AUGUSTA - Rep. Seth Berry, D-Bowdoinham, House chair of the Legislature's Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, issued the following statement in response to the United States First Circuit Court of Appeals decision upholding legislation strengthening protections for community access channels:
AUGUSTA - Rep. Laura Supica, D-Bangor, the sponsor of legislation to address homelessness, applauds the funding of major efforts to expand affordable housing and support emergency shelters across the state.
AUGUSTA - A measure by Rep. Teresa S. Pierce, D-Falmouth, that will allow eligible Mainers to register to vote using a secure online portal is now law.
AUGUSTA - A new law by Rep. Maggie O'Neil, D-Saco, will help survivors of domestic violence access justice by bringing the statute of limitations for assault, battery and false imprisonment into line with the limit on bringing other civil claims. The change will allow more time for survivors to bring a civil claim.
AUGUSTA - Rep. Jessica Fay, D-Raymond, testified before the U.S. Congress on long-term workforce issues Tuesday. In her testimony, Fay discussed the urgency of addressing this workforce shortage and outlined ways to improve the recruitment, retention, training and professional development of long-term care workers. She spoke during a joint subcommittee hearing with the Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee and the Higher Education and Workforce Investment Subcommittee.
AUGUSTA - A bill sponsored by Rep. Kristi Mathieson, D-Kittery, to repeal and replace the charter of the Kittery Water District was ceremonially signed into law by Gov. Janet Mills Monday. The bill passed unanimously in both chambers of the Legislature.
LD 1542 expands the district's corporate limits to include all of Kittery, Kittery Point, the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and portions of Eliot and York, allowing residents of those areas to serve on the board and vote for board members.
AUGUSTA - The Maine Legislature voted Monday to provide $50 million to the Maine State Housing Authority to expand affordable housing options, $20 million of which will require the developers to use project labor agreements(PLAs).
AUGUSTA - A bill sponsored by Rep. Jessica Fay, D-Raymond, to provide funding for wildlife rehabilitators was ceremonially signed into law by Gov. Janet Mills Monday.
The bill, LD 1012, An Act To Provide Funding for the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund Program, will fund grants including those that seek to fund organizations that provide professional care to sick, injured and orphaned wild animals so they can be returned to their natural habitats.
AUGUSTA - On Monday, the Legislature completed voting on over 1700 bills. These bills have now had public hearings, work sessions, and votes in the House and Senate since December 2020. The Legislature completed allocating $983 million in federal relief funds before adjourning.
House Speaker Ryan Fecteau of Biddeford released the following statement:
The last 16 months have been a whirlwind. The pandemic has taken over 880 lives in Maine, caused thousands of layoffs and brought immeasurable instability and uncertainty into our lives. It was a legislative session like no other, and while COVID-19 brought to light the cracks in our systems, it also brought about widespread, bipartisan agreement that big problems can't be solved with piecemeal solutions. In both D.C.
