• Read more about House advances bill to establish workload limits for caseworkers

AUGUSTA - The Maine House of Representatives gave initial approval on Tuesday to a bill sponsored by Rep. Colleen Madigan, D- Waterville, that would institute workload limits for child protective services caseworkers.

LD 1825 would require the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure that caseworkers within the Office of Child and Family Services are not working more than 60 hours over seven consecutive days or 70 hours over eight consecutive days.

• Read more about House advances proposal to protect public safety facilities from sudden utility service disconnection

AUGUSTA - In a bipartisan 90-47 vote, the Maine House advanced a proposal on Tuesday from Rep. Seth Berry, D-Bowdoinham, that would protect public safety facilities from sudden utility service disconnection.

• Read more about House advances bill to prevent power line electrocutions

AUGUSTA - In a strong bipartisan vote, the Maine House advanced a proposal on Tuesday from Rep. Seth Berry, D-Bowdoinham, that would limit liability exemptions for electric utilities when their negligence of overhead high-voltage lines contributes to personal injury or damage to facilities. The vote was 101-33.

• Read more about House advances Lookner bill to define solitary confinement

AUGUSTA - The Maine House gave initial approval Tuesday to a proposal sponsored by Rep. Grayson Lookner, D-Portland, to define solitary confinement as a means of better understanding its use in Maine's correctional facilities. The proposal was advanced by a vote of 78-58.

• Read more about House advances bill to create the Education Fair Share Fund

AUGUSTA - The Maine House voted Tuesday to give initial approval to a measure sponsored by Rep. Raegan LaRochelle, D-Augusta, that would safeguard state funding for public education. The vote was 99-38.

• Read more about Waldo County lawmakers release joint statement on Penobscot McCrum fire

AUGUSTA - In response to the fire that devastated the Penobscot McCrum processing plant in Belfast early in the morning on Thursday, lawmakers representing Waldo County communities in the Maine Legislature, Sen. Chip Curry, D-Belfast, Rep. Scott Cuddy, D-Winterport, Rep. Jan Dodge, D-Belfast, Rep. Sherman Hutchins, R-Penobscot, Rep. MaryAnne Kinney, R-Knox, and Rep. Paige Zeigler, D-Montville, have released the following joint statement:

• Read more about Terry introduces legislation to strengthen Maine's energy storage capacity

AUGUSTA - Rep. Mo Terry, D-Gorham, presented LD 2030, a bill aimed at encouraging energy storage companies to conduct business in Maine, before the Legislature's Taxation Committee on Wednesday. LD 2030 would create an exemption from sales and use tax for energy storage systems and would make qualified energy storage systems eligible for the business equipment tax exemption.

• Read more about House votes to upgrade clean water classification of lower Androscoggin, other Maine waters

AUGUSTA - The Maine House voted unanimously to enact a measure Thursday to upgrade the clean water classification of the lower Androscoggin River, along with other Maine waters. The legislative action marks 50 years since the passage of the Clean Water Act, a landmark law spearheaded by former U.S. Sen. Edmund Muskie.

• Read more about House advances Gramlich proposal to increase behavioral health support for first responders

AUGUSTA - The Maine House voted Thursday to advance a proposal by Rep. Lori Gramlich, D-Old Orchard Beach, to increase behavioral health support for Maine's first responders. The bill earned initial approval "under the hammer," or by unanimous consent.

• Read more about Committee holds public hearing on bill to address and prevent sexual trauma in the Maine National Guard

AUGUSTA - The Legislature's Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee held a public hearing Friday on a proposal to strengthen how the Maine National Guard prevents and responds to sexual assault and sexual harassment.