Action 71 – MAINE legislation week of 3/17 -3/21

Note: Find the text of any bill at: https://legislature.maine.gov

March 17 Hearings

LD 789 “RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Require Legislative Approval of Any State of Emergency Lasting Longer than 60 Days”

Background:  The bill limits the Governor’s power to proclaim a state of emergency and obstructs critical executive action. This looks like an attempt to keep the COVID state of emergency alive as a political issue during the 2026 campaign.  Republicans should note that if they ever have a Republican governor again, it would apply to them.

Action: Hearing, Monday, March 17, 10 AM, State and Local Government Committee
https://legislature.maine.gov/committee/#Committees/SLG ~ No Hancock Co. legislators on this committee.

LD 486 “An Act to Remove the Duty of an Individual Exercising Self-defense to Safely Retreat or Abstain from Performing Certain Acts upon Demand”

Background: Maine has a “stand your ground’ law that was passed several years ago.  Under that law, there are a number of situations where the threatened person is justified in using deadly force.  However, it also contains a provision that the person who feels threatened is obliged to retreat safely provided it’s possible to do so, rather than using deadly force. This bill removes that proviso. Florida’s Stand Your Ground law increased firearm homicide rates by 32% and increased both justifiable and unlawful homicide rates (Source: JAMA Internal Medicine); had the largest negative impact on neighborhoods that initially had the lowest homicide rates before the law was enacted (Source: Preventive Medicine); and in 68% of Florida’s Stand Your Ground cases the person killed was unarmed (Source: Tampa Bay Times) See the Maine Gun Safety Coalition for further information.  All the sponsors of this bill are Republicans including McIntyre in Hancock Co.

Action:  Public Hearing: March 17, 1 PM, Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety
https://legislature.maine.gov/committee/#Committees/CJPS  ~ Nina Milliken and Mathew McIntyre are on this committee.

Submit testimony either in writing or online, or virtually via Zoom or in person in Augusta (have 20 copies of your written testimony available to be distributed to Committee members). Be sure to submit testimony or call BEFORE the public hearing.

Future Work Sessions

You can observe work sessions, but there is no public testimony.  If you have something to say about any of the following bills, contact your representative.

 LD 265 “An Act to Prohibit the Maine National Guard from Combat Deployment Absent an Act of the United States Congress”

Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee on Wednesday March 19th at 9:30 AM.  https://legislature.maine.gov/committee/#Committees/VLA ~ No Hancock Co. legislators on this committee

This bill prohibits the release of state military forces into active-duty combat in a foreign nation unless it’s congressionally approved.  It also allows the Governor to deploy the state military forces for civil missions within the United States or its territories.

LD 422 “An Act to Require the State to Obtain Municipal Approval Before Placing Noncitizens in the Municipality”

State and Local Government Committee work session Wednesday March 19th at 1 PM https://legislature.maine.gov/committee/#Committees/SLG ~ No Hancock Co. legislators on this committee.
This bill prohibits the State from placing noncitizens within a municipality without the municipality's prior authorization and allows the municipality to limit the number of noncitizens the State places within the municipality.

LD 671 “An Act to Abolish the Maine Income Tax and Establish a Zero-based Budget”

Taxation Committee, Wednesday March 19th at 1 PM. https://legislature.maine.gov/committee/#Committees/TAX ~ Nicole Grohoski, Gary Friedman and Russel White are on this committee.

 This bill would eliminate the Maine income tax beginning January 1, 2026.  Before that date, there will be a Second Regular Session of the 132nd Legislature, during which the Department of Administrative and Financial Services would submit a report, including suggested legislation to implement the income tax elimination. The bill also requires the development of a new budgeting system in which agencies would be subject to zero-based budgeting every 8 years and in the interim years be subject to review and alternative budget requirements. This bill would obstruct development of a sound budget and is extremely likely to be regressive, i.e. shift the tax burden further onto those less able to pay.

ALERT

Reserve the date and begin preparing your testimony re:

6 bills on ABORTION

Hearing currently scheduled for March 28th at 9:30 AM
before the Judiciary Committee 

Keep track of the hearing schedule at
https://legislature.maine.gov/committee/#Committees/JUD
Hancock County’s sole legislator on the Judiciary Committee is Senator Haggan

And he’s a major sponsor of these bills

The six bills are:

LD 975 An Act to Repeal Laws Allowing Abortion and to Criminalize Abortion
LD 886 An Act to Regulate Medication Abortions

LD 682 An Act to Amend Certain Laws Regarding Abortion

LD 1007 An Act to Update the State's Informed Consent Laws Regarding Drug-Induced Abortion

LD 887 An Act to Make Manufacturers Responsible for Proper Disposal of Abortion Drugs and Require a Health Care Provider to Be Physically Present During a Chemical Abortion

LD 253 An Act to Prevent the MaineCare Program from Covering Abortion Services

Again, note: Find the text of any bill at: https://legislature.maine.gov  Just plug in the LD number.