Days in the legislature are rarely all good or all bad, and today was no exception. Today three ACLU of MAINE staff members were in Augusta lobbying in the legislature. Alysia monitored the vote of the Criminal Justice Committee. Zach was in the Business, Research and Economic Development Committee for a committee hearing on pharmaceutical marketing to minors (more about that from him in another blog post). I started by afternoon in the Judiciary Committee testifying at a hearing in favor of meeting records and minutes for public proceedings and ended my afternoon in Criminal Justice.
First, the bad news. The Criminal Justice Committee voted 6 to 5 "ought not to pass" to LD 1611. Committee members refused to acknowledge that solitary confinement even happens in Maine. (Note to Committee Members: Calling solitary confinement "special management" or "segregation" or "pod B" doesn't change that fact that it's solitary confinement.)
Now, the good news. Five Criminal Justice Committee members recognized that the Department of Corrections could do a better job in limiting the abuse of solitary confinement, particularly the practice of placing mentally ill prisoners in solitary confinement. The Department of Corrections acknowledged last week that 48% of prisoners in the special management unit in February were taking psychotropic medication. Senator John Nutting (D-Leeds) and Representative Jim Schatz (D-Blue Hill) remained steadfast in support of a statutory prohibition on the placement of the seriously mentally ill in the special management unit. We applaud their courage and adherence to principle. (Please thank them if you can.) They voted to support a minority report of two. Senator Stan Gerzofsy (D-Brunswick) and Representative Ann Haskell (D-Portland) who chair the Criminal Justice Committee voted to endorse a resolve over legislation. They were joined by Representative Veronica Magnan (D-Stockton Springs).
What's next? With three competing committee reports, we're poised for a vigorous floor debate. Please add your voice to the debate by emailing your legislators!