Brennan, Education Committee members call on congressional delegation to oppose Department of Education changes

AUGUSTA – Rep. Michael Brennan, D-Portland, along with all Democratic members and one unenrolled member of the Legislature’s Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, sent a letter Tuesday to Maine’s congressional delegation opposing the U.S. Department of Education’s (DOE) plans to restructure two of its offices. 

AUGUSTA – Rep. Cassie Julia, D-Waterville, will be appointed by Speaker of the House Ryan Fecteau, D-Biddeford, to the new Unmanaged Storm Water Pollution Commission, effective July 29.  

The commission, which was created after the passage of LD 646 this April, will build upon the existing work of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection along with Maine Won’t Wait, the state’s climate action plan. 

AUGUSTA – The Maine Service Fellows (MSF), a program that was created through legislation sponsored by Rep. Morgan Rielly, D-Westbrook, is expanding its impact in rural Maine through one new placement in Hancock County and one in Aroostook County. The additional fellowships were made possible through funding authorized in LD 876, sponsored by Rep. Rielly.

By Rep. Ellie Sato 

We recently concluded this year’s legislative session, where we passed laws intended to make life better for families and working people. In Maine, we did the hard work of governing, passing policies I believe will help ensure our state is a place where families can live and work, where young people can put down roots and where we take care of our aging neighbors. 

When I first ran for office six years ago, I promised to focus on the issues affecting people’s daily lives: affordability, accountability and building a future where Maine families can thrive. 

Over the past six years serving my hometown of Scarborough in the Maine House of Representatives, I’ve delivered on lowering energy costs, supporting workers, improving transparency in government and providing practical results for Maine people.

Lowering Energy Costs for Maine Families 

AUGUSTA – A bill from Rep. Gerry Runte, D-York, to address high electricity costs and give residents more local control over their power is now law. Gov. Janet Mills recently signed the measure. 

On April 29, the Legislature officially wrapped up its work for this legislative session. Over the last few months, we passed hundreds of new laws to address the real issues facing Mainers. 

As the rising cost of living makes it harder for families to make ends meet, my priority in Augusta has been to pass policies that lower expenses and support a stronger community for the people of Gorham.

AUGUSTA – Rep. Holly Stover, D-Boothbay, recently earned the 2026 Legacy of Leadership Award from the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault. 

AUGUSTA – Assistant House Majority Leader Lori K. Gramlich, D-Old Orchard Beach, recently earned the 2026 Legacy of Leadership Award from the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault.  

AUGUSTA – Today, Gov. Janet Mills announced that she will veto LD 307, a bill sponsored by Rep. Melanie Sachs, D-Freeport, that would have instituted a temporary pause on the construction of data centers and created the Maine Data Center Coordination Council to assist towns with future implementation. 

Following the announcement, Rep. Sachs issued the following statement: