Legislative leaders vote to advance added security measures for State House • Maine Morning Star

A unanimous vote from Maine’s Legislative Council Wednesday advanced plans to improve State House security, an increasing concern following several threats in recent years as the political climate has intensified. 

The vote was solely to approve the use of an old cafe space near the State House entrance to build a new screening area, but it is a key piece of a broader project that had been approved by the 130th Legislature in 2021.

The project centers around security concerns with the Cross Building, which currently lacks any regular security screenings or controlled access points, unlike the State House. 

Located adjacent to the State House and connected to it via an underground tunnel, the Cross Building houses nine of the Legislature’s 15 joint standing committees as well as the offices of the Maine Attorney General, the Department of Administration and Financial Services, the State Treasurer, the Department of Education and part of the Secretary of State’s offices.

As part of the 2021 law, a security study found that visitors could enter the Cross Building via the State House without having to go through the State House security screening, said Tyler Barter of Oak Point Associates, the contractor for the project.

The Legislative Council, which is made up of the ten elected members of legislative leadership, on Wednesday approved the new screening space to alleviate this loophole. The project will also add a screening area at the south entrance of the Cross Building. 

Additional security measures will be added outside of legislative buildings, as well. Access to leadership parking lots and the loading dock of the Cross Building will also be restricted by adding gates. A new antenna will also be added to the Cross Building to improve police communications.  

Outside of the secure entrances, the remaining State House and Cross Building entrances will be locked to the public but accessible to those with security clearance who have key cards.  

Credentialed people who can open doors to the public will always be a weak link, Barter said, which is why the project also involves the relocation of police at entrances. 

Overall, the project is expected to cost close to $7 million, with funding already allocated through bonds from the Maine Governmental Facilities Authority and additional ongoing costs for added police positions allocated in the last budget. 

The targeted completion for the whole project is December 2025, with bidding and contracts expected to be awarded this fall. 

While Wednesday’s vote was unanimous it came after several lawmakers voiced concern about the project’s price tag. 

House Minority Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham (R-Winter Harbor) objected to the focus on infrastructure rather than personnel changes to address security concerns. 

“I would feel much safer with the kind of money that was just spoke of there being put into law enforcement salaries and paying for additional law enforcement around here,” Faulkingham said. 

Assistant Senate Majority Leader Mattie Daughtry (D-Cumberland), who serves on the State House Facilities Committee, said the infrastructure changes are intended to be made in conjunction with an eventual increased police presence. 

“One of the things that’s incumbent on Leg Council is we want to make it clear that we want to recommend to the next Legislature that we do that, but I also know that a lot of the infrastructure changes that are in these plans have been asked for by our law enforcement folks,” Daughtry said. 

Elaine Clark, deputy commissioner of operations for the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, said her department has been working closely with the Department of Public Safety on the project. Clark noted that the Cross Building is the only building occupied by state employees and legislators that has “zero control over access by anyone, so it is not a good situation.” 

Lawmakers agreed with the need for change, pointing to specific situations last session when legislators were directed to the unsecure Cross Building after having to evacuate the State House. 

“It was completely absurd,” said Assistant House Minority Leader Amy Bradstreet Arata (R-New Gloucester), “so I agree that we need to do something… I am just very protective of taxpayer dollars and the $7 million price tag makes me feel like we’re being taken advantage of, but I understand that ship has sailed.” 

Given financial concerns, lawmakers asked Clark to provide a detailed overview of the budget at a future Legislative Council meeting.