AUGUSTA — The Democratic-controlled Legislature finished their business for the session early Wednesday, but a bitter partisan battle over borrowing money to fix the state’s roads and bridges remained heated. Lawmakers adjourned after midnight following a long day of votes on more than 30 bills vetoed by Republican Gov. Paul LePage, who has rejected more […]
legislature
Posted inOur View
Uniform access for all education, career recruiters
Late Tuesday, the House rejected a bill that would require Maine’s schools to grant uniformed military recruiters the same access and opportunity to meet with secondary students as are provided to other postsecondary and career recruiters. Key word? “Uniformed.” The measure required 101 votes to pass as a mandate but failed 96 to 45, just […]
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Posted inMaine
Legislative Analysis: Why it didn’t look like the Democrats were in the majority
AUGUSTA, Maine — Democrats campaigned in 2012 with a promise to end the authoritarian rule of Republican Gov. Paul LePage. That message resonated last November with voters who returned Democrats to majority status in both the House and Senate after giving Republicans control of the Legislature in 2010, the same year LePage won the Blaine […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine Senate Democrats choose Jackson as leader
AUGUSTA — The lawmaker from northern Maine who came under attack last month by Gov. Paul LePage is now the top Democrat in the state Senate. Maine Democrats announced Wednesday that Sen. Troy Jackson of Allagash will serve as majority leader following the resignation of former Senate Democratic leader Seth Goodall of Richmond, who has […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Legislature ends session with a tension-filled day
AUGUSTA — Political tension that has been building throughout the legislative session went into overtime Tuesday as lawmakers scrambled through dozens of gubernatorial vetoes and other business in an attempt to adjourn for the summer by the end of the day — some 20 days later than the targeted adjournment date of June 19. While […]
Posted inFranklin, Maine, The Franklin Journal
Bill allowing Livermore Falls to vote on leaving Androscoggin County moves forward
AUGUSTA — Livermore Falls voters will have the opportunity to decide whether they want to leave Androscoggin County and join Franklin County, after a late vote in the Maine House of Representatives on Tuesday. After a series of back-and-forth votes and a lengthy floor debate, the House voted to allow the town to vote on […]
Posted inMaine
Bill to allow uniformed recruiters into public schools falls short; Republicans say 19 Democrats flipped on votes
AUGUSTA — Lawmakers who are also military veterans were angered Tuesday when a host of their colleagues switched votes on a bill that would have required public schools to give recruiters in uniform access to school grounds. According to the Maine Department of Education, a handful of schools in Maine have disallowed uniformed recruiters but […]
Posted inBusiness, Maine, sj-web
Senate can’t muster enough votes to overturn raw milk veto
AUGUSTA — Despite being passed by lawmakers in June, a bill to deregulate small-scale production of raw milk will not become law after the Legislature failed Tuesday to muster the necessary votes to override Gov. Paul LePage’s veto. LePage vetoed the bill, An Act to Help Small Farmers in Selling Raw Milk Products, Monday night. On […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine Senate votes to keep cellphone privacy bill alive
AUGUSTA — Maine lawmakers have voted to override a veto by Gov. Paul LePage of a bill requiring law enforcement to have a warrant to get location information from a person’s cellphone. The Democratic-led Senate overturned the veto on a 22-11 vote on Tuesday. Veto overrides require a two-thirds majority of present and voting members. […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Nine vetoes survive override attempt in Maine Senate
AUGUSTA — The Maine Senate opened its work Tuesday by upholding nine vetoes issued by Republican Gov. Paul LePage. Legislators returned to Augusta on Tuesday for what many called “veto day,” during which members of the two chambers will vote on a flurry of vetoes LePage issued — including 21 on Monday — since the […]