Maine Legislature

The Maine Legislature meets annually in regular session. In odd-numbered years, the session runs from the first Wednesday in December to the 3rd Wednesday in June. In even years, the session runs from the first Wednesday after the first Tuesday in January to the 3rd Wednesday in April. The Legislature processes hundreds of bills each session. Our working groups and admin team writes full calls to action (C2As) on key bills, and tracks others in our weekly Legislature Roundup. Learn more about the Legislature, how to testify at public hearings, how to track bills yourself, and much more in the State Government section of our Civic Dashboard. Not sure who your legislators are? Find them here.

#VoteThemOut: Defeat House Republicans who opposed Medicaid expansion

Jul 23, 2018

58 Maine House Republicans voted to uphold Gov. LePage’s veto of a bill to fund the first year of voter-approved Medicaid expansion in the state. QUICK ACTION: Help #VoteThemOut by volunteering for their opponents’ campaigns.

MAINE LEGISLATURE ROUNDUP: Special Veto Day Edition

Jul 8, 2018

The Maine Legislature is back in Augusta Monday to vote on veto overrides on 36 bills rejected by LePage last week—including a bill to fund Medicaid expansion and a ban on the harmful practice of conversion therapy—and to continue debate on bills to release clean elections funding and tax conformity. QUICK ACTION: Learn more about the bills and call your legislators TODAY and let them know how you want them to vote!

PROTECT RANKED CHOICE VOTING: Vote YES on 1

Jun 12, 2018

Maine voters approved ranked choice voting in 2016 and the courts have ruled that the process can be used in the June primaries, but the fight to keep RCV is not over.
QUICK ACTION: On June 12 vote YES on Question 1 to tell the legislature that the people of Maine veto their repeal of ranked choice voting. UPDATE 6/12: Question 1 passed by 54% and will be in place for the Congressional elections in November!

TRAIN. RUN. WIN. Apply for Emerge Maine Class of 2019

Jun 5, 2018

The number of progressive women running for office in Maine and around the country is breaking records, thanks in part to programs like Emerge Maine that train women how to run for office.
QUICK ACTION: Apply for the 2019 Emerge Maine class and join the ranks of women working to change the political landscape.

READY. SET. VOTE: Prepare for the June 12 Maine Primaries

Jun 3, 2018

Maine’s June 12 primaries are just around the corner and the field of Democratic candidates for governor and U.S. representative for CD2 is large. Maine will also use ranked-choice voting (RCV) in the primary, the first state to use RCV in a statewide election.
QUICK ACTION: Check our event list for candidate forums and RCV trainings.

TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS: Tell legislators to finish what they started

May 1, 2018

All but 2 House Republicans forced an early end to the legislative session in mid-April by refusing to extend the session by 5 days so that the Legislature could finish its work. The Legislature returns Wednesday, May 2, to vote on a number of bills recently vetoed by the governor and another vote to extend the session. QUICK ACTION: If your legislator voted no before, call her/him ASAP and demand a YES vote on an extension so they can finish what they started.

HANDS OFF OUR PAYCHECKS: Oppose Minimum Wage Reductions

Apr 30, 2018

Republican legislators in Augusta are again thwarting the will of the voters by rushing through a reduction of the minimum wage and an ageist sub-minimum wage for teens.
UPDATE: LD 1757 is legislatively dead, but Gov LePage and Republican legislators are threatening to hold other unresolved issues hostage by refusing to extend the legislative session unless a minimum wage rollback is passed.

TAXES IN MAINE: Approve Democrats’ amendment to tax conformity

Apr 18, 2018

Gov. LePage’s tax bill would slash taxes for corporations and the wealthy while leaving the state unable to fund important initiatives. Democrats have offered an amendment that supports working families. UPDATE 4/19: Republicans chose to leave Augusta before their work was done. A special session may be called by House and Senate leadership. Stay tuned for updates. QUICK ACTION: Contact your legislators and tell them you expect them to finish the work we sent them to Augusta to do, including voting YES on the majority amendment for LD 1655.

MEDICAID EXPANSION: Support bill to fund Medicaid expansion

Apr 18, 2018

Medicaid expansion becomes the law of the land July 2, expanding critical health care to 70,000 Mainers. But Gov. LePage has stalled on funding the state’s share of expansion. UPDATE 4/19: Republicans chose to leave Augusta before their work was done. A special session may be called by House and Senate leadership. QUICK ACTION: Contact your legislators and tell them you expect them to finish the work we sent them to Augusta to do, including voting YES on LD 837.

SUPPORT “RED FLAG” BILL: Reduce Suicide & Domestic Violence Gun Deaths

Apr 16, 2018

A bipartisan “red flag” bill would help reduce gun-related suicides and domestic violence homicides by temporarily suspending access to firearms for people who are a danger to themselves or others. UPDATE 4/19: Republicans chose to leave Augusta before their work was done. A special session may be called by House and Senate leadership.
QUICK ACTION: Contact your legislators and tell them you expect them to finish the work we sent them to Augusta to do, including voting YES on LD 1884.