After a unanimous agreement was reached this week by the members of the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee on a package to address the needs of the people of Maine, House Republican leaders have polled the caucus with regard to returning for a special session. In response to the poll, a sufficient number of House Republicans have agreed to return to the state house next week for a special session. Below is… Read More

This Election Day, polling locations across the state are being inundated with candidates for various political offices collecting $5 checks for “clean elections” at their local polling locations. In some cases, candidates have set up tables just a few feet away from the polls with large signs simply asking: “Do You Want To Fund Clean Elections?” without informing the voters that, as the candidate, they are the beneficiary of the money they’re… Read More

Advocate’s email outlines House Democrat’s stall tactics and obstructionism The Maine Legislature will be back in session tomorrow morning to take up a number of gubernatorial vetoes, but according to an email sent by substance abuse advocate Malory Shaughnessy to other state house advocates and lobbyists, Speaker of the House Sara Gideon is urging advocates not to work with House Republicans to solve many of the unresolved issues remaining before the legislature…. Read More

Tuesday, Democrats in the Maine House killed a bill that would have asked Maine voters if they wanted to allow Mainers living in the Second Congressional District to have a say in the referendum questions that appear on the ballot. LD 31 would have asked voters if they want to amend the Maine Constitution to require that an equal number of signatures required to qualify a referendum for the ballot come from… Read More

Rep. Brad Farrin of Norridgewock was joined by representatives from the Maine Bureau of Veterans Services, a bipartisan group of legislators and medical professionals from Maine at a press conference celebrating LD 1327 becoming law.   LD 1327 “An Act To Allow Former Military Medical Personnel To Perform Certain Medical Services” became law on March 4. The bill gives former United States Army medics, United States Air Force medical technicians, United States… Read More

On Tuesday, February 27, Rep. Patrick Corey (R) of Windham will propose an emergency bill that would make sweeping enhancements to the overall safety to Maine’s public schools. The measure is awaiting approval by the Legislative Council as an after deadline bill.  Rep. Corey has worked closely with the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine on an outline of what the legislation will include.   The bill would: Provide 20 million dollar General Obligation… Read More

“Homecare” referendum seeks to impose a $310 million annual tax hike on 70,000 Mainers This afternoon, a group of progressive activists delivered signatures to the Secretary of State’s office to put one of the largest tax increases in Maine history on the ballot this November. Although the group claims their proposal would raise $132 million annually, the actual numbers show that the group is being disingenuous about their figures. Last fall, the… Read More

AUGUSTA – On Thursday, January 25, the bipartisan Legislative Council will hold a vote on LR 2863, Representative Matthew Pouliot’s (R-Augusta) bill to protect minors from sexual predators, following a series of disturbing events within his community. As an after deadline bill, LR 2863 must get approval from the Legislative Council in order to be considered by the full Legislature this year. “It came to my attention last week that a registered sex… Read More

Thursday, LD 1327 “An Act To Expedite Healthcare Employment For Military Veterans” sponsored by Rep. Brad Farrin of Norridgewock advanced out of the Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development Committee with unanimous support.   The bill allows a former United States Army medic, United States Air Force medical technician, United States Navy corpsman or United States Coast Guard health services technician to perform certain medical services under the supervision of a person… Read More

This afternoon, a group of seven House Republicans questioned the constitutionality of LD 1686 “An Act To Amend the Laws Regarding Distributed Energy Generation and To Eliminate Gross Metering” during a public hearing in front of the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee. The bill proposes to raise revenues from one group of electric ratepayers and redistribute those funds to another class of ratepayer. This fee would be mandated providing no way for… Read More