AUGUSTA — It’s been a week since the Legislature blew past its scheduled adjournment date, and it’s going to be at least three more before lawmakers close the door on the session for good. There’s still several bills waiting for final votes, including several high-profile pieces of legislation, such as one to reverse jail consolidation, […]
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Posted inMaine
Maine lawmakers take timeout in rush to finish work for 2015
AUGUSTA — State lawmakers gave themselves a timeout early Wednesday morning when they voted to extend by five days their current work session and then went on recess until Tuesday, June 30. The Legislature still has before it a host of work, not the least of which is finalizing a $6.7 billion budget package that […]
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Mark Eves loses Good Will-Hinckley job; blames Paul LePage
FAIRFIELD — The Good Will-Hinckley board of directors has rescinded its offer to House Speaker Mark Eves to be the next president of the organization, which includes the Maine Academy of Natural Sciences charter school in Fairfield. “The Board of Directors of Good Will-Hinckley, after a great deal of consideration, has voted to seek a […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine Legislature extends session for five days to finish work
AUGUSTA — For the second time in less than a week the Legislature voted to extend its lawmaking session for an additional five days with votes early Wednesday morning. Lawmakers are winding up their work in what’s been a contentious, 6-month lawmaking session highlighted by a split between House and Senate Republicans on a budget […]
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Repeal of Maine’s jail consolidation law moves forward
AUGUSTA — The Maine House on Tuesday passed a bill that returns control of county jails to the counties. The bill, LD 186, repeals a 2007 law change that aimed to consolidate the operations of the state’s 15 county jails with the Maine Department of Corrections through a unified state Board of Corrections. The bill […]
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Bill to overhaul Maine tax credit program dies
AUGUSTA — A bill has died that sought to overhaul a Maine business tax credit program that came under scrutiny after a newspaper report. The Republican-controlled Senate voted 19-15 to defeat the bill on Tuesday. The bill initially sought to expand the New Markets Capital Investment Program, which aims to encourage business investment in poor communities. But […]
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Maine House blocks bill that would prevent minimum wage increases
AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage’s effort to keep Bangor and Portland from raising the minimum wage for workers inside their city limits suffered a blow Monday when the House of Representatives rejected the bill. The Democrat-controlled House voted 83-60, without debate, to block LD 1361. The bill would prevent any municipality in the state from […]
Posted inBusiness, sj-web
Legislature legalizes industrial hemp in Maine
AUGUSTA — A new law allowing hemp cultivation for commercial uses in Maine is in effect now that the Legislature has overridden a veto by Gov. Paul LePage. “I am absolutely thrilled that this is now law,” said Rep. Deborah Sanderson, R-Chelsea, who sponsored LD 4 to legalize hemp cultivation for industrial uses. “This was […]
Posted inMaine
Gov. Paul LePage promises a citizen’s initiative to lower income tax
Gov. Paul LePage is still stewing about the Legislature’s rejection of his proposed constitutional amendment to kill the income tax. The bill would have put the question out to Maine voters, who LePage says should be given the choice. LePage is already so mad about the bill’s failure that he’s pledged to veto every piece […]