Assistant House Republican Leader Rep. Ellie Espling of New Gloucester has received the “President’s Award for Legislative Service” from the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine. The award comes after Rep. Espling’s tireless efforts to reform Maine’s referendum process, specifically a bill she sponsored that would allow residents of Maine’s Second Congressional to have their voices heard.

During the last legislative session, Rep. Espling sponsored LD 31 “RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine To Require That Signatures on a Direct Initiative of Legislation Come from Each Congressional District.”  The bill to require an equal number of signatures from each congressional district in order for an initiative to qualify for the ballot fell 8 votes shy of the necessary votes required to send the proposal out to Maine voters, as it failed to get the support of Democrats in the House of Representatives.

“It’s an honor to receive this award from a first-class organization like the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine,” said Rep. Espling. “Maine has a rich outdoor sporting tradition which has been under attack by out of state special interest groups who take advantage of our referendum process to push their agendas. The Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine and I have been at the forefront of the efforts to reform the referendum process in Maine so it works for everyone.”

“I have always been impressed by Rep. Espling and her work in the Maine House of Representatives. “Ellie is a straight shooter and when she works issues she always does it from the heart,” said David Trahan, Executive Director of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine.

In 2015, the people of Maine rejected a ban on baiting, trapping and hounding for the second time in recent years. Just one year later, they had to reject another attempt by out of state special interests looking to game our referendum system. This time it was the Michael Bloomberg funded Question 3 initiative that took aim at Mainers’ Second Amendment rights despite our state’s long history of responsible gun ownership.

Rep. Ellie Espling is serving her fourth term in the Maine House representing House District 65 which includes New Gloucester and part of Poland. She has served two terms as the Assistant House Republican Leader and is currently a candidate for the Maine State Senate in District 20.