AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage has signed into law a bill that relocates or removes dozens of signs advertising schools, beaches, ski slopes and other attractions from Maine’s two interstate highways. LePage signed LD 1831 Wednesday. The measure aims to protect about $170 million in federal highway funds by bringing the state in line with […]
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Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine Democrats prepare to present another Medicaid expansion plan
AUGUSTA — The debate over Medicaid expansion has dominated the 126th Legislature, and will continue to do so as the session winds down and lawmakers prepare to head back to their districts. On Thursday night, the last scheduled day of session, House Speaker Mark Eves, D-North Berwick, plans to present a last-ditch effort based on […]
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Maine Senate amends, approves bill to expand access to anti-heroin drug
AUGUSTA — After unanimous votes Wednesday in both chambers, the Maine Legislature sent Gov. Paul LePage a bill that broadens access to a medication meant to counter deadly overdoses of opiate-based drugs, including prescription painkillers and heroin. Slight changes to the bill that originated in the Senate on Wednesday reportedly will make it more acceptable […]
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Legislature passes budget fix for 2015 despite LePage opposition
AUGUSTA — The Legislature on Tuesday easily passed a $32 million state budget fix for 2015. The House passed the bill on a vote of 136-8; the Senate passed the bill 35-0. Lawmakers wanted to put the bill on Gov. Paul LePage’s desk by the time they adjourned later this week. LePage already threatened a […]
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Democrats kill ‘Open for Business Zones’ bill proposed by LePage
AUGUSTA — Democrats successfully completed their turn-back of Gov. Paul LePage’s proposal to create “Open for Business Zones” at two former military bases in Maine with a mostly party-line vote Monday in the House of Representatives. The 91-55 vote Monday morning follows a 22-13 vote Friday in the Senate. LD 1835 is now essentially dead. […]
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Maine House OKs expanding heroin overdose antidote
AUGUSTA — After an initial vote in the House, a life-saving drug that can stop an opiate overdose in its tracks could well be on its way into the hands of more emergency responders, law enforcement officers, firefighters and addicts’ loved ones. Despite opposition from Republican Gov. Paul LePage, the House unanimously voted to give […]
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State Senate sustains LePage’s veto of Medicaid expansion for third time
AUGUSTA — The Maine Legislature failed on Friday in its third attempt to overturn Gov. Paul LePage’s veto of a bill that would expand Medicaid coverage to 70,000 low-income residents under the federal health care law — an issue that’s certain to play prominently in this year’s governor’s race. The 22-13 vote in the Senate was […]
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LePage indicates opposition to $30 million budget patch, threatens to keep lawmakers in Augusta
“If they try to do what they’ve done for the last three years, they will be here until Election Day because I will call them back every day to fill the hole in the budget,” said LePage during a press conference on Wednesday. “They are playing games.” Though LePage was not specific about his opposition […]
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House passes bill to remove and regulate signs on Maine interstates
AUGUSTA — The Maine House on Thursday overwhelmingly voted in favor of a bill that revamps the state’s laws for signs along interstate highways. On an initial vote of 120-23, LD 1831 passed despite concerns from some lawmakers who said the bill would lead to the removal of signs that help their communities’ tourist trade. […]
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Maine House passes bill to add drug agents; LePage threatens veto
AUGUSTA — The Maine House on Wednesday, with broad bipartisan support, passed an amended version of a Gov. Paul LePage bill that adds drug enforcement agents, judges and prosecutors to the state’s payroll in an effort to bring under control the state’s growing opiate drug problems. The measure also increases funding to the Maine Department […]