News
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Mills administration says it will not impose state-level vaccine mandate on private employers after SCOTUS ruling
On January 13, the Supreme Court blocked enforcement of the Occupational Health and...
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New guidance allows schools with mask mandates to stop contact tracing
On January 12, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) and the Maine Centers...
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New guidance allows some COVID-positive workers to remain on the job in healthcare facilities
St. Mary’s Hospital in Lewiston has implemented a policy allowing employees who test...
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Legislature holds hearing on proposal to return unappropriated surplus revenue to taxpayers
The Maine Legislature’s Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee held a public hearing Wednesday...
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Democrat Jim Boyle wins special election for House District 27
The January 11 special election for House District 27, which includes parts of...
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U.S. DOE, DOT announce relaxed rules for bus drivers amid omicron surge, labor shortage
On January 10, the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) and U.S. Department of...
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Gov. Mills vetoes bill allowing farm workers to unionize
On January 7, Gov. Janet Mills vetoed LD 151, a bill that would...
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With the new year comes another increase to Maine’s minimum wage
On January 1, Maine’s minimum wage increased to $12.75 per hour. The increase...
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Lawmakers pass resolution to start Second Session work remotely, will revisit decision next month
The second session of the 130th Maine Legislature began on January 5, with...
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Portland City Council votes to end local emergency order, institute mask mandate
The Portland City Council voted to repeal the city’s declaration of emergency and...
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Maine CDC, DOE update COVID-19 protocols in schools following new federal guidance
On December 30, the Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and...
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Maine leaning on federal government to increase Mainers’ access to rapid COVID-19 tests
The Mills administration has announced no plans to provide at-home COVID-19 rapid tests...
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Maine granted intervenor status in lawsuit challenging federal lobster regulations
On December 30 Gov. Janet Mills’ administration announced Maine’s Department of Marine Resources...
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Affordable housing commission encourages local zoning flexibility and deregulation, state appeals board
The Commission to Increase Housing Opportunities in Maine by Studying Zoning and Land...
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Maine’s public school enrollment remains below pre-pandemic levels
The number of students enrolled in Maine public schools grew in the 2021-2022...
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Federal ambulance teams coming to Maine to relieve ‘mounting pressure’ on first responders
Eight Maine hospitals will host federal ambulance teams, which will assist the state’s...
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State study recommends new taxes and fees to help Maine reach carbon reduction goals
The Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future (GOPIF) and the Governor’s Energy...
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Federal court reinstates Biden vaccine mandate, setting stage for potential SCOTUS showdown
Federal appeals courts recently issued two decisions impacting federal COVID-19 vaccine requirements mandated...
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Legislative leaders want to revert to old COVID-19 protocols for upcoming second session
According to a schedule released on December 17, the 130th Maine Legislature will...
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Biden’s stimulus bill subsidized meat producers. Now, the White House blames ‘corporate greed’ for high meat prices.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki has a theory about why Americans are...
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No improvement to unemployment, labor force participation in November
For the month of November, Maine’s unemployment rate remained at 4.8%, a number...
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Judge denies corridor developers’ motion to block implementation of Question 1
On December 16, a Maine judge denied a preliminary injunction that would have...
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Legislative Republicans in the dark on Gov. Mills and Democrats’ supplemental budget priorities
When the 130th Maine Legislature reconvenes for its second session in January 2022,...
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Legislature launches pilot program to assess racial impact of pending legislation
In March 2021, Gov. Janet Mills signed a bill into law requiring the...
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Gov. Mills announces deployment of 38 National Guard members to 10 Maine healthcare facilities
Less than one week after announcing she was activating up to 75 members...
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Gov. Mills activates Maine National Guard to address capacity concerns in healthcare system
Gov. Janet Mills appeared at a December 8 press conference held by the...
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SCOTUS hears oral arguments in Maine-based religious freedom, school choice case
On Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Carson v. Makin,...
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Appropriations Committee receives briefing on state finances, including revenue surplus and ARPA spending
At the Appropriation and Financial Affairs (AFA) Committee meeting on December 7, Department...
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Maine DHHS announces winners of COVID-19 youth vaccination video contest
On December 1, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), in...
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Final plan for incorporating probate courts into judicial branch submitted to the legislature
The Commission to Create a Plan to Incorporate the Probate Court into the...
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Maine experiences highest rate of nursing home deaths in recent weeks
Maine’s rate of COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes is currently the highest in...
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Maine has a projected $822 million surplus. Lawmakers will debate how to spend it next session
Following its November 23 meeting, the Maine Revenue Forecasting Committee (RFC) upgraded the...
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Judge strikes down Maine law that unenrolled voters from minor political parties
A federal district court judge found that Secretary of State Shenna Bellows violated...
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No gasoline without ‘COVID papers’? It’s already happening in some parts of the world
It’s hard to know what’s real and what’s fake on the internet these...
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Governors of Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island back away from TCI, effectively killing regional gas tax
The governors of Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island withdrew their support from the...
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Maine’s unemployment rate remained at 4.9% in October
Maine’s workforce conditions in October were little changed from September according to new...
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Legislative Council admits 46 more bills into second session
On November 18, the Legislative Council met to consider appeals to legislative requests...
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Federal appeals court reinstates seasonal closure of lobster fishing waters in Gulf of Maine
In a blow to Maine’s lobster fishermen, the U.S. Court of Appeals for...
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Mainers could face a ballot question on universal health care in 2022
A question asking voters whether they want the legislature to direct a commission...
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Fifth Circuit blocks OSHA vaccination and testing mandate
A three-judge panel for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit...
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Maine DHHS, DOE launch youth video contest to promote vaccines for children
The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Department of Education...
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Final rule for healthcare worker vaccinations strikes dental practices and EMS organizations
The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) on November 10 released...
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More than 500,000 Mainers to receive $285 ‘disaster relief payments’ beginning mid-November
The administration of Gov. Janet Mills announced on November 10 it will soon...
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Federal court temporarily halts Biden administration’s vaccine mandate for employers
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on November 6 granted...
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Maine healthcare workers face uncertain future amid state and federal vaccine mandates
Maine’s requirement that healthcare workers at designated healthcare facilities be fully vaccinated against...
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Maine voters approve all three statewide ballot questions
Early returns on November 2 proved to be indicative of the results for...
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Supreme Court declines to block Maine’s healthcare worker vaccine mandate
The U.S. Supreme Court denied an appeal for injunctive relief on October 29...
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Number of Mainers homeschooling remains higher than before the pandemic
Recent enrollment numbers released by the Maine Department of Education (DOE) show that...
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Legislative Council screens 330 bills, accepts 107 to be debated in upcoming session
On October 25 the Legislative Council met to consider bill requests for the...
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Gov. Mills announces $14 million in aid to combat healthcare workforce shortages
Gov. Janet Mills held a press conference on October 25 to announce funding...
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Maine’s unemployment situation unchanged in September
Maine’s unemployment rate remained largely unchanged between August and September. The unemployment rate...
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Portland City Council votes to amend fee structure for amusement devices
The Portland City Council voted unanimously on October 18 to change the city...
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Commission to incorporate probate courts into judicial branch holds its first meeting
A commission directed by the Maine Legislature to create a plan to incorporate...
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Federal judge halts planned lobster fishing closure in Gulf of Maine
On October 16, a U.S. District Court judge blocked the implementation of a...
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Understanding Maine’s pooled testing program for students
As of October 7, there have been just under 3,000 reported cases of...
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Gov. Mills remains committed to vaccine mandate as Maine hospitals begin rationing services
The Maine Legislature’s Republican leadership sent a letter to their Democratic counterparts on...
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Some healthcare workers resign as enforcement deadline of Gov. Mills’ vaccine mandate approaches
As the date of enforcement for Gov. Janet Mills’ COVID-19 vaccine mandate for...
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Maine’s Legislative Council moves forward with legal challenges to final NOAA lobstering rule
The Legislative Council met on October 7 to discuss its legal response to...
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Dunlap vacates state auditor position after narrowly missing exams to obtain auditor credentials
At midnight on October 1, the position of state auditor will become vacant....
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Inflation drives Maine’s minimum wage to $12.75 in 2022
The Maine Department of Labor (DOL) recently announced the state’s minimum wage will...
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Maine Legislature accepts new redistricting plans, approves legal action on federal lobster rules
The Maine Legislature convened on September 29 and approved new maps for federal...
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Portland to reexamine fees on amusement devices after popular bar pays large sum to reopen
Arcadia National Bar, an arcade-themed bar in Portland, has been closed since the...
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Legislature to debate all new district maps approved by Apportionment Commission
Hours ahead of its September 27 deadline, the Apportionment Commission met for the...
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Redistricting commission in agreement on three of four new district maps, final meeting upcoming
Maine’s Apportionment Commission voted to approve new district maps for Maine’s House of...
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Legislative Council votes to reinstate face mask policy at State House, file brief in lobster lawsuit
Maine’s Legislative Council voted to reinstate its COVID-19 Prevention Policy, which requires face...
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DMR briefs legislature on impact of NOAA’s new lobstering rules, options for appeal
On September 14, the Maine Legislature’s Committee on Marine Resources met and discussed...
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Bipartisan group of lawmakers sign letter opposing new lobster regulations
The number of state legislators who have signed a letter calling for President...
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Maine delays enforcement of healthcare worker vaccine mandate but offers no testing alternative
According to Department of Health and Human Service (DHHS) Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew, Maine...
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Future of Shawmut Dam, Sappi mill remain uncertain
The future of the Shawmut Dam remains in question. Following a draft ruling...
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Massive nurse shortage hits Houston—weeks after 150 unvaccinated nurses and hospital workers fired
Jennifer Bridges knew what was coming when her director at Houston Methodist hospital...
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Consumer-owned utility supporters launch ballot initiative over LD 1708 veto
Though the legislature failed to override Gov. Janet Mills’ veto of a bill...
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What’s for Maine in the Senate’s compromise infrastructure bill?
According to estimates from the White House, Maine will receive just over $1.9...
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7,400 Mainers fail to provide proof of employment to continue receiving unemployment
On August 6, the Maine Department of Labor (DOL) announced that approximately 7,400...
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Biden says CDC’s new eviction moratorium ‘not likely to pass constitutional muster’
On August 4, just days after allowing the U.S. Centers for Disease Control...
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Maine senators split on Biden’s controversial Bureau of Land Management nominee
On July 27, the U.S. Senate voted to bring President Joe Biden’s appointee...
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Legislature sustains Gov. Mills’ veto of CMP takeover bill
Though the bill is dead, voters may still see the question LD 1708...
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Mills vetoes state takeover of utility companies, setting stage for future ballot initiative
Gov. Janet Mills held a press conference on Tuesday to announce her veto...
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Mills vetoes another bill sponsored by Senate President Jackson
On July 12, Gov. Janet Mills vetoed LD 1711, which would have allowed...
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Civil asset forfeiture reform bill becomes law without Mills’ signature
A bill that would strengthen protections against civil asset forfeiture, sponsored by Rep....
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Though the state of emergency has expired, some of Mills’ pandemic-related executive orders remain in effect
Though Maine’s state of emergency expired on June 30, some changes to rules...
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Almost half of Maine’s COVID-19 deaths occurred in nursing homes
According to data provided by the Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...
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Department of Labor announces updates to its Back-to-Work grant program
If all 300 workers received the $1,500 benefit, the grant program has already...
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Legislature, governor pass $8.5 billion supplemental budget
The bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 123-23 and...
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BDN Editorial Board confuses terms regarding Delta variant
In its July 5 piece, the editorial board of the Bangor Daily News...
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New report shows opioid deaths on the rise in Maine
Between 2019 and 2020, drug deaths in Maine rose by 33% according to...
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Supreme Court charts path to greater benefits for collegiate athletes
On June 21, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a decision...
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Governor Mills issues her first vetoes of the 130th Legislature
The governor’s office recently posted veto messages for seven bills rejected by Gov....
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Governor Mills signs a full slate of election, campaign finance reforms into law
Governor Mills recently signed into law several bills that affect campaigns and elections...
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Lockdowns devastated the poor, not the virus
A new Harvard analysis of various data points throughout the pandemic shows that...
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Governor Mills signs bills on energy, telemedicine and remote meetings into law
Bills passed by the Maine Legislature during its recently convened special session have...
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Gov. Mills announces ‘Vaccinationland’ lottery sweepstakes
On June 16, Gov. Mills announced the creation of a sweepstakes for Mainers...
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Semi-open primaries bill advances in Maine House and Senate
L.D. 231 aims to increase voter turnout and bipartisanship in an increasingly partisan...
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More wrangling to come on supplemental budget, federal relief spending
On June 17, the Maine Legislature is expected to adjourn a special session...
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Maine launches ‘Back to Work’ program while leaving federal pandemic unemployment benefits in place
On June 14, Gov. Mills announced a program to incentivize unemployed Mainers to...
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Few states remain in the failed Transportation Climate Initiative
The Transportation Climate Initiative (TCI) began in 2010 when 11 states and the...
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Fifteen months later, Maine is finally terminating its state of emergency
On June 11, Maine Gov. Janet Mills announced she was renewing the state...
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Maine schools to be freed of pandemic mandates starting July 1
On June 9, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) updated its PreK-12 and...
