Author: Libby Palanza

Northern Light Health announced Tuesday that their leadership is now open to engaging in mediation with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield as a “last-ditch effort” to come to an agreement before their current contracts expire. Just over a week earlier, Northern Light announced that it would be ending talks with Anthem after months of stalled negotiations. Unless an agreement can be reached, all physicians and some ancillary services will become out-of-network with Anthem on October 1, followed by all hospital-based services on December 31. The entire Northern Light Health system would become out-of-network with all Anthem Medicare Advantage Plans as…

A federal judge in Portland has ruled against requiring the federal government to temporarily allow Planned Parenthood affiliates to receive Medicaid funding as challenges to a policy approved in the Big Beautiful Bill play out in court. In a 19-page decision, U.S. District Judge Lance Walker explained that the plaintiffs in this case failed to convincingly argue that their constitutional rights had been violated “due to several severe jurisprudential headwinds that I am bound to observe.” Judge Walker went on to suggest that the Supreme Court’s ruling in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health eliminated “the thermal lift…

A new Pine Tree State Poll from the University of New Hampshire Survey Center sought to discern Mainers’ opinions on a range of timely topics, including the Epstein files and elected officials’ stock trading activities. As has been a staple in these surveys, respondents were also asked how they feel about the President’s job performance. 57 percent of Mainers surveyed expressed disapproval of President Donald Trump (R), while 42 percent are supportive of him. Partisanship was an incredibly strong predictor of respondents’ opinions of the President, with 94 percent of Republicans expressing approval, compared to 31 percent of Independents, and…

Augusta Republicans issued a statement Monday morning in response to the news that ModivCare—the out-of-state company awarded a multi-million dollar contract by the State of Maine to provide transportation to MaineCare patients—filed for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy last week. In addition to raising concerns about the quality of services provided by ModivCare, Senate Republicans, they urged state officials to reconsider their plans to expand their partnership with the company. Although ModivCare’s statewide contract is currently on hold amidst a legal battle over the legitimacy of the state’s proposal evaluation process, the company has continued to provide medical transport services to…

A judge issued a temporary ruling Wednesday that the State of Texas cannot require the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public school classrooms located in certain districts, including those of Fort Bend and Dripping Springs. Texas is the third state where laws concerning the placement of the Ten Commandments in classrooms has become the subject of a legal battle. Originally set to go into effect on September 1, Texas’ law was challenged by a group of families alleging that the requirement violates the First Amendment’s guarantee of the separation of church and state, as well as its protection of…

An out-of-state company that was previously awarded a multi-million contract by the State of Maine to provide transportation to MaineCare patients has now filed for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Although the company’s statewide contract is currently on hold amidst a legal battle over the legitimacy of the state’s proposal evaluation process, ModivCare has continued to provide medical transport services to patients in eight Maine counties. As legal challenges continue to wind their way through the court system, contracts were drawn up allowing ModivCare, as well as Maine-based organizations Penquis and Waldo Community Action Partners, to keep operating non-emergency medical transportation…

Maine’s housing market appears to be shifting more in buyers’ favor as the number of homes being listed for sale has been on the rise for several months. The number of homes on the market in Maine has increased for the fifth month in a row, selling for a median price of $419,950. Although this is roughly $5,000 less last month’s median sale price, it still represents a 5.25 percent increase over July of 2024. 1,470 homes were sold in July, 5.04 percent more than the year prior. May and June saw an historically high median sale price of $425,000.…

Portland Mayor Mark Dion has denied claims that the City agreed to cooperate with federal ICE agents in order to receive an $18 million transportation grant for improvements at the Jetport. Speculation that the City consented to cooperate with ICE, or the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, in exchange for this funding began after a closed-door council meeting was held on short notice Wednesday night. Councilors Kate Sykes and Wes Pelletier told the Portland Press Herald that the City decided to sign the funding agreement during this meeting despite the inclusion of a stipulation requiring cooperation with ICE. In response…

Mainers have until August 26 to submit statements for inclusion in the 2025 Citizens’ Guide to the Referendum Election, the state office in charge of supervising elections said. Individuals, corporations, political action committees, and other organizations may file public comments in support of or in opposition to either of the questions on the ballot this November. Up to a total of six comments will be accepted for each of the questions — three in favor and three in opposition. Comments are limited to 300 words and must be accompanied by a completed application form and $500. Electronic filings will be…

Maine’s unemployment rate for July came in at 3.2 percent, roughly one percentage below the regional average for New England. The national unemployment rate for last month was very similar to the regional rate, coming in at 4.2 percent, identical to this same time last year. This represents a slight drop in comparison to June, where unemployment was calculated to be 3.3 percent. Since this same time last year, however, unemployment has risen by about this same amount. In July of 2024, Maine’s unemployment rate was found to be 3.1 percent. [RELATED: Maine’s Unemployment Rate Held Steady in June as…

Debate in the Texas House of Representatives kicked off Wednesday on the Republican-backed redistricting plan as Democratic lawmakers returned to the state after a fifteen-day protest that prevented the chamber from reaching a quorum. Throughout August, national attention has centered on Texas’ plan to reconfigure its congressional districts. Some populous Democrat-led states like California and New York have even vowed to undertake their own redistricting efforts if Texas lawmakers approve the plan that is currently on the table This week, the Maine Morning Star interviewed Attorney General Aaron Frey about Texas’ redistricting proposal. During the interview, Attorney General Frey expressed…

After filing for bankruptcy over two years ago and becoming an online-only storefront, Bed Bath and Beyond Home has now begun reopening physical storefronts across the country — with one notable exception. A company executive announced Wednesday morning that retails stores will not be coming to California, citing the Golden State’s high costs and burdensome regulations. On Monday, the company that has recently been operating a Beyond, Inc. announced that it would be officially changing its name to Bed Bath & Beyond, Inc. and again appear on the New York stock Exchange under the BBBY ticker symbol. Also under the…

The United States Coast Guard has paused plans to remove navigation buoys from the Gulf of Maine and the Atlantic Ocean. Under April’s Coastal Buoy Modernization Initiative, part of the broader Short-Range Aids-to-Navigation Modernization, hundreds of buoys were slated for removal or review in New England’s waters over the next few years. 351 coastal buoys — 41 percent of which were located in Maine’s waters — had been marked for discontinuation. In May of this year, the Coast Guard suggested that the “current buoy constellation predates global navigation satellite systems, electronic navigation charts and electronic charting systems (ECS), which are…

Maine has joined a coalition of twenty other Democrat-led states in suing the Trump Administration over its latest effort to crack down on so-called “sanctuary states.” Under the Administration’s new policy, grants from the Office for Victims of Crime — housed under the Department of Justice (DOJ) — will not be awarded to any program that “violates (or promotes or facilitates the violation of) federal immigration law.” Also ineligible for grant funding will be any program that “impedes or hinders the enforcement of federal immigration law,” including by failing to “give access to [Department of Homeland Security (DHS)] agents, or…

President Donald Trump (R) indicated Monday morning that he intends to sign an executive order ending “mail-in voting” ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. He also took aim at the use of “voting machines,” advocating for a return to paper ballots as he argues they are a faster and more accurate means of tallying the vote. In a Truth Social post Monday morning, the President suggested that Democrats will oppose these efforts “BECAUSE THEY CHEAT AT LEVELS NEVER SEEN BEFORE.” According to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), 28 states — including Maine — offer no-excuse absentee voting where…

Northern Light, one of Maine’s largest health care systems, said that it has ended talks with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield after months of stalled negotiations. All physicians and some ancillary services will become out-of-network with Anthem on October 1, followed by all hospital-based services on December 31. The entire Northern Light Health system will become out-of-network with all Anthem Medicare Advantage Plans as of January 1, 2026. [RELATED: Talks Between Northern Light and Anthem Stall as Deadline for New Contract Approaches] In a written statement shared Friday, Northern Light suggested that Anthem’s “decision to withhold interim payments for services…

Novartis, a New Jersey pharmaceutical company, has sued the State of Maine over new regulations imposed earlier this year on a federal discount drug program for certain health care providers. Originally introduced as LD 1018 and ultimately enacted as part of the biennial budget, this initiative sought to strengthen the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program in Maine. Set to take effect in late September, this measure would prohibit pharmaceutical companies from limiting discount drug providers’ ability to form partnerships with local pharmacies. According to the American Hospital Association, 340B requires drug manufacturers participating in Medicaid “to sell outpatient drugs at…

Popular food manufacturer Kellogg’s has signed a legally binding agreement to remove all toxic dyes from its products by the end of 2027. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Wednesday that a “months-long investigation and ongoing negotiations” have now culminated in an “historic Assurance of Voluntary Compliance,” or AVC, that legally certifies their agreement. “Following months of investigating and negotiating, I’m proud to officially say Kellogg’s will stop putting these unhealthy ingredients in its cereals,” said Attorney General Paxton in a statement. “The signed AVC demonstrates that Kellogg’s is committed to keeping this pledge, and I commend the company for…

One candidate for governor of Maine was recently in the peculiar position of having to ask another about the role Ranked Choice Voting [RCV] will play in next year’s election for the state’s chief executive. It was peculiar for two reasons: first, the person charged with administering Maine’s elections, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, is herself a candidate for the Democrat nomination. And second, the person asking – fellow gubernatorial candidate and state senator Jim Libby (R-Cumberland) – is, like most of his fellow Republicans, staunchly opposed the RCV system. Will the 2026 gubernatorial election be impacted by ranked choice…

Bowdoin College is among the more than thirty institutes of higher education that are facing a class action lawsuit over alleged conspiracy to inflate tuition costs through the early admissions process. Filed by a group of former current and former students, the suit argues the named universities “openly” engaged in practices “that entrench patterns of inequality of access while inflating the price of attendance.” “Among these is the central practice challenged in this case: a horizontal agreement to reduce or eliminate competition through use of the early decision process,” the plaintiffs wrote. Also named as defendants in the case are…

The First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston has found that Maine’s law prohibiting foreign governments — and companies owned in part by foreign governments — from campaigning in state elections is unconstitutional in an apparent blow to the state’s ability to say who can influence its elections and, accordingly, its sovereignty. This ruling has temporarily halted enforcement of the law as the case is sent back to the lower courts for further consideration. In addition to barring foreign involvement, the challenged legislation also required the media to do their “due diligence” to determine whether or not the entity behind…

Tuesday, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows formally rejected the federal Department of Justice’s (DOJ) request for access to the state’s voter rolls and other election-related information. This comes shortly after the Secretary of State told the DOJ to “go jump in the Gulf of Maine” in response to their initial request for these records. At the time, Secretary Bellows indicated that she would be collaborating with Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey to craft a more formal response in the coming days. Bellows also took the time out of her busy schedule to go on progressive activist and former Hillary…

Maine released its annual Child Welfare Report for 2024 last month, which details changes the state asserts it has achieved with the Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS) over the course of the past year and the impact they’ve had on the system. A 2023 study showed that Maine led the nation in terms of the mistreatment of children in the state’s custody – a superlative that has been a blight on the system. Groups like Walk a Mile in their Shoes have been sharply critical of the agency that has been so poorly run that it has cost…

The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has moved to end a $7 billion Biden-era grant program designed to pay for residential solar panels. Known as Solar for All, this program was first launched as part of the Inflation Reduction Act in April of 2022 to fund residential solar projects in low- and middle-income areas. In 2024, Maine received $62 million through this program to bring solar power to “low-income households and communities,” while simultaneously “creating job and economic development opportunities in the growing clean energy industry.” [RELATED: Maine Receives $62 Million Federal Grant to Expand Solar Power Access for Low-Income…

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows this week announced the order in which the two statewide referendum questions will appear on this November’s ballot, assigning numbers to each. First on the ballot will be the voter ID citizens initiative advanced by Dinner Table Action Executive Director Alex Titcomb and Rep. Laurel Libby (R-Auburn). The second of the two referendum questions on the ballot is a citizens initiative establishing a Red Flag Law brought forward by the Maine Gun Safety Coalition. Both are politically-charged questions that will in all likelihood be the subjects of intense voter education and persuasion campaigns over…

Lisbon voters have rejected the town’s proposed school budget of more than $21 million for the second time this year. This comes amidst significant controversy surrounding tax hikes resulting from the municipal budget that was approved earlier this year despite strong opposition from residents. 21 percent of registered Lisbon voters turned out to the polls on August 5th to weigh in on the school budget, up notably from the already substantial 16 percent that cast ballots back in June. Nearly 60 percent of voters rejected the budget as it currently stands, representing a slightly slimmer margin than the original 69…

Maine’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) Benefits Authority announced Thursday that it will be holding a meeting next month to solicit public comment on the state’s new PFML program. On Tuesday, September 9 at 9am, the PFML Benefits Authority will be meeting at the Maine Department of Labor in the Frances Perkins Room to receive feedback from employees and employers on their experience with the program so far. The Authority will be gathering immediately after this public comment period to discuss the feedback and consider any ideas for future legislation they may like to advance. The meeting will be…

Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey has responded to the Trump Administration’s effort to reverse course on the regulation of greenhouse gas emissions by the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In his comments, he accuses the federal government of attempting to “def[y] science, law, and reality” with their proposed changes. The EPA announced late last month that it intends to rescind the 2009 declaration that has served as the basis for the government’s authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. Known as the Endangerment Finding, this 2009 declaration states that the “current and projected concentrations” of greenhouse gases “threaten the public health…

Federal authorities have moved further to reverse course on the Biden administration’s embrace of offshore wind power infrastructure in recent days, earning praise from regional fishermen. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has taken two key actions in the past week in pursuit of bringing an end to offshore wind development throughout the country, including in the Gulf of Maine. At the end of July, BOEM said that it would be rescinding all designated Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), a move in alignment with an Executive Order issued by the President on his…

Are the robust enrollments rates experienced by Maine’s community colleges over the past few years about to substantially contract? In recent years, Maine has seen a significant increase in the number of students attending community college, correlating with the COVID-era free tuition program that was extended for several years beyond its original expiration date. Lawmakers voted earlier this summer, however, to end the program, making this year’s graduating seniors the last class of students eligible to attend Maine’s community colleges at no cost. Students who graduated from high school in 2025 will have two years to claim the free tuition…

Many Mainers will likely see the cost of their health insurance increase by double-digits next year in what regulators are calling historic premium hikes. Filings with Maine’s Bureau of Insurance reveal that proposed increases for individual and small group plans being offered in the state range from 8 percent to 32 percent. Although these rate increases are currently under review by the state regulator, individuals can expect to see an average increase of 26 percent, while small groups will experience an average hike of 19 percent. Bob Carey, Superintendent of the Maine Bureau of Insurance, told the Portland Press Herald…

As the 2025 Fiscal Year came to a close last month, Maine’s General Fund turned out to have a $152.2 million surplus, the governor’s office declared last week. In addition, the state’s Budget Stabilization Fund, also known as the “Rainy Day Fund,” has also reached its statutory maximum of $1.03 billion. Mainers should not expect to see any of their tax dollars coming back to them, however. Instead, the surplus will be distributed across a number of categories in accordance with state law as outlined by the Legislature in the co-called “cascade” plan. Despite there being millions of dollars left…

The group behind last fall’s ballot initiative placing new limits on Super PAC contributions has appealed a federal judge’s ruling that voided the law early last month. In mid-July, U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen Wolf permanently enjoined the State of Maine from enforcing the law limiting Super PAC contributions as approved by voters by referendum last November. According to Judge Wolf, the Supreme Court’s fifteen-year-old ruling in Citizens United “forecloses limits on contribution to independent expenditure groups.” She also found that the law’s disclosure requirements were in violation of the First Amendment because they would encompass all Super PAC donors, regardless…

Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey has joined a coalition of twenty-one Democrat-led states in suing the Trump Administration over a clause in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that defunds Maine’s branch of Planned Parenthood Family Planning, and other similar organizations. The provision in question blocks Medicaid reimbursements for services performed at facilities deemed ineligible due to their association with Planned Parenthood, one of the nation’s most prominent abortion providers. On Monday, a federal judge ruled to blocked enforcement of this measure while the lawsuit makes its way through the courts. The fifty-eight page injunction issued by U.S. District Judge…

The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced earlier this week that it intends to rescind the 2009 declaration that has served as the basis for the government’s authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. Known as the Endangerment Finding, this 2009 declaration states that the “current and projected concentrations” of greenhouse gases “threaten the public health and welfare of current and future generations.” This stemmed from a 2007 Supreme Court ruling that greenhouse gas are a category of air pollutant covered by the Clean Air Act, opening the door for the EPA to determine under section 202(a) if they can reasonably…

The quality of Maine’s early education system was found to be one of the worst in the nation despite a high overall ranking, according to a new study from WalletHub. While the state falls into the top fifty percent in terms access, it’s overall ranking is brought up significantly by its 8th place score for resources and economic support. This placement in the top ten is reflective of a range of figures, including the total spending per child enrolled in preschool, the change in state spending per child enrolled in preschool, and the amount of monthly child care co-payment fees…

Maine has signed onto a lawsuit against the Trump Administration challenging its new prohibitions on providing access to certain social services to people who are in the country illegally, including Head Start. Enforcement of the changes in question has been paused in the plaintiff states until September 3rd pursuant to a federal judge’s ruling issued Monday. Head Start is a federal program that provides services to three- and four-year-old children with access to a number of services, including those related to their health and social needs. Head Start service models vary from place to place and may take the form…

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows has refused a request from the Trump Administration to turn over the state’s voter rolls, telling the Department of Justice (DOJ) to “go jump in the Gulf of Maine.” Earlier this month, this DOJ began asking states to turn over voter registration information, and Maine was among the states to most recently receive such a request. Maine Morning Star reported that Secretary Bellows had said the National Association of Secretaries of State indicated that the DOJ was eventually planning to ask for voter registration files from all fifty states. According to the Portland Press…

The First Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Monday to uphold the lower court’s dismissal of a Maine mom’s lawsuit against the Great Salt Bay Community School (GSBCS) Board for allegedly withholding information from her about her child’s gender transition. In May of last year, District Court Judge Jon D. Levy found that the mother — Amber Lavigne — failed to state a claim because the facts provided in this case were insufficient to establish municipal liability. Since the judge’s reasoning then was based solely on Lavigne’s inability to show that the municipality could legally be found responsible for the alleged…

Maine Sen. Susan Collins (R) announced Friday that the Trump Administration has agreed to release the rest of Maine’s public education grant funding that had been held earlier this month by the Department of Education (DOE). The state will now be receiving about $28 million in federal public education grant funding for a variety of programs as part of a roughly $5 billion distribution nationwide. Earlier this month, the Trump Administration delayed distributing $6.8 billion worth of federal funding nationwide for certain education programs, reviewing previously approved grants instead of sending the funds to states on July 1 as originally…

Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) has signed a bill into law prohibiting pharmacies from selling tobacco products beginning in April of next year. Fiscal estimates suggest that this move will 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. Although many retail pharmacies, including CVS in 2014 and Hannaford in 2020, have independently decided to stop offering tobacco products in stores, businesses will no longer have the option doing so next spring. Under LD 166, sponsored by Rep. Matt Moonen (D-Portland), pharmacies and retail establishments…

President Donald Trump (R) signed a bill Thursday eliminating $9 billion worth of already approved federal spending, including $1.1 billion that was originally destined for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Last week, the House and Senate approved the multi-billion dollar rescission plan to cut federal spending put forward by the White House in early June. A June 3rd thread on X posted by the OMB details a number of the initiatives that the White House sought to see defunded through this rescission package, including several LGBTQ-related programs in places like Uganda and the Western Balkans, as well as several million…

The Maine Ethics Commission decided Wednesday that it would not be taking action against the Cape Elizabeth School Department for its alleged mishandling of communications surrounding a local ballot initiative this past November. This finding came in response to a complaint filed by Larry Benoit and Mary Ann Lynch, Cape Elizabeth residents who alleged that Superintendent Chris Record allowed for more than $5,000 in taxpayers’ dollars to be spent on advertisements in the Cape Courier supporting a $95 million school construction bond ahead of the November 2024 election. Record has said previously that the only $4,940.44 was spent across five…

Despite a relative flatlining of year-on-year real estate prices nationwide, Maine home sales are up from where they were last June, an industry survey shows. Maine home sales were up 10.51 percent in June compared to this same time last year. At the same time, the median sale price rose by 4.94 percent to $425,000, according to the Maine Association of Realtors. A median sale price of $425,000 was reached in Maine for the first time in May of this year, at which time it was described as an “historic” high. [RELATED: Median Sale Price of Maine Homes Rose to…

Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey has once again joined a coalition of states, this time in suing the federal Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) over new rules for the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The plaintiff states argue in the lawsuit that the changes advanced by DHHS and CMS could cause up to 1.8 million people to lose their health insurance coverage beginning in 2026. “This rule creates unnecessary barriers for the nearly 65,000 Mainers who get their health insurance from the exchange to stay covered,” said Attorney General Frey in…

Mainers need to make over $45,000 annually on average to afford a one-bedroom apartment in the state, and they need nearly $60,000 if they want to live in a two-bedroom apartment, according to a recent survey. This translates to a so-called housing wage of $22.41 per hour for a one-bedroom apartment and $28.42 for a two-bedroom apartment. In other words, someone would need to work two full-time jobs in order to afford a two-bedroom apartment and one-and-a-half full-time jobs to pay for a one-bedroom. Source: National Low Income Housing Coalition Affordability varies widely, however, from location to location throughout the…

Gov. Janet Mills (D) has allowed a bill establishing net neutrality to become law in Maine without her signature. Sponsored by Rep. Christopher J. Kessler (D-South Portland), LD 536 was originally introduced as a concept draft and later amended with policy details. Under Maine’s new law, internet service providers will be required to treat all web data equally without showing favor toward any particular websites or content. Internet service providers will still, however, have the ability to offer plans with different speeds or data limits, income-based eligibility, promotional rates, and legacy pricing. The concept of net neutrality was first introduced…

Gov. Janet Mills (D) signed a bill into law earlier this month that expanded eligibility for free hospital care, raising the income threshold below which no-cost treatment must be provided by hospitals throughout the state. These changes are set to take effect next July. While this level is currently set at 150 percent of the federal poverty level — equivalent to $23,500 this year — this will increase to 200 percent of the federal poverty level next year. Based on this year’s numbers, this would mean that anyone making less than $31,300 would be eligible for free care. The new…

The Trump Administration is now expected to release $1.3 billion worth of federal funds for before- and after-school programming, multiple source reported on Sunday. A specific date for the distribution of these funds to states has not yet been announced. This money was originally held by the Administration as part of a $6.8 billion funding freeze that encompassed money for several programs originally set for distribution on July 1. The $1.3 billion worth of now-released funding comes under Title IV-B and goes toward before- and after-school programs, particularly in “high-poverty and low-performing schools.” [RELATED: Breaking Down the Trump Administration’s $6.8…

Maine’s unemployment rate has remained steady in recent months, coming in at 3.3 percent in June. The seasonal increase in hospitality jobs has for a second month continued to be less substantial than normal. Last month, the Maine Department of Labor (MDOL) appeared to suggest that the extraordinarily rainy weather experienced throughout the state in May could have potentially contributed to the relatively stagnant pace of job growth. Labor force participation again dropped slightly to 59.9 percent in June, a figure that is notably lower than the national rate of 62.3 percent. Labor force participation rates are representative of the…

A group of ten Republican senators, including Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, have sent a letter to the Trump Administration urging that $6.8 billion worth of frozen federal education funding, originally scheduled for distribution on July 1, be immediately released. Although Congress voted in March to extend the prior year’s funding levels government-wide for the next fiscal year, an email sent by the Department of Education (DOE) on June 30, according to reporting from EdWeek, outlined several public education programs that would not be receiving funding in accordance with the expected timeline. Impacted programs were said to include those that…

Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) has joined her counterparts in sixteen states in calling on Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to release $6.8 billion in funding that was scheduled for distribution on July 1. Although Congress voted in March to extend the prior year’s funding levels government-wide for the next fiscal year, an email sent by the Department of Education (DOE) on June 30, according to reporting from EdWeek, outlined several public education programs that would not be receiving funding in accordance with the expected timeline. Impacted programs were said to include those that support the children of migrant agricultural…

The Trump Administration has delayed distributing $6.8 billion worth of federal funding for certain education programs it is currently reviewing instead of sending those funds to states on July 1 as originally scheduled. This move prompted swift push back from both Democrats and Republicans, including from the State of Maine. Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) joined sixteen states in calling on Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to release this funding immediately. Earlier this week, the State of Maine was listed as a co-plaintiff in a lawsuit against the Trump Administration alleging that the freeze is “contrary to law, arbitrary and…

Earlier this week, the State of Maine was listed as a co-plaintiff in a lawsuit against the Trump Administration over $6.8 billion worth of federal education funding that frozen ahead of its scheduled distribution date of July 1. The lawsuit alleges that this freeze is “contrary to law, arbitrary and capricious, and unconstitutional.” By taking legal action, the states involved hope to have the courts force the Administration to release this funding as soon as possible. Although Congress voted in March to extend the prior year’s funding levels government-wide for the next fiscal year, an email sent by the Department…

The Portland City Council voted Monday night to spend $15 million in order to open the door for future development on three vacant Bayside lots that were set to be converted to housing more than a decade ago. A development originally proposed in 2013, known as the “Midtown Project,” would have included 800 market-rate apartments spread across four towers with 100,000 square feet of retail space but was quickly scaled back in response to a challenge in 2014. The project reportedly never was able to get off the ground due largely to the three federal court cases that were resolved…

The United States Senate voted early Thursday morning to pass President Donald Trump’s (R) plan to cut $9 billion in federal spending. Maine Sen. Susan Collins (R) and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R) joined the Senate Democrats in opposition to the plan. All remaining Republicans voted in support of the cost-cutting plan, known as a rescission package, allowing it to pass the chamber by a margin of 51-48. Democratic Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota was not present at the vote due to hospitalization. Kentucky Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell had opposed a procedural move Wednesday to advance the package, but he…

Congressional Republicans have renewed calls to revoke the federal charter for the nation’s largest teachers union on the grounds that the association has strayed from its original mission. The National Education Association (NEA) has maintained its federal charter since 1906, at which time the group was given a unique position among labor unions to “elevate the character and advance the interests of the profession of teaching; and to promote the cause of education in the United States.” According to the Congressional Research Service (CRS), federal charters do not confer special rights or privileges onto groups, but such recognition has often…

Maine’s Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has launched an effort to support the production of renewable energy on agricultural land contaminated by “forever chemicals,” or PFAS. The agency opened a request for proposals (RFP) to purchase energy or renewable energy credits from projects located on contaminated land. The PUC is looking to procure up to 1,573,026 megawatt-hours worth of energy from qualifying operations. For comparison, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that the average household used about 10.7 megawatt-hours worth of electricity annually. Based on this, the Maine PUC is looking to purchase enough energy or energy credits to power about…

President Donald Trump (R) has issued a three-month extension of the federal hiring freeze that was set to expire earlier this month. Jobs in the military and positions related to immigration enforcement, national security, and public safety continue to be exempted from this freeze and positions at the Department of Veterans Affairs, medical personnel, food safety inspectors, firefighters, air traffic controllers, and National Weather Service employees will not be affected either. Positions within the Executive Office of the President are also excluded from the hold. The Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) may grant additional exemptions to…

The United States Senate narrowly cleared the first procedural hurdle for President Donald Trump’s (R) plan to reverse $9.4 billion worth of federal spending, with Vice President JD Vance casting the decisive vote late Tuesday evening. This vote released the plan, known as a rescission package, from committee consideration and sent it to the chamber floor. Put forward by the White House, the Senate is considering a proposal to pull back billions of dollars in previously approved federal spending. U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) ultimately voted against advancing the measure in a procedural vote Tuesday. “The rescissions package has a…

On Tuesday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen Wolf permanently enjoined the State of Maine from enforcing the new limits on Super PAC contributions approved by voters last November. According to Judge Wolf, the Supreme Court’s fifteen-year-old ruling in Citizens United “forecloses limits on contribution to independent expenditure groups.” She also found that the law’s disclosure requirements were in violation of the First Amendment because they would encompass all Super PAC donors, regardless of how much any one person contributed. “The disclosure requirement is facially unconstitutional because it risks chilling contributors’ rights to speak and associate, and that risk ‘is enough because…

The Maine Supreme Court heard oral arguments Tuesday morning in the case against the Maine Department of Labor (MDOL) over rules adopted for the state’s newly-instituted Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program. The Maine State Chamber of Commerce, which represents the interests of businesses in the state, and Bath Iron Works, a subsidiary of the defense contractor General Dynamics, have sued the MDOL for allegedly adopting rules that contradict the program’s establishing legislation. Separately, BIW argues that the new program represents a violation of Maine businesses’ constitutional rights. Much of Tuesday’s oral arguments focused on the question of whether…

While a new report from a state agency shows a slight decrease in homeless persons in Maine compared to the same period last year, a brief visit to Portland is enough to demonstrate that the problem persists and – in the summer months – may be more disparate throughout a state with ample places for outdoor camping. The Maine State Housing Authority released its point-in-time homeless report Monday, the findings of which were based on data collected in January of this year. The report looks at the issue from a range of perspectives – in terms of geography, demographic character…

As part of a $4.5 million slate of upgrades, a new security fence currently being erected around the Blaine House has raised eyebrows around Augusta in recent days. The Maine’s governor’s mansion will be getting a new stone and metal fence similar to the one currently surrounding the State House across the street. This will replace the wooden picket fence that previously ran along the perimeter of the property. Construction of the fence is now underway and is expected to be completed by the end of the year. Funding for this project comes primarily through a $10 million bond approved…

A church fighting to stop a major university in Maine from selling a Belfast property it had won the right to purchase to another buyer is filing an appeal against what a ruling in what it has called discriminatory action, new legal documents show. Earlier this year, a federal judge refused to grant a preliminary injunction blocking the University of Maine System (UMS) from selling a campus property after reneging on its original deal with Calvary Chapel in Belfast. This decision has now been appealed on behalf of the church by Liberty Counsel, a self-described Christian ministry organization. Calvary Chapel…

The Maine Supreme Court ruled Friday to uphold Secretary of State Shenna Bellows’ wording of a citizens initiative requiring voters to present some form of identification set to appear on the ballot this November. The challengers bringing the case had alleged that the wording of the question, as drafted by Secretary Bellows’ Office, was leading and misrepresentative of their proposal’s intent. While supporters of the petition have argued that its primary purpose is to implement voter ID requirements for casting a ballot in Maine and ought to be characterized as such, others have suggested that the provisions pertaining to absentee…

Earlier this week, the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals voided the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) new rule making it easier for customers to cancel unwanted subscriptions. Mainers, however, can still expect to see some of the promised benefits under a new law unanimously approved in both chambers of the Legislature and signed by Gov. Janet Mills (D) last month. State law will now ensure that those who subscribe to various services, including gyms or other health clubs, will be given advance notice prior to the renewal or extension of a subscription, as well as a straightforward method of cancellation that…

A New Hampshire federal judge announced Thursday that he will certify a class action lawsuit against the Trump Administration over the President’s executive order redefining birthright citizenship. Judge Joseph LaPlante also issued a preliminary injunction temporarily halting the implementation of the order indefinitely while the case is pending. This comes on the heels of a ruling from the Untied States Supreme Court that reigned in the ability of federal judges to issue nationwide, or universal, injunctions. That ruling marked a victory for the Trump Administration, which has frequently raised concerns about individual judges making decisions that impact the entire country.…

Residents of Owls Head, a small town in mid-coast Maine, have seen their property tax bills skyrocket this year. Because the town had not conducted a full revaluation in more than two decades, the tax assessed value of homes has lagged far behind their market value. “Waiting twenty-five plus years to do revaluations, I think borders on criminal,” said Assessor Jim Murphy during a June 16 Select Board meeting. The Maine Wire has received messages from Owls Head residents reporting having received substantial valuation hikes this year. One homeowner said they saw their tax assessed value increase by 200 percent,…

A federal appeals court ruled Wednesday to overturn the 2023 conviction of Douglass Mackey, known online as Ricky Vaughn, for social media posts made during the 2016 election regarding then-candidate Hillary Clinton. Following a one-week trial in a Brooklyn federal court, Mackey was convicted of conspiracy for posting what have been characterized as memes suggesting that citizens could vote for Clinton by text message. Mackey, now age 36, was sentenced to serve seven months in federal prison as a result of his conviction. The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals acquitted Mackey on the grounds that the evidence presented failed to…

The United States Supreme Court issued an order Tuesday allowing the Trump Administration’s “workforce optimization” initiatives to resume for the time being while litigation is pending in the lower courts. Eight of the nine Supreme Court Justices signed Tuesday’s order. Justice Sonia Sotomayor issued a brief concurring opinion, while Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson authored a scathing fifteen-page dissent. At the start of June, the Trump Administration asked the Supreme Court to halt enforcement of a California federal district court’s injunction preventing Executive Order 14210 and a joint memorandum from the Office of Management and Budget (OMG) and the Office of…

Negotiations between Northern Light and Anthem have reportedly stalled as the expiration date of their current contract quickly approaches at the quarter’s end. The clash between Maine’s largest commercial insurer and one of the state’s primary medical service providers has seemingly left many with a sense of uncertainty and frustration. While Northern Light is seeking increased reimbursement rates from Anthem citing an average annual inflation rate of 7.5 percent in the health services industry, Anthem has accused Northern Light of wanting to impose a 30 percent price hike that would primarily be borne by Mainers. Should the current contract expire…

The Maine Supreme Court heard oral arguments Tuesday morning in the lawsuit challenging Secretary of State Shenna Bellows’ wording of a citizens initiative set to appear on the ballot this November. The group bringing the case has alleged that question, as drafted by Secretary Bellows’ Office, is leading and misrepresentative of their proposal’s intent. While supporters of the petition have argued that its primary purpose is to implement voter ID requirements for casting a ballot in Maine and ought to be characterized as such, others have suggested that the provisions pertaining to absentee voting are also important and need to…

Auburn Republican Rep. Laurel Libby’s lawsuit against Maine Speaker of the House Ryan Fecteau (D-Biddeford) has become moot after her right to speak on the chamber floor was permanently reinstated on the final day of the legislative session. Under the agreement reached last month, the censure cannot be reinstated when lawmakers reconvene. For months, Rep. Libby has been fighting a legal battle against Speaker Fecteau over the fallout from her party-line censure earlier this year that stripped her of her rights to speak on the floor or vote in the legislature. [RELATED: On Final Day of Session, Legislature Lifts Its…

Gov. Janet Mills (D) has signed a bill into law creating the Maine Department of Energy Resources, a cabinet-level department responsible for coordinating and leading the state’s energy policy and programs. In January, the governor announced her intention to seek legislation elevating the Governor’s Energy Office (GEO) by the end of this year. At the time, Gov. Mills explained that Maine is one of only a few states to have an energy office located within the governor’s office, while more than 40 already have cabinet-level energy offices. This is not the first time that efforts have been undertaken to incorporate…

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act — a national budget bill that includes many of the key policies of President Donald Trump’s (R) second term agenda — has now been sent to the President’s desk where it is expected to be signed into law on Independence Day. After hours of voting and debating on the chamber floor — including a nearly nine hour speech from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries Thursday morning — HR 1 was officially approved in a vote of 218–214, without support from either of Maine’s Democratic representatives. Earlier in the week, Vice President J.D. Vance was…

One of Maine’s largest health care providers has announced that it will be taking steps to reduce costs as it faces millions of dollars in losses, including reductions in personnel. Northern Light Health said Tuesday that it will be pursuing staffing cuts and leaving some positions unfilled in response to their current financial strain. According to Northern Light Health’s executive vice president Paul Bolin, the health care system lost $150 million just last year. Bolin told the Bangor Daily News that decisions regarding potential cuts will be finalized in the next six to eight weeks. At the end of 2024,…

Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey issued a response Friday to the United States Supreme Court’s ruling in the case concerning President Donald Trump’s (R) executive order on birthright citizenship. Although the Justices did not directly weigh in on the issue of birthright citizenship in their ruling, they did find that federal judges do not have the authority to issue nationwide injunctions. This ruling marked a victory for the Trump Administration, which has frequently raised concerns about individual judges making decisions that impact the entire country through nationwide, or universal, injunctions. While the broad injunction requests were initially granted by lower…

A York Democrat’s bill to expand the administrative process behind Maine’s public school transfer program died between chambers after the House and Senate failed to agree on a path forward for the proposal before concluding their special session last week. Maine families looking to have their children attend a public school outside their home district may apply for what is known as a Superintendents Agreement. Under current state law, superintendents that receive such applications are directed to determine if transferring districts is in the “best interest” of the student. All it takes is a thumbs down from either superintendent for…

Maine lawmakers unanimously rejected a Democrat-led effort to ban dynamic pricing in restaurants and grocery stores throughout the state. Although dynamic pricing can take many forms, this bill looked to target the practice of adjusting the price of products based on external factors, such as demand, weather, or other consumer data. This bill also sought to prevent the use of “artificial intelligence-enabled pricing adjustment.” Businesses would have still been allowed to set discounts and special limited-time prices — such as an early bird special or lunch menu — as well as use seafood market pricing. [RELATED: Democrats Push Ban on…

The United States Senate narrowly passed on Tuesday the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a national budget bill that includes many of the key policies of President Donald Trump’s (R) second term agenda. After Vice President J.D. Vance cast the tie breaking vote, the Senate’s version of the bill was sent back to the House where it originated for concurrence, a final hurdle on the road toward passage. Proposed changes to Medicaid have been among some of the most controversial aspects of the bill. While opponents have argued that they would have a negative impact on vulnerable populations, supporters have…

Like the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, ths majority of blue state Mainers told pollsters they do not want the United States Congress to approve the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a national budget bill that contains many key policies of President Donald Trump’s (R) second term agenda. This is the reading from the latest Pine Tree State Poll, a States of Opinion Project, conducted by the University of New Hampshire (UNH) Survey Center in mid-June. When broken down by political affiliation, Democrats are almost perfectly united in their opposition to the bill, with 91 percent saying that they “definitely”…

The Maine Legislature has yet to make a final decision on the proposal requiring the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to reimburse hospitals in a timely manner for services provided to MaineCare patients. When the Legislature adjourned for the session this past Wednesday, Rep. Gary A. Drinkwater’s (R-Milford) bill was carried over after lawmakers failed to come to a consensus on whether or not to fund the proposal. Although the bill got off to a rocky start in the House, it ultimately passed both chambers by substantial margins in strongly bipartisan votes. The proposal was stalled, however,…

Maine’s unemployment rate remained steady in May at 3.4 percent, according to new data from the Maine Department of Labor (MDOL). Despite being largely unchanged from recent months, joblessness has risen about half a percent since this same time last year — slightly higher than the national rate.. Nationwide, unemployment continues to hover around 4 percent, up just two-tenths of a percent since May of 2024. Hiring rates in the hospitality industry, as well as in other tourism related industries, was slower than normal for this time of year. The MDOL notes the extraordinarily rainy weather experienced throughout the state…

The United States Supreme Court issued a 6-3 ruling on Friday stating that federal judges do not have the authority to issue nationwide injunctions. The Justices did not, however, weigh in directly on the constitutionality of President Donald Trump’s (R) executive order regarding birthright citizenship, the matter underpinning the injunctions at issue in this case. Friday’s ruling marks a victory for the Trump Administration, which has frequently raised concerns about individual judges making decisions that impact the entire country through nationwide, or universal, injunctions. According to a report from the Congressional Research Service (CRS), there were twenty-five nationwide injunctions issued…

Maine lawmakers have adjourned for the session without making a decision on a bill that would open the door for cities and towns throughout the state to permit cannabis “consumption lounges” where people could smoke or ingest cannabis in a public setting. If approved, municipalities that want to allow for these lounges to open would need to adopt ordinances specifically permitting their operation, as is the case with other marijuana-related businesses. Sponsored by Poland Republican Rep. David Boyer, LD 1356 defines a a “cannabis consumption lounge” as a “designated area within a facility licensed under this chapter as a cannabis…

State lawmakers have delayed deciding on a bill that ties the fate of Maine’s unique method of distributing its electoral votes to whatever happens in Nebraska, the only other state in the country that does not have a winner-take-all system. Instead, both states distribute them in accordance with their congressional districts, meaning that the winner in each House district is awarded an electoral vote, while the overall winner is given the two statewide electoral votes. Currently, however, an effort is underway in Nebraska to do away with this system, which was first adopted there in 1996, more than twenty years…

Earlier this month, Maine lawmakers rejected along partisan lines a resolution that would have amended the state’s constitution to require supermajority approval for any tax hikes. Rumford Republican Rep. Rachael Henderson’s LD 1553 would mandate that at least two-thirds of both the House and Senate voted in favor of any measure that increase taxes on the Maine people. Barring that, taxes could also be increased by Mainers themselves through the state’s direct initiative process, the amendment provided. Because this resolution sought to amend the state’s constitution, it would have largely guaranteed that its terms would remain effective for the foreseeable…

Maine lawmakers have made a last-minute move putting the brakes on the controversial effort to expand the use of ranked choice voting to state elections. After advancing through the House and Senate, largely along partisan lines, the ranked choice voting expansion was sent to Gov. Janet Mills (D) desk for a signature earlier this month. On Wednesday afternoon, however, both chambers agreed by voice vote to recall the bill from her desk. The Legislature then adjourned sine die later that day, carrying the bill over to the next special or regular session. A few days before this, the Maine Policy…

A proposed tax hike on Maine’s millionaires designed to increase funding for public pre-K-12 education has been carried over into the next legislative session – which is a small victory for the ‘tax the rich’ crowd as the measure was looking at total defeat earlier this month. When the Legislature adjourned sine die Wednesday evening, lawmakers had yet to finalize their positions on a number of bills and resolutions introduced over the past few months. In turn, all outstanding legislation was carried over to the next special or regular session of the 132nd Legislature. Among these bills was LD 1089,…

After receiving unanimous, bipartisan support, Maine lawmakers have largely reversed course on a series of programs designed to bolster the state’s child care industry and improve wages for workers and affordability for families. LD 1955, sponsored by both Democratic and Republican lawmakers, was originally designed to make a handful of noteworthy changes aimed at improving compensation for Maine’s child care providers and making it easier for those looking to enter the industry. After both the House and Senate advanced the Health and Human Services Committee’s unanimous Ought to Pass as Amended report without taking a roll call vote, the bill…

Homes in Maine are 6.52 percent more expensive right now than they were at this same time last year, selling for an historic median price of $425,000. Despite this relatively higher sticker price, the Maine Association of Realtors reports that the total number of homes sold during this same period is also up 3.28 percent to 1,227. On a county-by-county basis, though, the trend varies. While the state’s average home sale price has soared since last May, eight of Maine’s sixteen counties had median home sale prices below $350,000, six of which reported median prices less than $300,000. Based on…

Maine has now taken steps to reduce some of the red tape for child care facilities by amending the requirements surrounding outdoor recreational space. Under a newly-signed law, child care facilities located within a “reasonable distance” from an outdoor recreational facility are not required to have one of their own located on premise, something that is currently mandated. Municipalities are also now required to allow child care facilities to operate in residential zoning areas. As it stands now, some cities and towns prohibit child care providers from offering their services in these areas. LD 1428, the bill advancing these changes,…

By August of next year, all Maine school boards will be required to adopt a policy regarding the use of cell phones and other smart devices by students in the classroom, thanks to a recently signed state law. Originally starting as a push to outright ban smartphones in schools statewide, LD 1234 was later amended to leave the decision on how best to handle the devices up to individual school districts. This bill was sponsored by Rep. Richard H. Campbell (R-Orrington) “by request” as a service to his constituents, meaning that he himself did not necessarily support the measure as…

Electric vehicle (EV) charging stations may soon begin cropping up in more housing developments and condo associations throughout Maine in the near future. Beginning on January 1, 2026, a new law signed by Gov. Janet Mills (D) will override any bylaws or declarations “prohibit[ing] or plac[ing] an unreasonable restriction” on the installation or use of EV chargers in unit parking spots or common parking areas. Under LD 1133, unit owners may submit an application to the executive board to install an EV charger in their parking spot or in a common parking area with the written approval of each unit…

Gov. Janet Mills (D) signed the $320 million supplemental budget into law Monday that contains a number of increased taxes and fees for Mainers, including on tobacco, streaming services, high-value real estate transactions, hunting licenses and fishing licenses, concealed carry permits, and others. Although the governor had originally proposed a handful of other new fees in her initial draft of the budget, these were ultimately removed before the bill took its final form. Among the now-removed fees were a proposed 70 cent per prescription fee on pharmacy providers and a six percent fee on the net operating revenue of ambulance…

Mainers who subscribe streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, and Spotify can likely expect to see a new tax applied to their bills in the near future. As part of the $320 million supplemental budget approved by lawmakers this week, streaming service subscriptions were added to the list of goods and services subject to the state’s 5.5 percent sales tax. 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…

A Maine-based policy think tank has published an open letter urging Gov. Janet Mills (D) to veto a recently passed bill expanding the use of ranked choice voting to elections for Governor, State Senators, and State Representatives. Ranked choice voting has, until now, been used to ensure that the winner of a given election secures a majority, yet Sen. Cameron Reny’s (D-Lincoln) newly-approved bill, LD 1666, changes this threshold and expands the practice to state offices in addition to the federal elections to which it currently applies. Maine has used ranked choice voting for federal offices since 2018, but the…

Gov. Janet Mills (D) has signed a bill into law prohibiting legislative staff from lobbying for at least a year after leaving their positions. State law currently bars former executive branch employees and former lawmakers from lobbying for a minimum of one year after leaving. LD 1576, sponsored by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, extends these existing prohibitions to legislative staff members. Beginning on January 1, 2026, these new restrictions will apply to both partisan and non-partisan staff members, as well as committee clerks and those who work for the Office of the Secretary of the Senate or the Clerk…

Both the House and Senate have failed to adopt a measure that would have authorized cities and towns throughout Maine to collect up to a two percent local option sales tax on temporary rental accommodations. Sponsored by Rep. Gary Friedmann (D-Bar Harbor), LD 746 would have allowed municipalities to generate revenue from this tax and use it for whatever purpose they deemed necessary. This additional two percent tax would have been levied alongside the state’s existing nine percent lodging tax, bringing the total tax levied in some areas to as much as 11 percent. Lawmakers on the Taxation Committee were…