Only one county bill request accepted by legislative council

The governing body of the Maine Legislature has approved for review a quarter of the bills submitted for the upcoming legislative session but only one of the 16 bills submitted by Washington County legislators. On October 30, the Legislative Council accepted 99 of the 392 bill requests, with four requests tabled. The legislative panel of six Democratic and four Republican leaders must approve any new bills for the short second session of the legislature, which is typically reserved for emergency or time‑sensitive measures. The council will hear appeals on bills that were rejected on November 21, and at least two of the bills submitted by the county legislative delegation will be appealed.
The only measure sponsored by county legislators that was accepted for review is Rep. Katherine Cassidy's bill to preserve Maine's long-term care facilities. Her two other bill requests -- An Act To Designate the Lobster Roll the State Sandwich and An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Develop Maine's Lobster Processing Industry -- were not accepted.
Bills submitted by Rep. Lawrence Lockman of Amherst that were not accepted were An Act To Require Signs and Lighting on Boat Ramps and An Act To Protect "Fair Share" Workers from Unauthorized Withholding of Agency Fees.
Senator David Burns of Whiting had submitted four bills that were not accepted: An Act to Enhance Maine's Stalking Law To Include Illegal Stalking of Groups or Members of an Organization, An Act To Allow Retired Department of Marine Resources Patrol Officers To Qualify for Any 2 Marine Fisheries Licenses under Moratorium or Limited Entry, An Act To Exempt Fuel Used in Off-road Commercial and Construction Equipment from Fuel Taxes and An Act to Maintain the Togue Stocking Program in Millimagassett Lake. He will be appealing the rejection of the measure to amend the state's stalking law.
Rep. Joyce Maker of Calais sponsored three bill requests: An Act To Improve the Maine Sex Offender Registry, An Act To Provide a Refundable Income Tax Credit for Adoption and An Act To Improve the Process for Determining Whether a Mobile Home Is Abandoned. She is planning to appeal the denial of the bill concerning the Maine Sex Offender Registry, as she believes a loophole in the registry creates an emergency situation.
Rep. Peter Doak of Columbia Falls also sponsored three requests: An Act To Repeal the Lodging Tax on Assisted Living Facilities for Maine's Elderly, An Act To Exempt Certain Disabled Veterans from the State Income Tax and An Act To Exempt from Excise Tax Vehicles Owned by Disabled Veterans. Rep. Beth Turner of Burlington had submitted one request: An Act To Repeal the Law Requiring Certain Businesses To Collect Sales Tax.
"Given the short session, we moved forward with measures that were emergencies or time sensitive matters," said Speaker of the House Mark Eves of North Berwick, who chairs the Legislative Council. "With Maine's economy struggling to catch up with the rest of the country, we sought to focus on the bills that would help strengthen our economy and grow our middle class." Key bills that were approved included measures that would make health care and education more affordable, conserve Maine's natural resources, invest in research and development and increase property tax fairness.
Among the department bills being submitted is a Department of Marine Resources bill to clarify the state's elver license.
Bills sponsored by county legislators that were carried over from the previous session and will be considered during the second session include a bill sponsored by Rep. Madonna Soctomah of the Passamaquoddy Tribe to allow the tribe to operate slot machines in Washington County in conjunction with high-stakes beano, a bill sponsored by Senator Burns to protect religious freedom, a resolve by Rep. Cassidy requiring the Department of Health and Human Services to provide methadone clinic data and a bill sponsored by Rep. Maker to establish a Maine length of service award program. Two other tribal casino bills that were carried over would authorize the Houlton Band of Maliseets to operate a casino in Aroostook County and would authorize any of the federally recognized tribes in the state to benefit from the operation of an existing casino.