We had a busy week in Augusta, with action on issues from voting rights to digital privacy. Read about this week's highlights and see what's on our radar for next week.

See more priority legislation on our bill tracker.

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

LD 1771 to Enforce the Right to a Speedy Trial

The Judiciary Committee held a work session for LD 1771 and supported it in an 8-5 vote. With LD 1771, Maine would join 41 other states and the federal government by adopting specific timelines to ensure criminal cases proceed fairly and efficiently. Without action, Maine will continue failing to uphold the people’s constitutional rights and court backlogs will continue to grow at ever-increasing expense to taxpayers. Read more about LD 1771, see our testimony, and ask lawmakers to support the bill here.

LD 1578 to Ensure One Person, One Vote

This bill passed the Senate on Wednesday with a vote of 22-13, following House passage earlier this month. Under LD 1578, Maine would join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. This would ensure the presidential candidate with the most votes in the country wins. A national popular vote would give each voter an equal impact on the outcome of the presidential election, furthering the principle of one person, one vote. Read more about LD 1578, see our testimony, and ask lawmakers to support the bill here.

LD 2046 to Unconstitutionally Incarcerate Innocent People Who Need Medical Care

LD 2046 passed the House on Wednesday. The Senate may take up the bill on Tuesday, March 19. This bill would make permanent a policy allowing the state to incarcerate legally innocent people who need health care simply because the state is not providing the resources for that care. A prison is not a substitute for a hospital, and this legislation would imprison people who have not been found guilty of committing a crime. We are encouraging senators to pass an amended version of LD 2046 that would end this harmful policy in July 2027. Read more about LD 2046 and see our testimony here.

Protecting Your Privacy from Big Tech

The Judiciary Committee held another work session on data privacy on Thursday. We are reviewing the most up to date bill language and expect the committee to vote next week. Maine needs legislation to protect its people from corporate surveillance. Under the current rules, companies are free to exploit our most sensitive information to turn a profit. This violates our most basic privacy, risks our safety, exacerbates inequality, and threatens our democracy. Read more about LD 1977 and see our testimony here.

LD 227 to Protect Essential Health Care

LD 227 would protect reproductive health care and essential health care for transgender people in Maine. We need this protection because extreme politicians have shown they will not stop at their own state’s borders in their efforts to ban certain types of health care. Maine’s laws and policies are clear that this health care is legal, and this bill would protect the ability to practice and access this care in Maine.

We are optimistic that LD 227 can pass, but rest assured that if it does not become law the status quo will remain in Maine. LD 227 would further protect patients and providers from out-of-state threats, but this health care will not be restricted if this bill does not become law. Following bomb threats and other intimidation tactics from people who oppose this legislation, lawmakers need to hear from you. Add your name asking lawmakers to support LD 227 here.

Ask lawmakers to support LD 227

LD 2007 to Partially Restore Tribal Sovereignty

LD 2007 has been pared down. The current draft would grant the Wabanaki Nations authority over some criminal legal proceedings that happen on tribal territory. State and federal laws exclude federally recognized tribes in Maine from the same benefits extended to every single other federally recognized tribe in the United States. This version of LD 2007 is a small step forward. Read more about these recent changes from the Maine Morning Star here. Read more about tribal sovereignty and take action with the Wabanaki Alliance here.

UPCOMING VOTES/ACTIONS

3/19/24, Committee on Judiciary: Protecting Mainers' Privacy from Big Tech

The Judiciary Committee may vote on LD 1977 during its meeting on Tuesday at 1PM. We are reviewing the latest bill language and are optimistic that lawmakers will support a bill to protect Maine people's privacy.

3/21/24, Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services: Protecting Essential Health Care in Maine

Committee members are likely to vote on LD 227 during their work session on Thursday. Add your name asking them to support LD 227 here.

3/21/24, Lobby Day to End the Failed War on Drugs

Join the Maine Recovery Advocacy Project and other advocates to ask lawmakers to support policies that increase pathways to treatment and end the failed policies of punishment and incarceration. See more and RSVP here.

Senate Vote on Public Defenders

The Judiciary Committee on March 6 unanimously supported LD 653 and we expect the Senate to vote next week. Among several things, LD 653 would fund the immediate hiring of two new public defenders and change the name of the Maine Commission on Indigent Legal Services (MCILS) to the Maine Commission on Public Defense Services. This bill would partially fund an MCILS proposal to open brick-and-mortar public defender offices throughout Maine in the coming years. We are urging lawmakers to fund the full proposal, but this bill would still move Maine in the right direction. Read more here.

TAKE ACTION

Emailing lawmakers is a great way to make your voice heard in Augusta. Contact your lawmakers now about the issues important to you. Adding your name only takes a moment.

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We had a busy week in Augusta, with action on issues from tribal sovereignty to enforcing the right to a speedy trial. Below are some specific highlights about key pieces of legislation from this week and what’s on our radar moving forward.

See more priority legislation on our bill tracker. Skip ahead to see what we're tracking next week.

THE WEEK IN REVIEW:

LD 2007 to Restore Tribal Sovereignty

The Judiciary Committee held a public hearing for LD 2007 on Monday. Tribal leaders, allies, civil rights advocates, and concerned people testified to the lawmakers. This bill would grant the Wabanaki Nations some of the federal benefits afforded to every single other federally recognized tribe in the United States. 1980 laws block the Wabanaki Nations from many of the rights and benefits granted to the 570 other federally recognized tribes. Read more about the bill, see our testimony, and take action with the Wabanaki Alliance here.

 

LD 2001 to Teach Our Full History, Support Wabanaki and African American Studies

The Senate passed LD 2001 on Tuesday. It would give teachers and schools the resources they need to teach Wabanaki and African American studies. It passed the House last week and now heads to the Special Appropriations Table for funding. See our coalition statement alongside leaders on these issues, including Speaker Talbot Ross, the Wabanaki Alliance, the Abbe Museum, and more. Read more about the bill, see our testimony, and email lawmakers here.

 

LD 1771 to Enforce the Right to a Speedy Trial

The Judiciary Committee held a work session for LD 1771 on Thursday. The committee tabled the bill and did not vote because lawmakers continued to work with advocates and other stakeholders to iron out some details. Maine should join the 41 other states and the federal government by adopting specific timelines to ensure that criminal cases proceed fairly and efficiently. Without action, Maine will continue failing to uphold the people’s constitutional rights and court backlogs will continue to grow at ever-increasing expense to taxpayers. Read more about LD 1771, see our testimony, and ask lawmakers to support the bill here.

 

LD 2210 to Establish a Civil Rights Unit in the Office of the Attorney General

This bill received a divided report from the Judiciary Committee on Thursday, with a majority of the committee supporting the bill.

It would require the AG's office to publicly share information about what kinds of alleged civil rights violations people report, which ones the AG's office pursues, and why the AG's office does not pursue others. This would give the public a better understanding of what is happening within the AG's office and why and how they make decisions. Transparency will also be helpful for advocates to know the broader climate of what is happening in Maine so they can know which issues might need immediate attention and what types of issues may be widespread. Additionally, it would require the AG's office to connect with communities so people understand what to do if they believe their civil rights were violated and what type of support the state may be able to provide to enforce their rights.

This bill is a great step forward for the public to better understand what is happening throughout Maine and how the AG's office is making decisions about which civil rights cases it pursues. A better understanding will give the public the information it needs to consider effective oversight of the office in the future. See more about the bill here and read our testimony here.

LD 2109 to Require Police Patrols Without Cause

LD 2109 would arbitrarily require rural police to maintain 2020 patrol levels, with no analysis or justification of when, where, why, or how often. We testified against this bill during the public hearing last month. It received a divided report in committee this week. Read more about it and see our testimony here.

Budget Proposals

Several committees considered various aspects of the budget this week. We testified several times this week, arguing for funding for public defense, opposing more spending on police positions when the state cannot even fill the currently funded positions, and more.

LOOKING AHEAD:

LD 2237 to Invest in Health Care and Violence Prevention, Not Punishment and Incarceration

This bill will receive a public hearing at 10AM on Monday in the Health and Human Services Committee. It would reduce our society's reliance on jails and law enforcement to address health crises by investing in mobile mental health response services, receiving centers for people in crisis, and medication management services. See the bill and watch the hearing here.

LD 2214, the Governor's Proposed Supplemental Budget

The Judiciary and Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committees will consider part of the governor's proposed budget at 10AM on Monday. During this hearing, lawmakers will consider a number of things, including funding for brick-and-mortar public defender offices. The governor has proposed partially funding a plan presented by the Maine Commission on Indigent Legal Services. We are urging lawmakers to fund the full proposal. Read more here. See the bill and watch the hearing live here.

 

LD 1975 to Support Public Health and End the Failed War on Drugs

The Health and Human Services Committee will hold a work session for this bill on Wednesday at 1PM. It would increase opportunities for treatment for people with substance use disorder, rather than relying on the same failed policies of punishment and incarceration. Read more and ask lawmakers to support this bill here.

 

LD 2204 to Ban Property Ownership Based on National Origin and Expand Police Powers

The Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee will have a work session for LD 2204 on Thursday at 1:30PM. Like an unconstitutional Florida law, LD 2204 would prohibit people from buying property based solely on their national origin, along with provisions that would increase incarceration rates and expand police surveillance without probable cause. Read more about it here.

TAKE ACTION:

Emailing lawmakers is a great way to make your voice heard in Augusta. Contact your lawmakers now about the issues important to you. Adding your name only takes a moment.

take action