Author: Libby Palanza

In what is appearing increasingly to be a personally-driven showdown, President Donald Trump vowed this week to strip America’s oldest university of more federal funding and revenue sources and suggested billions of tax-dollars would be better spent on trade schools than on the famously elite institution. Beginning in April of this year, Harvard University has found itself in the crosshairs of the Trump Administration, a disagreement that has since escalated into a standoff involving federal funding, foreign students, and tax exemptions. The federal government directed agencies Tuesday to end all remaining contracts with Harvard University, stemming the flow of federal…

Magistrate Judge Karen Wolf heard arguments Thursday morning in a lawsuit filed against members of the state’s ethics commission and Attorney General Aaron Frey over the new limits on PAC contributions approved by voters in November. Brought by the Dinner Table — a Maine PAC focused on “faith, family, and freedom” and dedicated to supporting “conservative candidates” — and its founder, Alex Titcomb, this lawsuit challenges the $5,000 annual limit on contributions to “independent-expenditure only” PACs, more commonly known as Super PACs. Part of this lawsuit as well is the For Our Future PAC, also founded by Titcomb and described…

Lawmakers on the Legislature’s tax committee are expected to unanimously reject a bill that would impose an additional four percent tax on capital gains earned by residents over a certain threshold. Capital gains refers to the increase in the value of an asset between the time it is acquired and when it is sold. These assets include a wide range of investments, including stocks, bonds, or real estate, as well as items purchased for personal use, like furniture or a boat. Short-term capital gains — or those earned on an asset owned for less than a year — are taxed…

A federal judge has blocked President Donald Trump’s (R) executive order aiming to dismantle the Department of Education, arguing that doing so requires Congressional approval. Thursday morning, U.S. District Judge Myong Joun of Boston, appointed by former President Joe Biden (D), issued a preliminary injunction preventing Trump Administration from following through with plans announced in March that would have made progress toward the Department’s elimination and “to restore the Department to the status quo.” The federal judge also barred the Administration from transferring the management of federal student loans and special education functions out of the Department. Under this ruling,…

The United States House of Representatives passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, including provisions for tax cuts, welfare reform, funding border security, cutting spending in various areas, and raising the debt ceiling, by a single vote early Thursday morning. Both of Maine’s Democratic U.S. representatives voted in opposition to this bill alongside all other members of their party. Two Republicans — Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH) and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) — also voted against the legislation. Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) voted present, while Rep. Andrew R. Garbarino (R-NY) and Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ) were recorded as not voting. Garbarino…

The nation’s first Catholic charter school remains stymied by an Oklahoma court’s chokehold after the United States Supreme Court was unable to reach a majority consensus as to whether or not it is constitutional for it to receive public funds. Because the Court reached a 4-4 decision, the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s ruling against the proposed charter school will stand. Since the Justices were deadlocked, the opinion released by the Court Thursday contains only two sentences and does not address the merits of the case in any way. Unlike most Supreme Court actions, the decision released Thursday is only binding for…

Legislators have unanimously rejected a proposal to make free community college a permanent fixture in Maine, bringing an end to a state-sponsored tuition waiver.. Introduced by Rep. Holly T. Sargent (D-York) and cosponsored by a number of other Democratic lawmakers, LD 1118 would have permanently made community college free for all Maine residents — a benefit that was introduced as an extraordinary, COVID-related measure three years ago. [RELATED: Should Community College Continue to Be Free? Some Maine Lawmakers Think So.] To qualify for the proposed program, students would have needed to (1) enroll in an associate degree, diploma, or certificate…

A bill sponsored by Senate President Mattie Daughtry (D-Cumberland) aiming to provide millions of dollars in continuing support for the Maine Community College System has been unanimously rejected after the Senate took no action to bring it to the floor for a vote this week. LD 680 sought to give millions of dollars in ongoing funding to the state’s seven community colleges to “support students’ learning and completion for a credential of value,” its text reads. $6 million would have been appropriated for FY2025-26, while $6.3 million would have been set aside in FY2026-27. [RELATED: Should Community College Continue to…

A decision by the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) on Tuesday in favor of state Rep. Laurel Libby (R-Auburn) that restored for voting rights in the Maine House raises some question about the legal clout of Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey, who argued the nation’s highest court shouldn’t review the censured lawmaker’s case. AG Frey made headlines at home in Maine earlier this month by filing an amicus curiae brief to SCOTUS asking them deny Rep. Libby’s request for an injunction against Maine Speaker of the House Ryan Fecteau’s censure order issued earlier this year in reaction to the fallout over…

House Majority Leader Matt Moonen (D-Portland) has introduced a bill that would amend the laws governing how Maine’s legislators are paid. During a public hearing held Monday morning, Rep. Moonen characterized his proposals as being “relatively simple” changes to the Legislature’s reimbursement structure. The State and Local Government Committee is considering the proposal. His bill would repeal the provisions specifying maximum dollar amount that lawmakers may be reimbursed for expenses such as meals and travel. Instead, reimbursement rates would be set by the Legislative Council with the requirement that at least six members vote in favor of a given amount,…

The bill that would have established “hope accounts” for Maine students who either are home-schooled or attend a private school was rejected Tuesday morning on the chamber floor in a nearly party-line vote. These hope accounts were intended to allow parents who do not send their children to public school to use a portion of funds that would otherwise have gone to their local school districts for alternative education-related expenses, such as home-schooling materials or private school tuition. The Hope and Inclusion Scholarship Program — proposed by a group of Maine Republican lawmakers — is similar to other education savings…

The Maine House of Representatives has voted to withdraw from the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, an agreement into which Maine entered during the previous legislative session. The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact is an agreement among the states that could bring about sweeping changes to how the President of the United States is elected. If enough states were to join the Compact, it would effectively override the electoral college by guaranteeing that the winner of the national popular vote would always be elected president, regardless of who earned the most electoral votes. By joining this Compact a year ago,…

Lawmakers in Augusta have unanimously rejected the Democrat-led effort to eliminate a clause in the state’s new Paid Family and Medical Leave Program that gives employers a say in when their employees take leave. The program, enacted last year as part of a spending bill, has imposed a one percent payroll tax on most working Mainers and their employers to fund paid leave for all employees statewide, with benefits becoming available only in May of 2026. The law and related rules defining how this program works currently require that employees’ leave must be scheduled in such a way that it…

Maine Rep. Laurel Libby’s (R-Auburn) right to vote in the Maine House of Representatives has been temporarily reinstated by the United States Supreme Court as her case is pending on appeal. Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, indicating that they would have denied the representative’s request for an injunction. Justice Jackson’s dissenting opinion centered around the argument that the Court failed to acknowledge its “threshold limitations” when deciding to issue an injunction in this case. Late last month, Rep. Libby filed an emergency petition to the United States Supreme Court, asking for their intervention in her lawsuit against…

Cape Elizabeth residents will return to the polls on June 10 to again weigh in on a multi-million dollar proposal to replace and repair the town’s aging middle and elementary schools. Three years in the making, the proposal that voters will see on the ballot in less than a month represents a pared down version of what residents narrowly rejected last year. The $94.7 million “Middle Ground School Project Design” bond was shot down by just 166 votes, representing only 2.47 percent of those who turned out to the polls. [RELATED: Cape Elizabeth Voters Narrowly Reject Proposal to Construct New…

Lawmakers have rejected two bills introduced with the intention of expanding employment opportunities for young Mainers. While LD 618 would have allowed those under the age of 16 to work later hours, LD 644 sought to eliminate a number of regulations governing when and for how long minors are allowed to work. In testimony introducing her bill, Rep. Alicia Collins (R-Sidney) suggested that perhaps “we can’t seem to keep young people engaged in the work force” because they “haven’t been exposed to work.” “This bill isn’t proposing we put 12- and 13-year-olds back to work in the mines,” Rep. Collins…

Lawmakers have unanimously shot down two proposed amendments to Maine’s constitution that would have lowered the voting age to 16 and banned non-citizens from voting in state and local elections. Because members of the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee have all voted to recommend that these proposed amendments Ought Not to Pass, they will not be considered further this session unless extraordinary action were to be taken. During a public hearing held earlier this month, Committee members heard impassioned testimony in support of lowering the voting age, including from a number of young people who would have been eligible to…

Maine lawmakers are poised to reject along nearly partisan lines a proposal to reinstate the municipal property tax levy limits that were repealed last year after having been in place for nearly twenty years. The now-repealed law that this bill seeks to reintroduce was originally implemented in January 2005 after “countless hours” of consideration by the Legislature’s Joint Select Committee on Property Tax Reform and was ultimately passed “by wide margins in both houses,” according to a 2006 report on the law. “LD 1 limits growth of each municipality’s property tax levy to the growth rate of Maine’s average personal…

A Maine Superior Court Justice has ruled that despite a pending appeal, hearings will begin to be scheduled for low-income criminal defendants who have not yet been provided an attorney by the state. This would likely lead to the release of defendants in custody without counsel. Although the State of Maine sought to delay these proceedings in light of their pending appeal, Kennebec County Justice Michaela Murphy ruled last week that she will not wait. According to the Bangor Daily News, Justice Murphy has said she expects to hold two initial sessions of hearings in June and July. WGME reports…

Maine Speaker of the House Ryan Fecteau (D-Biddeford) is seeking regulatory changes to affordable housing law in the state with LD 1829, a bill amending housing regulations impacting neighborhoods throughout the state by amending major legislation approved in recent years. Originally passed in 2022, LD 2003 required that municipalities across the state make a number of changes to their local ordinances in the name of improving access to affordable housing. During a public hearing before the Legislature’s Housing and Economic Development Tuesday afternoon, Speaker Fecteau explained that his bill would be “amending and expanding upon LD 2003” by simplifying certain…

Democratic lawmakers in Augusta have brought forward a bill that looks to enact a statewide prohibition on “dynamic pricing” in restaurants and grocery stores. For the purposes of this bill, dynamic pricing refers to the practice of adjusting the price of product based on various external factors, including “demand, the weather, [or] consumer data,” as well as an “artificial intelligence-enabled pricing adjustment.” Still permitted under this ban would be discounts, special pricing set for a limited time period — such as an early bird special or lunch menu — and seafood market pricing. Engaging in dynamic pricing would be considered…

Maine lawmakers appear prepared to pass a Republican-backed bill aimed at increasing transparency in Maine’s public school transfer program. In a rare move, members of the Legislature’s Education and Cultural Affairs Committee are poised to unanimously approve this measure despite its being sponsored and cosponsored only by members of the current minority party. Should the unanimous Ought to Pass As Amended vote be finalized and reported out to the full Legislature, this legislation can be expected to be sent to Gov. Janet Mills (D) for final approval, unless extraordinary action is taken by lawmakers on the chamber floor. Through what…

A Democratic lawmaker has proposed allowing cities and towns throughout Maine to adopt a local option sales tax on adult use cannabis to increase municipal revenue for public safety and education initiatives. Sen. Tim Nangle’s (D-Cumberland) bill, LD 1869, would give municipalities the authority to adopt up to a one percent additional sales tax on adult use cannabis products, provided that the tax is approved by local voters at the ballot box. Because the funds collected from this tax could only be used to cover the costs associated with public safety and education — often two of the most expensive…

One Maine Republican lawmaker has introduced a bill that would create a refundable tax credit designed to help fund private education for eligible students. Sponsored by Rep. Gregory Lewis Swallow (R-Houlton), this bill would effectively reframe the state’s responsibility to include not just public schools, but the education of all eligible individuals within a school district. Under LD 1853, Maine law would affirm that the state government has a responsibility to support and maintain public schools, as well as the “education of every person within the age limitations prescribed by state statutes who resides in the school administrative unit.” To…

A group of Mainers who successfully petitioned to have a referendum question on voter ID have challenged Secretary of State Shenna Bellows’ final wording for the measure that is currently set to appear on the ballot this November. The group has alleged that question, as drafted by Secretary Bellows’ Office, is leading and misrepresentative of the proposal’s nature. Voter ID for ME is the ballot question committee behind Maine’s voter ID citizens initiative petition that ultimately gathered over 170,000 signatures, more than twice the threshold necessary to bring forward a proposal. Filed in Cumberland County Superior Court on Monday, the…

Acting on behalf of a concerned citizen, a state representative has introduced an amendment to the Maine Constitution prohibiting any new taxes, tax hikes, or spending increases from being approved without voters’ consent. This resolution, LD 1818, was sponsored by Rep. Steven D. Foster (R-Dexter) “by request” and cosponsored by Senate Minority Leader Trey Stewart (R-Aroostook) and House Minority Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham (R-Winter Harbor). Based on the definition of “by request” legislation shared on the Maine State Legislature’s website, this resolution may be understood as having been brought forward by Rep. Foster “as a service to [his] constituents [although…

Maine lawmakers are divided over a proposal to do away with the cost-of-living adjustment for the state’s minimum wage. Under the proposed Republican-led legislation, the state minimum wage would be set at $14.65 per hour — the current rate — and all references to cost-of-living increases would be removed. LD 206 was sponsored by Sen. Jeff Timberlake (R-Androscoggin) and cosponsored by Rep. Joshua Morris (R-Turner), Sen. Jim Libby (R-Cumberland), Sen. Trey Stewart (R-Aroostook), Rep. Billy Bob Faulkingham (R-Winter Harbor), and Rep. Sheila A. Lyman (R-Livermore Falls). Under current State Law, the hourly minimum wage must be increased in accordance with…

Lawmakers in Augusta considered a series of bills Thursday afternoon pertaining to the regulation of Maine’s sometimes corybantic cannabis industry. During the public hearing that morning, the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee heard testimony on four bills all designed to accomplish a similar goal: cracking down on the illicit cannabis grows that have cropped up throughout the state in recent years. A work session was held shortly after the conclusion of the public hearings where the Committee unanimously voted to reject three of these four proposals without any discussion. The fourth bill, Rep. Ann Fredericks’ (R-Sanford) LD 1609, would be…

Cannabis took center stage in Augusta Thursday afternoon before the Legislature’s Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, which heard public testimony on eight bills aiming to amend the state’s marijuana regulations. While many of the bills looked to address the illicit grows that have cropped up throughout the state in recent years, Rep. David Boyer (R-Poland) brought forward a bill focusing on cannabis consumption. LD 1365 would allow for adult use cannabis to be smoked or otherwise consumed in certain locally licensed “consumption lounges.” For the purposes of this bill, a “cannabis consumption lounge” is defined as a “designated area within…

The Legislature’s Transportation Committee voted unanimously Thursday morning to reject a bill proposed by Rep. Laurel Libby (R-Auburn) intended to block Secretary of State Shenna Bellows from issuing Real IDs to Mainers. Irrespective of Rep. Libby’s bill, Sec. Bellows’ office has been slow in issuing Real IDs, or the form of federally-required identification for boarding planes or entering government facilities, to Mainers. Less than a third of state residents are believed to have one currently even though the deadline passed on Wednesday. [RELATED: Don’t Have Your Real ID Yet? Distracted Secretary of State Asks Feds for Another Extension] Although federal…

A bill repealing the prohibition against charging uninsured patients for COVID-19 vaccinations that received unanimous support in the Legislature became law without Gov. Janet Mills’ (D) signature at the end of April. Under a statute approved in 2021, health care providers have been barred from charging uninsured patients for any costs associated with administering a COVID-19 vaccine. The more recent bill that is now law was sponsored by Rep. Joshua K. Morris (R-Turner) and cosponsored by a handful of other Republican legislators, including Rep. Reagan L. Paul (R-Winterport), Rep. Jennifer L. Poirier (R-Skowhegan), Rep. Tracy L. Quint (R-Hodgdon), and Rep.…

Maine lawmakers are divided over a bill that would require state agencies and officials to fulfill Freedom of Access Act (FOAA) requests within thirty days. State law currently only states that FOAA requests must be fulfilled within “a reasonable time” after being submitted, a standard that is not clearly defined anywhere else in law. One member of the Judiciary Committee preliminarily voted in support of this bill during Tuesday’s work session, while ten members opposed it and three were absent. Rep. Laurel Libby (R-Auburn), the sponsor of LD 152, explained the need for this amendment during a public hearing on…

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows has released the final question wording for the voter ID citizens initiative introduced in Augusta after over 170,000 Mainers signed a petition in support of bringing this issue to the table. Led by Dinner Table Action Executive Director Alex Titcomb and Rep. Laurel Libby (R-Auburn), the effort to get a voter ID question on the ballot was accomplished with minimal funding and hundreds of volunteers, organizers say. “At its core, this initiative is about making sure that our elections are fair, that they are transparent, and that they are secure. It’s not complicated, not partisan,…

Sen. Rick Bennett (R-Oxford) has sponsored a bill creating a pilot project to “promote, incentivize and support” the use of a four-day workweek by certain Maine businesses. This program would also aim to study the “benefits and effects” of a four-day workweek on the participating employers and employees. Although there are a variety of ways that a four-day workweek might be implemented, this bill requires that employees receive a “meaningful reduction in hours worked per week without any loss of pay, employment status or benefits.” As LD 1865 is currently written, the pilot project would need to begin no later…

The Maine State Legislature’s Housing and Economic Development Committee heard public testimony Tuesday on a bill that would make it illegal to discriminate against someone “in housing or public accommodation” for receiving public assistance. Just as it is currently against the law to discriminate against someone for being a member of a protected class, this law would prohibit discrimination based one’s status as a recipient of “federal, state or local public assistance.” For the purposes of this law, “public assistance” is defined as “a source of income, including medical assistance and housing subsidies and the individual’s having to meet any…

The Legislature’s Taxation Committee has unanimously rejected a bill exempting any money earned by Maine kids from state income tax. This proposal would have made any income earned by someone under the age of 18 years tax-free, either for the individuals themselves or by those who claim them as dependents beginning on January 1, 2026. Although this legislation was primarily led by Republican lawmakers, it also had support from both Independent and Democratic members of the House. Sponsoring this bill were Rep. Benjamin C. Hymes (R-Waldo) and Senate Minority Leader Trey Stewart (R-Aroostook) alongside Reps. David Boyer (R-Poland), Quentin J.…

A bill that aims to abolish Maine’s income tax and require state agencies to regularly engage in “zero-based budgeting” may be a canary in the coal-mine, testing how much willingness there might be on the legislature’s tax committee for considering a radically new approach to taxing Mainers. The bill, LD 671, was sponsored by Rep. Laurel Libby (R-Auburn) and cosponsored by a handful of other Republican legislators. Based on current indications, it is headed towards a divided report. Under the proposed law, the state government would be prohibited from collecting income tax from residents as of January 1, 2026. The…

Members of the Legislature’s Education and Cultural Affairs Committee have unanimously voted against a Democrat-led proposal to make community college free for all Maine residents — a benefit that was introduced as an extraordinary, COVID-related measure three years ago. To qualify for the proposed program, students would need to (1) enroll in an associate degree, diploma, or certificate program at a participating institution, (2) live in Maine for the duration of their enrollment, and (3) accept all available sources of funding offered to them. For these students, the payment of all tuition and mandatory fees would be waived. Once granted,…

Lawmakers on the state legislature’s Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee held public hearings Friday afternoon on several proposed voter ID laws, all seeking to require photographic identification to cast a ballot. Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and Rep. Laurel Libby (R-Auburn) both testified, on opposing sides of the key question these bills raised. One of these bills — LD 1149 — was the product of a citizens initiative petition signed by over 170,000 Mainers. Led by Dinner Table Action Executive Director Alex Titcomb and Rep. Libby, the effort to get a voter ID question on the ballot was accomplished with…

The number of homes available for sale in Maine has increased substantially since last year, and home prices have also dropped slightly during this same period. The number of homes sold, however, has also decreased over the past twelve months, recent data shows. According to the Maine Association of Realtors, there were nearly 14 percent more homes on the market in March 2025 compared to March 2024. Homes are also spending longer on the market, averaging about 22 days — up from 15 days in March of last year. This is more than double the historic low of 9 days…

The United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments Wednesday concerning the constitutionality of the nation’s first religious charter school. Originating in Oklahoma, this case focuses on St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School and its application for public funding through the state’s charter school program. Although charter schools operate independently from the public school system, they are funded with taxpayers’ dollars and are free for any student to attend. Justice Amy Coney Barrett, a devout Roman Catholic, has recused herself from the case, although a reason for this decision was not given. The New York Times reported, however, that Justice…

Gov. Janet Mills (D) has signed a bipartisan bill into law prohibiting banks from charging customers a fee for opting to receive paper statements. Originally sponsored by a bipartisan group of legislators, LD 580 was ultimately approved by substantial majorities in both the House and the Senate. Although Maine state law currently prohibits businesses from penalizing customers who choose to receive paper statements, as opposed to electronic ones, depository institutions — including banks and credit unions — have until now been exempt. In a single sentence, LD 580 repealed this exemption, meaning that 90 days after the Legislature adjourns for…

The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) announced on Tuesday $3 million in grants for research supporting farmers impacted by PFAS, or “forever chemical,” contamination. The combined $3 million in grants were awarded to seven different projects, five of which are based out of the University of Maine. For the other two, one project is spearheaded by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) and another is based out of Harvard University. The goals of these projects range from offering farmers practical solutions for managing contaminated soil to developing “portable, farmer-friendly sensors” for PFAS testing directly on…

More than a quarter of Mainers feel that the most important problem facing the state right now is the political left, according to the Pine Tree States Poll, a States of Opinion Project, conducted by the University of New Hampshire (UNH) Survey Center. In recent years, only two other issues have reached this level of significance for Mainers: housing and the cost of living. Currently, housing is the second most commonly cited concern (12 percent), followed by national issues (11 percent), the state budget (9 percent), and the economy (9 percent). Only 7 percent of respondents mentioned the political right…

Republican lawmakers have introduced a bill that would exempt Maine seniors from paying property taxes. LD 1541 was sponsored by Sen. Joseph Martin (R-Oxford) and cosponsored by House Minority Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham (R-Winter Harbor) and Senate Minority Leader Trey Stewart (R-Aroostook). This bill looks to amend the now-defunct property tax stabilization program for seniors to exempt this demographic from property taxes entirely. Should this bill be approved, the exemption would be effective beginning on April 1, 2027. This exemption would include an individual’s primary residence, as well as up to an acre of land surrounding their home. In order…

Maine Rep. Laurel Libby’s (R-Auburn) has filed an emergency petition to the United States Supreme Court, asking for their intervention in her lawsuit against Speaker of the House Ryan Fecteau (D-Biddeford) 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. Rep. Libby’s appeal comes almost immediately after the First Circuit Court of Appeals denied her motion for an emergency appeal that would have expedited the legal process. As a result of this ruling, Rep. Libby’s appeal was set to continue along a regular…

A proposed constitutional amendment requiring at least two-thirds support to increase Mainers’ taxes is up for a public hearing early next week. On Monday, April 28 at 11am, the Taxation Committee will hold a public hearing on LD 1553 in Room 214 of the Cross Building, located directly across from the State House. Mainers looking to make their voices heard on whether Maine’s constitution should require a supermajority vote in the legislature to raise taxes may either appear in person to testify, speak virtually at the hearing over Zoom, or submit written testimony online. To sign up to give virtual…

A bipartisan group of lawmakers have introduced a bill that aims to provide property tax relief to Maine homeowners, as well as convene a study to determine the best path forward to reduce the property tax burden for Mainers going forward. LD 1770 — an emergency bill titled An Act to Provide Immediate and Long-term Property Tax Relief to Maine Households — would increase the Property Tax Fairness Credit and establish the Real Estate Property Tax Relief Task Force. The Task Force would consist of 13 voting members and at least two non-voting members, including economic experts, someone to represent…

Maine’s new Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) Program was the center of sustained attention Wednesday afternoon in Augusta as the legislature’s Labor Committee held a massive public hearing on a protracted series of bills seeking to either amend or repeal the program. The PFML program, enacted last year as part of a spending bill, has imposed a one percent payroll tax on most working Mainers and their employers to fund paid leave for all employees statewide, with benefits not scheduled to begin until May of 2026. Mainers began contributing to the program on January 1 of this year, sixteen…

Maine Rep. Laurel Libby (R-Auburn) has filed an emergency appeal of an April 19 ruling on her lawsuit against Maine House Speaker Ryan Fecteau (D-Biddeford) for the denial of her rights following from her party-line censure earlier this year. That censure came after Libby refused to apologize for a viral social media post depicting a biologically male high school student athlete who took first place in a girls’ track and field contest. The post continued to gain traction nationwide as it reached up to the highest levels of government and spurred a show-down between Maine Governor Janet Mills and U.S.…

A bipartisan group of Maine lawmakers have introduced a bill aiming to increase the value of the state’s Property Tax Fairness Credit beginning in the 2025 tax year. When filing their annual tax returns, Maine homeowners may claim the Property Tax Fairness Credit, subject to qualification based on a number of criteria, including income and filing status. Based on the amount paid in property taxes during a given year, homeowners are eligible to receive a maximum of $1,000. Mainers 65 and older, however, are able to get a refund of up to $2,000 as of the 2024 tax year. The…

Democrat lawmakers are looking to expand the use of ranked choice voting (RCV) to all Maine elections, including for the Governor, State Senate, and the State House of Representatives. If a new bill introduced this week is successful, it could change how these state officials are elected. 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) new bill LD 1666 takes a different approach, using a different definition for a calculated end. Maine has used ranked choice voting for federal offices since 2018, but…

Yet another bill aiming to allow Maine municipalities to adopt a local option sales tax has been introduced in Augusta just days after the legislative committee that reviews tax proposals rejected a similar “revenue raiser” for towns and cities. Unlike the previous local option sales tax proposals considered by the Taxation Committee, however, LD 1641 would allow municipalities to retain a hundred percent of the revenue it generates. Additionally under this bill, no restrictions would be placed on how cities and towns could use the proceeds from the tax, meaning that municipalities could direct the funds toward any aspect of…

Maine lawmakers on the Taxation Committee have unanimously rejected three proposals to increase the state’s homestead exemption, a program designed to help lower the property tax bill on Mainers’ primary residences. While one of the now-defeated proposals would have increased the value of this exemption for all homeowners, the other two represented more targeted reforms aimed at increasing aid to seniors and low income residents. By lowering the tax-assessed value of Mainers’ homes, the homestead exemption helps to reduce the total property tax bill for which homeowners are responsible. Currently, the homestead exemption allows Mainers to take $25,000 off the…

Is federal Medicaid spending, which last year amounted to over $580 billion, a virtual sacred cow for which reform or cuts in spending are unthinkable? House Republicans in Congress have called for a ten year trimming of the Department of Health and Human Services’ budget through reconciliation that would average cuts of about $88 billion a year. Are they playing with the third rail? One recent survey suggests that all voters, even Trump-supporting Republicans, would strongly object to any changes to the current program. But in states like Maine, instances of abuse Medicaid raise questions about the need for reform.…

A Maine GOP lawmaker is looking to establish a new special committee tasked with reviewing routine technical rulemaking by state agencies in the name of ensuring “transparency, accountability, and alignment with the public interest.” Under the Maine Administrative Procedures Act, agency rulemaking falls into one of two categories: routine technical or major substantive. While routine technical rulemaking occurs entirely within a department, major substantive rules are subject to the legislative review process, as described under 5 M.R.S. §8072. Agency rule changes are only categorized as major substantive if lawmakers have passed legislation explicitly deeming them to be. LD 1372, introduced…

Lawmakers on the Taxation Committee have unanimously rejected a Democrat-led bill that would have revitalized a now-defunct property tax stabilization for senior homeowners in Maine. LD 559 — sponsored by Sen. Donna Bailey (D-York) — would have allowed municipalities to impose a one percent sales tax on prepared food and living quarter rentals and use the revenue to offset the cost of stabilizing the property tax bills for eligible homeowners who are 62 years of age and older. Cosponsoring this legislation are Sen. Chip Curry (D-Waldo), Sen. Tim Nangle (D-Cumberland), Sen. Joe Rafferty (D-York), Sen. Cameron Reny (D-Lincoln), Rep. Victoria…

Mainers weighed in Monday morning on a proposed amendment to Maine’s Constitution that would prohibit the governor from calling the Legislature into a special session within 90 days of adjournment. This, in effect, is intended prevent or deter the kind of parliamentary maneuvering that was seen most recently last month to pass a controversial $11.3 billion partial biennial budget — a budget that has set the table for massive tax increases in the new special session by failing to fund MaineCare for FY 2027. Following extensive debate on the floor of the House and Senate, a substantial two-year budget bill…

Maine’s Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee held a public hearing Monday morning for a proposal concerning Maine’s unique method of distributing its electoral votes that would essentially hitch its wagon to whatever Nebraska does. Maine and Nebraska are the only two states in the country that do not have a winner-take-all system for allocating their electoral college votes. 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, an effort is underway in Nebraska…

The distribution of Maine’s four presidential electoral votes was up for grabs in Augusta Monday morning, as lawmakers on the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee held a public hearing on legislation related to Maine’s participation in the Electoral College. Two nearly identical bills to withdraw from the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact were the focus of a public hearing Monday morning. The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact is an agreement among the states that could bring about sweeping changes to how the President of the United States is elected. If enough states were to join the Compact, it would effectively…

A Republican lawmaker is looking to legally abolish the controversial practice of introducing placeholder legislation, known as a “concept draft,” with the intention of swapping it out with the text of an actual bill later on down the road. Under the proposal introduced by Rep. Laurel D. Libby (R-Auburn), any legislation that could not theoretically become law without further amendment may not be referred to Committee for a public hearing. Click Here for More Information on LD 1563 Earlier this year, the Democratic majority on the Joint Rules Committee voted to preserve the use of “concept drafts,” albeit with some…

A public hearing has now been set for a bill seeking to revitalize a now-defunct property tax stabilization program for seniors. On Tuesday, April 15 at 2pm in Room 127 of the State House, Mainers will have the opportunity to weigh in on the GOP-led proposal. Written testimony may also be submitted online at www.mainelegislature.org/testimony. Introduced by Rep. Wayne R. Parry (R-Arundel), LD 1481 would bring the short-lived stabilization program back beginning in April of this year for eligible seniors. To qualify for the program, homeowners must be over the age of 65 and have owned a home in the…

A group of Republican lawmakers have introduced a bill that would improve transparency in Maine’s program allowing students to attend a public school outside of their home district through what is known as a Superintendent Agreement. LD 1588, sponsored by Rep. Barbara A. Bagshaw (R-Windham), would require all school administrative units throughout the state to produce an annual report by July 1 detailing how many transfers were approved and denied. Districts would also be required to identify whether a given student requested to transfer in or out of the district. For any denials, the school administrative unit would need to…

In an effort to address the affordable housing crunch, the Maine State Housing Authority has awarded $23.5 million in Rural Affordable Rental Housing funding to build a combined 137 new rental apartment units across nine municipalities. All housing constructed under the auspices of this program must be made affordable to those earning up to 80 percent of the area median income, its qualifying terms specify. Funding under this program is intended to increase the availability of housing for both working and retiring or semi-retired Mainers in places where it is demonstrated to be scarce. The $23.5 million allocation will be…

As Congress fast-tracks the SAVE Act, which would require voters to provide proof of citizenship when they register, lawmakers in Maine are looking to remedy another challenge to election integrity by cutting down on the possibility of people being registered in more than one state or jurisdiction at a time by cross-checking the state’s voter rolls with those of other states. Although this bill is primarily supported by Republican legislators, one Democratic representative has signed on a cosponsor. LD 1431 would give the Secretary of State’s Office the authority to create an “interstate voter registration cross-check program” in cooperation with…

A group of Democratic lawmakers are looking to give Mainers who do not have a permanent residence an alternative means by which to register their vehicles. Rep. Daniel Sayre (D-Kennebunk), the primary sponsor of LD 611, explained that he was inspired to bring forward this bill after he was made aware that a homeless Mainer was prevented from registering their vehicle and paying excise tax to a municipality due to their lack of permanent housing. LD 611 would allow allow individuals with “no residing place” to pay excise tax directly to the Secretary of State’s Office in the event that…

The Maine State Senate unanimously approved a bill Tuesday that aims to address the state’s indigent legal defense crisis, incorporating an amendment advanced by the Judiciary Committee earlier this month. Originally introduced in March by Sen. Anne Carney (D-Cumberland) and Rep. Amy D. Kuhn (D-Falmouth), this legislation looks to make notable changes to the process for ensuring that those who cannot afford an attorney are provided one. Sens. Carney and Kuhn, who are also Chairs of the Judiciary Committee, introduced some preliminary amendments to the bill that would have significantly pared back its scope, largely reducing it to an emergency…

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled at the end of March that a Biden-era rule regulating so-called “ghost guns” may stand, at least in certain cases. Gun control groups hailed the recent ruling in Bondi v. Vanderstock, but it may not apply to all instances of make-your-own firearms, gun rights advocates hope. Ghost guns are firearms without serial numbers that can be assembled using parts printed on a 3D printer or purchased online or by mail without a background check. While the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) has argued that the rules are necessary to address an “urgent…

House Minority Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham (R-Winter Harbor) has introduced legislation that aims to cap the share of state tax dollars that any one municipality may receive to cover the cost of administering General Assistance in a measure that appears aimed at Maine’s largest city and substantially the biggest spender on welfare — Portland. In Maine, General Assistance is a municipal-level program designed to help low-income individuals cover a variety of basic expenses, including food, housing, fuel, and utilities. Assistance is distributed in the form of a voucher payment to the appropriate vendor. The State of Maine is required by…

Maine’s Legislature officially defeated efforts to eliminate ranked choice voting (RCV) following a nearly party-line vote in the Senate. Late last month, members of the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee were split straight down party lines over LD 234, An Act to Eliminate Ranked-Choice Voting. While all Republicans on the committee voted in support of doing away with the controversial system, all Democrats opposed the effort. A similar pattern emerged on the Senate floor, where nearly all Republican lawmakers voted in support of the bill, while all Democratic senators voted against. Joining the Democrats in opposition to repealing ranked choice…

One Democratic lawmaker has proposed making major changes to how Maine’s primary elections are held by instituting a unique and controversial method of ranking choices now well-known to the state’s voters. Under LD 1422, sponsored by Sen. Joe Baldacci (D-Penobscot), Maine’s most important elections would be determined using open primaries where ballots would be tabulated using ranked choice voting. With an open primary system, all candidates appear on the same primary ballot regardless of their political party. That would allow voters to cross over and make choices in a party in which they are neither registered nor for whom they…

Maine’s Transportation Committee will hold a public hearing Tuesday on several bills that aim to amend the state’s vehicle inspection requirements. Lawmakers from both sides of the political aisle have introduced legislation that would change Maine’s annual vehicle inspection requirements as they are known today. While some proposals would make this program more restrictive, others would make it less intrusive or do away with it entirely. The public hearing is set to begin at 1pm and will be held in Room 126 of the State House. Written testimony may also be submitted online at www.mainelegislature.org/testimony. Of the six vehicle inspections…

A Republican lawmaker has introduced a bill that would revitalize the now-defunct property tax stabilization program with several key amendments. Introduced by Rep. Wayne R. Parry (R-Arundel), LD 1481 would bring the short-lived stabilization program back beginning in April of this year for eligible seniors. To qualify for the program, homeowners must be over the age of 65 and have owned a home in the state for at least twenty years, up from the ten-year threshold included in the original language. Rep. Parry’s proposal would also make stabilization available only to households making less than $75,000 annually. In these two…

Rhode Island-based U.S. District Court Judge Melissa DuBose presided Friday over the first hearing in Rep. Laurel Libby’s (R-Auburn) federal lawsuit against House Speaker Ryan Fecteau (D-Biddeford) over his decision to block the representative from voting and speaking on the floor of the Maine Legislature. Libby was censured by a party-line vote in February for posting an image on social media that identified a biologically male athlete who took first place in a girls’ track and field contest, and which gained significant traction as it reached up to the highest levels of government and spurred a show-down between Maine Governor…

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) has filed an amicus brief in support of Rep. Laurel Libby (R-Auburn) in her lawsuit against Speaker of the House Ryan Fecteau (D-Biddeford) seeking relief for his stripping her of the right to vote and speak on the chamber floor after she refused to apologize for a viral social media post. FIRE’s self-defined mission is to “defend and sustain the individual rights of all Americans to free speech and free thought.” In their brief, FIRE argues that the House went too far in barring Rep. Libby from voting and participating in floor…

Lawmakers on the Taxation Committee have unanimously rejected two bills that would have imposed new taxes on the cost of hotel rentals in Maine. While one bill sought to give municipalities the opportunity to adopt a two percent sales tax to fund affordable housing initiatives, the other would have mandated an additional three percent sales tax to generate revenue for education. Both of these taxes would have been added to the existing nine percent sales tax on hotel rentals, also referred to as the lodging tax. Absent extraordinary action, neither of these proposals will be considered further this legislative session.…

Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey has joined a coalition of twenty-three states in suing Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over the termination of approximately $11 billion in federal COVID-era grants, $91 million of which had been earmarked for Maine. In March, the Trump Administration cancelled and revoked $11.4 billion worth of COVID-era funding that had originally been scheduled to run through September of this year. A spokesperson for the DHHS explained to NPR why the Department believed it made sense to freeze funding at this juncture. “The COVID-19 pandemic is over, and HHS…

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) delivered remarks on the Senate floor Wednesday in support of a resolution sponsored by Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) that would end President Donald Trump’s (R) emergency declaration imposing tariffs on Canada for not doing enough to stop illegal drugs from coming into the United States. The Senate went on to approve this resolution 51-48 with support from all Democrats and four Republicans, including Sens. Collins, Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), and Rand Paul (R-KY). On February 1, President Trump declared an emergency under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), citing a lack of effort…

Democratic Speaker of the House Ryan Fecteau (D-Biddeford) has filed his official response to Rep. Laurel Libby’s (R-Auburn) lawsuit against him for violating her rights as an elected legislator by censuring her earlier this year. Rep. Libby was censured by a party-line vote in February brought by House Democrat leadership for posting a viral image on social media that identified a biologically male athlete who took first place in a girls’ track and field contest. After she refused to apologize for the post — a condition of her censure — Speaker Fecteau stripped Libby of her right to vote and…

Maine has been found to have the fourth highest total tax burden in the country, according to a new study published by personal finance website WalletHub. To determine residents’ tax burden, WalletHub calculated property, income, and sales and excises taxes as a share of personal income. The data used for these rankings were collected on March 4 of this year from the Tax Policy Center. Based on these calculations, Mainers bear a 10.64 percent overall tax burden, annually paying 4.4 percent of their income in property taxes, 3.02 percent in income taxes, and 3.48 percent in sales and excise taxes.…

The Maine Judiciary Committee released updated language Monday morning for a bill aimed at addressing the lack of state-provided attorneys for criminal defendants ahead of this week’s work session. Originally introduced earlier this month by Sen. Anne Carney (D-Cumberland) and Rep. Amy D. Kuhn (D-Falmouth), this legislation look to make notable changes to the process for ensuring that those who cannot afford an attorney are provided one. The updated language shared by Sen. Carney and Rep. Kuhn in their role as Judiciary Committee Chairs significantly pairs back this bill, striking out several pages of text and reducing it primarily to…

Maine lawmakers have introduced a bill that would exempt any money earned by kids from state income tax. This proposal would make any income earned by someone under the age of 18 years tax-free, either for the individuals themselves or by those who claim them as dependents. If approved, these changes would go into effect beginning on January 1, 2026. Although this legislation is primarily led by Republican lawmakers, it also has support from both Independent and Democratic members of the House. Sponsoring this bill was Rep. Benjamin C. Hymes (R-Waldo) and Senate Minority Leader Trey Stewart (R-Aroostook) alongside Reps.…

A public hearing is now on the books for a series of constitutional amendments that would give Mainers the right to popularly elect key constitutional officers, including the Attorney General and Secretary of State. Because several separate resolutions have been introduced so far this session that all effectively aim accomplish this same objective in slightly different ways, the State and Local Government Committee has opted to conducted a consolidated hearing where testimony will be heard on all bills simultaneously. The hearing is set to begin at 10am on Monday, April 7 in Room 214 of the Cross Building, which is…

Nearly two-thirds of Mainers agree with President Donald Trump (R) that biological men should be barred from participating in women’s sports, according to the newest Pine Tree State Poll, a States of Opinion Project, conducted by the University of New Hampshire (UNH) Survey Center. While 64 percent of respondents said that biological men “definitely” or “probably” should not participate in women’s sports, only 29 percent said that they “definitely” or “probably” should. A somewhat higher percentage of Mainers were okay with biological women participating in men’s sports. Source: Pine Tree State Poll, a States of Opinion Project, University of New…

Republican lawmakers are taking steps to make Maine’s new Paid Family and Medical Leave Program voluntary. Currently, all employers and employees are required to participate in the program, but some legislators are looking to change that. This program, enacted last year as part of a spending bill, has imposed a one percent payroll tax on most working Mainers and their employers to fund paid leave for all employees statewide, with benefits not scheduled to begin until May of 2026. Mainers began contributing to the program on January 1 of this year, sixteen months ahead of when benefits are first scheduled…

Maine lawmakers in the state Senate have rejected a push to call for an Article V Convention to amend the U.S. Constitution. The now-defunct request would have called specifically sought to call an Article V Convention to implement campaign finance reform. This, however, is not the only Article V resolution on the table in Augusta this year, as lawmakers are still considering the possibility of requesting a Convention to propose the imposition of term limits on members of Congress and Supreme Court Justices. In order for an Article V Convention to be called, thirty-four state legislatures — representing at two-thirds…

Maine’s Judiciary Committee is set to hold a massive public hearing this Friday on a slate of abortion-related legislation. The hearing is set to begin at 9:30am in State House Room 438 and is expected to go until sometime between 5pm and 6pm that night. Mainers may begin arriving as early as 8am to sign up to testify. Based on sign up order, those looking to offer testimony will be assigned a group number that will determine when they will be called to speak. Due to the volume of public testimony that is expected Friday, the Legislative Analyst for the…

Republican lawmakers in Maine have proposed an amendment to the state’s constitution that would prohibit the governor from calling the Legislature into a special session within 90 days of adjournment. This, in effect, would likely prevent or deter the kind of parliamentary maneuvering that was seen this past week with respect to the $11.3 billion partial biennial budget — a budget that has set the table for massive tax increases in the new special session by failing to fund MaineCare for FY 2027. Following extensive debate on the floor of the House and Senate, a substantial two-year budget bill was…

Democrat lawmakers are now looking to amend Maine’s constitution to cap property tax increases for senior homeowners. Sponsored by Sen. Joe Baldacci (D-Penobscot), LD 1304 would amend the state constitution to give the Legislature authority to cap property tax increases for homeowners over the age of 65 to two percent annually. Under the proposed language, the state government would be required to reimburse municipalities for at least 90 percent of the lost revenue using funds from a two percent tax on lottery tickets and sports betting. Cosponsoring this resolution are Rep. Dani L. O’Halloran (D-Brewer), Sen. Tim Nangle (D-Cumberland), Rep.…

A Maine Republican representative has filed an application to begin collecting signatures for a People’s Veto of the $11.3 billion two-year, party-line budget approved last week. In Maine, a People’s Veto allows voters to “repeal a piece of legislation passed by the legislature” by using “the initiative and referendum process.” To earn a place on the ballot, these petitions must each receive more than 67,000 signatures, a number that is calculated based on the turnout levels from the most recent gubernatorial election. Submitted by Rep. Gary A. Drinkwater (R-Milford), this application to begin collecting signature’s for a People’s Veto petition…

Lawmakers on the Veterans and Legal Affairs (VLA) Committee are divided along partisan lines over whether or not to advance a proposal to repeal ranked choice voting. While all Republicans on the committee voted in support of doing away with the controversial system, all Democrats opposed this effort. LD 234 — An Act to Eliminate Ranked-Choice Voting — was sponsored by Rep. Richard H. Campbell (R-Orrington) and cosponsored by Rep. Amy Bradstreet Arata (R-New Gloucester), Rep. Irene A. Gifford (R-Lincoln), Rep. Randall Adam Greenwood (R-Wales), Rep. Abigail W. Griffin (R-Levant), Rep. Shelley Rudnicki (R-Fairfield), Rep. Michael Soboleski (R-Phillips), and Rep.…

This past week in Augusta, Democrat lawmakers pursued a relatively obscure parliamentary maneuver to pass an $11.3 billion spending bill without any Republican support. But how did we get here from the $120 million supplemental spending bill that was being debated earlier this month? After significant back and forth between chambers, this bill was placed in the legislative files as dead legislation, putting an end to the possibility that it could be adopted. Two days later, the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee offered a more than 400-page amendment to a previously-introduced concept draft, morphing it into a partial biennial budget.…

President Donald Trump signed an executive Thursday that represents the first step toward officially abolishing the federal Department of Education (DOE). Flanked by students and educators in a White House signing event, President Trump moved closer towards fulfilling a promise to return decision-making and resources for education from the federal government to the states. “Our Nation’s bright future relies on empowered families, engaged communities, and excellent educational opportunities for every child,” the president wrote in his executive order. “Unfortunately, the experiment of controlling American education through Federal programs and dollars — and the unaccountable bureaucracy those programs and dollars support…

A new bill introduced this week looks to amend the laws governing Maine’s new Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) Program to allow employers who had a “substantially equivalent” private plan in place by January 1 of this year. Currently, Maine employees and employers are required to make non-refundable contributions to the new paid leave program, even if the employer intends to substitute a private plan. This program, enacted last year as part of a spending bill, has imposed a one percent payroll tax on most working Mainers and their employers to fund paid leave for all employees statewide, with…

Republican lawmakers are pushing for Maine to eliminate the state’s vehicle excise tax and replace it with an annual mileage-based fee. Drivers in Maine currently have to pay an annual excise tax on their vehicles, the amount of which is calculated based on a vehicle’s age and manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP). LD 1194 — sponsored by Sen. Joseph Martin (R-Oxford) and cosponsored by Rep. James E. Thorne (R-Carmel) — would phase this tax out over the next five years, reducing it by 20 percent each year. In its place, the state would begin collecting a mileage-based fee every year,…

Democrat lawmakers are now looking to extend funding that makes community college free for all Maine residents — a benefit that was introduced as an extraordinary measure three years ago. To qualify for the proposed program, students would need to (1) enroll in an associate degree, diploma, or certificate program at a participating institution, (2) live in Maine for the duration of their enrollment, and (3) accept all available sources of funding offered to them. For these students, the payment of all tuition and mandatory fees would be waived. Once granted, a waiver would be valid for up to twice…

The State of Maine has now awarded the last of the $60 million relief package approved last year in response to the destructive storms that swept through the state in the winter of 2023, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. This final round of funding, worth a total of $2 million, was allocated across 40 businesses and non-profit organizations throughout the state. Distributed by the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), this represents the second and final batch of awards to be given out through the Business Recovery and Resilience Fund (BRRF). The BRRF was first established…

Maine lawmakers are on track to reject a proposal to soften the restrictions surrounding candidates’ ability to communicate with voters at the polls on election day. Members of the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee are divided along partisan lines over whether or not the state should amend the restrictions surrounding candidates’ ability to interact voters at the polls on election day. Sponsored by Sen. Jim Libby (R-Cumberland) and cosponsored by Rep. David Boyer (R-Poland) and Rep. Kimberly J. Pomerleau (R-Standish), LD 199 sought to allow candidates to communicate more extensively with voters at the polls. The proposed language would explicitly…

GOP lawmakers are looking to reinstate the property tax stabilization program for Maine’s older homeowners that previously had been repealed after just one year. Referred to the Taxation Committee Tuesday, LD 1144 was sponsored by Sen. Jim Libby (R-Cumberland) and cosponsored by Sen. Bruce Bickford (R-Androscoggin) and Sen. Trey Stewart (R-Aroostook). Originally introduced in 2022, this program allows eligible seniors to stop their property tax bills from increasing year over year, locking in the cost as of the preceding tax year. Should this law be approved, seniors would be able to apply for the program starting with the 2026 property…

A new Republican-led bill introduced on Tuesday looks to amend the citizens petition process with respect to agency rule making in Maine. Under current Maine State Law, agencies are required to begin appropriate rule making proceedings upon receipt of a petition with 150 valid signatures. This process was recently invoked by the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) to prompt the Board of Environmental Protection (BEP) to consider adopting a California-style electric vehicle (EV) mandate. Had the rule proposed in the petition been approved, 51 percent of new car sales in Maine would have needed to be comprised of EVs…