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Good morning,
The first session of the 132nd Legislature ended this week, with lawmakers introducing nearly 2,000 bills, slightly more than a quarter of which — 541 — have been enacted (you can see the full list, with descriptions and status of each bill, on our Statehouse Hub page).
Many still await a signature from Governor Janet Mills, who has ten days to sign or veto those that remain.
Several significant pieces of legislation have already become law. In health care, the state has a new law aimed at increasing oversight of adults under public guardianship, a new licensing program for urgent care clinics and new rules that allow providers to withhold their names from medications used for abortions.
On the environmental front, Gov. Mills signed laws to move Maine’s clean energy targets up by a decade, to 2040, to increase preparedness for extreme storms and to streamline the building of high-impact transmission lines.
New education laws will require all school boards to adopt a comprehensive policy regarding personal electronic devices by 2026, clarify regulations and oversight around physical restraint of students and make it easier for residents within community school districts to petition for their school’s withdrawal from the district.
This week, we’re bringing you an update on the whirlwind last days of this regular legislative session as lawmakers decided what to do with nearly 300 remaining bills, as well as updates on what’s going on with indigent defendants awaiting attorneys, how Maine’s domestic violence resource centers are faring and more.
Thanks for reading,
Kate |
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The Legislature enacted 116 bills on the special appropriations table. Here’s what that means.
In less than 48 hours, lawmakers had to decide how to appropriate up to $7 million in state funding for nearly 300 bills.
Read this story by Emily Bader |
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With federal funding in doubt, Maine’s domestic violence resource centers freeze hiring: Resource centers around the state have frozen hiring and are operating understaffed in anticipation of funding shortfalls. Read this story by Yasmeen Khan |
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New legislation charts Maine’s pathway to 100% clean energy by 2040: Maine’s current renewable energy policies saved ratepayers $21.5 million between 2011 and 2022, according to testimony from the state. Read this story by Emmett Gartner |
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A Maine judge was set to start releasing people without lawyers from jail this summer. Now that’s off: The Maine Supreme Court halted habeas corpus hearings so it can consider an appeal from the state. Read this story by Josh Keefe |
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Conditions are perfect in the Maine woods for moose-killing ticks
Changes in Maine’s North Woods have caused tick populations to boom, killing off large numbers of moose calves and worrying scientists who are experimenting with ways to preserve the health of the iconic animal.
Read this story by Lori Valigra of the Bangor Daily News
Note: this story appears on The Maine Monitor's website as part of our collaboration with Maine Focus, the investigative team of the Bangor Daily News. Read more about the partnership |
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Have feedback or a correction to send to Kate Cough? Send it to her directly via email: kate@themainemonitor.org.
The Maine Monitor is a publication of the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, an independent and nonpartisan nonprofit news organization that produces investigative journalism. We believe news is a public good and keep our news free to access. We have no paywall and do not charge for our newsletters. If you value the reporting we do for Maine, please consider making a donation! We cannot do this reporting without your support. |
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