Author: Libby Palanza

A special election has been scheduled for June 9 to fill the seat previously held by Rep. Kathy Javner (R-Chester) who passed away earlier this year after battling cancer. Rep. Javner represented House District 29, which is located in Penobscot County and is comprised of Chester, East Millinocket, Medway, Millinocket, Mount Chase, Patten, Woodville, and unorganized townships. The special election for House District 29 will coincide with the 2026 primary election. Javner was serving her fourth term in the legislature and was a member of the Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee when she passed away. [RELATED: Republican State Rep…

The Maine Connectivity Authority (MCA) announced Wednesday that Maine will be receiving $48.4 million in federal funding to help expand access to high-speed internet throughout the state. MCA president Andrew Butcher has reportedly said that this money will support infrastructure bringing internet to 22,000 homes and businesses. This will continue the work that the MCA has done in recent years connecting nearly 135,000 locations with high-quality internet. Butcher has explained that this latest round of funding will provide dedicated funding to all parts of the state that are currently, according to News Center Maine. This nearly $50 million award, however,…

On Wednesday, Gov. Janet Mills (D) released her proposed supplemental budget for the State of Maine. As part of this proposal, the governor had the opportunity to recommend updates to the state’s tax code, including whether or not to adopt some or all of recent changes made to the federal tax code. Last year, as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), lawmakers in Washington DC approved a number of changes to the federal tax code, reduced taxes on tips and overtime. Under the proposed supplemental budget, however, Gov. Mills has only directly endorsed conforming with a small…

In keeping with a resolve approved by lawmakers last year, a bill has been introduced in Augusta that would allow rental cars to be inspected once every two years instead of annually. This past spring, the Transportation Committee unanimously supported a resolve directing the Secretary of State’s Office and the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), with input from the State Police Bureau, to “consider and develop recommendations” for implementing a “multiyear registration and inspection program” for national car rental companies operating in Maine. LD 2191, introduced Tuesday, proposes allowing car rental companies with over 1,000 noncommercial registered in the state…

The United States Supreme Court voted Wednesday to allow the State of California to use its new voter-approved congressional map in this year’s elections, a move that is expected to be favorable toward Democratic candidates in five districts. As is common with cases on the Court’s emergency docket, no explanation as to the Justices’ reasoning was provided in the brief order. No members of the Court dissented from the decision. In December, the Court issued a similar ruling in a case out of Texas, allowing the state to use an updated congressional map expected to be favorable toward Republican candidates…

The spending package to end the partial government shutdown was approved by lawmakers in the House Tuesday and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) later that same day. Although the House had already agreed to a set of spending bills last week, the package in the Senate was amended, meaning that it had to go back to the House for a final vote before it could be signed into law. While the House had originally approved funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which is responsible for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), alongside several other agencies, the Senate…

The United State Supreme Court has announced that on April 1 the Justices will be hearing oral arguments 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 the 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 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…

Nearly a year ago, Gov. Janet Mills (D) signed a bill into law prohibiting banks from charging customers a fee for opting to receive paper statements. Now, lawmakers are considering a proposal to clarify what actually constitutes a “billing statement.” Ahead of a work session scheduled for later this week, updated language has been brought forward by bill sponsor Sen. Donna Bailey (D-York). Sen. Bailey, who was also responsible for the legislation approved last year, explained in testimony before the Health Coverage, Insurance, and Financial Services (HCIFS) Committee that LD 2061 seeks to address concerns raised by credit unions in…

The United States Senate voted Friday in support of a major funding bill to keep the federal government open. Included in the package advanced by last week’s 71-29 vote were five regular appropriations bills, as well as a two-week stopgap measure to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This represents a departure from the proposal advanced by House lawmakers, as the lower chamber had voted to fully fund DHS, albeit by a more narrow margin than for the other departments. Because the Senate opted to take a different direction than the House, representatives must again consider and approve the…

Digital privacy will soon be coming before the United States Supreme Court as Justices have agreed to hear a case concerning conflicting interpretations of the Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA). Enacted in 1988, the VPPA was introduced after Robert Bork’s video rental history was shared with and published by a journalist during his contentious Supreme Court confirmation hearing. The VPPA bars “video tape service providers” from sharing “personally identifiable information” about “consumers” who rent, purchase, or subscribe to their services. The case that is now set to come before the Supreme Court alleges that Paramount violated the VPPA by disclosing…

Nearly a year ago, Gov. Janet Mills (D) signed a bill into law prohibiting banks from charging customers a fee for opting to receive paper statements. Now, lawmakers are considering a proposal to clarify what actually constitutes a “billing statement.” Bill sponsor Sen. Donna Bailey (D-York), who was also responsible for the legislation approved last year, explained in testimony before the Health Coverage, Insurance, and Financial Services (HCIFS) Committee that LD 2061 seeks to address concerns raised by credit unions over the past several months. Originally sponsored by a bipartisan group of legislators, last year’s legislation banning paper statement fees…

President Donald Trump (R) has sued the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Treasury Department for $10 billion over allegations that the agencies unlawfully allowed a contractor to leak his tax returns during the 2020 election cycle. The complaint, filed by President Trump in his personal capacity, alleges that a former IRS employee “illegally obtained access to, and disclosed [his] tax returns and return information to the New York Times, ProPublica, and other leftist media outlets.” Also plaintiffs in the lawsuit are his sons Eric and Don Jr., as well as the Trump Organization as a whole. It is argued in…

President Donald Trump (R) signed a trio of bills focused on America’s veteran population into law last week. All three pieces of legislation were approved by a voice vote in the House and by unanimous consent in the Senate. The Disabled Veterans Housing Support Act, or HR 224, prevents compensation from service-connected disabilities from being considered when determining someone’s eligibility for income-restricted benefits. By amending section 102(a)(20) of the 1974 Housing and Community Development Act in this manner, a larger portion of the disabled veteran population will now qualify for access to affordable housing programs. Under the VA Budget Shortfall…

The fight over new laws in Texas and Louisiana requiring public school classrooms to display the Ten Commandments continued this month as the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals took up a pair of cases challenging these measures. On January 20, the 5th Circuit sat en banc to hear oral arguments in these two cases, meaning that all of the court’s seventeen judges participated in the proceedings as opposed to a significantly smaller select panel. Families pushing back against the laws have alleged in their complaints that the measures represent violations of the First Amendment’s Establishment and Free Exercise clauses. The…

Maine’s Gov. Janet Mills (D) announced Tuesday that she intends to recommend that the state spend $2.25 million in support of “Maine-based reproductive health care providers.” This proposal, the governor explained, is intended to “offset the impacts of Federal funding cuts implemented by the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans.” The $2.25 million in funding for Planned Parenthood of Northern New England (PPNNE) and Maine Family Planning (MFP) is set to be included as part of Gov. Mills’ upcoming proposed supplemental budget. In the biennial budget approved by lawmakers last year, $6 million in state funds were allocated for reproductive health…

Absentee voting is now underway for the special election being held in House District 94 to fill the seat left vacant by former Rep. Kristen Cloutier (D). Election Day is scheduled for February 24. Whichever candidate prevails during this election will serve out the remainder of former Rep. Cloutier’s two-year term in the House. In-person voter registration is available through the close of polls on February 24, and absentee ballots may be returned until the end of business on February 19. Click Here for More Information on Absentee Voting and Voter Registration Comprising a swathe of central Lewiston running from…

After being recalled from Gov. Janet Mills’ (D) desk as the eleventh-hour last year, Maine lawmakers are scheduled to discuss a controversial bill expanding the use of ranked choice voting to all state elections during a Friday work session. Ranked choice voting has, until now, been used to ensure that the winner of a given election secures majority support, but Sen. Cameron Reny’s (D-Lincoln) bill LD 1666 looks to take a different approach. 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…

The United States House of Representatives has voted to advance a $1.2 trillion spending package ahead of the upcoming January 30 deadline to avert another government shutdown. The three-bill package was supported by a coalition of 149 Democrats and 192 Republicans. Funding included in this package will be going toward the Departments of Defense; Labor, Health and Human Services and Education; and Transportation and Housing and Urban Development, according to CBS News. A separate measure to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was also approved by a bipartisan vote, albeit with a much slimmer margin of 220 to 207.…

A bill that would have allowed the State Police to establish an electronic surveillance system to track vehicle inspections has now been unanimously rejected by Augusta lawmakers. Sponsored by Sen. Brad Farrin (R-Somerset), LD 566 would have then required all mechanics throughout the state to make use of this new system. For the purposes of this bill, an “electronic inspection program” was defined as a program designated by the Chief of the State Police “that uses electronically generated data as part of an inspection and permits the creation and exchange of an electronic record for maintaining inspection information.” This proposal…

A new bill introduced in Augusta looks to make permanent in Maine law a version of the federal energy-efficient home improvement tax credit that lapsed at the end of last year. LD 2140, sponsored by Sen. Denise Tepler (D-Sagadahoc), would allow Mainers to claim up to several hundred dollars in refundable tax credits for making certain qualified upgrades to their homes. Refundable tax credits are able to be claimed regardless of whether or not taxes are owed, as opposed to nonrefundable credits which can only be used to reduce the total amount of taxes owed. For example, a maximum credit…

Gov. Janet Mills (D) announced Tuesday that she will be proposing in the upcoming supplemental budget $4.3 million worth of “enhanced safety measures” for Maine school buses following last year’s two deadly school bus accidents. If approved by lawmakers, this funding would cover the cost of retrofitting nearly 1,700 buses that are not currently equipped with crossing arms or anti-pinch door sensors. The governor has also signed an executive order establishing the Maine School Transportation Safety Commission, which will be responsible for reviewing statutes and rules regarding school bus safety and identifying potential improvements. Serving on this Commission will be…

Both the number of homes sold in Maine and the median price for which they were bought increased last year in comparison to 2024. According to a new report from the Maine Association of Realtors, there were a total of 15,133 real estate transactions in 2025, a 4.78 percent increase over the previous year. The median sale price for 2025 came in at $405,000, rising 3.85 percent over the year 2024. December’s year-over-year statistics for Maine revealed an 11.82 percent increase in home sales accompanied by a 3.75 percent decrease in the median sale price, which came in $385,000. Nationally…

Maine lawmakers are considering establishing a refundable electricity cost fairness tax credit valued at up to $600 targeted at lower-income Mainers. Refundable tax credits are able to be claimed regardless of whether or not taxes are owed, as opposed to nonrefundable credits which can only be used to reduce the total amount of taxes owed. According to an Axios report from this past summer, Mainers saw the highest year-over-year increase in electricity costs nationwide between 2024 and 2025. In just one year, from May 2024 to May 2025, Maine’s average residential energy costs increased by a staggering 36.3 percent. Nationwide,…

The University of Maine System (UMS) is set to receive $51 million in federal funding as part of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS) Appropriations bill. This funding will be spread across three projects, including the construction of a health and life sciences complex and the expansion of the ocean observation system in the Gulf of Maine, as well as the Maine Collector Survey for lobster in the Gulf of Maine. Of these three projects, the development of a new health sciences complex is receiving the largest portion of this funding, coming in at $45 million.…

The Maine State Senate voted 24-10 Tuesday to uphold Gov. Janet Mills’ (D) veto of an automotive right to repair bill approved by lawmakers last year. This comes one week after House lawmakers moved to overturn the veto by a margin of 96-44. Designed to implement recommendations from the Automotive Right to Repair Working Group, the vetoed LD 1228 aimed to clarify and improve the effectiveness of a law approved by voters at the ballot box in 2023. [RELATED: Maine House of Representatives Overrides Gov. Janet Mills’ Veto of Automotive Right to Repair Bill] Under the citizens’ initiative, vehicle manufacturers…

Later this week, Augusta lawmakers are set to discuss a bill that would set a minimum rate of pay for rideshare drivers in Maine. Under the proposed law, which originated as a concept draft, companies like Uber and Lyft would be required to pay drivers a minimum amount per trip based on either duration or length. On a per-trip basis, drivers would be guaranteed at least $00.34 per minute or $1.17 per mile, whichever is greater, beginning on January 1, 2027. Alternatively, platforms would be allowed to pay drivers a flat fee of $3 per ride. Starting in 2028, these…

Eight years in the making, a controversial power corridor running through the North Maine Woods, transporting hydroelectric power from Quebec, has now gone live. The 145-mile New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) will bring this power from Canada into New England, primarily Massachusetts, where it is expected to help provide power to 1.2 million households. Colloquially known in Maine as the “CMP Corridor,” the new transmission line was developed by Avangrid, the parent company of Central Maine Power (CMP). The $1.65 billion project was financed by Massachusetts ratepayers, as power companies in the state negotiated twenty-year agreements to purchase hydropower…

A federal judge in California has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) in a thirty-three-page ruling. At nearly the same time, another federal judge issued a ruling from the bench on Wednesday that granted Oregon’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit filed against it. This ruling is tentative pending a written decision, according to reporting from KOIN. Both California and Oregon were sued by the DOJ alongside more than twenty other states, including Maine, for their refusal to turn over unredacted voter registration files to the federal government upon request. In late December, Maine Secretary…

A bill allowing for locally licensed marijuana “consumption lounges” is set to be discussed during an upcoming work session in Augusta. Carried over from the previous legislative session, Rep. David Boyer’s (R-Poland) LD 1365 was the subject of a public hearing in May of last year. A sponsor’s amendment introduced at the time by Rep. Boyer sought to take a “thoughtful approach to regulating social use,” incorporating recommendations from Maine’s Cannabis Hospitality Task Force. For the purposes of this bill, a “cannabis consumption lounge” is defined as a “designated area within a facility licensed under this chapter as a cannabis…

At a public hearing next week, Mainers will have the opportunity to weigh in on a bill that would require political communications using images or videos that have been manipulated or altered to include a disclaimer. Although this bill originated as a concept draft sponsored by Rep. Amy Kuhn (D-Falmouth) and pertaining to Mainers’ First Amendment rights, the language that has now been proposed for LD 517 appears to now be taking the proposed legislation in a more targeted direction. Now titled “An Act Regarding Synthetic Material in Campaign Advertising,” the proposed bill would levy a fine of up to…

Maine lawmakers are set to consider a bill later this month that would carve out an exception to the state’s new law prohibiting stores containing pharmacies from selling tobacco products. Signed into law this past summer by Gov. Janet Mills (D), a bill sponsored by House Majority Leader Rep. Matt Moonen (D-Portland), barred all pharmacies and any retail establishments containing a pharmacy from selling tobacco products. Fiscal estimates at the time suggested that this move would cost the state about $800,000 in the next fiscal year with projections indicating similar levels of loss expected for FY 2027-28 and FY 2028-29.…

The Maine Department of Energy Resources (MDER) announced Tuesday that a combined $1.2 million in grants have been awarded to three organizations to “support energy efficiency workforce training programs.” Together, the programs being supported by these grants are expected to serve around 1,200 participants, including both those new to the field and existing professionals. Funding for these grants comes from the United States Department of Energy Training for Residential Energy Contractors program. Grant recipients included the Maine Community College System (MCCS), the Association of Energy Services Professionals (AESP), and the Maine Labor Climate Council. With its $317,000 grant, MCCS will “expand…

The United States Supreme Court ruled 7-2 Wednesday that a Republican representative from Illinois has standing to sue the state over its law allowing mail-in ballots to be counted after election day. At this time, the Justices were not tasked with weighing in directly on the permissibility of Illinois’ law itself. Authored by Chief Justice John Roberts, the majority opinion argues that candidates for office have standing to “challenge the rules that govern the counting of votes” in their elections because “an unlawful election rule can injure a candidate in several ways.” “The harm to candidates from an unfair and…

A Democrat representative from Kennebunkport has introduced a bill that would establish a new program and non-lapsing fund to support 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…

A public hearing is set to be held next week for a bill that would provide additional salary supplements for certain childcare provider and establish a grant program to support overnight care. This bill, LD 1414, was originally introduced as a concept draft by President of the Senate Mattie Daughtry (D-Cumberland). Language for the proposal was recently released to the public and posted on the Legislature’s website in preparation for the upcoming public hearing. The full text of the proposed legislation can be read here. As it is currently written, this bill would require the Maine Department of Health and…

The Maine House of Representatives voted 96-44 Tuesday morning to override Gov. Janet Mills’ (D) veto of an automotive right to repair bill approved by lawmakers last year. This represents a slightly slimmer margin of support for the measure than was originally expressed by lawmakers when the bill was passed 135-12 last year. Designed to implement recommendations from the Automotive Right to Repair Working Group, the vetoed LD 1228 aimed to clarify and improve the effectiveness of a law approved by voters at the ballot box in 2023. Under the citizens’ initiative, vehicle manufacturers were required to standardize onboard diagnostic…

The United States House of Representatives voted last week to advance a measure already rejected by the Senate that would have revived the expanded health insurance subsidies that expired at the end of last year. Under the House-approved bill, the COVID-era expansion of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance tax credits would have been reinstated for three years. Known as the enhanced premium tax credit (EPTC), this program gives many Americans access to free or discounted monthly premiums if they purchase their insurance through the ACA marketplace. Absent congressional action, the 2021 expansion of this credit — approved as…

The Maine State Housing Authority’s 2026 Housing Outlook Report reveals several positive indicators for Maine’s housing landscape but highlights how affordability remains the biggest hurdle for Mainers when it comes to achieving homeownership. The twenty-two page report details a number of statistics pertaining to housing production, affordability, homeownership, and homelessness. While the median income in Maine has risen 44 percent between 2015 and 2025, the median home price has increased by a whopping 187 percent. Rising prices have also impacted the rental market, resulting in an increasing share of tenants bearing an outsized cost burden for their housing. In the…

A bipartisan group of Maine lawmakers has sent a letter Gov. Janet Mills (D) asking her to vacate the state’s contract with ModivCare — a large Colorado-based company that recently filed for bankruptcy — for the provision of non-emergency medical transportation. Signing the letter were roughly 130 Democratic and Republican members of both the House and the Senate. While ModivCare currently has a contract to provide non-emergency medical transportation to MaineCare patients in certain areas, the State of Maine has been attempting for the past two years to award it full responsibility for all sixteen counties. As of now, Maine-based…

Augusta lawmakers on the Judiciary Committee brought a proposed concept draft concerning “reproductive rights” to the forefront Tuesday, discussing the possibility of referring the bill to another committee, as the intended scope of the proposal appears to have changed since it was first brought forward last year. Although proposed text for LD 335 is still not yet available, sponsor Rep. Amy Kuhn (D-Falmouth) explained during Tuesday’s work session that the bill has essentially become a “funding bill for reproductive and sexual health providers in Maine.” Originally, the concept draft was referred to the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee due to their jurisdiction…

Gov. Janet Mills (D) announced Wednesday that she will be allowing nearly all remaining bills enacted by the Legislature during the previous session to become law, vetoing only an automotive right to repair bill. Designed to implement recommendations from the Automotive Right to Repair Working Group, the vetoed LD 1228 aimed to clarify and improve the effectiveness of a law approved by voters at the ballot box in 2023. Under the citizens’ initiative, vehicle manufacturers were required to standardize on-board diagnostic systems, as well as allow both owners and non-dealership repair facilities remote access to these systems and mechanical data.…

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) announced Monday that its Board of Directors has voted to dissolve the organization after nearly sixty years. This comes several months after a measure was approved by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) rolling back $9 billion worth of already approved federal spending, including $1.1 billion that was originally destined for the CPB. According to the CPB, the Board determined that it would “not serve the public interest” to continue operating as a “nonfunctional entity” in the absence of Congressional funding. The CPB was primarily responsible for distributing funding to…

On Tuesday, Mainers gathered in Augusta to make their voices heard on a proposed “right to repair” law for electronic devices carried over from the first legislative session. LD 1908, a bipartisan bill presented by Sen. Mike Tipping (D-Penobscot), would establish an electronic “right to repair” law in the state, requiring that original equipment manufacturers make it possible for individuals and unauthorized repair shops to fix their products. In speaking before committee members Tuesday, Sen. Tipping highlighted the bipartisan nature of the bill, as well as the handful of exemptions included in the legislation for items like gaming consoles and…

Lawmakers in Augusta are set to discuss a bill Tuesday that aims to prohibit “housing discrimination” based on a person’s source of income under the Maine Human Rights Act. If approved, LD 847 would prevent anyone looking to sell or rent a property from refusing to rent to, or engage in housing negotiations with, individuals because of their income source, so long it is legal and rightfully obtained. For example, landlords and property owners could not discount potential tenants or buyers because a portion of their income is sourced from a public assistance program, non-governmental organization (NGO), or the Social…

Starting this month, New Hampshire will be ending its practice of requiring annual vehicle safety inspections, leaving Maine as just one of thirteen states to have such a mandate on the books. Reportedly integral to New Hampshire’s shift away from inspections was the $50 price tag associated with obtaining a sticker, a cost that is roughly double that which Mainers are required to pay on an annual basis. Much like in Maine, supporters of these inspections argue that they help to keep poorly maintained and unsafe vehicles off the road, while opponents raise concerns that the system opens the door…

A Maine mom has now asked the United States Supreme Court to consider her 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…

Beginning on New Year’s Day, Maine’s minimum wage increased to $15.10 per hour. Following the enactment of a bill signed into law by Gov. Janet Mills (D) last June, this minimum wage will now also apply to the state’s agricultural workers. In conjunction with this, the tip wage — also known as the tip credit — will also be increased to $7.55. The tip credit is a policy that allows businesses to pay employees below minimum wage so long as the workers make enough in tips to at least close the gap. [RELATED: Minimum Wage in Maine Set to Rise…

A new poll conducted by YouGov on behalf of the yes. every kid. foundation suggests that the majority of Americans are supportive of several types of school choice, including public school open enrollment and education savings accounts (ESAs). The yes. every kid. foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to advocating for the expansion of educational flexibility in order to “unlock the potential of every kid.” Source: YouGov/yes. every kid. foundation Survey, December 2025 80 percent of K-12 parents surveyed by the organization expressed a belief that “all children benefit from families having more control and choices in K-12 education.”…

Four Republicans serving in the United States House of Representatives broke with party leadership Wednesday to sign onto a Democrat-led petition forcing a vote on extending the pandemic-era health insurance subsidies that are set to expire at the end of this year. Because the petition was able to meet the minimum signature threshold, it is now guaranteed that the chamber will at some point hold a vote on the proposed three-year extension in early 2026. Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick, Rob Bresnahan Jr., and Ryan Mackenzie, all of Pennsylvania, and Mike Lawler of New York signed onto the petition, allowing it to…

The State of Maine and Secretary of State Shenna Bellows have filed a motion to dismiss the case brought recently by the federal Department of Justice (DOJ) over the state’s refusal to turn over voter registration information requested earlier this year. The lawsuit alleges that Maine and Secretary of State Bellows have violated several federal laws, including the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), and the Civil Rights Act of 1960 (CRA). These alleged violations are said to stem from Bellows’ refusal “to provide data regarding the removal of ineligible individuals and to produce an…

A new omnibus poll from Pan Atlantic Research, a Portland-based research company headed by former Maine Democratic Party chair Victoria Murphy, sought to reveal Mainers’ opinions on a range of topics including their elected leaders, the future of their state, and several hot-button issues. A strong plurality of Mainers were shown to feel pessimistic about the direction in which the state is currently headed. Nearly half of Mainers feel that the State of Maine is currently on the wrong track, while just just under a third (32 percent) feel that things are moving in the right direction. The remaining 20…

The United States Senate considered two proposals this week to extend the expanded health insurance tax credits first introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Known as the enhanced premium tax credit (EPTC), this program gives many Americans access to free or discounted monthly premiums if they purchase their insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace. Right now, about 85 percent of the roughly 61,000 Mainers who get their insurance through the ACA marketplace take advantage of the EPTC. Absent Congressional action, the 2021 expansion of this credit — approved as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and allowed…

A Massachusetts federal judge has ruled against the Trump Administration in a case concerning their plan to end billions of dollars in funding for a federal disaster mitigation program, prompting applause from Maine’s attorney general. Known as Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC), this program was designed to help localities prepare for potentially hazardous weather conditions by preemptively expanding their “capability and capacity.” After arguing that the program was “wasteful and ineffective,” the Administration moved to halt billions in funding that had been awarded but not yet paid, as well as decline to award millions in funding next year, according…

The Maine Department of Labor (MDOL) announced on Wednesday a number of Subway sandwich shop locations throughout the state will be closing following the revocation of their business registrations. Now, the MDOL is attempting to get in contact with any workers that have been laid off as a result of the closures. “The department is here to assist these workers through this period of uncertainty,” Maine Labor Commissioner Laura Fortman said in a statement. “We have resources to assist them with both their immediate needs and long-term goals, and want to make their next steps as simple as possible during…

Maine’s unemployment rate held steady in September at 3.2 percent, a figure that remained unchanged from the previous month. Despite this, the total number of jobs in the state decreased for the second month in a row. In terms of unemployment, Maine is currently faring better than both New England and the nation at large, where unemployment came in at 4.1 percent and 4.4 percent respectively in September. Despite the promising nature of these numbers for Maine’s comparative economic position, the number of jobs available in the state has continued its first decrease since the COVID-19 pandemic. From August to…

A new omnibus poll from Pan Atlantic Research, a Portland-based research company headed by former Maine Democratic Party chair Victoria Murphy, offered a snapshot of key 2026 races that showed the establishment Democrat candidate for the U.S. Senate enjoying a double digit lead over the renegade upstart. Two key primary races on the ballot next summer will be for the governorship, as well as for one of Maine’s two seats in the United States Senate. Source: Pan Atlantic Research, 67th Omnibus Poll, December 2025 Gov. Janet Mills (D) currently appears to hold a sizable ten-point lead over Graham Platner in…

Sen. Susan Collins (R) and Sen. Angus King (I) announced Tuesday that ten Maine organizations will be receiving a combined $6.5 million for economic development projects. Individual awards range in value from just over $35,000 to a maximum of $1 million. Projects funded by these awards include the construction of a new facility at the Bangor YMCA, building a second water main crossing the Aroostook River, and developing a commercial working waterfront facility at Henry Point in Hancock County, among others. Funds will also be used to support building a new library and community center in Patten, as well as…

On Monday, a federal judge struck down President Donald Trump’s (R) Executive Order pausing wind energy projects that he signed on Inauguration Day. The order aimed to prevent any of the Outer Continental Shelf, including the entire coastline of the mainland U.S. and Alaska, from being leased for offshore wind development indefinitely until the president decides to lift the restrictions. Additionally, the order calls for an immediate review of the federal leasing process for both offshore and onshore wind development, which will consider the potential downsides, including “negative impacts on navigational safety interests, transportation interests, national security interests, commercial interests,…

U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) has reached out to members of the Trump Administration urging them to provide relief to Maine’s blueberry industry in light of the tariffs imposed on steel and aluminum, according to a letter her office released. In her two-page letter to Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Sen. Collins explained that between this year’s drought conditions and the increased costs of the tariffs, Maine’s blueberry industry is at risk. She highlighted the industry’s $361 million annual contribution to Maine’s economy and points out the $28 million in losses that…

Education Secretary Linda McMahon announced late last month that the Department of Education (DOE) will be outsourcing several of its functions to other agencies in an effort to “break up federal bureaucracy,” sparking the ire of congressional opponents. On Friday, Sen. Angus King (I-ME) joined a number of his Democratic colleagues in sending a letter to the Secretary criticizing this move, alleging that the Department’s new interagency agreements (IAAs) are illegal. The scathing letter opens by accusing the Department of jeopardizing critical funding nationwide by attempting to “dismantle” the DOE. Its authors go on to urge the Administration to keep…

Led by Sen. Susan Collins (R) and Rep. Chellie Pingree (D), Maine’s Congressional delegation has joined together to introduce a bipartisan, bicameral piece of legislation aimed at providing assistance to farmers impacted by “forever chemicals.” Sen. Angus King (I) and Rep. Jared Golden (D) are both original co-sponsors of the legislation. Under the proposed bill, the federal government would be authorized to send grants to states so that they could give financial assistance to farmers impacted by PFAS, expand monitoring and testing, remediate the presence of PFAS, or even help farmers to relocate. A task force would also be created…

Data shared by the Maine State Housing Authority shows that Mainers from the northern-most parts of the state have so far this year been the largest beneficiaries of the organization’s heating assistance programs. With a combined $26 million available in total, roughly $3.5 million remains for the rest of the winter season as around $22.5 million has already been distributed to households throughout the state. Just over $3 million has been spent on MaineHousing’s Energy Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP) this winter, helping a total of 7,003 households. Under this program, qualifying households are eligible to receive a one-time benefit of…

Beginning on January 1, Mainers who subscribe to streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Spotify may see a new charge on their monthly bill. Approved as part of Maine’s supplemental budget for the current fiscal year, changes to the state’s tax code will impose a 5.5 percent fee on all streaming service subscriptions starting in the new year. This is the second time that Gov. Janet Mills (D) has attempted to impose a streaming service tax in the state, as lawmakers declined to include her proposal to advance it in the 2024 supplemental budget. Although cable TV premiums and the…

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows has joined eleven of her counterparts in sending a letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) concerning their approach to making voter eligibility determinations. At issue is the effort by the federal agency to apply its Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program to states’ voter lists in order to determine whether non-citizens are in fact voting in elections. The Secretaries of State argue in their comments that the expansions being adopted by DHS would make it harder for states to ensure election integrity, compromise privacy, and lower participation. In their letter, they…

Beginning Wednesday, December 3, the Maine State Housing Authority will be opening its Energy Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP) for the upcoming winter season. This comes after the federal government released $40 million in heating assistance funds to Maine that were initially delayed due to the prolonged government shutdown earlier this year. Typically, ECIP opens on November 1 each year, meaning that the program’s launch was pushed back by just over a month. Through this program, qualifying households are eligible to receive a one-time benefit of up to $500 for heating is they are in an emergency situation, such as having…

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) announced Tuesday that the federal government has released nearly $40 million in heating assistance for Mainers. About $38 million of this funding will go towards the State of Maine, while the remaining $1.5 million will be sent directly to the Indian Township and Pleasant Point Passamaquoddy, Penobscot, Maliseet, and Mi’kmaq Tribes in Maine. Last month, Sen. Collins joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers in urging the Trump Administration to release heating assistance funds as quickly as possible after the record-long government shutdown initially delayed their distribution. [RELATED: Susan Collins Urges Administration to Release LIHEAP Grants Now…

Maine lawmakers have scheduled a work session for a bipartisan bill that would subject state agencies to zero-based budgeting once every ten years. On Monday, December 15 at 10:30am in Room 228 of the State House, members of the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee will meet to discuss LD 1521, a bill sponsored by Rep. Jack Ducharme (R-Madison). Cosponsoring the bill alongside Rep. Ducharme are a handful of Republican lawmakers, as well as Rep. Tavis Rock Hasenfus (D-Readfield). For the purposes of this legislation, “zero-based budgeting” refers to a method of budgeting where all “programs and activities are justified for…

As the first major snow storm of the season sweeps through Maine, many schools, businesses, and state offices have closed or adjusted their hours in preparation for the inclement weather. Warnings, reminders, and information have been posted online to help Mainers prepare for and make it through the incoming storm. This comes as the entire State of Maine was placed under either a Winter Storm Warning, Winter Weather Advisory, or Hazardous Weather Outlook by the National Weather Service. The heaviest snow is expected Tuesday afternoon and evening, creating hazardous travel conditions, according to a press release from the Maine Emergency…

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is now making relief available to small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Maine that were negatively impacted by the drought which afflicted the state in September, according to a recent announcement. Meanwhile, a separate program under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will be providing emergency loans to Maine’s agricultural producers affected by the fall weather. Low interest federal disaster loans through the SBA are now accessible for qualifying organizations located in parts of the state covered by the disaster declaration. According to a press release shared by the SBA Wednesday, the…

Eligible Lewiston residents will have the chance to go to the polls on February 24 to participate in a special election to fill the House District 94 seat recently vacated by former Rep. Kristen Cloutier (D), Maine’s secretary of state announced on Monday. Comprising a swathe of central Lewiston running from the Androscoggin River up Central Avenue and College Street and down Old Greene Avenue on the other side, the House district was swapped with one in Knox County during a re-districting in 2022. Cloutier announced last month that she would be resigning from the House in favor of taking…

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows has signed onto a letter with a handful of her counterparts in blue states rebuffing the Trump administration’s request for the voter data. Over the past several months, Secretary Bellows has repeatedly refused requests from the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) to turn over the state’s voter rolls and other information about how elections are run. All ten of the Secretaries of State who signed the letter had received similar requests from the federal government for voter data. [RELATED: Shenna Bellows Continues to Reject the DOJ’s Request for Maine’s Voter Registration Data] The…

Maine Senators Susan Collins (R) and Angus King (I) sent a joint letter to several key Trump Administration officials seeking support for the state’s forest products industry as many companies are struggling to adapt to the imposition of tariffs. The senators note that Maine’s forest products economy is “deeply entwined” Canada, meaning that a great deal of product moves back and forth across the border every day. Their joint letter was addressed to numerous Trump Administration officials, including: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. A summary published in…

A controversial power corridor running through the North Maine Woods is set to be completed and put to use by the end of the year – a goal that has been eight years in the making. Avangrid, the parent company of Central Maine Power (CMP), has indicated that the corridor will go live at some point in the next few weeks after it has been tested and commissioned, according to WGME. After years of legal and regulatory battles, the State of Maine has issued the final permit necessary for the corridor to be finalized, as was previously reported by the…

Gov. Janet Mills (D) and the Maine State Housing Authority announced Friday that the state has secured financing for 311 apartments located across eight developments throughout the state. Spanning across the cities of Biddeford, Belfast, Lewiston, Portland, South Portland, and Rockland, the new apartments will primarily benefit Maine’s seniors, with a handful of units also going toward lower-income families. This latest batch of awards has brought the total number of affordable housing units financed by the state to more than 1,000 in the past year alone, the majority of which have been new construction. These eight newest projects are supported…

Maine’s Sen. Angus King (I) has joined a coalition of Democratic lawmakers in cosponsoring a bill that would repeal a provision included in the government funding bill. Under the new law, senators who had their phone records seized without their knowledge are eligible to sue for at least $500,000. This comes after the Senate Judiciary Committee released documentation related to “Arctic Frost,” a 2021 investigation into the events that transpired on January 6, 2021. The provision allowing senators to file lawsuits and collect damages over this was said to have been added last minute to the spending bill that reopened…

The Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has announced the new standard offer price for Central Maine Power (CMP) customers in 2026, who will see a nearly 20 percent rate increase. Next year, the per kilowatt-hour rate will increase from 10.61 cents to 12.72 cents, resulting in an average $11 monthly increase for households using 550 kilowatt-hours each month. Impacting the supply portion of the bill, the standard offer rate affects the amount of money going to the company generating power, not distributing it. Consequently, the increased revenue will not be going to CMP, as their responsibility is only to transport…

The United States Supreme Court has granted the Trump Administration’s request to review the 9th Circuit’s decision in a case concerning the management of southern border. Challenged in this case is the use of “metering” — a tactic that has been employed by both Democratic and Republican administrations — in which officers are granted the authority to turn away individuals on the Mexico side of the border without granting a screening or hearing. While the Department of Justice has argued that metering is a critical tool for effectively maintaining the border, critics have called it an “illegal scheme.” In a…

Sen. Susan Collins (R) heralded the news on Tuesday that Maine’s $48.4 million plan to expand access to broadband internet throughout the state has been approved by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Alongside Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Sen. Collins coauthored the section of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) allocating $65 billion toward the advancement of projects nationwide designed to bring quality internet to rural areas. Of the $42.45 billion set aside for the Broadband Equity, Access, And Deployment (BEAD) Program, Maine is eligible for a total of $272 million. The funding for the state’s now-approved project…

On Tuesday, Gov. Janet Mills (D) officially certified the results of the statewide referendum election held earlier this month. Following months of intense campaigning, the majority of Maine voters cast their ballots on Questions 1 and 2 at the start of November. Roughly the same share of Mainers voted to reject the series of election reform measures proposed in Question 1 as expressed support for the new gun control law proposed in Question 2. This year’s off-cycle election drew a substantial turnout of 47.4 percent according to the numbers reported Tuesday by Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, representing 492,008…

A city in Massachusetts has found itself in the spotlight over an ongoing effort to install two statues depicting Catholic saints outside of a municipal public safety building. Depicting St. Michael the Archangel and St. Florian, the statues slated for placement outside the new Quincy Public Safety Building are said to have been selected for their importance to firemen and policemen around the world. Critics, however, have taken issue with the use of taxpayer money to fund the installation of Catholic imagery on public property. Commissioned in 2023, the statues are each ten feet tall and cost a combined $850,000.…

The vast majority of Mainers are pessimistic about the projected impact of artificial intelligence (AI) over the next decade according to a new Pine Tree State Poll, a States of Opinion Project, from the University of New Hampshire Survey Center. Younger Mainers are significantly more skeptical that AI could be beneficial, with 85 percent believing that it will have a negative impact over the next ten years compared to just 52 percent of those over the age of 65. This may be because many fear AI will eliminate jobs, which is a widely-held concern. Nationally, 50 percent of Americans are…

U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME) wants the world to know about her decision to vote against the bill allowing the government to reopen after being shutdown for a record-long period of time. The First District Democrat was the only member of Maine’s Congressional delegation not to support the deal to end the forty-plus day shutdown. After overcoming its most significant hurdle in the Senate, the plan was approved by the House Wednesday signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) later that same day. [RELATED: As the Federal Government Finally Reopens After 40+ Days, Some Maine Politicians Respond] Many Democrats…

Maine’s Senator Susan Collins (R) announced Friday that she and two other lawmakers led a bipartisan group of senators in asking the federal Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to release heating assistance funds as quickly as possible. During the record-long government shutdown, states including Maine were delayed in receiving funding for their heating assistance programs, forcing them to put the distribution of most benefits on hold. Now that the government has been reopened, Sen. Collins has joined Rhode Island’s Sen. Jack Reed (D) and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R) of Alaska in urging the DHHS to make available the…

Known for its beautiful foliage, Maine is often a destination during the autumn months for those looking to soak in the colorful sights, typically bringing with them some financial benefit to the places they visit. While not necessarily as substantial as summer tourism — an industry understood to be a key part of many local economies throughout the state — fall visitors can also be thought of as playing an important role in boosting local businesses. Despite this, not everyone is always happy with having outsiders flood their towns during this period of the year, particularly on the heels of…

A new report from the Tax Foundation analyzes the burden imposed by states upon their residents, taking into consideration sales taxes, income taxes, property taxes, and more. Despite finding itself in the middle of the pack overall, a closer look at the details shows that Maine stands out on both the positive and negative ends of the scale. The primary factor boosting Maine’s placement on the list is its relatively low sales tax rate, which was found to be the 9th best in the country. Two categories in which Maine was found to neither particularly good or bad were individual…

After weeks of gridlock, a plan to reopen the federal government was signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) Wednesday after receiving approval in the House earlier that day. Many Democrats had previously pushed to keep the government shut down until they come to an agreement with their Republican counterparts on the potential extension of expanded health insurance tax credits, leading to a stalemate in the Senate where any plan needed at least 60 votes to advance. First created in 2021 as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), these credits give many Americans access to free or…

A coalition of more than twenty states, including Maine, have sued the Trump Administration over its decision to disqualify some nonprofit and public sector workers from a federal student loan forgiveness program because their employers may be involved in illegal activity as determined by the Department of Education (DOE). In keeping with an Executive Order issued by President Donald Trump (R) in March, the DOE adopted new rules outlining a series of activities that are defined as having a “substantial illegal purpose.” Some of the new restrictions are centered on key issues such as immigration and terrorism, while others more…

The deal now making its way from the Senate to the House that will bring an end to the record-long government shutdown has drawn mixed reactions from Maine’s Congressional delegation. While both of Maine’s senators appear pleased that progress is being made toward reopening the government, the Democratic representative from the First District has expressed distaste that some of her colleagues have agreed to move the needle in this direction. Many Democrats have pushed to keep the government shutdown until they come to an agreement with their Republican counterparts on the potential extension of expanded health insurance tax credits. First…

A new poll from the University of New Hampshire Survey Center offers some early insight into the 2028 presidential primary field for both the Democratic and Republican tickets. As the first state in the nation to conduct their presidential primary elections, how things turn out in New Hampshire can often set the tone going into the rest of the election cycle, indicating up front which candidates have a real chance of taking their party’s nomination. Results from the Granite State Poll, a States of Opinion Project, revealed that former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is currently at the top of the…

Maine’s Sen. Susan Collins (R) has asked U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins to provide disaster assistance to Maine’s specialty crop and livestock producers. This comes in the wake of numerous struggles for the industry, including extreme weather, high costs, and labor shortages. She also drew attention to the drought conditions experienced throughout the state during the summer months this year. In a letter to Secretary Rollins, Sen. Collins specifically highlighted Maine’s wild blueberry, apple, and livestock producers as having been severely impacted by these conditions. Collins then urged the USDA to include these producers in any federal…

The Maine State Housing Authority announced Wednesday that an initial round of Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) payments will be issued despite the ongoing government shutdown, which has now stretched to a record 38 days and counting. In order to provide this assistance despite the lack of federal funding, MaineHousing has explained it will be utilizing carryover funds from last year that were originally earmarked for the Central Heating Improvement Program (CHIP) and HEAP-related weatherization programs. In doing so, MaineHousing will distribute a total of about $2.2 million in assistance, providing aid to about 4,000 households across the state. Those…

After many months of negotiations, Northern Light and Anthem have finally agreed upon a new contract, allowing patients to continue receiving in-network coverage for their care. Details of the contract have not been released, but the agreement will be applied retroactively to November 1, meaning that all care from Northern Light will be considered in-network by Anthem regardless of when the services were rendered. Northern Light and Anthem’s new contract will be valid for the next three years. On October 31, the previous contract between the two organizations came to an end following the adoption of a one-month extension, leaving…

Falmouth residents have narrowly rejected an effort to repeal the town’s new pesticide and fertilizer ordinance, with about 55 percent of those who turned out to the polls voting against the measure. Approved Tuesday by a wider 61 percent margin was the proposed $13.7 million bond to expand the town’s public works facilities. [RELATED: What Falmouth Residents Are Voting On This Fall] The first of these two questions stemmed from a new set of local regulations that went into effect earlier this year restricting the use of pesticides and fertilizer throughout the town. Under this ordinance, no type of pesticide…

South Portland residents voted Tuesday to approve a natural grass field for their high school’s athletic complex by a decisive margin of 54 percent in favor to 46 percent opposed. In parallel, a resounding 73 percent opposed the alternative of an artificial turf field which only 23 percent supported. Unlike last year’s substantially more costly proposal, voters had the choice between a $4.6 million natural grass field and a $5.5 million synthetic turf field. Both projects included a new track, new lighting and permanent bathrooms. Voters were able to cast their ballots in support of one, both, or neither of…

Mainers voted Tuesday to approve a new statewide “red flag” law, which will now function alongside the uniquely tailored yellow flag policy adopted several years ago. As of late Tuesday night, with a little less than two-thirds of the votes counted, support for the red flag law proposed in Question 2 outweighed opposition by a margin of three to two. Otherwise known as an “Extreme Risk Protective Order” (ERPO), a red flag law empowers law enforcement to disarm an individual who family members, friends or others say poses a risk to themselves or the community at large. As a result…

Maine’s Gov. Janet Mills (D) has again issued a statement urging lawmakers to extend the expanded health insurance tax credits that are set to expire at the end of this year. This latest statement comes as open enrollment begins for plans on Maine’s health insurance marketplace, CoverME. Known as the enhanced premium tax credit (EPTC), this program gives many Americans access to free or discounted monthly premiums if they purchase their insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace. Without intervention from Congress, this tax credit is set to expire at the end of this year. Should this happen, only…

U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) has signed onto a bill that would keep benefits from both Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) funded as the government shutdown continues. Very similar to a bill sponsored by his Republican counterpart, U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), the Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act would expressly direct the USDA to use available funds to keep these programs running. Collins’ bill, on the other hand, would only apply to SNAP benefits. In both cases, distribution of benefits would be retroactive to the start of the…

Daughter Jasmine Vincent, image from a friend’s GoFundMe page

The United States Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in a case that may have a major impact on campaign finance law in early December this year. Depending how the Justices ultimately rule, this case could potentially overturn a twenty-five year precedent allowing for limitations on “coordinated party expenditures,” or money spent by a political party at the direction of a particular candidate. Originally brought several years ago by the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), former former Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH), and then-Senator — now Vice President — J.D. Vance, this case challenges these restrictions on the grounds…

Enrollment this fall at Maine’s community colleges is up three percent over last year, marking yet another historic high for the seven-college system. Central Maine Community College and Southern Maine Committee College saw the most substantial increases in their enrollment numbers, going up by 7.9 percent and 10.1 percent respectively. As of October 15, total enrollment for this fall across all seven schools was 15,833 students, a three percent increase from the 15,366 students enrolled as of the same date last year. Source: Maine Community College System, 10/22/25 “This sustained enrollment growth is critical at a time when Maine’s economy…