• Read more about Gramlich's state butterfly bill advances after lawmakers hear from Loranger Middle School students

AUGUSTA - The Legislature's State and Local Government Committee voted Tuesday to advance a measure from Rep. Lori K. Gramlich, D-Old Orchard Beach, that would name the Pink-edged Sulphur the state butterfly. The vote was unanimous among those present.

Gramlich introduced the bill after she was contacted by students Oscar Stanton and Tate Graham last fall. The two fifth-graders at Loranger Middle School wrote to suggest the Legislature name a state butterfly.

• Read more about Cloutier introduces bill to address Maine's workforce shortage

AUGUSTA - Rep. Kristen Cloutier, D-Lewiston, introduced legislation Tuesday that would change the Foreign Credentialing and Skills Recognition Revolving Loan Program to a grant program and increase the maximum allowable distribution of funds to eligible immigrants from the current $700 to $1,000.

• Read more about Brennan introduces legislation to save Maine's ash trees

AUGUSTA - Rep. Michael Brennan, D-Portland, introduced legislation Monday that would provide $1 million over the next two years to help towns meet their ash tree conservation needs.

Maine's ash tree population, with the exception of the mountain ash, has been subjected to disease and death due to the spreading of the invasive emerald ash borer (EAB), a beetle native to northeastern Asia that feeds on ash species.

• Read more about Crafts introduces bill to create Recovery Friendly Workplace Program

AUGUSTA - Rep. Lydia Crafts, D-Newcastle, introduced legislation Monday before the Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee to encourage safe and recovery friendly workplace (RFW) environments in Maine.

• Read more about Madigan introduces bill to establish a substance use disorder hotline

AUGUSTA - Rep. Colleen Madigan, D-Waterville, introduced legislation Monday that would create a substance use disorder hotline for health care providers.

LD 162 would require the Department of Health and Human Services to establish a hotline staffed by medical professionals that would offer assistance to health care providers seeking guidance in the treatment of patients with substance use disorder.

• Read more about Hasenfus requests briefing on Maine freight rail safety

AUGUSTA - Rep. Tavis Hasenfus, D-Readfield, is urging the Legislature's Joint Standing Committee on Transportation to ensure that Maine's railroad infrastructure, and the communities it intersects, are safe and secure.

Hasenfus asked the committee to act after hearing growing concerns in his district following the news coverage of the train that derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, last month. House District 57, which includes Winthrop and Readfield, and neighboring districts experience regular freight traffic.

• Read more about Zager bill to improve renters' access to credit receives widespread support

AUGUSTA - Rep. Sam Zager, D-Portland, introduced bipartisan legislation Tuesday before the Legislature's Labor and Housing Committee that would help low-income individuals establish or improve credit through their rental payments.

LD 1107 would create a two-year pilot program at the Maine State Housing Authority to connect renters' favorable payment history to the databases of national credit agencies, such as Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

• Read more about Skold bill would increase access to legal representation for lower-income Mainers

AUGUSTA - A bill introduced by Rep. Charles Skold, D-Portland, seeks to help low and low-to-moderate income Mainers obtain legal representation in civil court proceedings regardless of their ability to pay for a lawyer.

• Read more about Maine Legislature Enacts Continuing Services Budget

AUGUSTA - On Thursday, the Maine Legislature enacted a continuing services budget. The budget measure - LD 424, "An Act Making Certain Appropriations and Allocations and Changing Certain Provisions of the Law Necessary to the Proper Operations of State Government" goes into law on July 1, 2023.

• Read more about Brunswick legislators welcome Bowdoin student groups to the State House

Reps. Dan Ankeles, D-Brunswick, and Poppy Arford, D-Brunswick, welcomed several student groups from Bowdoin College to the State House Thursday, including Bowdoin's Citizens Climate Lobby, the Bowdoin Chapter of the Sunrise Movement, Bowdoin's Reproductive Justice Coalition, Bowdoin Democrats, Bowdoin Alliance for Immigrant Rights and the Voting Rights for All Program.

Contact:

Brian Lee [Ankeles, Arford] c. 305-965-2744