Policy
Maine Policy News
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……
An Act To Require Photographic Identification for the Purpose of Voting
Public Hearing Scheduled April 7th for LD 557 – This bill requires the presentation of proof of identity in the form of a photograph 18 identification document when voting in person.…
An Act To Base the Motor Vehicle Excise Tax on Actual Sale Price
Public Hearing Scheduled April 2nd For LD 970 – This bill provides that, for a motor vehicle purchased after December 31, 2022, the motor vehicle excise tax must be based on the purchase price for the motor vehicle if purchased from a new vehicle dealer or a used car dealer. For other motor vehicles, the excise tax continues to be based on the maker’s list price.…
An Act To Clarify the Maine Food Sovereignty Act
Public Hearing Scheduled April 6th for LD 574 – This bill clarifies the Maine Food Sovereignty Act. The bill amends the definition of “direct producer-to-consumer transaction” to mean any exchange of food or food products directly between a producer and a consumer in a manner mutually agreed upon by the producer and consumer of the food or food products rather than face-to-face transactions at the site of production.…
Resolve, To Convene a Working Group To Develop Plans To Protect Maine’s Agricultural Lands When Siting Solar Arrays
Public Hearing Scheduled April 1st For LD 820 – This resolve directs the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to convene a working group of stakeholders to develop plans and consider ways to discourage the use of land of higher agricultural value and encourage the use of more marginal agricultural lands when siting a solar array.…
Resolve, To Provide for Participation of the State in the Planning and Negotiations for the Atlantic Loop Energy Project
Work Session Scheduled April 1st for LD 82 – 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 project intended to pass through the State, enabling possible participation in it on an equal footing with the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Quebec.…
An Act To Protect Utility Customers from Investor Risk for Costs Incurred Due to a Disaster
Public Hearing Scheduled April 1st for LD 285 – This bill prohibits an investor-owned transmission and distribution utility from recovering in rates any costs incurred by the utility as a result of a disaster regardless of whether or not the utility receives federal assistance in paying those costs…
Federal Unemployment Programs Extended by American Rescue Plan
On Thursday, March 11, 2021 the American Rescue Plan was signed into law by President Biden. This law includes several provisions that extend federal unemployment programs.…
$28 million reconstruction of Exit 45 Interchange to begin next week
A $28 million project that will reconstruct Maine Turnpike’s Exit 45 Interchange in South Portland is scheduled to begin next week.…
New round of municipal stream crossing grants awarded by Maine DEP
The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) received 47 applications totaling over $5.5 million dollars in funding requests. The forty-two stream crossing projects funded this round will result in new or improved fish passage to nearly 100 miles of streams statewide…
Secretary Bellows testifies in support of U.S. House elections reform bill
Secretary of State Shenna Bellows will testify today before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on House Administration in support of H.R. 1, the “For the People Act” of 2021.…
Maine Slows Spread of Emerald Ash Borer with Continued Ash Movement Restrictions
The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry’s (DACF) Plant Health Program (PHP) and Maine Forest Service (MFS) announced today that Maine is taking the next step to continue regulating the movement of ash wood material.…
Governor Mills Expresses “Grave Concern” Over Draft Right Whale Biological Opinion
The Maine Department of Marine Resources filed comments with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on the draft Biological Opinion for ten fishery management plans in the Greater Atlantic Region, focusing on the North Atlantic Right Whale. In a cover letter included with DMR’s comments, Governor Janet Mills expressed “grave concern” about the draft Bi-Op, warning it will be economically devastating and will fundamentally change Maine’s lobster fishery.…
National Invasive Species Awareness Week, February 22-26
“Together, we can do more” is the theme under which the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) is rolling out its 2021 National Invasive Species Awareness Week (NISAW) campaign.…