5 massive selections that Maine lawmakers made about their work in 2024
AUGUSTA, Maine — A panel of Maine legislative leaders thought-about practically 300 payments on Thursday and determined which of them will obtain consideration throughout the 2024 session.
Lawmakers proposed 283 payments that have been reviewed by the Legislative Council, a 10-member panel of prime lawmakers. Solely measures deemed an emergency could be thought-about throughout subsequent yr’s shortened session that runs between January and April.
Solely 57 of them made it via, together with two gun-related payments within the wake of the Lewiston mass capturing. Listed below are 5 different fascinating selections the council made.
Banning paramilitary coaching camps
The council voted unanimously to advance a invoice from Rep. Laurie Osher, D-Orono, that might prohibit “unauthorized army coaching” or paramilitary coaching camps just like the one a neo-Nazi had been growing in rural Penobscot County.
The proposal from Osher gained out over comparable payments from Rep. Grayson Lookner, D-Portland, and Sen. Joe Baldacci, D-Bangor, that got here in response to neo-Nazi chief Christopher Pohlhaus constructing a coaching floor in Springfield. Final month, Pohlhaus bought the property.
Some residents and watchdogs imagine the neo-Nazi and his followers are merely shifting into the shadows, with supporters of a paramilitary coaching camp ban arguing it’s wanted to guard towards comparable exercise sooner or later.
Mandating sexual harassment coaching for constitutional officers
The council superior a invoice from Rep. John Andrews, R-Paris, to require Maine’s three constitutional officers — the secretary of state, lawyer basic and treasurer — to finish a sexual harassment coaching course.
Andrews mentioned he had Lawyer Common Aaron Frey in thoughts together with his invoice. Frey, a Democrat, admitted in early April he had been in a romantic relationship since final yr with an worker he supervised, apologizing for what he referred to as an “error in judgment” for the supervisory set-up.
An unbiased investigation into Frey’s relationship got here out in June and largely discovered no fault with how Frey dealt with the state of affairs. However Republicans have criticized the lawyer basic for his relationship. Andrews mentioned Thursday he hopes his invoice helps Maine keep away from one other “scandal.”
No ban on homeless camp clearings
The council blocked a number of measures from Reps. Ambureen Rana, D-Bangor, and Grayson Lookner, D-Portland, associated to the clearing of homeless camps this yr of their two cities.
Rana proposed a ban on clearing homeless encampments in addition to a second measure banning camp clearings until residents are supplied with different housing choices.
Lookner wished to cease cities from enacting moratoriums on emergency homeless shelters and likewise proposed establishing sanctioned areas for emergency encampments, with “acceptable” state companies required to cooperate on figuring out these areas.
No adjustments to the Aroostook transmission line
A number of payments affecting the Aroostook Renewable Gateway venture — a transmission line that may run from a brand new wind farm in northern Maine to the regional grid in Kennebec County — didn’t advance Thursday.
Though lawmakers and Gov. Janet Mills accepted the venture earlier this yr, varied city boards and residents have argued it might encroach on non-public properties and likewise criticized the Legislature for OKing it earlier than builders publicized the potential route.
One proposal from Sen. Chip Curry, D-Belfast, would have prevented the usage of eminent area to construct the transmission line. The council voted 5-4 to move it, however advancing measures to 2024 takes six “sure” votes. The council was down one member Thursday with the absence of Home Minority Chief Billy Bob Faulkingham, R-Winter Harbor.
Related payments from each Republican and Democratic lawmakers on eminent area or requiring the examination of different routes additionally did not advance, together with a resolve from Rep. Steven Foster, R-Dexter, that might have required the Legislature to rethink approval of the Aroostook Renewable Gateway venture.
Late member’s invoice can’t get thought-about
A extra somber second Thursday occurred when the council made it to a invoice from the late Rep. Lois Galgay Reckitt, D-South Portland, to require porn web sites to confirm guests are no less than 18 years outdated.
However the council couldn’t vote on the invoice as a result of Reckitt died late final month. The champion of girls’s rights was 79 years outdated, and legislative workers famous Thursday {that a} totally different lawmaker must sponsor an identical invoice to ensure that Reckitt’s porn-related proposal to obtain consideration.
