Among its actions this week, the Legislature defeated a controversial “regulatory takings” bill that would have cost Maine taxpayers millions of dollars, caused a proliferation of lawsuits, and blocked future laws that may be necessary to protect Maine’s environment, people, and communities. This action came when the House and Senate voted to “indefinitely postpone” LD 1810—which means the bill is now officially dead.

“This risky, costly, and radical proposal would have undermined the laws that protect Maine’s environment and communities,” said NRCM Advocacy Director Pete Didisheim. “Despite a massive effort by lobbyists to force this dangerous bill through the legislature, a bipartisan majority held firm and refused to support it. Common sense won the day over ideology.”

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The projected pipeline

Last night Canadian pipeline giant Enbridge announced plans for a massive increase in pipeline capacity to bring dirty tar sands oil from Canada to global markets via the United States. One of the biggest components of the plan is to reverse the flow of its entire crude oil pipeline between Ontario and Montreal, for the purpose of transporting tar sands crude oil east. This would be the full build-out of Enbridge’s portion of the so-called “Trailbreaker” pipeline project in development for several years. This announcement could bring tar sands oil nearly to New England. The rest of the original Trailbreaker plan would bring tar sands oil by also reversing the flow of an existing pipeline from Montreal to Portland, Maine.

“This announcement reveals Enbridge’s true intentions to bring tar sands oil to our region,” said Dylan Voorhees, Clean Energy Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine. “This is exactly why NRCM and others have been raising concerns since last August about dirty and dangerous tar sands coming our way. This announcement brings one of the world’s dirtiest fuels one step closer to Maine.”

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Congresswoman Chellie Pingree is introducing an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act today that calls on the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense to reform policy around sexual assault in the military.

“Congress should pass this amendment and send a strong signal to the VA and to the Pentagon that we recognize what a serious problem sexual assault in the military is,” Pingree said. “But mostly it sends a message to the victims that we recognize what they have gone through and we won’t stand for it.”

Pingree has been pushing the Department of Veterans Affairs to relax the standards of proof for victims of sexual assault who are seeking benefits, and has introduced a bill with bipartisan support to force the VA to make those changes.

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Maine State Capitol photo by Ramona du Houx

Four bond proposals that would make needed investments in Maine’s colleges and universities, research and development, land conservation, and waste water and drinking water treatment gained initial support in the Maine House late this afternoon. Additional votes on these proposals and other public investments in improving roads and bridges are expected tonight.

Democrats urged strong support for the total $95.6 million in bond proposals before the House and Senate.

“A jobs bond will give our economy a much needed shot in the arm,” said Rep. Emily Cain, the House Democratic leader. “The best way to improve our economy is by making more investments that will help small businesses, job training and public education.”

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The Maine Senate through “indefinite postponement” rejected a controversial overhaul of regulatory land-use rules, known as the “takings” bill. If passed, LD 1810 would have allowed property owners to initiate action without going through a permitting process. There would be major uncertainty about how to determine what constitutes “suitable” use upon which a claim can be made.This Republican ideologically led measure would have opened flood gates for lawsuits and pit landowners against taxpayers

“Thankfully the Republicans saw the light and gave up their fight on passing a measure that would have cost millions of dollars to Maine taxpayers,” said Senator Phil Bartlett. “Worse, it would have hampered future legislatures from passing laws needed to protect Maine’s economy, environment, and communities.”

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Sen. Troy Jackson said, “I never signed up to be the person who decides who lives and dies in this state, or to say ‘I’m sorry, you don’t have health care anymore.’”

In an initial vote of 74 to 69, Republican lawmakers in the Maine House of Representatives forced through budget cuts that will take away health care from more than 24,000 Maine seniors, children and working families, while also passing unfunded tax cuts for the wealthy. The vote in the Senate was 19 to 16, along party lines, too.

“The Republican budget cuts will do unnecessary harm to seniors and working families across our state,” said Rep. Peggy Rotundo, the lead Democrat on the Appropriations Committee. “No Maine family should have to choose between putting food on the table or paying for medicine.”

The proposal will close an $80 million shortfall in the Department of Health and Human Services budget.

“This budget is riddled with disingenuous savings, hidden costs, and illegal proposals,” said Rep. Mark Eves, the lead House Democrat on the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee.

The GOP proposal reduces access to medicine and medical care for more than 5,000 seniors; cuts Head Start early childhood education programs for 216 children and child care credits for 1,400 families; cuts funding to home visitation programs that help prevent domestic violence for 750 families in crisis; eliminates health care for 7,000 19 and 20 year olds; and reduces funding for women’s health and family planning by $400,000.

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From Dirigo Blue: After the temporary restraining order against him was lifted yesterday, Rep. Alex Cornell du Houx (D-Brunswick) released the following statement. The order was at the request of Rep. Erin Herbig (D-Belfast), after the relationship between the two ended. The PPH reported last night that a police investigation into the matter had been closed with no further action anticipated.

Cornell du Houx’s statement:

“I’m feel very satisfied with the agreement reached and that the temporary order was withdrawn.

“Community service, military service and public service are the guiding principles that I am dedicated to. I serve and protect the people of my community as a lawmaker. I serve and protect my country an officer in the Navy.I will continue to serve and protect the people of my community, and my country now and for many years to come. I’d like to thank family, friends, coworkers and my community for their loving support.”

A petition launched by United States Senate candidate and State Rep. Jon Hinck (D-Portland) has gone viral on the internet and has quickly garnered thousands of signatures from Mainers opposed to the LePage-backed budget. The petition cites to cuts to in services from Head Start to Drugs for the Elderly as well as diversion of tobacco settlement money from the Fund for Healthy Maine. As soon as he read the budget, Hinck knew that other Mainers would object. After discussion with fellow lawmakers, Hinck launched the online petition. In just four days, the petition has over 3,500 signers.

“This was a rapid response operation in the face of harmful cuts backed by just one party and on a very short deadline,” Hinck said. “The petition has gone viral because many Mainers are taking this budget personally. It hurts people at a very difficult time and many see it as mean spirited.”A big crowd of budget opponents filled the halls between the two legislative chambers in Augusta this morning. Many people in the crowd stopped Representative Hinck to thank him for the petition.

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Mainers United Campaign Manager Matt McTighe opens the Portland field office with a full house of volunteers ready to hit the doors.

Mainers United for Marriage, the campaign to win the freedom to marry for all loving, committed couples in Maine, today officially opened new field offices in Brewer, Lewiston and Portland and re-launched door-to-door canvassing.

“Committed staff and volunteers will be knocking on doors around Maine, having one-one-one conversations about why marriage matters to same-sex couples,” said Matt McTighe, the campaign manager for Mainers United for Marriage. “Our goal is to knock on 175,000 doors and have 90,000 conversations before Election Day.”

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Citizens at the State House defending the people's right for healthcare. They don't want the LePage cuts in MaineCare.

With a planned party-line budget vote today, Maine Republicans are set to take an historic action. By ratifying Governor Paul LePage’s deep cuts to important health care programs and his giant new tax breaks that mainly benefit the wealthy, they are set to make Maine’s economic policy the most ideological and extreme of any state in the nation.

“The Republicans’ actions today are both ideologically extreme and morally reprehensible,” said Maine People’s Alliance executive director Jesse Graham. “No other state in the country has cut so deep into programs for those who are suffering the most while at the same time giving such large tax breaks to those who are the most well-off.”

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