AUGUSTA - Members of the Legislative Council voted last week on bill proposals for the upcoming session. One bill sponsored by Rep. Allison Hepler, D-Woolwich, to address the growing problem of browntail moth infestations in the state, has been approved by the council to be considered next year.
To help municipalities address the growing pest population, Hepler sponsored An Act To Provide Funding to Municipalities Severely Invested with Browntail Moths. This bill will provide local governments with funds to obtain resources needed to combat these pests, such as pole saws to clip nests from trees.
"I am grateful for the Legislative Council's support. I have worked closely with the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and the state entomologist to craft a meaningful, impactful bill that will help municipalities provide resources to affected citizens," said Hepler.
The bill will also direct the department to hire contractors to help with education efforts, arborists to conduct workshops for residents and a licensed pesticide applicator to target specific trees.
During even numbered years, the Legislature generally limits bill submissions to those that address emergencies and other pressing situations. The Legislative Council, which is made up of each party's leaders in the Maine House and Senate, decides which bills fit the criteria. Of 330 proposed, the council approved only 107 bills when they met last week.
Hepler's bill will be heard when the Legislature meets again in January.
Hepler is serving her second term in the Maine House and represents Arrowsic, Dresden, Georgetown, Phippsburg, Woolwich and part of Richmond. She serves on the Marine Resources Committee and the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee.
Contact:
Jackie Merrill [Hepler] c. 812-1111