MAINE GOVERNMENT
Here are our Calls to Action, Guides, and Explainers on Maine legislation, policy, and issues. For contact information for your legislators, information on the legislative process, and to track bills in the current legislative session, visit our Legislature Roundup. Interested in helping us track state legislation and policy? Take action with us.
VICTORIES & GOOD NEWS ROUNDUP: 2021 Maine Legislature edition
2021 was a remarkable year for the Maine Legislature, not just because of the pandemic. The first half of 130th Maine Legislature was also remarkable because of the number of laws passed that will directly improve the lives of all Mainers. UPDATED: Read about some of our legislative wins and find links to the latest legislative scorecards from our partner organizations!
MAINE LEGISLATURE ROUNDUP: Track Bills, Contact Your Legislators, and Be Heard!
We tracked more than 60 bills this year in the Maine Legislature, which adjourned July 19. QUICK ACTION: Read about the good bills we helped pass and the bad bills we helped defeat in our Legislature Roundup Wrap-Up and check out the legislative scorecards from some of our partner organizations!
A GUIDE FOR TRANS ALLIES
2021 has been a record-breaking year for legislation targeting transgender people in the U.S., with more than 100 anti-trans bills in 33 states as of mid-April. Although measures did pass in some states, three anti-trans bills introduced in Maine were defeated in the Legislature, with the last bill dying July 19. QUICK ACTION: Our new Guide for Trans Allies cuts through the spin from supporters of anti-trans legislation and offers tips to help you be a better ally.
SUM Testimony on bills in the 130th Legislature
Every bill that goes before the Maine Legislature gets a public hearing, offering Mainers an opportunity to make their voice heard on every piece of legislation our elected officials consider. It’s a hallmark of our citizen Legislature and a key step to holding our elected officials accountable. Suit Up Maine testified on more than a dozen bills during the first half of the 130th Legislature, on issues ranging from housing to health care to racial justice. Read our testimony and learn more about the bills we tracked.
WHAT’S NEW: Read SUM’s latest newsletter
Latest news: The For the People Act gets a vote in the Senate. And while other states have passed strict voter suppression laws, Maine is passing bills to make voting easier and more secure. We have more on that and a run-down of the latest legislative victories. Read SUM’s latest newsletter to get caught up on our current actions!
#StandWithWabanaki: Restore Tribal Sovereignty
Legislators will hold a public hearing Tuesday, May 4 on legislation to restore tribal sovereignty to the Passamaquoddy Tribe, the Penobscot Nation, and the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians. UPDATE: LD 1626 has been held over until January. Read on more details and what you can do to keep momentum going!
2020 Maine Legislature Roundup Recap
An early adjournment due to COVID-19 meant that many bills we were tracking in the second session of the 129th Maine Legislature were left on the table, eventually dying when efforts to reconvene for a special session were unsuccessful. Our Legislature Roundup will reconvene with the Legislature in January 2021, with dozens of bills to track in the coming session. For now, see what passed in 2020 and what was left behind.
GOTV to Win: Canvass, call, and text to get out the vote!
The Nov. 3, 2020 election is almost here and Mainers are getting out the vote to support their favorite candidates up and down the ballot. QUICK ACTION: Help make the change you want to see in government by volunteering for a canvass or phone or text bank!
MAINE VOTES 2020 Guide: Who’s on the ballot, GOTV, and more
Everything we’ve done for the past three years comes down to Tuesday. We’re ready, and with this guide, you will be, too. Learn who’s on the ballot, review incumbents’ voting records, volunteer to help turn out the vote, and find information on voter registration.
MAINE VOTES 2020 FAQ: Your Questions Answered
Mainers have voting questions. We have answers. This FAQ guide was created by and for Maine’s 2020 voters, with answers informed by Maine’s Secretary of State. Get all the information you need to cast your ballot safely and securely in the 2020 election.
Suit Up Maine is an independent, all-volunteer grassroots progressive group that seeks to build a more informed and engaged electorate in Maine. Founded in 2016, Suit Up Maine is run by and for Mainers, and is not engaged in fundraising of any kind. Representing thousands of constituents across Maine’s 16 counties, Suit Up Maine raises awareness of and advocates for policies and legislation that promote equity and equality in civil rights, social justice, health care, the environment, education, the economy, and other areas that affect the lives of all people. Suit Up Maine is beholden to issues and action, not parties or politicians.
