Action 214: Maine Legislation Feb 23-27

All things considered, this will be a quiet week in the legislature – at least as far as hearings are concerned.  Lots of work sessions, however.  Remember, you can still influence legislation you care about, by contacting your legislator(s) – House and Senate – even if public hearings are over.  In those cases, it’s useful to read, for background, the comments made at the public hearings.  The comments are all linked to the page about the bill’s status.  Follow the first bullet below to access this week’s calendar, then scroll for the title or number of any bill you are following, click on the live link to the bill’s number, then read the public hearing testimony, usually in the lower left quadrant of the page you land on.

§  Check complete bill listing here: https://legislature.maine.gov/Calendar/#PHWS.  Set the date range in the upper left corner.  This listing also shows work sessions if you want to weigh in on any of those.

§  Find the text of any bill here: https://legislature.maine.gov Or click through on the calendar, on the bill number, which is a link.  Then read the pdf or the word version (link in upper left area).  Form your own opinions!

§  Instructions for testifying are here:  https://www.mainelegislature.org/testimony/

This week’s hearings include, on Tuesday, two bills concerning school employees’ credentials and background checks, designed to protect students (LD 2175 and LD 2192): and two bills to improve dental services (LD 2206 and LD 2209). 

On Wednesday, there is another “concept draft” that finally got flesh applied to the bones. LD 474, originally with the anodyne title “An Act to Improve Maine’s Environment and Protect Natural Resources” is now titled “An Act to Establish a Stewardship Program for Primary and Rechargeable Batteries” and requires producers of such batteries to establish a “battery stewardship” program.  The bill is long and detailed.

Also on Wednesday: LD 335, “A Bill to Safeguard Reproductive Rights” was also originally a concept draft, but it was reworked to be “An Act to Protect Funding for Family Planning Services” and would require replacement of funding that the Trump Administration took away from Title X grantees.  As you might expect, the legislative history on this one is convoluted, with two work sessions (last May, this January) attempts to table it indefinitely (failed 13 to 18 in the Senate by a roll call vote), and finally a public hearing this coming Wednesday at 1 PM that should prove important.  Maine Women’s Lobby has information about testifying.

https://www.mainewomen.org/take-action

LD 2174, up for hearing at the same time as LD335, would streamline permitting for renewable energy projects.   Good idea.   And yet another “concept draft”, LD 276 “An Act regarding Inland Fisheries and Wildlife” turns out to be “An Act to Modernize ATV Classification, Registration, Trail Access and Landowner Protections”.  Who knew?

An important Democratically sponsored bill, LD 2208, “An Act to Offset Federal Cuts to Health Insurance for Certain Maine Families and Seniors” has a hearing on Thursday.  It would establish three funds, 1) to stabilize rural hospitals, 2) to stabilize health care premiums, and 3) to provide funds for the Maine Care program if the Trump Administration fails to do so adequately.  There is a hefty price tag associated with this effort for FY 2026-2027, but really, are we - or aren’t we – EVER going to change the direction of the country’s economic resources away from the greed of billionaires and toward the well-being of citizens?  The choice is ours to make, and supporting good legislation is one way to reinforce our choice.

I’m not providing a table this week. I think you know what to do.

See you at the Hancock County Democratic Caucus on Saturday