As lawmakers wrap up their work for the session, two bills aiming to reform the state’s child welfare system have been left without a clear resolution.
While one measure would have created a new Department of Child and Family Services, the other would have given the Legislature more oversight of the state’s existing operations.
Theoretically, these bills could still be taken up by lawmakers when they return later this month for what is colloquially known as “Veto Day,” but this time is not generally used to advance new measures. Additionally, it is not clear if the governor would allow any bills passed beyond the Legislature’s statutory adjournment date to become law.
The final day of the legislative session in Maine is typically set aside for lawmakers to consider whether or not to overturn any vetoes that have been issued by the governor.
Two years ago, thirty-five bills were advanced on Veto Day, but Gov. Janet Mills (D) refused to sign them into law on principle.
“The Legislature has great discretion when it comes to the manner in which it considers and enacts bills, subject only to Constitutional limitations,” Gov. Mills said in a letter at the time explaining her position. “In this case, however, it did not adhere to its Constitutionally directed adjournment deadline.”
[RELATED: Janet Mills Will Not Sign Bills Passed by Lawmakers on Veto Day]
One of the reform measures that is now unlikely to be approved this session would have established a separate department within the state government with the sole responsibility of handling child welfare.
The Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee was largely united in its opposition to this measure, however, with only one member voting to recommend approval of an amended version of the proposal.
While the Senate expressed bipartisan support for the amended legislation, the House took a voice vote to reject the measure.
The lower chamber later doubled-down on its opposition to the bill in a party-line roll call vote of 75-72.
As of now, the chambers are in non-concurrence, and the bill has been held in the House.
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The other measure left in limbo as the legislative session drew to a close would have given members of the Government Oversight Committee access to confidential child welfare records.
Although members of the Judiciary Committee were united in their support of the bill, they were divided over which version of the measure to advance.
Both the House and Senate voted to support the majority’s version of the bill, which would have allowed Oversight Committee members access to confidential reports during a non-public executive session.
Before viewing these records, members would have been required to sign a code of conduct.
A confidential draft of the program evaluation report would also have been shared with the committee ahead of its final release to the public.
This draft of the proposed legislation eventually did receive approval from both chambers but was not finalized before the end of the session.
