In the News
Legislature cuts own budget by $8.3M, adds security to the State House
… “That $550,000 is a lot of money,†said Sen. Justin Alfond, D-Portland, the assistant Senate minority leader. “I guess I am still not comfortable with spending that money when there are many competing priorities in this two-year budget.†… Read more at the Bangor Daily News.
Maine Senate rejects bill to give legal standing to ‘unborn children’
… But those speaking in opposition, including several Senate Democrats, warned that the term “unborn child†has no accepted legal or medical definition and that the measure is a veiled attempt to erode abortion rights. Similar laws in other states have resulted in pregnant women being prosecuted for crimes against their fetuses, opponents said. Sen....
Security at the Statehouse a hot topic among Republicans
… Capitol Police are training with a metal detector and package screener, which they plan to install at the entrance to the building. However, that would still leave the busy Cross State office Building – where hundreds of legislative hearings are held -with no security screening. One top Democrat, Sen. Justin Alfond, says he doesn’t...
Maine Senate votes to exempt more estates from ‘death tax’
… The Democratic opposition, however, accused the majority party of offering large tax cuts to Maine’s wealthiest residents at a time when lawmakers are considering cuts to social services programs for the state’s poorest residents and “tightening the vice†on middle-income families. “People of Maine are hurting, people are taking cuts,†said Sen. Justin Alfond,...
Panel endorses bill to allow charter schools
… Sen. Justin Alfond, D-Portland, who voted against the bill, said he is concerned about how the creation of new schools would affect Maine’s current education system. He and two other Democrats who voted in the minority said they want to delay the proposal until next year. … Read more at the Portland Press Herald....
Right-to-work legislation fizzles as GOP shifts to passage of bipartisan budget
… Democrats said that the apparent fizzling of the right-to-work bill showed that such legislation doesn’t have a place in Maine. Sen. Justin Alfond, D-Portland, said Republicans were using the budget process as a “smokescreen” to explain their abandonment of the right-to-work bills. “I think they don’t have the votes,” Alfond said. “I think Mainers,...
