AUGUSTA - A bill from Rep. Ann Matlack, D-St. George, to provide additional support to municipalities and regional shellfish management organizations was signed into law on Wednesday by Gov. Janet Mills.
LD 454, as amended, raises shellfish depuration fees. This would be the first increase in the fee in 24 years.
AUGUSTA - Rep. Lori Gramlich, D-Old Orchard Beach, introduced a bill to strengthen law enforcement education and training standards before the Legislature's Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee on Friday.
AUGUSTA - The Legislature's Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing voted to advance LD 553, a bill to end at-will employment, sponsored by the committee's House chair, Rep. Mike Sylvester, D-Portland, on Friday.
AUGUSTA - The Environment and Natural Resources Committee approved a bill Wednesday from Rep. Lynn Copeland, D-Saco, to support the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' shore damage mitigation project at Camp Ellis.
AUGUSTA - The Legislature's Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee gave strong support last Friday to a bill that would decriminalize possession of hypodermic syringes, improving public health and ensuring more Mainers with substance use disorder can access treatment rather than enter the criminal justice system. The measure, sponsored by Rep. Genevieve McDonald, D-Stonington, earned an 11-1 vote with one member absent.
AUGUSTA - A bill from Rep. Paige Zeigler, D-Montville, to increase the membership of the Lincolnville Sewer District Board of Trustees from three members to five received unanimous support from the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee on Thursday.
"I want to thank my colleagues on the committee for their support of this bill," said Zeigler. "The board does a lot of work on behalf of their residents, and it is my hope that they will have a couple more hands to lighten the load and conduct business should this bill become law."
AUGUSTA - Legislation sponsored by Rep. Jessica Fay, D-Raymond, to address Maine's essential support workforce, also known as the direct care workforce, received bipartisan approval from the Health and Human Services Committee on Wednesday. All members present voted in favor of the measure.
By Rep. Lori K. Gramlich, D-Old Orchard Beach, and Dr. Steve Mills, ScarboroughFor over a year, the pandemic has shown us how public health policies can create a domino effect, impacting families, schools and the entire economy. We have also seen how good public health policy, such as prioritizing the COVID-19 vaccination rollout, has saved lives, gotten people back to work and allowed us to safely hug our loved ones again. But for decades, we have been seeing the negative impacts of an area of public health that has not been prioritized here in Maine, and that's dental care.
AUGUSTA - Rep. Nicole Grohoski, D-Ellsworth, introduced LD 1482 before the Joint Standing Committee on Taxation on Tuesday. The measure removes the current 12-month wait time necessary to qualify for the Homestead Property Tax Exemption.
AUGUSTA - Assistant House Majority Leader Rachel Talbot Ross, D-Portland, introduced a bill on Tuesday to increase state reimbursement to municipalities for the existing Homestead Property Tax Exemption Program.
"The Homestead Exemption is one of our most important property tax relief programs, but it could be much more powerful with increased support from the state. Strengthening the Homestead Exemption would help Mainers, especially working families and older residents, afford to stay in their homes," said Talbot Ross.
