The Maine Legislature’s Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee voted 8-1 in support of Sen. Ben Chipman’s proposal to reduce from $850 to $500 the maximum contribution to candidates seeking municipal office.

Legislative Document 780 faces additional votes in the House and Senate.

If enacted, the bill would take effect January 1, 2020.

Rep. Larry Lockman introduced a bill in the Legislature that aims to prohibit public school teachers in the state from engaging in political advocacy in the classroom.

The proposed legislation establishes a code of ethics for professional conduct that prohibits teachers from acting in their role as publicly employed educators to endorse or oppose elected officials and candidates and from introducing any controversial subject matter that is not germane to the topic of the course.

A special election will take place on April 2 to fill a vacancy in House District 52.

Rep. Jennifer DeChant vacated the office to work at telecommunications and media company Charter Communications.

DeChant had served in House District 52 since 2012.

Gov. Janet Mills and Sec. of State Matthew Dunlap announced a special election to be held on March 12 for House District 124.

Rep. Aaron Frey vacated the office to serve as attorney general.

House District 124 includes portions of Bangor and Orono.

Maine has elected state Attorney General Janet Mills as governor, making her the first woman to hold the state’s highest office. Mills is taking over for Republican Paul LePage, who is known for being combative.

In addition to making racist remarks, he led efforts to block Medicaid expansion in Maine, even after voters approved the move in a ballot initiative. In fact, LaPage sued Mills after she refused to represent him in several federal cases.

Mills, who was the first woman elected as a district attorney in New England, was also the first female attorney general of Maine.

Her main priorities for the state include increasing access to Medicaid by funding the efforts with the $35 million she secured from a tobacco settlement, providing broadband access in rural areas and addressing the opioid crisis.

The Maine Legislature adjourned without day on September 13, 2018.

The special session, called to finish business from the regular session regarding Medicaid expansion and minimum wage increases, began on June 19.

During the final day, Gov. Paul LePage threatened to call the Legislature into another special session if they did not pass a bill aimed at protecting elderly Mainers from foreclosure.

In turn, legislators passed a version of the bill on Thursday evening.

Rep. Dillon Bates resigned today after being accused of manipulating students into sexual relationships while he was a teacher.

After learning of the investigation by the Portland Police Department, Speaker Sara Gideon called for his immediate resignation.

Bates denies the allegations and said he resigned because there are few hours of work left as a legislator this year, and he wants to spend this time clearing his name.

Due to the passage of Legislative Document 1842, lobbyists will be required to complete an in-person harassment training.

The training must be taken at the beginning of every regular session.

Additionally, lobbyists must include the date the training was completed on their lobbyist registration form.

The bill will become effective at the adjournment of the special session.

The Maine Ethics Commission will be rolling out a new campaign finance reporting system for candidates, party committees, political action committees, and ballot question committees.

The lobbyist reporting system will remain the same. However, for those individuals who use the same login credentials to access both the campaign finance system and lobbyist system, the login will remain the same, but the reporting systems will be separate.

As a result of the upgrade, both the lobbyist reporting system and campaign finance system will be inaccessible starting at 6:00 p.m. June 28 until the morning of July 2.

The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of the Maine Legislature called a special session for June 19 and expected to last multiple days.

Legislators want to finish business from the regular session regarding Medicaid expansion and minimum wage increases.

Lobbyists who have filed non-session waivers and plan on lobbying during the special session must file a monthly activity report, next due on July 15, 2018.

The Maine Legislature is polling members to decide if they should return for a special session.

The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House may call a special session if they have the consent of the majority of members.

Legislators want to finish business from the regular session regarding Medicaid expansion and minimum wage increases.

If agreed upon, the special session will likely be called for June 19.

The Maine Legislature adjourned sine die on May 2, 2018. The session adjourned 14 days after statutory adjournment, or April 18, leaving key bills on the floor.

House Speaker Sara Gideon attempted to extend the session by four days, but House Republicans voted against the Joint Order.

The Legislature failed to pass bills involving public school funding, wage hikes for direct-care workers, and a bill aligning Maine’s tax code to new federal law.

Some lawmakers are hoping for a special session to address these issues.

Maine voters approved a ballot measure to expand access to Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.

Maine is the first state to settle the issue by referendum as Republican Gov. Paul LePage vetoed expanding Medicaid access five times.

Additionally, voters approved ballot measures relating to infrastructure bonds and pension funding and rejected a ballot measure allowing casino or slots in York County.

Maine voters approved a ballot measure to expand access to Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.

Maine is the first state to settle the issue by referendum as Republican Gov. Paul LePage vetoed expanding Medicaid access five times.

Additionally, voters approved ballot measures relating to infrastructure bonds and pension funding and rejected a ballot measure allowing casino or slots in York County.