January 30, 2013

AUGUSTA - The Legislature's Education and Cultural Affairs Committee today voted out a measure to curtail funding from charter schools. The vote fell on party lines, 8-5, with all five Republicans opposing the measure.

Department of Education commissioner Stephen Bowen and Department of Administrative and Financial Services commissioner Sawin Millett both testified before the committee. Commissioner Millett had sharp words for Democratic lawmakers, saying that their proposal to curtail ...

January 23, 2013

AUGUSTA - House Republican leadership on Wednesday joined Democratic and Senate Republican leadership in announcing the names of the 15 members to be appointed to the Committee on Maine's Workforce and Economic Future. The committee will be charged with proposing legislation to close the "skills gap" that exists in the job marketplace, whereby employers often cannot find workers with the skills they need to fill available jobs.

House Republican members on the committee include Reps. Paul...

May 9, 2012

AUGUSTA - Residents of Rep. Joyce Maker's legislative district think that MaineCare has reached a size that cannot be sustained, that public school students should be allowed to enroll in any school that has room, and that the Department of Education should develop protocols for head injuries to high school athletes. By 70 percent to 30 percent, they also rejected the idea of transferring money from other government programs to fill chronic shortfalls at the Department of Health and Human Servic...

February 22, 2012

House Republican Office

February 17, 2012

For more information:

Jay Finegan, 287-1445

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tree Growth Study Bill Gets Unanimous Committee Approval

AUGUSTA - The Legislature's Taxation Committee on Feb. 15 unanimously approved LD 1470, a bill to ensure the proper administration of Maine's Tree Growth Tax Law.

For decades, the program has offered tax abatements to landowners who harvest timber on their land in accordance with an approved harvesting p...

November 30, 2011

House Republican Office

November 18, 2011

For more information:

Jay Finegan, 287-1445

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Rep. Maker's proposal on sexual abuse education advances

AUGUSTA - State Rep. Joyce Maker received approval of her proposed legislation that would mandate child sexual abuse education for Maine pupils in kindergarten through fifth grade. Her measure was accepted by the Legislative Council on appeal at a November 17 meeting after being rejected last month.

Rep. ...

November 30, 2011

House Republican Office

November 21, 2011

For more information:

Jay Finegan, 287-1445

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ray Wallace sworn in as Legislature's newest member

AUGUSTA - State Rep. Ray Wallace was sworn into office today by Governor Paul LePage after winning a special election to fill a vacant seat in House District 24.

Rep. Wallace (R-Dexter) said he was motivated to run for office by the reform agenda championed by the Republican majorities in the House and Senate...

May 5, 2011

AUGUSTA - Landmark legislation to revamp Maine's health insurance market cleared a critical hurdle today in the House of Representatives by a vote of 76-72. The measure, designed to generate more competition and bring rates closer to national norms, now moves to the Senate. Final enactment votes in both bodies could come as early as next week.

"The people of our state are the winners today," said House Speaker Robert Nutting. "For years, reasonable proposals to fix a dysfunctional health insur...

March 14, 2011

AUGUSTA - State Rep. Joyce Maker will serve as House chair of the Citizen Trade Policy Commission (CTPC) during this legislative session, putting her in position to help analyze the impact of international trade agreements on the Maine workforce.

Rep. Maker (R-Calais), a first-term legislator, said she is honored by the appointment. "I look forward to voicing my concerns and making policy recommendations to protect Maine's jobs and business environment from the negative impact of trade agre...

January 25, 2011

AUGUSTA - State Rep. Joyce Maker has been assigned to the Legislature's Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs, putting her in position to shape legislation on a range of issues, from school finance and special education to the community college and University of Maine systems.

"I'm very pleased to be on the Education Committee," said Rep. Maker (R-Calais), a first-term legislator. "My professional career has been in education, and I hope that will assist me in making d...