AUGUSTA - A bill by Rep. Genevieve McDonald, D-Stonington, that gives law enforcement additional tools to combat child sex trafficking has been signed into law last week.

LD 1486 changes the Maine Criminal Code to specify that a person who attempts to patronize prostitution of a minor still commits the crime even when the person they attempt to patronize is posing as a minor for the purpose of a law enforcement investigation. It also upgrades the crime of patronizing underage prostitution from a Class D crime to a Class C crime.

AUGUSTA - On Wednesday, the Legislature’s Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee voted on a once-in-a-lifetime investment in Maine children, workers, families, businesses and communities, using unallocated federal funds directed to Maine through the American Rescue Plan Act. The vote was 8-4. 

AUGUSTA - In response to the decision by the Maine Public Utilities Commission to approve a two-year 25% rate hike for Central Maine Power customers, starting with 10% on Aug. 1, 2021, Rep. Seth Berry, D-Bowdoinham, House chair of the Legislature's Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, issued the following statement:

AUGUSTA - In response to Gov. Janet Mills vetoing LD 1708, a bill to create the Pine Tree Power Company sponsored by Rep. Seth Berry, D-Bowdoinham, Berry has released the following statement:

"I'm not surprised, but I am disappointed in the veto. After winning bipartisan majority support in the committee, House and Senate, we had hoped the governor too would trust Maine voters to weigh in this fall. I want to thank all of the legislators in both chambers who supported LD 1708.

AUGUSTA - Gov. Janet Mills signed a bill to enhance municipal recycling programs and decrease property taxes into law Monday. The measure, LD 1541, sponsored by Rep. Nicole Grohoski, D-Ellsworth, establishes an extended producer responsibility program, known as "EPR for Packaging," for municipal recycling and waste disposal costs.

AUGUSTA - A bill from Rep. Jay McCreight, D-Harpswell, providing for the safe disposal of expired marine flares was signed into law Thursday.

AUGUSTA - A measure to create a municipal grant program to promote sustainable economic development, LD 857, sponsored by Rep. Kyle Bailey, D-Gorham, became law last month.

AUGUSTA - A measure from Rep. Maggie O'Neil, D-Saco, to establish the Maine Forest Advisory Board earned final approval from the Legislature in the early hours of Friday morning.

AUGUSTA - A measure introduced by Rep. Lynne Williams, D-Bar Harbor, that gives Maine's small medical marijuana growers and caregivers a greater say over any new rules generated by the Maine Office of Marijuana Policy (OMP) became law Thursday.

AUGUSTA - A bill to strengthen Mainer's privacy rights, LD 1021, sponsored by Rep. Steve Moriarty, D-Cumberland, is now law.

The impetus for this bill came from concerns about stalking by drone or unmanned aerial vehicles. The Maine Criminal Codes statute governing privacy violations previously only prohibited audio recording in a private location, leaving an unintended loophole open for invasions of privacy by drone or other visual recording devices.