AUGUSTA — Maine lawmakers and parents are planning to gather at the State House to lobby for a bill that would create a special state unit dedicated to investigating unsolved homicides. A bill that would fund the roughly $500,000 cold case unit will be considered by the Judiciary Committee on Thursday. Among those supporting the […]
legislature
Posted inBethel, sj-web
Committee tables LD 1082 discussion
The Maine Legislature’s Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs tabled discussion Tuesday on LD 1082, a bill that, if passed, could impact SAD 44 more financially than the withdrawal of Newry would. The bill proposes to remove an exemption imposed 10 years ago on SAD 44 and SAD 6 that kept local school cost sharing […]
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Posted inMaine
By one vote, Maine Senate OKs bill requiring photo ID to vote
AUGUSTA — By a single vote, the Maine Senate approved a bill Wednesday that would require voters to produce photographic identification at the polls when voting. The 18-17 vote followed a lively floor debate in which Republican supporters of the bill argued that protecting the integrity of the state’s voting system was their primary objective. […]
Posted inBusiness, sj-web
Lepage opposes southern Maine casino
AUGUSTA — Republican Gov. Paul LePage says that a large resort casino in southern Maine would negatively impact the state. In a letter to members of the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, Hank Fenton, deputy counsel for LePage, said the governor opposes several bills that would open the door to more gambling. Fenton says LePage […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Westbrook official: ‘If (LePage) goes to meet his maker it wouldn’t hurt my feelings’
SCARBOROUGH, Maine — At a public event in Scarborough on Tuesday night to discuss a tax reform plan being proposed by Democrats, Westbrook Town Councilor said if Republican Gov. Paul LePage died “it wouldn’t hurt my feelings one bit,” according to the Portland Press Herald. The newspaper reported that Emery later apologized for his remarks, but […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine lawmakers call for LePage to release bonds
AUGUSTA — A group of Democratic and Republican lawmakers are calling on Gov. Paul LePage to stop holding voter-approved bonds “hostage” to advance his political agenda. Republican Sen. Roger Katz and eight other lawmakers unveiled a bill on Tuesday that seeks to force the governor to release bonds for land conservation projects that he says he’s […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine Mayors’ Coalition wants lawmakers to fix PUC funding
AUGUSTA — A group of Maine mayors is urging lawmakers to fix an error in a 2013 law that caused regulators to cut funding for energy efficiency programs. The Mayors’ Coalition met at the Statehouse on Tuesday to discuss their priorities for the remainder of the legislative session. The group is made up of mayors […]
Posted inBusiness, sj-web
State plastic bag ban fails in Maine House
AUGUSTA— The Maine House has rejected a bill that would prohibit retailers from using disposable plastic bags. The Democratic-controlled House voted 84-62 against the bill on Tuesday. Under the measure, retailers would no longer be able to use single-use plastic bags, starting September 2020. Plastic bags would still be allowed for some items, like prescription […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Democrats take budget presentation to Scarborough
SCARBOROUGH — Maine’s House Speaker and Senate Democratic leader are preparing to visit Scarborough to discuss their tax overhaul plan with residents. House Speaker Mark Eves and Senate Minority Leader Justin Alfond will hold a town hall meeting at Camp Ketcha on Tuesday at 6 p.m. It will be the second event that Democrats have […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
John Martin drops support for his term limit repeal bill
AUGUSTA — The elimination of legislative term limits or extension of terms for lawmakers in Maine seem unlikely at best after committee votes Monday afternoon. Democratic Rep. John Martin of Eagle Lake, who was the poster child for the implementation of term limits in 1993, sponsored a bill, LD 182, to repeal them this year, but […]