Senator Debra Plowman
Senator Debra Plowman is currently serving her third term in the State Senate. She was first elected to the State House of Representatives in 1992, where she represented Hampden, Newburgh and Dixmont. She was re-elected to the House for three more terms, serving there through 2000. In the House, she served 8 years on the Legislature's Judiciary Committee, 6 years as the ranking member.
In 2000, Senator Plowman returned to the private sector to help run PDQ Door, the family business. But, in 2004, after a four year break, she won a three way primary for the State Senate, and went on to win the general election. Senator Plowman now serves on the Legislature's Legal and Veterans Affairs Committee, and is a member of the Presiding Officers Select Committee on Ethics.
She is also a member of the American Legislative Exchange Council's Civil Justice Task Force, and the
National Conference of State Legislatures' Standing Committee on Legislative Effectiveness. In the private sector, Senator Plowman is the Corporate and Economic Development Chair of the Bangor branch of the National Association of Women Business Owners, and a member of the Women's Auxiliary of the American Legion.
Policy issues spearheaded by Senator Plowman include a 1993 bill to collect child support, which became a national model and has since collected $1 billion in child support. Her work with DHS legislation has also resulted in an increased amount of children being placed with relatives instead of in foster care.
Senator Plowman uses her own experience running a business to speak out on proposed legislation that drive up workers compensation, unemployment, and energy costs for Maine's businesses.