Tensions flared in the Maine House chamber Monday night as Republican lawmakers staged a walkout in protest over extended legislative work past 9 p.m. The dispute, centered around procedural disagreements and concerns over long work hours, led to a rare show of defiance from GOP members, who accused Democratic leaders of broken agreements and partisan maneuvering.
The controversy stemmed from House Rule 501, which states that business cannot be conducted after 9:00 p.m. without a vote to suspend the rules. Historically, this rule has been ignored or loosely enforced, but on Monday night, Republicans—led by Rep. Shelley Rudnicki (R-Fairfield)—demanded a roll call vote to determine whether lawmakers would continue their work late into the evening.
“This is getting out of hand. They have no regard for people’s safety,” Rep. Rudnicki said in comments to the Maine Wire, citing concerns over long commutes in the dark after an already grueling 12-hour workday. She also criticized Democrats for taking long breaks throughout the day, arguing that a slew of earlier delays had contributed to the need for late-night work.
In March of this year, Speaker Ryan Fecteau (D-Biddeford) faced a censure for alleged misconduct regarding the 9 p.m. rule. That Censure Order was from Rep. Rudnicki and Monday night was a continuance of that fight. It is noteworthy that Monday evening Speaker Fecteau followed the rules, acknowledged Rudnicki’s request and held the vote. Historically that has not happened under other speakers in previous sessions. The GOP pushback with a Censure Order may have led to Speaker Fecteau taking the time to entertain debate and hold a vote on Rudnicki’s request.
Following debate, the House voted 107-31 to suspend the rule and proceed beyond 9 p.m., agreeing to finish four remaining bills before adjourning. However, as the night continued, tensions resurfaced when Majority Leader Matt Moonen (D-Portland) moved to reconsider LD 893, a bill that had been voted on earlier in the evening. The bill, which would exempt nonprofit agricultural membership organizations from insurance requirements, had previously survived an attempt to kill it, passing after a 69-69 tie vote failed to derail it. The bill passing was a win for Republicans.
Republicans viewed Moonen’s motion as a betrayal of the agreed-upon workload and a second attempt to kill LD 893 sparking an uproar in the chamber. Rep. Tracy Quint (R-Hodgdon) expressed frustration over what she saw as broken promises, stating, “I voted no on working past 9 p.m. Promises have not been kept. I am extremely disappointed.”
Freshman legislator Rep. Marygrace Cimino (R-Bridgton) voiced similar outrage, saying, “I am so disgusted. You basically lied to us. It was a complete lie with what you sold.” Shortly after her remarks, Republican lawmakers stood up and walked out of the chamber in protest, leaving the session in turmoil.
With GOP members gone, Speaker Fecteau called for a quorum vote to determine whether the House could continue conducting business. The vote revealed that exactly 76 out of 151 members remained—the bare minimum required to maintain a quorum. In response, Leader Moonen moved to adjourn rather than continue legislating under the diminished attendance.
The House adjourned at 9:55 p.m., concluding the contentious evening session. The walkout marks a dramatic start to the final weeks of legislative work before summer adjournment, with Maine lawmakers preparing for extended hours and intense debates on hundreds of remaining bills.
The House is scheduled to reconvene on Tuesday at 10 a.m., with 48 divided reports scheduled for consideration—three more than Monday. The Maine Wire will be reporting on Tuesday’s session and will be watching when the clock strikes 8:59 p.m.
