireworks legal in Maine.…
Mills Deploys National Guard to 16 Health Care Facilities
On Jan. 20th 169 National Guard members will be deployed to Maine health care facilities to assist with Covid-19 hospitalizations.…
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 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.…
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.…
Maine Becomes the First State to Officially Register the People’s Party
The People’s Party is on the move! It officially registered as a state party in Maine today, where in order to get on the ballot for the 2022 midterms, it had to register in December of this year. Organizers filed on the morning of the first day of the filing window.…
130th Maine State Legislature, 1st Regular Session – Current list of Requested Bills to be Proposed
This updated list was released 1-7-21 and is currently the most up-to-date list of Bills requested for proposal during Maine’s upcoming legislative session. They are listed by subject below.…
2020 Overdose Deaths Outpace 2019
The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and the Office of Chief Medical Examiner have released figures demonstrating that drug overdose deaths slightly decreased in the third quarter of 2020, though the total year-to-date deaths is on pace to significantly exceed those in 2019.…
Complete List of Bills Sponsored by Sara Gideon
Sara Gideon is the current Speaker of the Maine House and Democratic candidate for US Senate. Below is a complete list of every bill she’s sponsored since first elected as Freeport’s representative in 2012. She’s been re-elected 3 times and has served as House Speaker since 2016.
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Senator Collins Announces More Than $6.6 Million to Support Affordable Housing Efforts in Maine Amid COVID-19
U.S. Senator Susan Collins, the Chairman of the Housing Appropriations Subcommittee, announced that the State of Maine has received a total of $6,678,216 in the third installment of funding to support affordable housing, assistance to businesses and bolster COVID-19 prevention and response efforts throughout the state. This funding, awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), was allocated through a section of the CARES Act that Senator Collins co-authored directing $48.5 billion to support housing and transportation programs.…
Governor Mills Signs Curtailment Order to Maintain Budget Stability Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
Update: RSU 16 Reconfiguration Talks Set Aside For Now, But Board Still Blunders Budget
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……
Residents Upset With Move to Reconfigure District’s 3 Community Elementary schools.
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. …
