The Maine House of Representatives is scheduled to convene Tuesday at 10 a.m. in Augusta. Late January House session days are usually pretty quick, lasting an hour or maybe a little more. The bulk of the calendar is filled with new bills being referred to their respective committees for public hearings, work sessions, and eventual committee vote reports. Also featured are the usual legislative sentiments recognizing the achievements of local communities and individuals. In addition to the usual legislative business, tomorrow’s calendar has several notable appointments and nominations.
The most notable of these are the appointments by House Speaker Ryan Fecteau (D-Biddeford) to the Office of New Americans (ONA) Advisory Council. Fecteau has filled three seats that serve specific roles on the ONA Advisory Council.
ONA Advisory Council Appointees
Inza Ouattara, EdD, PMMP, of Lewiston, was appointed to the seat representing an organization providing refugee resettlement services. Ouattara is listed on the federal Health & Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement website as the Maine State Refugee Coordinator and key contact for federal issues and information. Catholic Charities of Maine Office of Refugee Services also lists Ouattara on their website, stating in his bio, “He coordinates and administers the federal refugee program in Maine and convenes the State Refugee Advisory Council. He develops and administers the refugee state plan.”
Under previous presidential administrations, Catholic Charities of Maine has been among the largest migrant re-settlement agencies, helping to facilitate the transportation of noncitizens into Maine and their dispersal throughout the state.
Lisa Parisio of Pittston was appointed to the seat representing a provider of legal assistance to immigrants. Parisio is a Policy and Outreach Attorney for the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project. IALP’s website states:
“Prior to ILAP, Lisa was the Director of Advocacy at the Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC) where she oversaw CLINIC’s state and local advocacy project and federal policy portfolios. Lisa has particular expertise in law and policy around Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) and was a co-founder of the TPS – DED Administrative Advocacy Coalition. Before CLINIC, Lisa worked at the International Refugee Assistance Project, where she continues to be a volunteer pro bono attorney on refugee cases. Lisa is a graduate of the City University of New York School of Law where she focused on economic justice, health law, and immigration/refugee law.”
Liam LaFountain of Biddeford was appointed to the seat representing a municipality. LaFountain is the current and youngest President of the Biddeford City Council. The Town of Biddeford website describes LaFountain’s policy priorities while he represents Ward 7:
“Liam is honored to be serving his second term on the Biddeford City Council, where he remains dedicated to preserving parks, enhancing the city’s recreational programming, improving pedestrian infrastructure, and promoting and advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. He is equally committed to fostering greater citizen participation & engagement in municipal government, with a strong focus on improving transparency in all aspects of governance.”
In addition to fleshing out the ONA council, Fecteau will also make appointments to the state’s Advisory Committee on the Fund to Address PFAS Contamination:
Rep. Dan Ankeles (D-Brunswick) was appointed to the seat going to the Majority Party. Ankeles serves on the Transportation and Environment and Natural Resources Committees. His district, Brunswick, was also the site of the one of the largest and most recent PFAS contamination incident, in which fire suppression systems at the former Brunswick Naval Air Station accidentally released a large volume of PFAS into the surrounding environment.
Rep. Randy Hall (R-Dixfield) was appointed to the seat going to the Minority Party. Hall serves on the Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee.
Fecteau made another appointment to the Working Group to Recommend Any Changes to Eligibility Standards for Expenditures from the Maine Mass Violence Care Fund with former House Democratic Assistant Leader Kristen Cloutier (D-Lewiston) to serve as the working group’s Co-Chair.
The House Calendar also includes a note from Gov. Janet Mills accepting the House of Representative’s invitation to give her ‘State of the Budget’ (note: it’s not a ‘State of the State’ speech) on Tuesday evening in the House Chamber during a joint convention of the House and Senate.
Mills also nominated the Honorable Ann M. Murray of Bangor for reappointment as a Justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court. Her confirmation will be heard in the Judiciary Committee and will have a committee vote before advancing to a full vote in the Maine Senate.
One notable piece of legislation that was referred to the Judiciary Committee for a public hearing, debate, and vote was L.D. 260, a Resolution – ‘Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Establish That All Maine Residents Have Equal Rights Under the Law’. This bill was sponsored by Rep. Holly Sargent (D-York) and Senator Rachel Talbot-Ross (D-Cumberland) and co-sponsored by every House Democrat.
Once the House and Senate conclude their business tomorrow the Maine Wire will have a wrap up report for any legislative news that occurred during the day that was not listed on the House Calendar. The Maine Wire will also be covering the State of the Budget speech live from the State House and with commentary after, which you can follow on Facebook and X.
Innza Ouattara Pd B QQQ .That’s Great !
Can somebody drop a dime to Tom Homan and see who this guy is ?
He’s in charge of resettling illegal immigrants in Maine ?
I hate to break it to you all , but the CURRENT Biden “ federal refugee resettlement program “:is about to be ceremoniously DE-FUNDED by the new administration in Washington .
Any money that these people get in the future , is going to have to come from the taxpayers of Maine .
Get ready .
The top big shots of the Democratic Party of Maine ( Collins – King – Pingree – Golden – Mills – Bellows – Frey ) they have ALL done everything they could to hobble Donald Trump . They have openly tried to undermine him . They are not his friends .
Maine’s previous firehose stream of Biden federal money is going to slow to a trickle .
Be advised .
We have to defeat these socialist- progressive – anti American values democrats .
Maybe Inca O. will be able to get those Muslim holidays pushed through this year !
I predict that Augusta democrats, who support this intentional and willful destruction of Maines traditional social fabric , are committing political suicide .
If they are this ignorant to the national popular vote , and the electoral college votes IN SUPPORT OF THE TRUMP AGENDA , they will soon find out what the working majority of REAL Maine voters really want , expect , and demand .
Be advised that the Republican Party is taking no prisoners and WE WILL emerge victorious in 2026.
Choose your battles accordingly . These social service feel good tax money welfare giveaways will not survive the coming budget cuts from Washington .
“featured are the usual legislative sentiments recognizing the achievements”
Pat yourself on the backs because we are not1
All the lies. Who gets the award for not giving the report on Cannabis, a new American.
Stopped for lunch in S. Maine yesterday, of the six workers only one could answer in English my question. Tom don’t stop in Boston, bring the busses up here to Maine.
I read this entire document .
Its a collection of some of the most ridiculous stuff you could ever imagine .
Some of it is downright hysterically funny .
It tells you EXACTLY where our Augusta democrats have their heads .
For Example :
Lydia Crafts of Newcastle wants to spend our tax dollars for “ a study of the feasibility “ of a state run ferry service to Monhegan Island .
Her study would cost us how many tens of thousands of dollars ??
What friends of her’s will get picked to do the study ?
Hey Lydia ….Here’s your AI five minute common sense study:
Maine taxpayers will be forced to spend several hundred million tax dollars to design , build , purchase, operate , and maintain a ferry service to the island .
More bureaucratic state control that we don’t want or need .
The Port Clyde Lora – B boat would likely be put out of business . The New Harbor Hardy Boat would likely be put out of business . A boat or two from Boothbay Hbr would likely be put out of business .
The state would effectively serve to crush these small private business operations and loose all the tax revenue that they provide .
Good private jobs for Maine or more Maine State Employees for their union ?
What else would this financial boondoggle accomplish ?
It would likely double/ triple the value of private homes and property on the island .
Do you or your friends own property out there Lydia ?
Do you have fever dreams of a Peaks Island North ?
THIS Is just ONE of the HUNDREDS of BS ideas that our DEMOCRAT run legislature wants to facilitate …..
Look at this document yourselves . See how crazy these democrats are !
WHEN will the citizens Maine and of Lincoln County wake up to this idiocy ?
We need Republican control of Augusta .
Republicans grow a pair
Maine Coaster .
Thanks for pointing out this ferry boat thing request . This is just too funny .
I’ll bet Ms Crafts wants her new state operated ferry boat service vehicle to be an electric lithium iron-air battery powered rig with wind powered sails for emergency backup . Sure .
The sails could even sport the pine tree and star design that democrats thought was so popular .
Yup ….Imagine …..and Maine has such a rich and storied history of wind powered sailing vessels .
A massive 500 foot tall wind turbine generator , designed by the wizards at UMO , would be at either end to charge the batteries and power the modern and energy efficient zero carbon passenger terminals .Renewable Green Energy . We could have another heat pump . WOW .
Maybe in her MOST perfect utopian world we could even find a ferry to be captain of the ferry .
YES ! Admiral Rachel Levine would like a new job . THATS a great idea.
This whole crazy project would cost taxpayers what ? …..a mere 300 million ? 400,? 450 ?
So…..folks …In the meantime ….Let’s spend a couple hundred thousand bucks for a study . What we need is another ” study “,
A BRILLIANT DEMOCRAT IDEA ……Totally irresponsible. Totally Nuts .Thank you so very much Lydia.
Who in their right mind elected this woman to the state legislature ?
Her ferry boat idea to Monhegan Island is NOW officially voted by Maine Tax Payers as just plain nuts .