Maine
The lawmakers running point on Maine’s biggest issues in 2023
A model of this text was initially revealed in The Each day Temporary, our Maine politics publication. Join right here for day by day information and perception from politics editor Michael Shepherd.
Maine legislative leaders handed down their lists of committee assignments for the brand new crop of lawmakers early Tuesday, setting a lot of the tone for main coverage debates.
Why it issues: These lists are lengthy awaited by State Home lobbyists and political observers looking for out the right way to work their associates, enemies and frenemies on panels of curiosity. Plenty of legislative turnover is resulting in a mixture of new and previous faces in the important thing positions.
Not like Congress, the place committee chairs can principally resolve what lives or dies, these positions are usually not omnipotent in Maine. Each invoice right here will get a public listening to and most find yourself getting votes. However these members entrusted right here will usually be the important thing emissaries between get together leaders and Gov. Janet Mills and can be on the desk throughout main offers.
Learn all of them: Listed here are the total Home and the Senate slates.
The funds: The all-important committee that can attempt to whittle down Mills’ two-year funds proposal right into a consensus package deal will get two new chairs, with Sen. Peggy Rotundo, D-Lewiston, profitable the gavel in her return to the Legislature. On the Home facet, second-term Rep. Melanie Sachs, D-Freeport, will get the chair.
For Republicans, Sen. Rick Bennett of Oxford, is probably the most high-profile new member of the panel, whereas Rep. Sawin Millett, the get together’s funds guru and a longtime state official, returns to a distinguished position on the committee. Bennett was an fascinating choose by new Senate Minority Chief Trey Stewart, R-Presque Isle, given the previous Senate president was probably the most party-bucking lawmaker within the final time period.
One to look at: Senate President Troy Jackson, D-Allagash, chosen Sen. Mike Tipping, D-Orono, to co-chair the labor committee. Tipping’s employer, the progressive Maine Individuals’s Alliance, is making an attempt to get a sweeping paid household and medical go away referendum on the 2023 poll because the Legislature considers the same proposal from a state job pressure. The labor panel ought to get a crack on the challenge this 12 months and which will put Tipping within the highlight.
Geography issues: A brand new housing panel additionally can be one of many key committees with a deep affordability disaster hammering coastal areas significantly onerous. The 2 Democrats chairing it — Sen. Teresa Pierce of Falmouth and Rep. Traci Gere of Kennebunk — are from two of Maine’s highest-cost areas. For instance, the median worth of Kennebunkport houses available on the market practically hit $1 million earlier this 12 months. Sen. Matt Pouliot, an Augusta actual property agent, will symbolize Republicans.
Bangor additionally was well-represented by the Democrats, with every of town’s lawmakers apart from first-term Rep. Ambureen Rana being chosen as committee chairs. Sen. Joe Baldacci will get the well being panel, Rep. Amy Roeder is on labor, Rep. Laura Supica is on the voting, marijuana and playing panel, and Rep. Joseph Perry has the tax committee.
On the flip facet of the housing panel, you additionally see Democratic efforts to symbolize rural areas of the state the place they’ve misplaced many seats to Republicans. Rep. Anne Perry of Calais will lead the well being committee, whereas Rep. Stanley Paige Zeigler, D-Montville, emerged from a big pack of attainable picks to chair the vitality panel.
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