Voter ID on the Ballot and Remembering Reckitt’s Calling ‘Go Sox!’ — Legislative Scouting Report April 3

During tomorrow’s House session, legislators will tackle a 40-page calendar. Those pages are largely filled with bill references to committees, legislative sentiments, and ‘In Memorandum’ tributes. The work on the calendar as written should go smoothly and quickly. However, a light calendar can often lead to legislative hijinks.

Any bill that has been reported out of committee can come to the floor as a supplement to the original calendar. In the past, this has been a tactic used by the majority to surprise the minority for big and controversial bills. If minority members don’t have a floor speech prepared and in their back pockets, they will have to think on their feet to oppose any given bill. Surprise supplements to the calendar also prevent the minority caucus from discussing a particular bill behind closed doors and planning collective action.

There are two items of note on the House calendar:

As reported in February, Voter ID will be on the Nov 4 ballot. Governor Janet Mills (D) has issued a proclamation declaring that because the legislature did not pass an associated bill for Voter ID, the question will appear on the ballot. Gov. Mills’ announcement comes on the heels of the state Wisconsin passing a similar statewide Voter ID initiative Tuesday night.

[RELATED: Mainers to Decide on Voter ID Laws This November]

Representative Rachel Henderson (R-Rumford) has submitted a bipartisan Joint Resolution recognizing the late Honorable Lois Galgay Reckitt (D-Portland) on the occasion of the Boston Red Sox home opener. This resolution may seem a bit inside Maine political baseball, but it is a palate cleanser amid the acidity of the current partisan divide in Augusta. The Hon. Lois Reckitt was an inspiration to many of the Democrats who served with her for her work on women’s issues and social justice. She got along well with elected Republicans as well. Outside of the chamber you could always have a pleasant conversation with Lois about the Sox. This resolution is a nice tip of the cap to that.

In the Senate, a 50-page calendar largely mirrors that of the House. The Senate was scheduled be voting on several divided reports that the House voted on in their last session, but President Mattie Daughtry issued a notice Thursday morning cancelling the Senate session due to expected icy weather.

The Maine Wire will be covering the action in Augusta tomorrow. Follow us on X and Facebook for updates as the session unfolds.