BILLS, LAWS & STATUTES

LEGISLATIVE PROCESS

REPORTS, STUDIES & NEWSLETTERS

RESEARCH  & INSTRUCTIONAL TOOLS

SCHEDULES     

Maine Revised Statutes
The statutes are current through the 121^st Legislature, 2^nd Regular Session (Dec. 1, 2004). They are published by the Office of the Revisor of Statutes.

Laws of Maine (1997- )
Session laws enacted as Public Laws, Private and Special Laws, Resolves, or Constitutional Resolutions. Published by the Office of the Revisor of Statutes.  Online from 1997 forward.  A Text search option is also available.

Bills
Legislative Documents ("LDs") introduced and considered by the Maine Legislature.  Amendments are included as well.  Choose from the following sessions:

Bill Summaries
Summaries of bills referred to the Joint Standing Committees. Information includes primary sponsor, amendments, and final action. The Office of Fiscal and Program Review prepares summaries for the Appropriations and Taxation committees. The Office of Policy and Legal Analysis prepares summaries for all other committees.

Enacted Law Digests (1999- )
Produced at the end of each legislative session by the Office of Policy and Legal Analysis and the Office of Fiscal and Program Review, the Digests include the chapter number, title, LD number (for bills and resolves) or House or Senate paper number and title (for joint orders), a summary of the enacted bill, resolve or order and the effective date of any emergency legislation.

History & Final Disposition (1997- )
The History and Final Disposition gives the final status of all legislative documents. Includes sponsor and committee names, as well as identification of any new drafts or adopted amendments to the original bill . Published by the Legislative Information Office.

Weekly Legislative Reports
Lists of bills printed and bills enacted each week during the current session. Compiled by the Clerk of House.

Freedom of Access
Information about your right to receive information about government activity. Learn how to make a request, which exceptions exist and get answers to frequently asked questions.

Budget Process
An overview of the State’s budget process updated biennially by the Office of Fiscal and Program Review.

Fiscal Note Process
An overview of the State’s fiscal note process updated biennially by the Office of Fiscal and Program Review.

Guide to Participating in Public Hearings
A guide to public hearing procedures  and the preparation and presentation of testimony.

Legislative Record
Verbatim transcript of proceedings, floor debate and recorded votes in the Maine House and Senate:

• 118^th (1997-1998)   Senate and House
• 119^th (1999-2000)   Senate  or   House
• 120^th (2001-2002)   Senate  or   House
• 121^st  (2003-2004)   Senate  or   House 
• 122^nd (2005-2006)  Senate  or  House 

Legislators' Handbook
A guide to procedures, services, terminology, structure and facts of the Maine Legislature prepared each session for legislator's by the Office of Policy and Legal Analysis.

Maine Legislative Drafting Manual
Covers cloture, intake, the drafting process, forms of bills and orders, amendments, style and more. Published by the Office of the Revisor of Statutes. (PDF Format)

Path of Legislation
A step-by-step explanation of how a bill becomes a law in Maine.

Rules
Rules of operations and procedures adopted either by the House, the Senate , or jointly.

Compendium of State Fiscal Information (2008)

Major State Funding Disbursed to Municipalities and Counties (2008)

Legislative Study Reports

•   Office of Policy and Legal Analysis  (1996-  )
•   Office of Fiscal and Program Review  (1997-  )

OPLA Notes  (2000-  )
Published by the Office of Policy and Legal Analysis. Each issue of the newsletter features a legislative story (such as the Dirigo Health Plan), information on studies, recent legal issues and the legislature, and interesting facts about Maine.

Fiscal News  (2007-  )
Published monthly by the Office of Fiscal and Program Review. This newsletter includes monthly revenue and cash balance updates and other articles on important fiscal and budget issues affecting the State.

Glossary of Legislative Terms
A list of terms commonly used in the legislative process in Maine.

Guide to Participating in Public Hearings
A guide to public hearing procedures  and the preparation and presentation of testimony.

Legisbrief Cumulative Index 
The Law Library subscribes to NCSL Legisbrief and compiles its own cumulative subject index. These two-page issue papers are useful for tracking legislative topics in other states and on a national level.

Legislators' Handbook
A guide to procedures, services, terminology, structure and facts of the Maine Legislature prepared each session for legislators by the Office of Policy and Legal Analysis.

• House  Also links to an index of past calendars.
• Senate

Public Hearings

• Advance Notice of Public Hearings -  Lists times and locations for public hearings  held by the Joint Standing Committees. Also links to information about hearing procedures and how to prepare testimony. Published by the Senate.
  
• Public Hearing Schedule - Lists hearings for the next seven days arranged by Committee. Published by the Legislative Information Office.

Session Schedules
House and Senate monthly sessions, Hall of Flags activities and performances, Offerings of opening prayers

Weekly Legislative Calendar
List of meetings of interest to Legislators and members of the public Compiled by the Clerk of the House.

Work Sessions
Work sessions scheduled for the next seven days and arranged by committee. Published by the Legislative Information Office.

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