AUGUSTA — Maine’s Task Force to Address the Opioid Crisis is due to give its recommendations to the Maine Legislature this week. The panel wrapped up its work last week, and is due to deliver its recommendations for combating the drug crisis by Wednesday. The recommendations, which have not yet been released, will focus on […]
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Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Jim Handy introduces bill to restore student health centers in 15 schools across the state
Maine lawmakers will take up a bill in the next legislative session to unwind the impacts of a last-minute state budget deal that slashed funding unexpectedly to more than a dozen school-based student health centers. The proposal by Rep. Jim Handy, D-Lewiston, would restore 15 school-based health clinics that lost funding last July. Thousands of […]
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Posted inLewiston-Auburn, sj-web
Rick Mason captures state House seat his wife had held
LISBON — It’s a bittersweet moment for Rick Mason, elected Tuesday to fill a State House seat left vacant in September following the death of his wife. He called it “quite an emotional day” in which he was overwhelmed by the support he received. Mason, a Republican, defeated Democrat Scott Gaiason 1,180 to 868 in […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine House upholds Paul LePage’s veto of recreational marijuana regulations
AUGUSTA — The Maine House voted Monday to sustain Gov. Paul LePage’s veto of a bill that would create the legal framework for retail sales of recreational marijuana. The bill was the result of more than nine months of work by a special committee tasked with implementing the law that voters narrowly approved last November, […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine lawmakers return to consider Paul LePage's veto of marijuana law
PORTLAND (AP) — Maine lawmakers are returning to Augusta following Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s veto of a bill to regulate and tax the sale of marijuana. A two-thirds vote of lawmakers present Monday evening will determine whether or not the veto stands. The bill that establishes rules for the retail sale of recreational marijuana was […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Paul LePage vetoes retail marijuana bill
Gov. Paul LePage vetoed the adult-use cannabis bill today, saying he couldn’t support expansion of legal marijuana in Maine while its federal future remains so uncertain. In his veto letter, LePage said the conflict with federal law was only one of his concerns about the bill that would launch the state’s recreational market. He said […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Legislature delays and potentially repeals ranked-choice voting
Secretary of State Matt Dunlap, center, listens in on the special session in the House of Representatives in Augusta on Monday. (David Leaming/Morning Sentinel) AUGUSTA – A citizen-backed law that made Maine the first state in the nation to adopted a ranked choice voting system will be delayed and possibly repealed, following a series of […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine House approves bill to allow marijuana sales
Rep. Kenneth Fredette, R-Newport, looks up at the electronic voting board during Monday’s special session of the Legislature. (David Leaming/Morning Sentinel) Lawmakers in the Maine House of Representatives passed the marijuana regulatory bill, and nixed a Republican bid to delay implementation, but fell short of the number of votes needed to override a gubernatorial veto […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Marijuana on agenda for Maine legislative special session
AUGUSTA — Emile Clavet calls himself a serial entrepreneur, having made millions selling Maine real estate and electricity. The Harpswell businessman wants to jump into the recreational marijuana market next, but there is only so much he can do until he knows the rules. He has purchased warehouse space in Portland and is mapping out […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine lawmaker leaves Republican party, will finish term as independent
AUGUSTA (AP) — A two-term Republican state lawmaker says he has unenrolled from the GOP to focus on solutions over party. State Rep. Norman Higgins of Dover-Foxcroft says he will serve the rest of his second term as an independent. Higgins was among the only House Republicans who voted in favor of a budget before […]