AUGUSTA — A group hoping to place a ballot question before Maine voters to legalize recreational marijuana says it has raised $53,011 in the second quarter of 2015. But $50,000 of the donation to The Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol came from the Marijuana Policy Project, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group that claims 200,000 supporters […]
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Posted inMaine
As Maine Legislature returns for final day, outcomes remain uncertain
AUGUSTA — As top legislative leaders pushed to bring to a close one of the longest lawmaking sessions in the past 24 years, some — including House Minority Leader Rep. Ken Fredette, R-Newport — were pushing for a few more days. Rob Poindexter, a spokesman for Fredette, spoke earlier this week about “pumping the brakes” […]
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Cartoonist’s son accepts Paul LePage’s apology, says he wasn’t offended
AUGUSTA — Republican Gov. Paul LePage issued a handwritten apology to the son of a Bangor newspaper cartoonist who LePage quipped he would like to shoot. LePage made the comment to Nick Danby, the son of Bangor Daily News cartoonist George Danby, during a question and answer period at Dirigo Boys State in June. Earlier […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Paul LePage plans to take veto issue to Maine Supreme Court — eventually
AUGUSTA — A debate between Republican Gov. Paul LePage and lawmakers over the status of dozens of bills on his desk may not be resolved any time soon. LePage told the Maine Public Broadcasting Network on Monday that he plans to ask the Maine Supreme Court for its opinion, but hasn’t yet decided when he […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
AG Janet Mills says Paul LePage missed his chance to veto bills
AUGUSTA — The state’s top law enforcement officer Friday sided with the Legislature and against Republican Gov. Paul LePage in a opinion that says LePage missed his deadline to veto some 19 bills that are now law. Attorney General Janet Mills, a Democrat, answering a request for advice from state Sens. Dawn Hill, D-Cape Neddick, […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Paul LePage asks legislative staff to stop writing bills into laws
AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage’s contention that the Legislature is adjourned and that he has the right to hold 70 enacted bills until lawmakers reconvene was rebuffed on two fronts late Friday afternoon, including an opinion from Democratic Attorney General Janet Mills. LePage argues that the Legislature adjourned on June 30, meaning that he does […]
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Paul LePage stance could send another 51 bills into lawbooks
AUGUSTA — A new argument by Republican Gov. Paul LePage that the Legislature adjourned on June 30 — a position disputed by legislative leaders — could result in another 51 bills becoming law without LePage’s signature. That’s the number of bills the Legislature passed and sent to his office on June 30, the last time […]
Posted inMaine
Paul LePage’s ‘pocket veto’ of bills looks like it will backfire
AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage has thrown a new wrench into the gears of the Legislature, this time with a move to “pocket veto” at least 19 bills, despite the fact that conditions for such a maneuver have not been met. On Tuesday, the state’s revisor of statutes, Suzanne Gresser, confirmed 19 bills had not […]
Posted inLivermore Falls Advertiser, Maine
Maine Legislature to return to State House on July 16 for ‘veto day’
AUGUSTA — The $6.7 billion state budget may be in place, but Maine lawmakers don’t get to clear off their desks just yet. While they plowed through nearly all of the remaining bills on their to-do list last week, lawmakers will be hauled back to Augusta later this month thanks to Gov. Paul LePage’s prolific […]
Posted inMaine
Lawmakers pass Maine $6.7 billion budget despite LePage veto
AUGUSTA – In a show of bipartisan strength Tuesday, the Maine Legislature stood up to Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s veto of a new $6.7 billion state budget that cuts the state’s income tax rate and stretches the sales tax in an attempt to shift more of the state’s costs to visitors. The House voted 109-37 […]