AUGUSTA - The Legislature's Veterans and Legal Affairs (VLA) Committee voted unanimously, of those present and voting, on Wednesday to advance a proposal to strengthen how the Maine National Guard prevents and responds to sexual assault and sexual harassment. The bill, LD 2029, was drafted by the committee following a briefing from the Maine National Guard on the issue, as required by LD 625, a bill sponsored by Rep.

Reps. Joe Perry, Amy Roeder and Laura Supica, all D-Bangor, and Rep. Kevin O'Connell, D-Brewer, welcomed Bangor resident Joe Bennett to the State House Thursday. Bennett performed the national anthem in the chamber of the House of Representatives at the start of the days session.

Contact:

Jackie Merrill [OConnell, Perry, Roeder, Supica], c. 812-1111

Photo from left to right: Rep. Joe Perry, Joe Bennett, Rep. Kevin OConnell, Rep. Amy Roeder, Rep. Laura Supica.

AUGUSTA - Today, the Maine Legislature approved a bill to recruit and retain Maine's child care workforce from Speaker Ryan Fecteau of Biddeford by a unanimous vote, 130-0.

The bill, LD 1652 "An Act to Build a Child Care System by Recruiting and Retaining Maine's Early Childhood Educators Workforce" is aimed at addressing Maines child care workforce crisis and putting the sector on a path to long-term growth and stability.

Brewer resident opens House session

Rep. Kevin O'Connell, D-Brewer, welcomes local resident Lou Tardiff to the State House Thursday to open the legislative session with his poem, "The Bean Hole Bean."

Contact:

Jackie Merrill [OConnell], c. 812-1111

AUGUSTA - The Maine House voted on Tuesday to give initial approval to a measure sponsored by Rep. Traci Gere, D-Kennebunkport, that would expand the current sales tax exemption for nonprofit housing developers.

LD 1732 would amend the exemption to allow nonprofit developers to serve households with incomes up to 120% of the area median income as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, an increase from the current threshold of 80%.

AUGUSTA - The Maine House and Senate gave unanimous approval this week to a bill, LD 1389, sponsored by Rep. Scott Cuddy, D-Winterport, that would strengthen maritime education in Maine by restructuring the funding and supervision model of the Maine Ocean School (MOS) in Searsport.

AUGUSTA - The Maine House advanced a proposal sponsored by Rep. Amy Roeder, D-Bangor, Tuesday that would help Mainers more easily access emergency supplies of chronic maintenance medications.

AUGUSTA - The Maine House voted on Tuesday to advance a bill from Rep. Seth Berry, D-Bowdoinham, to increase wages for intensive case managers (ICMs) within the Department of Health and Human Services.

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.

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.