AUGUSTA — A Maine legislative committee has rejected a proposal to ask voters whether they want to repeal the state’s Clean Election law. The Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee voted 9-1 Wednesday against Republican Sen. Eric Brakey’s bill. Brakey wants to put a measure on the ballot this November to ask voters whether they want […]
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Posted inBusiness, sj-web
Maine committee rejects right-to-work bill
AUGUSTA — A legislative committee has rejected a bill that would prohibit Maine employers from requiring employees to join a union or pay dues as a condition of employment. The House Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development Committee voted 7-6 against Republican Rep. Larry Lockman’s so-called right-to-work bill on Wednesday. Democrats were joined in opposing […]
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Posted inMaine, sj-web
Energy bill to fix funding typo easily passes Maine House
AUGUSTA — A controversial bill to fix a typo that could be worth roughly $38 million to the Efficiency Maine Trust sailed through the House of Representatives Wednesday on a 138-1 vote. Assistant House Majority Leader Sara Gideon’s bill, LD 1215, which inserts the missing “and” into the 2013 energy bill that included funding directives for […]
Posted inNation / World, sj-web
Feds argue U.S. Supreme Court should reject Maine Medicaid case
AUGUSTA — The federal government is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to reject Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s request to decide whether Maine can eliminate Medicaid coverage for thousands of low-income young adults. LePage’s administration asked the court to review the case in February after a federal appeals court denied its plan to remove about 6,000 […]
Posted inNation / World, sj-web
Former House Speaker Jim Wright dies at age 92
DALLAS — Former House Speaker Jim Wright, the longtime Texas Democrat who became the first speaker in history to be driven out of office in midterm, has died. He was 92. Wright, who had been living in a nursing home in Fort Worth, died early Wednesday morning, according to the Harveson and Cole funeral home […]
Posted inNation / World, sj-web
Analysis: Congress shows some signs of productivity
WASHINGTON — For just the first time in six years, Congress gave final approval to its annual budget resolution Tuesday — the latest in a slow but steady churn of progress that suggests maybe the new boss isn’t the same as the old boss. Later this week the Senate likely could pass a bipartisan bill […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Legislators wrestle with cost of repealing income tax
AUGUSTA — It would mean a lot more money in Mainers’ paychecks, but critics of Gov. Paul LePage’s plan to eliminate the income tax say the cost is simply too high for the state to bear. During a public hearing Tuesday on the governor’s bill, which would ask voters to ratify a constitutional amendment banning […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
LePage adds support to repeal of California concealed handgun permits
AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage has signaled his support for a constitutional challenge in California to repeal that state’s concealed handgun permit law. LePage is one of six Republican governors who have signed an amicus brief on a case in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, according to a court filing dated […]
Posted inMaine
Wind power proponents tout study showing positive impacts for Maine
AUGUSTA — Proponents of Maine’s wind-power industry Tuesday touted a new study showing positive impacts on health and the environment from the industry’s growth in the state. Meanwhile, a bill before the Legislature aims to “dismantle” the state’s wind energy sector, according to those who testified against the bill, also on Tuesday. “This study confirms […]
Posted inMaine
Maine lawmaker wants to protect nonvaccinated people from discrimination
AUGUSTA — State Rep. David Sawicki, R-Auburn, is asking Maine lawmakers to approve a bill that would make it illegal to discriminate against any person who decides to forgo certain vaccinations. Sawicki is the sponsor of LD 950, “An act to prohibit discrimination against a person who is not vaccinated.” On Monday, Sawicki said his […]