Tuesday’s legislative session is shaping up to be a lively one.
Representative Reagan Paul (R-Winterport) has snuck in a Joint Order to defund the Maine Principal’s Association if it continues to allow men to play in women’s sports. The MPA is the governing body of school athletics in the state of Maine. They have stated that they are backing Governor Mills and her push to defy President Trump’s Executive Order, even as the U.S. Department of Education has initiated a probe into whether Maine’s is violating Title IX protections by doing so.
Asked about her Joint Order, Rep. Paul told The Maine Wire:
“The Maine Principal’s Association, which is entrusted with overseeing and regulating high school sports in our state, continues to enforce policies that allow biological males in the State of Maine to compete in female sports. They have broken the public trust with their polices that are not just unfair, but also unjust and illegal. Public funds should not support this organization that undermines fairness, disregards the law, and harms our children.”
This will also be the first session day since the censure of Rep. Laurel Libby (R-Auburn) on February 25th. Libby will be unable to speak or vote at all in any session of the House.
The same evening Libby was censured, Democrat Sean Faircloth won a special election against Republican Carolyn Fish in Bangor’s House District 24 to fill the seat of former Rep. Joe Perry, who is now the State Treasurer. After being sworn in, Rep. Faircloth was appointed to the Veteran’s and Legal Affairs Committee. With the censure of Libby and the election of Faircloth, Democrats will start Tuesday’s session effectively with two more votes than they had a week ago.
It will be interesting to see how House Republicans respond to Libby’s censure. There have been four censures in the history of Maine since the state’s founding in 1820. Three of those four have happened in the last two years. Democrat House majorities censuring Republicans for things they don’t like has become a pattern. The question now is whether House Republicans pushback or continue with business as usual? Tomorrow will set the tone for the remainder of the 132nd legislature.
In the Senate, their first order of business will be taking up the Supplemental Budget. The Senate must agree with the version that the House sent them last week or ‘Insist’ that they use the current Senate version. If they disagree on the final form of the bill, it will die between the two chambers. This is called ‘non-concurrence,’ a term for when legislation expires between the House and Senate because they are unable to come to an agreement on the final form of the bill.
The Senate will also take up a Resolution from Majority Leader Senator Teresa Pierce (D-Cumberland). The Resolution titled, ‘JOINT RESOLUTION COMMEMORATING WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH AND INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY’ will most certainly be passed by the Senate. Then it gets interesting. It will have to go back to the House for approval. Once it is in the House, anyone may speak to it.
This will give House Republicans, still angry about the censure of their colleague Libby, an opportunity to debate to the Resolution and the broader atmosphere of hypocrisy in which it has been introduced — after all, a male majority leader and speaker silenced a female legislator. Republicans will have to be careful in how they approach the debate, though. Democrats can call points of order to disrupt them just as they did to stymie Rep. Libby’s efforts to speak in her own defense last week. It will be worth watching to see how creative and dextrous the Republicans can be to make their point without being ruled “out of order.”
Continuing on the themes of day, the Judiciary Committee will be holding public hearings for LD 492 ‘RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Provide for Parental Rights’ and LD 260 ‘RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Establish That All Maine Residents Have Equal Rights Under the Law’. The hearings for the Equal Rights Amendment and Parents’ Bill of Rights are projected to draw large crowds of people testifying.
The Maine Wire will on the ground in Augusta reporting on a potentially legislative session. Follow us on X and Facebook for live updates.
What is the quorum? Can the Republicans shut down the House by all going up to Quebec for a month?
Maine Democrats can go right straight to hell .
The Marxist Dems will find it hard to do business as usual when The feds cut off the funding.
Sit outside the state house and bang on plastic tubs with sticks.
Chant catchy slogans .
Wipe the floor with one of those stupid pine tree flags .
Don’t play .
DO WHAT THE DEMOCRATS WOULD DO . BE JERKS .
It’s just like with the girls,.
If the girls don’t play the game will be over .
ENOUGH of this insanity with Augusta democrats .
SHUT THE STATE DOWN .
Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Establish That All Maine Residents Have Equal Rights Under the Law’. The hearings for the Equal Rights Amendment and Parents’ Bill of Rights are projected to draw large crowds of people testifying.
We have to have an amendment to the Constitution that residents have equal rights? What kind of slimy wordage is in a proposed bill that is already in our Constitution? Let me guess, 4,000 plus pages of legal mumbo jumbo requiring an up or down vote that actually places legal stipulations on your God given rights.
The first order of business should be rescinding the censure of rep Libby! Allow her to speak for the people that elected her! She is the only member in Augusta with guts! Maine people need to stand with a member with courage. Not with the cowards who ran and hide and wouldn’t even defend their vote! C’mon man!
Here’s what ChatGPT has to say:
“The article presents a variety of issues that could be highlighted:
Bias and Tone: The article appears to have a partisan tone, particularly in its language and framing of events. Terms like “sneaked in” and phrases such as “broken the public trust” suggest a strong bias against Rep. Paul and the Maine Principal’s Association. This could alienate readers who may not share the same political views.
Clarity and Context: While it discusses significant actions, it lacks broader context regarding the implications of defunding the Maine Principal’s Association or the specifics of the Executive Order mentioned. More background on the legal and social issues surrounding transgender athletes in sports might provide a fuller understanding.
Lack of Diverse Perspectives: The article primarily presents the Republican perspective, particularly Rep. Paul’s stance, without incorporating responses from Democrats or other stakeholders, including athletes or advocacy groups. This could lead to a one-sided narrative that doesn’t fully capture the complexities of the issue.
Overly Complex Language: Some sections are dense, particularly where legislative procedures are discussed. Simplifying this language or breaking it into clearer segments could improve reader comprehension.
Underreporting on Public Sentiment: The mention of public hearings for resolutions indicates significant public interest, but the article does not explore public sentiment or the potential impact of these hearings on legislation.
Assumptions about Future Actions: The article speculates on how House Republicans might respond to Rep. Libby’s censure and the dynamics of upcoming debates. This could be seen as conjecture rather than reporting, which might confuse readers about what actions will actually occur.
Technical Errors: There are minor grammatical issues, such as inconsistent punctuation and phrasing, that could detract from professionalism.
Overall, the article would benefit from a more balanced presentation, clearer explanations of legislative processes, and a broader range of perspectives to enhance its credibility and accessibility.”
She deserves to be censured because of what she did. We are all entitled to our opinions on the issue but she had absolutely no right to post his personal information. Teens have a hard enough time dealing with life in general these days because of social media. People are real brave and intentionally cruel when they can menace someone using their phone or computer. Her actions could lead to someone getting seriously hurt. Being a member of the Legislature she should be held accountable. Stop picking on the most vulnerable. Adults should leave children alone instead of looking for attention like MTG or Nancy Mace.