The Hall of Flags in the Maine State House in Augusta. Feb. 25, 2025. (Photo by Jim Neuger/ Maine Morning Star)
Legislative leaders unanimously approved a handful of late bills submitted on Thursday, including a measure to help farmers secure low interest loans to backfill commitments after President Donald Trump’s administration froze funding for existing contracts.
Legislation was due to the Revisor’s Office on Jan. 10, a deadline known as cloture. However, the Legislative Council, composed of the ten elected members of legislative leadership, has the authority to make exceptions, which then go to legislative committees for consideration.
Support farmers impacted by federal funding cuts
The Legislative Council approved a bill filed by Sen. Stacy Brenner (D-Cumberland) to support farmers and food banks affected by federal funding cuts on their existing contracts.
Speaking on Brenner’s behalf, Senate President Mattie Daughtry (D-Brunswick) said the bill would create ways for those affected to access low interest, or potentially zero interest, loans to be able to pay for work completed after signing government contracts with the United States Department of Agriculture. Farmers were told they would not get reimbursed until USDA programs are reviewed by Elon’s Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.
“We’re talking about folks who have already been promised that funding and have already done the work,” Daughtry said. “I know there’s one farmer who was looking at potentially $150,000 that was due to contractors because the funds had not come through.”
Vote: Unanimous approval
Why after deadline: The funding freezes were announced after cloture.
Training to recover people lost at sea
The Legislative Council approved a bill filed by Rep. Tiffany Strout (R-Harrington) to require the review and further development of training to recover persons in distress or lost at sea.
Vote: Unanimous approval
Why after deadline: Eight days after cloture, on Jan. 18, a fishing vessel did not return from scalloping. On Jan. 20, law enforcement located the boat and a body on the boat.
Melanie Barrett, the wife of Chester Barrett and mother of Aaron Barrett, the fishermen lost at sea, submitted a request to Strout after her family’s ordeal. Strout said Melanie also has cancer and should be part of the bill consideration process, making its consideration more urgent.
“It gives an opportunity for family members to have a resource guide and feel like they have contributed in this particular case to helping others in the future,” Strout said.
Allow use of siren by harbor masters
The Legislative Council approved a bill filed by Rep. Dan Ankeles (D-Brunswick), on behalf of the Maine Harbor Masters Association, to allow harbor master boats to use sirens in emergency situations.
Vote: Unanimous approval
Why after deadline: The association reached out to Ankeles requesting this change three days after cloture.
“Harbor master’s have a lot on their plate keeping Maine’s harbors and shoreline’s safe, which is why I don’t think we can blame them for missing cloture,” Ankeles said. “With all the chaos and conflict out there lately, this request is a refreshing reminder that we can still use the power voters gave us to render a nonpartisan, zero-cost act of service that might even save a life.’
Add sexual assault offense to sex offender registry
The Legislative Council approved a bill filed by the Sex Offender and Risk Management Advisory Commission, which is authorized to submit legislation directly, to add a sexual assault offense to the sex offender registry.
Vote: Unanimous approval
Why after deadline: The delay was due to the timing that the commission convenes, according to Kent Avery, assistant attorney general.
Assisted housing rule change
The Legislative Council approved a resolve regarding a department of Health and Human Services late-filed major substantive rule change to regulations governing the licensing and functioning of assisted housing programs. Information about the proposed rule change can be found here.
Vote: Unanimous approval
Why after deadline: Filed late
Law enforcement compliance with case law
The Legislative Council approved a bill filed by Rep. Stephan Bunker (D-Farmington) to require law enforcement agencies to adopt written policies regarding compliance with certain constitutional obligations related to disclosure of evidence.
Specifically, the bill is a compliance act to require the academy board of trustees, which sets training standards for law enforcement officers, to put a policy in place to ensure every officer understands the implications of, Giglio v. United States, a 1972 U.S. Supreme Court case that established the prosecution’s obligation to disclose information that could impeach a witness’s credibility.
Vote: Unanimous approval
Why after deadline: “It has an immediate effect right now and quite frankly many officers are not fully aware of the precedent this sets and need to be trained in policies establishing this process.”
Two other late bill proposals remain in limbo because the council tabled them for consideration at a later time when their sponsors are available to provide explanation. They include a joint resolution urging U.S. Congress to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment and an act to provide landowners liability protections as a means to ensure public access to conservation land.
The Legislative Council unanimously rejected a few proposals because they are being addressed in other bills already filed, such as a measure aimed at helping with the reconstruction of commercial fisheries due to storm damage.
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