The Maine Senate on Wednesday passed the bill to launch the state’s adult-use marijuana market, putting the legislation on the brink of heading to Gov. Paul LePage’s desk with veto-proof margins from both chambers of the Legislature. The bill passed by a 24-10 margin one day after being approved 112-34 in the House, which killed a […]
legislature
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine Democrats advance bill to partially fund Medicaid expansion
Democratic lawmakers Monday unveiled a $10.4 million bill that would partially fund a Medicaid expansion – a topic that Republican Gov. Paul LePage and state Democrats have been fighting about since Mainers overwhelmingly voted in favor of extending benefits to more people last fall. LePage has been a steadfast opponent of Medicaid expansion, which voters […]
advertisement
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine House passes bill that would launch recreational marijuana market
The latest bid to launch Maine’s adult-use marijuana market cleared its toughest political hurdle Tuesday with a veto-proof margin that bodes well for the compromise bill. If the bill continues on its current path, Mainers can expect to see the first recreational business licenses issued in the spring of 2019. It allows recreational retailers to […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Legislative fix on ranked-choice voting falters in Senate, leaving fate to courts
AUGUSTA — A last-minute attempt by Maine lawmakers to resolve some of the issues surrounding ranked-choice voting failed Thursday, leaving it up to the courts to decide the fate of the first-in-the-nation system. A 17-17 vote on a joint order in the Maine Senate scuttled attempts by Democrats to resolve concerns that Republicans had raised […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Lawmakers told Maine must reassess how it deals with children who commit crimes
Three experts in juvenile justice urged lawmakers on Wednesday to do a top-to-bottom assessment of how the state responds to troubled children. The recommendation came during a joint meeting of two legislative committees to discuss ongoing problems at the Long Creek Youth Development Center in South Portland, the state’s only correctional facility for youths, where […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
First pot-business licenses would go to Maine residents of at least 4 years
Maine lawmakers want to offer the first recreational marijuana business licenses to residents who have lived here for at least four years. A legislative committee voted Tuesday to boost the minimum residency requirement to get a state license to grow, manufacture or sell recreational marijuana from three to four years during its final review of […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Legislature backs bill to make it harder to begin municipal merger efforts
AUGUSTA — In response to requests from the mayors of Lewiston and Auburn, legislators adopted a measure Tuesday that will make it tougher for Maine municipalities to merge. “Hopefully, with this new step, other communities can avoid unnecessary heartache and expense on merger proposals that lack community support,” Sen. Eric Brakey, R-Auburn, said Tuesday. The […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Legislative committee backs pay raise for next Maine governor
AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage moved one step closer to a long-sought victory Monday when a legislative committee overwhelmingly endorsed more than doubling the pay of the next governor from $70,000 a year to $150,000. The State and Local Government Committee voted 11-1 in favor of increasing the salary, which is now the lowest of […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine Senate backs $45 million tax credits for BIW
AUGUSTA (AP) — A bill that would continue providing tens of millions of dollars in state tax breaks to a Navy shipbuilder is getting support from Maine lawmakers. The Senate voted 25-9 Wednesday to provide a tax credit to Bath Iron Works. The bill faces more legislative action before being sent to Republican Gov. Paul […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
State seeks public input on dropping proficiency-based graduation standards
AUGUSTA — The public will get the chance to weigh in on a proposal to eliminate proficiency-based diplomas, state lawmakers said Tuesday. The idea, which surfaced as an amendment to a bill that would delay the diplomas a year, will be brought forward as its own bill so there can be a public hearing, said […]