AUGUSTA - Rep. Morgan Rielly, D-Westbrook, introduced legislation on Wednesday before the Legislature's Joint Standing Committee on Taxation to provide financial relief to volunteer service members.

LD 1573 would allow for the education awards received by members of AmeriCorps, the Maine Service Fellows and the Maine Climate Corps, which can be used to repay eligible student loans, to be tax exempt.

AUGUSTA - The Maine House of Representatives voted Tuesday to advance a bill sponsored by Rep. Anne Perry, D-Calais, that would allow nursing homes more flexibility in managing occupancy at their facilities.

As amended, LD 938 would restore the ability for nursing homes to voluntarily reduce their number of licensed beds and then later increase the number of those beds to the prior level after obtaining state approval.

AUGUSTA - This week, the Legislature voted to enact LD 1256, a measure sponsored by Rep. Anne-Marie Mastraccio, D-Sanford, which would increase access to oral health care by expanding the Maine Dental Education Loan Program.

AUGUSTA - The Legislature's Education and Cultural Affairs Committee advanced legislation on Monday sponsored by Rep. Kristen Cloutier, D-Lewiston, that would require public schools serving sixth through 12th grades to provide menstrual products to students in school bathrooms.

AUGUSTA - Rep. Anne Graham, D-North Yarmouth, has been accepted into the National Conference of State Legislature's (NCSL) Child Welfare Fellows Academy for the June 2023 session.

The program provides legislators and legislative staff a rare opportunity to focus intensively on the prevention of child maltreatment in state child welfare systems. Fellows will engage in thoughtful policy discussions, learn from nationally recognized experts, connect with peers from other states and receive technical assistance from NCSL.

AUGUSTA - The Legislature's Joint Standing Committee on Transportation advanced legislation sponsored by Rep. Grayson Lookner, D-Portland, that would require any vessel that meets the definition of megayacht to pay an impact fee of $10 per foot of length over 150 feet each day, up to 30 consecutive days, when docking in Maine. The funds generated will be invested into Maine's working waterfront and historic coastal communities.

AUGUSTA - The Maine House of Representatives voted Tuesday to advance legislation sponsored by Rep. Amy Roeder, D-Bangor, that would prohibit employer surveillance, unless the surveillance is strictly necessary for employee health and safety or necessary for security.

AUGUSTA - The Maine House of Representatives voted Tuesday to advance a bill sponsored by Rep. Dan Sayre, D-Kennebunk, that would study water as a resource in Maine.

AUGUSTA - The Legislature's Transportation Committee voted Wednesday to advance a measure by Rep. Maggie O'Neil, D-Saco, that would strengthen Maine's public transit system statewide by improving planning and expanding stakeholder input. The vote was unanimous among those present.

AUGUSTA - The Legislature gave initial approval Tuesday to a bill sponsored by Rep. Valli Geiger, D-Rockland, which would direct the Maine Department of Education to identify the critical components of the Educare model for publicly funded early child care and education programs and identify necessary resources and best practices for statewide implementation.