AUGUSTA – Four key bills sponsored by Rep. Ambureen Rana, D-Bangor, will go into effect today.
LD 703 provides one-time funding of $200,000 for a healthcare gap year program that incentivizes recent college graduates to work in critical positions, particularly in underserved and rural communities.
“Mainers are having to wait far too long to see their providers,” said Rana. “In the meantime, they are suffering in pain or with untreated conditions, delaying care and having their long-term health put at unconscionable risk. At the same time, the state’s healthcare workforce – including the number of primary care doctors, nurse practitioners, psychiatrists and physician assistants – is dwindling.”
The program will allow providers, many who are considering enrolling in advanced degrees, to spend time getting hands-on training before continuing their education.
“Placing recent college graduates in these frontline positions will not only reduce the current backlog in timely access to care, but it will also help develop the talent pipeline of specialized healthcare providers that are sorely needed to meet the state’s future health workforce needs,” said Rana.
LD 1164 supports economic development in Wabanaki communities by authorizing tribal governments to operate internet gaming, also known as iGaming, in Maine. The historic bill will also help put an end to illegal gaming operations, which have no government oversight, while helping to generate economic independence for the Wabanaki Nations.
“By empowering the Wabanaki Nations with exclusive rights to operate internet gaming in Maine, we support the self-determination of the Wabanaki people and ensure that gaming revenues stay here and benefit our communities — not big, out-of-state corporations,” said Rana. “A significant portion of generated funds will be directed toward issues that all Mainers have an interest in, including preventing and treating addiction, to keep our communities safe and well.”
LD 1738 creates a Biohazard Waste Disposal Grant Program, administered by the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Grants will be provided to local organizations and municipalities working to reduce syringe litter and improve disposal infrastructure. An annual report will be submitted to the Legislature detailing the successes and challenges of the program.
“This is a needed public health investment from our state,” said Rana.
As of July 16, Penobscot County has confirmed 44 cases of HIV, primarily among people who inject drugs and people who are unhoused. Over the previous five years, there were an average of two new HIV diagnoses per year.
“Syringe cleanup is preventable medicine,” said Rana. “LD 1738 provides real, tangible solutions to syringe waste that advances both public health and public safety.”
Finally, LD 2116 removes the existing sunset provision on Maine’s Affordable Housing Income Tax Credit, while leaving all existing annual allocation caps, rules and program safeguards the same. The program, which was created in 2019, has been utilized by developers to subsidize the construction of more than 800 income-restricted homes in the last six years.
“This new law supports a program that is already working as intended,” said Rana. “Making this tax credit permanent will allow our state to continue addressing our housing shortage, particularly for working families, older Mainers and rural communities.”
Rana is serving her second term representing House District 21, which includes a portion of Bangor. She serves as a member of the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee.
Contact:
Brian Lee (Rana) | 305-965-2744