Author: Libby Palanza

Two primary races for seats in the Maine State Legislature will now be moving on to ranked choice voting tabulations. Three recounts have also been announced. Immediately following the June 9 primary election, the Maine Secretary of State’s Office issued a press release explaining that both the Democrat and Republican primaries for governor, as well as the Democrat primary in District 2, would be tallied using ranked choice voting. Tuesday morning, the Secretary of State’s Office indicated that the Republican primary elections for House District 58 and Senate District 4 will also be moving on to ranked choice voting tabulations.…

Maine will reportedly not be participating in the upcoming Great American State Fair, a sixteen-day event held as part of the country’s ongoing 250th anniversary celebrations. The Great American State Fair is described by Freedom 250 as “an opportunity for visitors from across America to experience an unforgettable celebration of the people and traditions that define our nation.” The event is scheduled to take place from June 25 through July 10. Eight states, including Maine, have indicated that they will not be sending a delegation to the event scheduled for later this month. According to NOTUS, other states that have…

Maine Community College System (MCCS) President David Daigler has announced that he plans to step down from his position by the end of the 2026-27 academic year. Daigler has been president since 2019 and has been working for the system since 2003. Daigler notified the MCCS Board of Trustees on Wednesday during their regular meeting held at Eastern Maine Community College (EMCC). “It’s the right time for the system, the state, and me personally,” said Daigler. “We have new state leadership coming in, we have successfully made the Maine Free College scholarship permanent, our workforce programming is incredibly robust, and…

A Maine Superior Court judge has upheld Secretary of State Shenna Bellows’ decision to block the citizens initiative brought forward by Protect Girls Sports in Maine from appearing on the ballot this November. Under the proposed legislation, students would only be eligible to play on sports teams and access protected spaces such as locker rooms and bathrooms that align with their biological sex, regardless of whether or not they identify as transgender. Although the petition to place this measure on the ballot was originally successful, receiving validation from the Secretary of State’s Office in March, three individuals sued alleging that…

The Maine Secretary of State’s Office announced Thursday morning that three races are officially moving on to ranked choice voting tabulation, including both the Democrat and Republican primaries for governor, as well as the Democrat primary in District 2. Given the wide field of candidates running in each of these races, it is not unexpected that they will be subject to ranked choice tabulation. All three of these races are progressing to ranked choice tabulation because no one candidate received over 50 percent of the vote. Once tabulation commences, the candidate with the fewest number of votes will be knocked…

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has announced that it will be completely phasing out the issuance of paper checks by the end of this year. Last September, all four members of Maine’s congressional delegation joined together in urging the SSA to delay the implementation of this policy, citing concerns over the impact it would have on people who live in rural areas, particularly those who may be elderly, disabled, or low-income. President Donald Trump (R) signed an executive order in March of 2025 with the intention of “modernizing payments to and from America’s bank accounts.” According to the order, issuing…

On Tuesday, voters in Portland overwhelmingly approved the district’s proposed $179 million school budget, which will be accompanied by a 5.68 percent property tax hike. Nearly half of registered voters in the city cast a ballot in Tuesday’s election. Held during an off-cycle election, the previous budget referendum saw just a ten percent turnout rate. The now-approved budget will result in a roughly $200 annual hike on a median-priced $566,600 home. [RELATED: Portland Teachers Union Urges Voters to Reject Proposed School Budget] While the comfortable approval margin for this year’s budget keeps with the pattern established in prior years, this…

President Donald Trump has signed a $70 billion spending package into law that will fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) through the end of his term in office. This comes after House lawmakers narrowly approved the measure in a vote Wednesday by a vote of 214 to 212, according to NPR. Signing this bill into law has brought an end to the 115-day stalemate over ICE and Border Patrol funding that has prevented the agency from being fully funded despite shutdown negotiations reaching a resolution with respect to the rest of the federal government. Known as the Secure America Act,…

Roughly three out of five Mainers believe that artificial intelligence (AI) will have a negative effect on the country over the next decade, according to the latest Pine Tree State Poll, a States of Opinion Project from the University of New Hampshire Survey Center. Just 22 percent feel that AI will have a positive effect on the nation in the next ten years. This is up from 16 percent in October 2025. Source: Pine Tree State Poll, State of Opinion Project from the University of New Hampshire Survey Center An even larger share of Mainers, however, have indicated that they…

Since 2022, independent voters in Maine have had the ability to participate in a political party’s primary election for congressional and state offices. Voters who have formalized their political affiliation are only permitted to cast a ballot selecting candidates for their own political party. Maine is one of ten states to make use of this kind of primary system, alongside Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, West Virginia, and Wyoming. After receiving bipartisan approval in both the House and Senate, the bill establishing open primaries went into law without a signature from Gov. Janet Mills (D) in…

The National Parks Service (NPS) is now accepting public comment on President Donald Trump’s proposed “Independence Arch” — a 250-foot commemorative arch in Washington, D.C. across from the Lincoln Memorial — from now until June 15, 2026. The president announced his intention to pursue building “Independence Arch” during an October gathering at the White House for those who provided financial support to the $400 million ballroom project. “We really need it,” President Trump said of the arch. “The United States is the greatest and most powerful nation on earth, and American presidents need to be able to host events at…

Maine’s Sen. Susan Collins was among the four Republicans to vote against a proposal to attach a version of the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act to a $70 billion funding package for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol (CBP). Later in the day Friday, the Senate voted 52-47 in support of the funding without receiving any Democratic support. The House is not expected to consider this spending package until next week at the soonest. Earlier this year, lawmakers partially funded DHS but deliberately excluded ICE and CBP after they failed to garner enough support to advance.…

Maine’s Sen. Susan Collins (R) cast her 10,000th consecutive roll call vote Thursday, marking a major milestone in her unbroken streak which began in 1997. “Mainers are known for their work ethic, and they deserve a Senator who works just as hard for them,” Collins said in a statement celebrating the achievement. “Growing up in Aroostook County, I learned the value of hard work, perseverance, and honoring your commitments,” said Collins. “I am proud to bring those Maine values with me to the Senate every day.” “Representing the State of Maine is the honor of a lifetime, and I will…

The United States Supreme Court has ruled to allow Alabama to use a congressional map favoring Republicans for the upcoming primary election in August. In an unsigned order, the justices overturned a district court’s ruling which blocked the map for allegedly being “tainted by intentional race-based discrimination.” As a result of this ruling, backed by six of the nine justices, Alabama’s primary election will feature six Republican-leaning districts and one Democratic-leaning one. The alternative map would have included five predominately red districts and two blue ones. After a three-judge appeals court panel ruled that this secondary map, created by a…

Seven states, including Maine, have filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration over one of its deals to end an offshore wind project, alleging that the move is “illegal,” calling it a “sham deal.” Led by New York attorney general Letitia James, the complaint argues that the multi-million dollar deal between TotalEnergies and the Trump Administration “threatens to erase over a thousand union jobs and cheat millions of New Yorkers out of clean, affordable energy.” Last March, the federal government announced that it would be reimbursing TotalEnergies $928 million for offshore wind leases it had purchased under the Biden Administration.…

The Portland Teachers Union has reversed course and is now urging voters to support the city’s proposed school budget when they go to the polls next week. This comes after district leaders vowed to add back five educational technician positions next year, as well as make an effort to reduce administrative costs. Late last month, the union made history by coming out in opposition to the school budget for the first time in the city’s history. The Portland City Council had unanimously approved sending the $179.3 million school budget to the ballot for ratification just several days prior. [RELATED: Portland…

The majority of Mainers report that their financial situation is worse now compared to a year ago, according to a new Pine Tree State Poll, a States of Opinion Project from the University of New Hampshire Survey Center. 35 percent of respondents said that things have remained the same for them over the past twelve months, while just 9 percent said that their household finances have improved. This represents a reversal of where Mainers were around the beginning of 2025 and is an exacerbation of the trend that has been taking shape ever since. Despite these changes, however, the share…

Ranked choice voting is set to be used for the upcoming June 9 primary election for which a number of key races will be on the ballot. Although ranked choice voting has proven to be a point of significant controversy since its initial implementation several years ago, it is nonetheless the system in place for this month’s election. Consequently, it is critical that Mainers understand how best to approach filling out their ballot so that their vote is able to be as effective as possible and can be counted in accordance with their desires. On the ballot this cycle are…

Although the upcoming primary election is scheduled for June 9, Mainers can already start casting their ballots. Up for a vote this cycle are several critical races, including for the governorship, as well as for one of Maine’s seats in the United States Congress and both of the state’s seats in the United States House of Representatives. Both Democrats and Republicans will be asked to weigh in on primary races for the gubernatorial election and the senatorial election, but only Republicans will be faced with a choice at the ballot box for the House seat. Maine citizens who are not…

Over 60 percent of Mainers have expressed concern over gas prices in the state, although there is a distinct divide based on political affiliation. According to the latest Pine Tree State Poll, a States of Opinion Project conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, the majority of Democrats and independents in Maine are worried about the price at the pump, while Republicans are mostly unconcerned. When asked if they were worried about paying for gas over the next twelve months, 79 percent of Democrats and 70 percent of independents said that they were either very or somewhat worried,…

Gov. Janet Mills (D) held an event at Westbrook High School earlier this week celebrating a new policy that was signed into law as part of the supplemental budget which bars students from having cell phones in public schools during the day. The statewide bell-to-bell ban represents a departure from the policy adopted by lawmakers this past summer which directed school boards to develop their own approach to regulating student cell phone use during the school day. Although that measure originated as a statewide cell phone ban, it was later amended to preserve local control. All members of the Education…

Alabama has filed an emergency appeal at the United States Supreme Court seeking permission to use its new congressional map expected to favor Republicans in the upcoming primary election. This comes after a lower court ruled that the state’s proposed map is discriminatory against Black residents. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court decided in a case out of Louisiana that compliance with §2 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which “prohibits racial discrimination in voting practices or procedures,” does not warrant an exception to the Constitution’s prohibition on race-based discrimination with respect to voting. Alabama’s appeal was filed immediately after…

According to a new Pine Tree State Poll, a States of Opinion Project conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, Graham Platner has a 73 percent favorability rating among likely voters in Maine’s Democratic primary. Incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R), on the other hand, has a 65 percent favorability rating among those who are likely to vote in Maine’s Republican primary election. In a head-to-head match up, Platner holds a several point lead over Sen. Collins, albeit by a slightly smaller margin than several months ago, as more undecided voters have moved to support the sitting senator, as…

The Portland teachers union is urging voters to reject the $179.3 million school budget that was sent to the ballot unanimously by the City Council last week. As reported by the Portland Press Herald, the union has argued that the proposed budget favors administrative positions over those which are based in schools. Never before has the union called for residents to vote against the budget to the knowledge of Portland Education Association President Kerrie Dowdy. Generally speaking, voters support the budget by a wide margin. Although there was originally talk of cutting 20 positions from the budget, several were restored…

Portland voters are being asked to weigh in on a $179.3 million school budget at the ballot box this June. As proposed, the school budget would carry a 5.68 percent school-side property tax increase, equating to a roughly $200 annual hike on a median-priced $566,600 home. Due to declining enrollment, the state subsidy received by the school district is set to go down next year, amplifying the budget’s 2.6 percent spending increase. Estimates project that state funding will drop by $4.1 million. That said, the Legislature approved some changes to the state’s school funding formula this year that the City…

Last week, the United States Department of Justice threatened legal action against the State of Maine over a policy that allegedly blocks federal law enforcement agencies from obtaining undercover license plates if those vehicles are to be used for civil immigration enforcement operations. Maine’s Attorney General now appears to have rejected this request in a letter responding to the DOJ in which he pushes back on the arguments made by the federal government against the state’s policy. In a sharply worded letter addressed to Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey, federal officials argued the policy is both “deeply dangerous” and “blatantly…

President Donald Trump spoke to the press from the Oval Office Thursday ahead of an expected ruling from the United States Supreme Court concerning the Administration’s proposed changes to birthright citizenship. “It would be a disgrace if the Supreme Court of the United States allows that to happen,” the president said in the Oval Office Thursday, referring to the possibility of the Court allowing the nation’s current birthright citizenship policy to stand. “Remember what I said, 20 to 25% of the people coming into our country will come in through birthright citizenship,” said President Trump. “They’ll become citizens through birthright…

On June 3, 2026, the Maine Data Center Advisory Council, established via executive order by Gov. Janet Mills (D) earlier this year, will hold its first meeting. The council will continue to meet throughout the year before delivering a report to the governor and legislature at the end of January 2027. In April, Gov. Mills created the Data Center Advisory Council in the wake of backlash from fellow Democrats over her decision to veto a controversial moratorium on data center construction. “It is necessary, important and urgent that the State plan for potential impacts of large-scale data centers on our…

A Maine church has filed a lawsuit against the federal government over alleged interference with members’ use of a hallucinogenic substance during its services. Pachamama Sanctuary argues in its lawsuit against the federal government that it uses ayahuasca tea during certain ceremonies. A South American ceremonial tea, ayahuasca contains DMT, a Schedule I controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Named in the lawsuit as defendants are the U.S. Attorney General, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), as reported by the Bangor Daily News. Although ayahuasca tea is…

Tulsi Gabbard has announced that she is preparing to step down as the nation’s Director of National Intelligence at the end of next month, citing her husband’s severe cancer diagnosis. As first reported by Fox News, Director Gabbard explained that her husband has “an extremely rare form of bone cancer” so she will be stepping away from her position in the cabinet. Gabbard notified President Trump of her intent to step away from the position during an Oval Office meeting Friday. Her resignation is set to be effective as of June 30, 2026. “At this time, I must step away…

The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts moved Thursday to approve President Donald Trump’s plan to construct a 250-foot commemorative arch in Washington, D.C. across from the Lincoln Memorial. The president announced his intention to pursue building “Independence Arch” during an October gathering at the White House for those who provided financial support to the $400 million ballroom project. “We really need it,” President Trump said of the arch. “The United States is the greatest and most powerful nation on earth, and American presidents need to be able to host events at the White House that reflect the demands of the…

The United States Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case during their next term concerning whether all school employees can bring sex discrimination lawsuits under a law governing educational institutions receiving federal funding. A judge for the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the statutory language does not provide a “private right of action to employees of educational institutions.” The employees bringing this consolidated case, however, disagreed with this interpretation and hope to see the decision reversed by the nation’s highest court. The 11th Circuit’s ruling represents a departure from the viewpoint that has been adopted by eight…

Both of Maine’s delegates in the United States Senate, Sen. Susan Collins (R) and Sen. Angus King (I), have joined forces with a primarily Democratic group of lawmakers to advocate for the release of nearly $360 million in federal funding for weatherization assistance through the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). The coalition is also calling for the federal government to send out roughly $66 million worth of funding for the State Energy Program (SEP). Although weatherization funding has traditionally been insulated from the effects of appropriations delays, the federal government is currently very far behind schedule for the 2026 funding process.…

Sen. Susan Collins (R) released a statement Monday reacting to the confirmation of Andrew B. Benson as the United States Attorney for the District of Maine and David St. Pierre as the U.S. Marshal for the District of Maine. These nominees were approved “en bloc” alongside 47 others, meaning that senators did not consider each candidate individually but rather voted to approve or reject the slate of nominees as a whole. Despite bipartisan support for both of Maine’s nominees, Sen. Angus King (I) voted alongside Democratic lawmakers in voting against the entire group’s confirmation. U.S. Attorney Benson was nominated by…

The United States Supreme Court has rejected a request from Virginia officials to review a decision issued by the state’s supreme court blocking use of a new congressional map strongly favoring Democrats. The justices’ decision came in a brief, unsigned order Friday evening, just fifteen minutes after reply briefs were shared publicly. As is often the case, the Court did not provide any insight into their reasoning behind rejecting the appeal. Source: CBS News Earlier this month, the Virginia Supreme Court blocked the state from using a map drawn up by the state’s Democrat-controlled legislature after finding that it did…

The United States Senate confirmed Andrew B. Benson as the United States Attorney for the District of Maine and David St. Pierre as the U.S. Marshal for the District of Maine in a party-line vote Monday evening. These nominees were approved “en bloc” alongside 47 others, meaning that senators did not consider each candidate individually but rather voted to approve or reject the slate of nominees as a whole. Despite bipartisan support for both of Maine’s nominees, Sen. Angus King (I) voted alongside Democratic lawmakers in voting against the entire group’s confirmation. U.S. Attorney Benson was nominated by then-Attorney General…

The United States Senate unanimously approved a resolution Thursday agreeing to withhold their own pay during future government shutdowns. Under the new policy, whenever one or more government agencies are affected by a shutdown, pay would be withheld for members of the Senate until the government reopens. This change will take effect the day after the November 3, 2026 general election and will not impact members of the House of Representatives. “Shutting down government should not be our default solution to our refusal to work out our issues and our differences,” said bill sponsor Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) in a…

The United States Supreme Court has moved to continue allowing women access to mifepristone, a drug used in medication-induced abortions, by mail while a challenge to the FDA’s policies winds its way through the lower courts. This comes after the Supreme Court issued two temporary stays earlier this month while they reviewed briefs submitted by parties on both sides. The Court’s order halted a 5th Circuit ruling temporarily banning mifepristone from being distributed by mail nationwide, regardless of how individual states have chosen to regulate access to abortions and abortion medication. Thursday’s order does not provide any additional insight into…

The Maine Office of the Public Advocate (OPA) has filed a complaint with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission against Eversource Energy Service Company, or Eversource, for allegedly “mischaracterizing” a major transmission line project. The X-178 transmission project involves reconstructing 49 miles worth of transmission facilities and roughly 580 poles in the White Mountains of northern New Hampshire and is expected to cost New England ratepayers $360 million. In a statement announcing the complaint, OPA explained that Eversource’s own analysis showed that only 41 of the poles needed to be replaced. The $360 million price tag will be borne by ratepayers…

Vice President J.D. Vance took questions from Maine Wire reporters Jon Fetherston and Seamus Othot Thursday afternoon at his appearance in Bangor. Cheers erupted in the venue at Fetherston’s introduction at the start of the question-and-answer period, prompting the Vice President to remark that “we like this guy.” Fetherston asked Vance to give advice to the people of Maine for holding their elected leaders accountable when it comes to fraud in the state. Vance responded by first emphasizing the role of the federal government in addressing fraud, saying that they need to “show up and arrest [someone committing fraud] and…

The United States Supreme Court has paved the way for Alabama’s new congressional map, drawn up in 2023, ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented from the majority, resulting in a 6-3 decision. In light of the Court’s ruling last week in a redistricting case out of Louisiana, the majority vacated a lower court’s ruling concerning the Alabama map and sent it back down for further proceedings. In deciding the Louisiana case, the majority of the Court ruled that compliance with §2 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which “prohibits racial…

Voters in Cumberland and North Yarmouth have sent a combined $56.7 million school budget to the ballot for validation in June. The budget was originally proposed in March with a price tag of $57.9 million, but the school district’s Board of Directors trimmed it down by 2.1 percent after receiving input from residents. Cut expenses included new classroom furniture, bus monitors, funding for a joint enrollment study, and special education equipment. The final proposal being put before voters represents a 5.46 percent increase over the current year’s budget. The seventeen proposed school budget articles were approved at a district budget…

Maine’s first Safe Haven Baby Box was opened Tuesday at the Rumford Fire Department. These boxes “legally permits a mother in crisis to safely, securely, and anonymously surrender if they are unable to care for their newborn.” Parents may use the boxes to anonymously give up a child who is younger than 31 days old. As soon as a baby is placed inside of the temperature-controlled box, an alarm will sound within to alert the firemen so that they can tend to the baby immediately. The child would be taken to the hospital for evaluation before being handed over to…

The United States Supreme Court has issued a short extension of last week’s temporary stay allowing for women to continue accessing mifepristone, a drug used in medication-induced abortions, by mail. Originally set to expire at 5pm on Monday, May 11, 2026, Justice Samuel Alito signed a brief order pushing the expiration date ahead to Thursday, May 14. This comes after the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated the requirement that mifepristone be dispensed only in person in response to a case brought by the State of Louisiana. This issue was brought to the Supreme Court by two drug companies that…

President Donald Trump has announced that he is looking to suspend the nation’s gas tax in the face of rising prices at the pump. In a phone interview with CBS News, the President of the United States explained that he hopes to pause collection of the gas tax “for a period of time.” “I think it’s a great idea,” said President Trump. “Yup, we’re going to take off the gas tax for a period of time, and when gas goes down, we’ll let it phase back in.” With the Strait of Hormuz blocked by Iran, gas prices has increased substantially,…

Early voting for the upcoming June 9 primary election is set to begin on Monday, May 11, 2026. On the ballot this cycle are several critical races, including for the governorship, as well as for one of Maine’s seats in the United States Congress and both of the state’s seats in the United States House of Representatives. Both Democrats and Republicans will be asked to weigh in on primary races for the gubernatorial election and the senatorial election, but only Republicans will be faced a choice at the ballot box for the House seat. Maine citizens who are not yet…

The Virginia Supreme Court has struck down a redistricting proposal that would have allowed the state’s Democrat-controlled legislature to redraw its congressional maps off-cycle. Source: CBS News As proposed, the new maps would have reduced the number of Republican-dominated districts from five to one, out of a total of eleven. Unlike many of the recent cases concerning redistricting, the Virginia Supreme Court’s ruling did not hinge on an evaluation of the redrawn map itself. Instead, the justices declared the new map void on procedural grounds. The court ruled 4-3 that the legislature did not follow proper procedure when placing the…

On behalf of the United States Supreme Court, Justice Elena Kagan declined to put a pause on a 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling holding Apple in contempt of court in a lawsuit challenging App Store fees. Epic Games, maker of the popular video game Fortnite, filed an antitrust lawsuit challenging the rules Apple has set for its App Store. A federal judge went on to rule that Apple could not block developers from encouraging customers to buy their products from alternative marketplaces, requiring that the company allow for links ‌directing users ⁠to non-Apple payment methods. Apple complied but was…

Unemployment in Maine has remained relatively consistent in recent months, holding steady at 3.2 percent in March. This is down from 3.8 percent at this same time last year. Compared to the rest of the country, Maine is faring about a percentage point better, with nationwide unemployment coming in at 4.3 last month. Similarly, unemployment in New England averaged at 4.4 percent in March. Compared to a year ago, unemployment is down in all Maine counties by a figure of anywhere from 0.1 percent to 1 percent. Labor force participation rates continued to trend downward in Maine, falling to 59.5…

Sen. Susan Collins (R) has teamed up with Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) to encourage Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Marty Makary to reconsider the agency’s recently issued draft guidance document concerning flavored vapes. The senators express concern in their letter that the change in policy could result in an increase in the number of flavored e-cigarettes or electronic nicotine delivery systems authorized by the FDA, which they suggest would “jeopardiz[e] recent progress in reducing youth e-cigarette use.” In a press release shared by Sen. Collins’ office Tuesday, she cites a report from the Wall Street Journal that President Donald…

The Maine Secretary of State’s Office released the question wording for a potential People’s Veto of the recently signed supplemental budget. Dov Sacks, the Durham attorney who filed the application, however, has said that he is no longer pursuing the effort. Maine Public reported Wednesday afternoon that the People’s Veto will officially not be moving forward, as the Secretary of State’s Office had been officially notified that Sacks would not be actively seeking signatures. In Maine, a People’s Veto allows voters to “repeal a piece of legislation passed by the legislature” by using “the initiative and referendum process.” To earn…

The United States Supreme Court issued an order Monday allowing for women to continue accessing mifepristone, a drug used in medication-induced abortions, by mail. This comes after the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated the requirement that mifepristone be dispensed only in person in response to a case brought by the State of Louisiana. In a brief order signed by Justice Samuel Alito, the Court temporarily stayed the ruling through 5pm on Monday, May 11, 2026. This issue was brought to the Supreme Court by two drug companies that produce mifepristone, Danco Laboratories and GenBioPro, calling the 5th Circuit’s order…

The White House has expressed support for making the moratorium on new regulations pertaining to North Atlantic Right Whale valid through 2035. Friday afternoon, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a State of Administration Policy backing a bill Rep. Jared Golden’s (D) bill extending the current regulatory moratorium by seven years. The original moratorium, set to expire in 2028, was secured in 2022 while former President Joe Biden was in office, due in part to the urging of Maine’s congressional delegation alongside Gov. Janet Mills (D). In its notice, the OMB explained that the effort to extend this…

As of May 1, most employees in Maine are eligible to take up to twelve weeks of paid leave to care for a sick family member, as well as to bond with a newborn baby or newly adopted child. Also eligible for leave under the program are those who are experiencing a serious health condition and are rendered unable to work for an extended period, and anyone serving as a caregiver for someone who meets the other conditions. Mainers began paying into the program on January 1, 2025, more than a year in advance of the program becoming available. Enacted…

The United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments Wednesday in a case concerning the federal government’s efforts to end temporary protected status (TPS) designation for thousands of people living in the United States from Syria and Haiti. Under the TPS program, individuals from certain countries are temporarily given legal status to live and work in the United States if they are unable to return to their home countries due to natural disasters, armed conflicts, or other extraordinary circumstances. Relief is limited to 18 months, but the Secretary of Homeland Security can extend the duration of these protections if it is…

The United States Supreme Court ruled unanimously Wednesday that a group of faith-based pregnancy centers is able to bring a First Amendment challenge against the New Jersey state government. First Choice Women’s Resource Centers, the coalition at the heart of this case, describes itself as a “faith-based nonprofit” that provides “material support and medical services like ultrasounds and pregnancy tests under the direction of a licensed medical director.” The group has attempted to bring a challenge against the New Jersey state government in federal court over its 2022 attempt to demand information regarding its fundraising practices in federal court. The…

Gov. Janet Mills (D) signed a bill into law Friday requiring businesses with more than ten employees to include a prospective range of pay when posting a job listing. Under this law, businesses will also be required to disclose, at an employee’s request, the range of pay for their position. A record of each employee’s position and pay history must be maintained for the duration of employment plus three years. Just over $81,000 was appropriated from the state’s General Fund for the 2026-27 fiscal year to cover the costs associated with enforcing this new measure. Lawmakers on the Labor Committee…

The United States Supreme Court has struck down a majority-Black congressional district in Louisiana as an “unconstitutional racial gerrymander.” The Court was divided 6-3 over this case, with Justices Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor, and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissenting. “The Constitution almost never permits a State to discriminate on the basis of race, and such discrimination triggers strict scrutiny,” the majority said. There are only two instances in which such discrimination is permissible: “avoiding imminent and serious risks to human safety in prisons” and “remediating specific, identified instances of past discrimination that violated the Constitution or a statute.” At question in…

Gov. Janet Mills (D) has continued to tout provisions of the $500 million supplemental budget in the weeks since she signed it into law. On Monday, the governor attended an event with Senate Majority Leader Teresa Pierce to celebrate the inclusion of a measure raising Maine’s minimum teacher salary over the course of the next three years. Under Part SSS of the supplemental budget, the minimum salary for teachers statewide will be increased from $40,000 to $50,000 by the fall of 2029. This will be done incrementally over the course of the next few years, going up to $45,000 in…

InterMed has announced that it will no longer be accepting Martin’s Point Medicare Advantage plans starting in January of 2027. In a written statement shared Friday, InterMed President Phyllidia Ku-Ruth explained that “this decision was not made suddenly or lightly.” “Over the last several years, we have consistently raised concerns that the structure of our agreement was making it increasingly difficult to deliver the high-quality care our patients need and deserve while maintaining a sustainable practice environment for our teams,” Ku-Ruth said. “We are purposely providing this notice more than eight months in advance, so that our patients have time…

The United States Supreme Court has greenlit the use of Texas’ newly redrawn congressional map by overturning a lower court’s ruling Monday. Last year, the Court allowed the map to be used on a temporary basis, but Monday’s ruling made this decision permanent, solidifying its use in the upcoming midterm elections and beyond. In December of 2025, the Justices granted Texas’ request for a stay, finding that the state was likely to succeed on the merits of its case. Justices Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor, and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented from the majority at the time, arguing that the temporary ruling…

Maine’s Congressional delegation has reached out to the United States Postal Service (USPS) regarding a payment issue with a contractor serving several of the state’s island communities. Sen. Susan Collins (R), Sen. Angus King (I), Rep. Jared Golden (D), and Rep. Chellie Pingree (D) joined forces to send a letter to Postmaster General David Steiner seeking clarification on the situation. Reports have been made that the USPS failed to pay the Rockland-based Penobscot Island Air (PIA) more than $349,000 for its mail-delivery services. Due to this outstanding balance, PIA announced on April 21 that it would be suspending operations in…

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld a Texas law requiring public school classrooms to display the Ten Commandments. Those challenging the law have alleged in their complaint that the measures represent violations of the First Amendment’s Establishment and Free Exercise clauses. The state government, however, has argued that the requirements are permissible, citing Supreme Court precedent and the Ten Commandments’ historical relevance. It has been the expectation for some time now that regardless of which party prevailed, the ruling would ultimately be appealed to the United States Supreme Court. Dr. Patrick Flavin, Baylor University’s Political Science Chair, indicated…

As part of the supplemental budget signed into law earlier this month created a new grant program designed to expand free meals to students at off-site public preschool programs. This provision was based on a bill introduced by Senate President Mattie Daughtry last year. Included under Part BB of the supplemental budget, the Early Childhood Nutrition Grant Program will allow eligible off-site public preschool programs to receive a grant equal to or less than the total annual per-student reimbursement rate for the National School Lunch Program. Funds from this program cannot be distributed until the 2027-28 school year. For the…

Housing in Maine is among the most expensive in the country, according to a new report shared by personal finance website WalletHub. Mainers were found to pay the third largest share of their income in rent each month — a whopping 52.72 percent of income — surpassed only by New York and Hawaii. Homeowners in Maine fared comparatively better, although the state still ranked in the bottom half, coming in 15th-worst, with an average monthly housing cost of 26.60 percent of income. To calculate these rankings, mortgage and rent payments were taken into consideration alongside home energy costs. Click Here…

Sen. Angus King (I) has joined a group of Democratic senators in pushing back against President Donald Trump’s election integrity executive order. This order, issued in March, has also been the subject of several lawsuits alleging that it is a violation of both the Constitution and the law. Under this executive order, the United States Postal Service (USPS) would be required to establish new standards for mail-in and absentee ballot handling, as well as provide each state with a Mail-In and Absentee Participation List. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) would be required to…

Gov. Janet Mills (D) has signed a partisan bill into law extending Maine’s Affordable Housing Income Tax Credit through 2036. LD 2116, sponsored by Rep. Ambureen Rana (D-Bangor), was originally intended to make the credit permanent, but the Democratic majority on the Taxation Committee voted to recommend a pared-back proposal. The Maine Affordable Housing Income Tax Credit was first approved by lawmakers in 2020 with bipartisan support and was modeled after the state’s rehabilitation tax credit. Under this program, developers who invest in the preservation or construction of affordable housing are eligible to receive state income tax credits. According to…

Sen. Susan Collins (R) has announced that Maine will be receiving an additional $4.3 million in home heating assistance funding from the federal government. This comes shortly after Sen. Collins and a group of bipartisan colleagues sent a letter to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) urging the release of the remaining $400 million in funding appropriated by Congress in FY26 for heating assistance. The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, more commonly referred to as LIHEAP, is a federally funded program that helps low-income households cover utility bills, respond to energy emergencies, and reduce long-term costs through home weatherization…

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…

Gov. Janet Mills (D) has signed a unanimously approved bill into law replacing the Child Welfare Services Ombudsman program with the new Office of the Child Advocate. Sponsored by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, the new office created by LD 1893 will be responsible for providing “independent oversight,” promoting “the best interests of children,” and ensuring that “children receive timely, safe and effective services in accordance with state and federal law.” For administrative purposes, the Office of the Child Advocate will be established within the Department of Administrative and Financial Services (DAFS). The Child Advocate will be appointed for a…

Central Maine Power (CMP) has asked the Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to approve a new rate change. This move comes several months after the Maine PUC unanimously rejected the utility’s most recent request to increase costs, arguing that the proposal “misse[d] the mark,” noting that Mainers are facing mounting affordability challenges. Earlier this year, CMP signaled its intention to file for a rate increase this spring, costing the average household around $7 each month. Because this rate change would coincide with the end date for other charges implemented to help pay for the utility’s response to recent years’ extreme…

The Maine Supreme Court is set to consider a case challenging the state’s rules prohibiting most forms of fishing in certain bodies of water, arguing that the prohibitions allegedly violate the state’s constitutional provision protecting the right to food. Earlier this month, Superior Court Justice Michaela Murphy dismissed the lawsuit, but the plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal this week. This is the second time in recent years that Maine’s Right to Food Amendment has been the subject of a lawsuit where it has been pitted against the state’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s mandate to “preserve, protect, and…

The Maine State Legislature has approved a first-of-its-kind temporary ban on large data centers. Whether or not it will receive a signature from Gov. Janet Mills (D), however, remains to be seen. At an event in Bangor last week, the governor reportedly told members of the press that an exemption for the $550 million project at the former Androscoggin paper mill in Jay was necessary to earn her support. “The people of Jay need those jobs, with appropriate guardrails on preserving water resources, electricity resources, local generation, and all those things,” said Gov. Mills. Such an exception, however, was not…

A bill establishing a new Office of the Child Advocate has now been sent to Gov. Janet Mills’ (D) desk for a signature after receiving unanimous approval in both the House and the Senate. Sponsored by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, LD 1893 replaces the Child Welfare Services Ombudsman program with the new Office of the Child Advocate. As described in the bill, the mission of this office would be “to provide independent oversight of state agencies and promote the best interests of children and ensure that children receive timely, safe and effective services in accordance with state and federal…

Sen. Susan Collins (R) has joined forces with Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) in leading a bipartisan group of senators, including Sen. Angus King (I), in urging the federal government to “revise and reissue those applications” for a federal education grant program. According to the coalition, U.S. Department of Education (DOE) Secretary Linda McMahon made significant changes to the guiding principles of the Talent Search and Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC) grant competitions. Generally speaking, TRIO Programs are “Federal outreach and student services programs designed to identify and provide services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds.” Under this umbrella are eight separate programs…

The City of South Portland has moved to close James O. Kaler Elementary and reconfigure students by grade level, but residents may be given the opportunity to weigh in before plans are finalized. A petition is being circulated that would put the closure of Kaler School before voters as a referendum question should it be signed by at least 10 percent of the number of voters who cast a ballot in the last gubernatorial election. Resident Wheeler Boyd-Boffa was issued the petition by the city clerk Wednesday, according to the Portland Press Herald, more than a week after the school…

Last month, Maine homes sold for a median price of $375,000, unchanged from March of 2025. Home sale volume also remained consistent over this period. Nationally, home sales dropped 0.3 percent in a year-over-year comparison, while prices rose 1.3 percent to $412,400. In the northeast, sales dropped by 12.2 percent as the median sale price increased 5.7 percent to $494,500. “As families time their transitions around the school year and Maine’s snow-free months, we expect to see more homes coming onto the market in April and May,” the Maine Association of Realtors said in a statement. “On average, 39 families…

Under the supplemental budget signed into law last week by Gov. Janet Mills (D), all Maine public school districts will be required to adopt a bell-to-bell cell phone ban by August of this year. Accompanying this mandate is a $350,000 appropriation from the state’s General Fund. This represents a departure from the policy adopted by lawmakers this past summer directing school boards to develop their own approach to regulating student cell phone use during the school day. Although that measure originated as a statewide cell phone ban, it was later amended to preserve local control. All members of the Education…

As part of the recently signed supplemental budget, Maine has now made free community college a permanent fixture in the state. In recent years, a pandemic-era program has allowed several classes of graduating high school seniors to attend Maine’s community colleges both tuition- and fee-free. During the first wave of the program, approximately 6,400 students took advantage of these benefits. Last year, lawmakers considered a bill that would have solidified this program in state law, but the measure was unanimously rejected in committee before ever making it to the chamber floor. [RELATED: Free Community College Will Not Become a Permanent…

Maine’s $500 million supplemental budget was signed into law by Gov. Janet Mills (D) Friday after narrowly passing the House and Senate the day before. While lawmakers in the House were divided along strict partisan lines, one Democrat in the Senate, Sen. Nicole Grohoski (D-Hancock), broke ranks to join the Republicans in opposition to the measure. Among the provisions included in the final version of the budget are a new tax on Mainers earning over $1 million, free community college, funding for “reproductive health care” providers, as well as a plan to send $300 checks to many Maine residents, among…

Included in the supplemental budget advanced by the Democratic majority in Augusta was a “millionaire tax” that would charge residents an additional 2 percent on all income earned over $1 million. Maine’s current highest tax bracket caps out at 7.15 percent, the most wealthy Mainers may soon be subject to a total of 9.15 percent income tax on a portion of their earnings. The threshold at which this surcharge applies would be $1.5 million for heads of household and those filing jointly. According to WGME, this new tax can be expected to impact roughly 2,400 households. A similar idea had…

Maine Senators Susan Collins (R) and Angus King (I) have called for continued engagement with seafood industry stakeholders regarding concerns over ropeless gear, also known as “on-demand” gear. In a letter to Assistant Administrator for Fisheries at the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Eugenio Piñero Soler, the senators urged consideration of alternatives such as Dynamic Area Management. Sens. Collins and King explain in their letter that while Maine has made “meaningful progress” toward the eventual adoption of innovative fishing technologies, there are still “substantial issues” that must be resolved before it is “suitable for broad implementation in Maine’s fisheries.” “Cost…

Sen. Susan Collins (R) announced Monday that Maine will be receiving a combined $65 million for two rural infrastructure projects through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Competitive Highway Bridge Program (CHBP). This represents an outsized portion, roughly equal to 16 percent, of the $408 million being awarded in total through the program. Nearly $39 million of this will be going towards the replacement of 11 state-owned bridges across rural central Maine, while the remaining $26 million will be used to replace the bridge decks on four state-owned bridges along Interstate 95 (I-95) in Penobscot County. “Growing up in Caribou,” said…

The amended supplemental budget under consideration by the Maine State Legislature contains a provision that would establish millions of dollars in ongoing funding for “reproductive health care and family planning” providers. Gov. Janet Mills (D) announced her intention to support such a measure in January, explaining that she wanted to “offset the impacts of Federal funding cuts implemented by the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans.” The language included in Part Z of the amended supplemental budget would substitute state funding for Title X grant recipients in the event that federal money should be restricted or rescinded, as well as if…

Gov. Janet Mills (D) has signed a bill into law prohibiting medical debt collectors from placing a lien on a person’s home or garnishing their wages. This comes less than a year after state lawmakers passed a law preventing medical debt from being factored into Mainers’ credit scores. [RELATED: Medical Debt Will No Longer Play a Role in Calculating Mainers’ Credit Scores] After this latest measure, LD 2129, received unanimous approval from members of the Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services (HCIFS) Committee, both the House and the Senate advanced the bill by voice vote. “Just like with consumer credit…

The Maine Supreme Court is in unanimous agreement that expanding the use of ranked-choice voting to include all state elections would represent a violation of the Maine State Constitution. Maine has used ranked-choice voting for federal offices since 2018, but the Maine Supreme Court explained in a 2017 advisory opinion that requiring candidates for state offices to earn majority support would violate the Maine Constitution, which states that the candidate winning the most votes, or a plurality, prevails and does not stipulate that a majority — or more than 50 percent — is needed to win. Although LD 1666 sought…

Maine is among the 23 states suing the Trump Administration over the president’s executive order outlining new federal actions intended to strengthen election integrity, enhance citizenship verification, and establish uniform standards for mail-in and absentee ballots. Led by California and filed in a Massachusetts court, the challenge alleges that the directives represent an unconstitutional attempt to interfere with the states’ administration of elections. According to the lawsuit, neither the Constitution nor any federal law gives the president the authority to mandate changes to election procedures. In his executive order, President Donald Trump cited the Help America Vote Act of 2002…

Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey and Gov. Janet Mills (D) celebrated Thursday after a federal appeals court rejected the Trump Administration’s request to allow the federal government to impose new rules for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Continuum of Care program. A coalition of twenty states, including Maine, has argued that these rules would sharply limit how much of the grants can go toward permanent housing and renewals. The complaint also alleges HUD has imposed unlawful conditions on funding eligibility, such as requiring providers to recognize only two genders, mandating that residents accept services as a…

Gov. Janet Mills (D) has signed into law a bill requiring the Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to consider affordability when carrying out its prescribed duties. Members of the Energy, Utilities and Technology (EUT) Committee were divided over the proposal earlier this year, exhibiting partisan divisions that were ultimately reflected in roll call votes taken by the House and Senate in March. The final version of the bill directs the Maine PUC to develop an “affordability metric” to be used in assessing the impact of electricity bills on “the overall energy burden for residential customers of an investor-owned transmission and…

The cost of heating fuel in Maine has remained above $5 per gallon, according to the Maine Department of Energy Resources (DOER). Heating oil’s per gallon price tag of $5.37 per gallon represents a 41 percent increase since February. As of March 30, kerosene prices averaged at $6.25 per gallon. Estimations based on a standard 275-gallon oil tank indicates that Mainers are now paying an additional $475 for a fill-up compared to February. Heating fuel prices are updated weekly by the DOER and available to view here. Click Here to Read the DOER’s Full Statement The DOER went on to…

House lawmakers have advanced along nearly partisan lines a bill supporting the conversion of vacant school buildings into residential housing. Sponsored by Rep. Traci Gere (D-Kennebunkport), LD 2164 posits allocating $5 million in the 2026-27 fiscal year to the proposed Maine School Conversion Fund, portions of which would be used for a variety of expenses associated with transforming empty school buildings into usable housing. Termed the Vacant School Housing Conversion Program, the proposed initiative would be established within the Maine Redevelopment Land Bank Authority and be authorized to provide “technical and financial assistance” to municipalities that choose to undertake such…

The United States Supreme Court has declined to hear a Maine mom’s case against a Damariscotta school in which she alleges they withheld information from her about her child’s gender transition. In December of 2022, mother Amber Lavigne discovered that a then-26-year-old social worker by the name of Samuel Roy had given her 13-year-old child two breast binders — garments designed to conceal the appearance of a female’s breasts — and provided instructions on their use. Lavigne also said that she was not told when Roy and other school officials began to use an alternative name and pronoun set for…

The United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments Wednesday morning in a case challenging President Donald Trump’s (R) stance on birthright citizenship. This past fall, the Trump Administration asked the Supreme Court to uphold his Executive Order issued on Inauguration Day redefining birthright citizenship. Although the Court considered a case earlier this year stemming from challenges to the Administration’s new policy, the Justices were not tasked at the time with weighing in on the merits of the discussion. Instead, they were asked at the time to define the bounds of authority for federal judges, determining whether or not they have…

Gov. Janet Mills (D) has signed a bill clarifying what constitutes a “billing statement” under state law. Last year, Maine prohibited banks from charging customers a fee for opting to receive paper statements, but concerns were raised in the interim that the language was too broad. Credit unions brought up to lawmakers that this change not only eliminated fees for regular monthly statements, but also prevented them from charging to fulfill labor-intensive requests, such as those that encompass years’ worth of records. Under the new law, “billing statement” would be defined as a monthly account statement, allowing Mainers to receive…

The United States Supreme Court ruled 8-1 Tuesday that Colorado’s ban on LGBTQ conversion therapy for children is unconstitutional under the First Amendment. According to the majority, the ban “regulates speech based on viewpoint,” meaning that the lower courts erred in “failing to apply sufficiently rigorous First Amendment scrutiny.” A concurring opinion authored by Justice Elena Kagan joined by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, arguing that “had instead enacted a content-based but viewpoint-neutral law, it would raise a different and more difficult question.” Dissenting from the Court’s ruling was Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson on the grounds that the move “opens a dangerous…

Mainers bear the fifth highest overall tax burden nationwide, according to a recent study published by personal finance website WalletHub. This ranking takes into account property taxes and individual income taxes, as well as excise and sales taxes. Instead of looking at the rates themselves, this study considered these taxes as a share of personal income. The data used for this report was collected from the Tax Policy Center on March 3, 2026. Source: WalletHub Report, 03.31.26 Maine’s high placement on the list was primarily driven by the state’s property tax burden, which was found to be the fifth highest…

Applications for Maine’s new Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) Program opened Monday, allowing Mainers to take up to twelve weeks of paid leave to care for a sick family member, as well as to bond with a newborn baby or newly adopted child. Also eligible for leave under the program are those who are experiencing a serious health condition and are rendered unable to work for an extended period, and anyone serving as a caregiver for someone who meets the other conditions. Mainers began paying into the program on January 1, 2025, more than a year in advance of…

Sen. Susan Collins (R) announced Friday that she was able to preserve $190 million in federal funding for Maine’s rural hospitals after the state missed key milestones and failed to provide adequate information to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on the award’s implementation. In reaching out to CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, Sen. Collins underscored how critical the funding is for Maine’s rural hospitals and health care providers and urged CMS to help bring the state into compliance, which has since occurred. “Maine’s rural hospitals are under serious strain, with maternity wards and emergency departments continuing to…

Gov. Janet Mills (D) announced Friday that Maine is now slated to receive $43 million in federal funding to support the installation of high-efficiency heat pump water heaters. This money comes through the New England Heat Pump Accelerator, described by the governor as “a collaborative multi-state initiative supported by a Federal grant to rapidly increase the adoption of heat pump technology across the region.” Heat pump water heater purchased at participating Maine distributors and retailers will be eligible for an instant discount of up to $1,100 through Efficiency Maine rebates for eligible households. According to Gov. Mills, use of these…

Early Friday morning, the United States Senate agreed by voice vote to partially fund the Department of Homeland Security, excluding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as well as some parts of Customs and Border Protection (CBP). This represents a major step towards ending the now 42-day long shutdown impacting a number of critical government agencies, including TSA, FEMA, The Coast Guard, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Under the package approved by the Senate, these agencies would be funded as lawmakers continue to battle over ICE and CBP. This comes immediately after President Donald Trump announced that he…