An Irving family company agreed to reduce by $150,000 the debt a leading Democratic legislator owed to the company – the same legislator who has been pushing to loosen state environmental regulations so that another Irving company can mine Bald Mountain in northern Maine. Irving Oil, according to a bankruptcy filing, said state Rep. John […]
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LePage wants to screen all TANF recipients for drugs
AUGUSTA — ’s plan to prevent anyone with a felony drug conviction from collecting cash welfare benefits advanced Monday in Augusta with a bill that would extend a program launched earlier this year. In January, LePage and his administration began administering drug tests on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families applicants who have had felony drug […]
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GOP plan offers $380 million in income tax relief; Democrats question how it will be paid for
AUGUSTA — Republican leaders in the Maine Legislature on Friday made official their proposal for the state’s next two-year budget that includes an income-tax cut they say will save Mainers $380 million. Parts of the proposal, first leaked Thursday, shows a plan that diverges significantly from what Republican Gov. Paul LePage had asked for in his […]
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Maine lawmakers vote to sustain, override LePage vetoes
AUGUSTA — The House and Senate have voted to override several bills vetoed by Gov. Paul LePage. The House voted 119-27 Wednesday in favor of overturning LePage’s veto of a bill that gives lawmakers control over plans to offer keno. The House also kept alive a proposal to increase filing fees for transmission line projects. […]
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LePage presents plan to reduce Maine’s welfare cliff
AUGUSTA — A Gov. Paul LePage plan aimed at moving more Mainers from welfare to work by allowing them to more gradually transition from public support as they gain income got a lukewarm reception from an organization that advocates for the state’s poor Tuesday. During a news conference earlier in the day, LePage rolled out […]
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Standardized testing opt-out debated in Maine legislative hearing
AUGUSTA — Students, teachers and Common Core opponents on Monday lashed out against the state’s new standardized tests, and they called on lawmakers to eliminate the tests, the standards or both and start fresh. During a lengthy series of public hearings, the Legislature’s Education and Cultural Affairs Committee heard testimony regarding a series of bills […]
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Maine lawmakers debate vaccination bills
AUGUSTA — Public health experts pressed lawmakers Monday to support bills aimed at boosting vaccination rates in Maine, but Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s administration and other critics said it’s inappropriate to strip parents of the ability to choose whether to inoculate their children. Lawmakers are considering whether to remove the philosophical exemption that allows parents […]
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GOP lawmaker argues against LePage’s hold on approved bonds
AUGUSTA — Republican Sen. Roger Katz of Augusta argued Monday that no governor should have the power to overrule the will of Maine voters when it comes to the release of bond funding. Katz has made headlines for opposing Republican Gov. Paul LePage on this issue since he authored LD 1378, which would require the […]
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Maine Senate president proposes study of unfunded mandates
AUGUSTA — A proposal by Republican Senate President Mike Thibodeau to identify unfunded demands by state government on towns and cities encountered a favorable reception Monday when it was introduced to the Legislature. LD 1377 would establish the Commission To Study the Reduction of Unfunded and Outdated Municipal Mandates, which would meet at least twice […]