AUGUSTA — A week after it was overwhelmingly supported, then abruptly tabled pending possible amendments, a bill that would arm and train the state’s forest rangers was approved by the Maine House of Representatives Tuesday and will be sent to the Senate for debate. On Feb. 25, the House voted 139-7 for LD 297, but […]
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Posted inMaine, sj-web
LePage blasts Democrats, plans to replace $21 million in rainy-day fund
Democratic leaders react to Gov. Paul LePage’s announcement AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage announced Tuesday that he has a plan to reverse what he called an “irresponsible and incompetent” $21 million raid of the state’s rainy day fund by the Legislature, which he said would make him willing to release more than $100 million in voter-approved […]
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Posted inMaine, sj-web
Appropriations Committee works on supplemental budget today
AUGUSTA — A Maine legislative panel is moving forward with its work to craft a supplemental budget without the help of Gov. Paul LePage. The Appropriations Committee will hear public testimony starting Tuesday on a range of ideas being examined to fix shortfalls in the state’s $6.3 billion, two-year budget. The hearings are expected to […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Commission rejects Lewiston-Auburn charter school
AUGUSTA — There will be no publicly financed charter school opening in Lewiston-Auburn this fall. A state commission not only voted unanimously Monday to deny the application of the Lewiston-Auburn Academy Charter School, it voted to strike language in a report inviting the school with Turkish ties from applying again. And two members of the […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Committee sends Medicaid expansion to Maine Senate
AUGUSTA — A proposal by two moderate Republican senators to expand Medicaid and incorporate drastic changes in the state Medicaid program has cleared the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee and will now be taken up by the full Senate. The bill — crafted by Assistant Senate Minority Leader Roger Katz of Augusta and Sen. […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn, sj-web
Commission rejects Lewiston-Auburn charter school, OKs virtual school
AUGUSTA — There will be no publicly financed charter school opening in Lewiston-Auburn this fall. A state commission not only voted unanimously Monday to deny the application of the Lewiston-Auburn Academy Charter School, it voted to strike language in a report inviting the school with Turkish ties from applying again. And two members of the […]
Posted inMaine
Committee cuts out ‘shoot-to-kill’ rule for Windham prison
AUGUSTA — A proposal that would have allowed the use of deadly force against any prisoners attempting an escape from the Maine Correctional Center in Windham was stripped from a bill Monday that makes other changes to the state’s Department of Corrections. In a 12-1 vote, the Legislature’s Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee agreed […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Report finds fewer resources available for legal aid
AUGUSTA — Just one in every five people who qualifies for legal aid in Maine is able to receive services because of inadequate funding, according to an advocacy group. The Justice Action Group, which promotes access to justice in civil matters, will hold an informational program at the State House from 9 a.m. to 2 […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Lawmakers to debate Medicaid expansion today
AUGUSTA — A Maine legislative panel is once again examining a bill that would expand Medicaid under the federal health care law and make other significant changes to the state’s program. The Health and Human Services Committee will hold a work session Monday on the Medicaid expansion measure crafted by two Republican senators. The committee […]
Posted inBusiness, sj-web
LePage bill would remove wind energy goals
AUGUSTA — More than five years ago, Maine set ambitious goals to spur wind power development aimed at helping wean the state off fossil fuels. But now Republican Gov. Paul LePage says the targets don’t really help the state and are so far out of reach as to be meaningless, so why have them? A […]