Republican lawmakers in Maine have proposed an amendment to the state’s constitution that would prohibit the governor from calling the Legislature into a special session within 90 days of adjournment.
This, in effect, would likely prevent or deter the kind of parliamentary maneuvering that was seen this past week with respect to the $11.3 billion partial biennial budget — a budget that has set the table for massive tax increases in the new special session by failing to fund MaineCare for FY 2027.
Following extensive debate on the floor of the House and Senate, a substantial two-year budget bill was passed without any Republican support.
This spending bill included a nearly $120 million MaineCare bailout for the current year and provided a two-year extension of all other government funding at its current levels.
Because this bill was passed without bipartisan support, however, this money would normally not be made available until late this year, roughly three months after the Legislature adjourned for the session. When lawmakers pass majority budgets, they must be passed earlier in a session with only abbreviated debate or else the government could have a temporary lapse in funding.
To make the funding from the partisan budget available before the start of the next fiscal year, which begins on July 1, leadership invoked extraordinary procedural measures.
By adjourning sine die, a move typically reserved for the end of the Legislative session, Democratic lawmakers were able to start the 90-day clock for approved non-emergency legislation to take effect.
Consequently, funds from the party-line budget will be made available on June 20, just days before the start of the next fiscal year, despite the clear lack of Republican support.
Since legislators were no where near ready to adjourn, however, Gov. Janet Mills (D) immediately called them into special session, allowing them to seamlessly continue with their work without interruption.
[RELATED: What Just Happened in Augusta?]
Under the terms set by the constitutional amendment proposed in LD 1331, Gov. Mills would not have had the authority to do this so quickly.
This is the third time Gov. Mills and legislative Democrats have used the previously taboo gimmick to cut the minority party out of budget negotiations.
By requiring the governor to wait at least 90 days from adjournment before calling a special session, it would likely discourage this kind of parliamentary maneuvering, as it would result in significant interruptions.
The resolution containing the proposed constitutional amendment was sponsored by Rep. Josh Morris (R-Turner) and cosponsored by several other Republican lawmakers, including House Minority Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham (R-Winter Harbor).
In order for a constitutional amendment to go before voters for ratification, at least two-thirds of legislators in both the House and Senate must vote in favor the resolution.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="37194 https://www.themainewire.com/?p=37194">19 Comments
Like this will pass
We are F’d. The taxes alone from this. We are gonna have to D.O.G.E these people out Oh, and Mills, you keep burning em out.
More of we Mainers need to start pressuring democrats. Start calling them email them show up at the state house in large numbers and push back against the dictator control that has overtaken our state by them. The majority rules, our power is in our many united voices against this kind of destruction of our state. Enough is f’ing enough.
The is just through my tax money away. She does not care she wants to win at my expense.
Vote her and all Democrats out
This has about as much chance of passing as admitting that it’s unfair for men to compete in women’s sports….LOL
HERE is another waste of time from our “ current “ republicans .
Can’t the party do better than this ?
too little to late..
perfect example of organized opposition designed to fail….
Benny is right folks !
What a waste of time .
Democrats will NEVER pass this .
Wishful thinking will get us nowhere .
If we ever want to do anything , we need to get rid of the democrat majority .
It is as simple as that .
Does not really matter, not having votes enough to fix anything, show the demorats how they really are screwing up our state, republicans should all just stay home! Just don’t go, Mills does not have to follow the law/rules, neither do you. Just stay home!
The action like the Governor supports threatens SSI.
She gives out SSI money like water to those who did not put money into the pot.
Not sure why the Repubs don’t emphasize the fact that the Dems won a majority in the Legislature by a total of only a few hundred votes.
If Mainers can’t recognize tyranny when it is slapping them in the face, there won’t be much success overturning this in 2026.
The ONLY Repub with apparent “fire in the belly” gets censured and silenced with zero effective pushback. Rep.Libby should announce for Governor and lead a “shadow government” to call these Marxist extremists out at every turn.
Someone needs to lead. These people are crazy, and vicious. Tired of hearing Repubs complain “we are in the minority” as their excuse.
Weird, Republicans didn’t complain about special sessions with LePage called for them.
Mills will not last very long. DOGE will clean the place.
Mills should move to NY, Illinois, Mass or Ca. There her disgusting politics would be welcome.
Until Republicans are willing to take the gloves off and start fighting back, nothing will change! With Democrats, the ends justify the means. They fight dirty and even break the law, and nobody holds them accountable. Democrats are tyrants. Their absolute power has corrupted them absolutely! Republicans need to get in the gutter where Democrats live, and kick the shit out of them! When you fight pigs, you have to get dirty!
This is how they roll. Trump needs to sign an EO banning states from ranked choice voting. Otherwise Maine will be forever blue. Just ask Shanna Bellows. The whole bunch of them should be run out of the state. In all my 60 years I have never seen such blatant corruption for party..
The Maine GOP needs to stop with the symbolic rhetoric and get back to reality. They need to get aggressive and get the word out on the state democratic leadership. Part of the reason our state is in shambles and being run by lunatics is almost no messaging. What Laurel Libby did with mentally ill men in girls sports needs to be done by EVERY Republican representative. This should encompass ALL issues in Maine legislature and crime ridden shitholes (new Mainers) on ever news media outlet available in Maine, Fox, Podcast they can find. The Maine GOP in large part is not working for us and aggressively trying to win closer districts. Not going to happen without stepping it up.
Well, Mills does not have to follow the law, Republicans, just stay home, don’t go back “as ordered”! If she can just skip the law so can you, if none of you show up, at least it will send a message that you are done with her commie ways!
If Mills were to be impeached, and had to resign as governor, her successor would likely be Senate President Daughtry. Let that sink in!