This
is all the notice the public gets on these late-filed major substantive
rules of the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. If
any (or all of you) have any time to show up to voice your thoughts and
feelings on vector control spraying of pesticides by aircraft for
mosquitoes in a municipality near you this summer, then you would want
to try to carve out the time to show up in Augusta tomorrow at 1:00 PM.
I can't give you details about any of the resolves because I haven't
completely understood them yet and as far as I can see, they are not yet
available on the Legislature's website. But from the looks of it,
they're unsightly.
Please spread to the word.
::
Wednesday: 6/26/2013 – In Room 437 State House
1:00 PM PUBLIC HEARING
L.D. 1567 Resolve, Regarding Legislative Review of Portions of Chapter
22: Standards for Outdoor Application of Pesticides by Powered Equipment
in Order To Minimize Off-Target Deposition, a Late-filed Major
Substantive Rule of the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and
Forestry
L.D. 1568 Resolve, Regarding Legislative Review of
Portions of Chapter 20: Special Provisions, a Late-filed Major
Substantive Rule of the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and
Forestry
L.D. 1569 Resolve, Regarding Legislative Review of
Portions of Chapter 51: Notice of Aerial Pesticide Application, a
Late-filed Major Substantive Rule of the Department of Agriculture,
Conservation and Forestry
1:00 PM WORK SESSION
L.D. 1567
Resolve, Regarding Legislative Review of Portions of Chapter 22:
Standards for Outdoor Application of Pesticides by Powered Equipment in
Order To Minimize Off-Target Deposition, a Late-filed Major Substantive
Rule of the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
L.D. 1568 Resolve, Regarding Legislative Review of Portions of Chapter
20: Special Provisions, a Late-filed Major Substantive Rule of the
Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
L.D. 1569
Resolve, Regarding Legislative Review of Portions of Chapter 51: Notice
of Aerial Pesticide Application, a Late-filed Major Substantive Rule of
the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Monday, June 17, 2013
State News Update
Legislature Deals With Biennial Budget and Hospital Debt Repayment
LD 1555, “An Act To Strengthen Maine's Hospitals and To Provide for a New Spirits Contract,” passed both the Maine House and Senate unanimously under the hammer, moving the state closer to repaying the debt owed to hospitals. The measure will pay Maine’s hospitals, restructure the state’s liquor operations and sales, and advance bonds.
The biennial budget proposal for 2014/2015 was also considered by the House and Senate, with a 102-43 vote in favor of enactment in the House and a 25-10 vote in favor of enactment in the Senate. The budget proposal now awaits a decision by Governor LePage. The full budget document is available HERE.
Community Preservation Grants available; deadline July 1
Each year, Historic New England provides Community Preservation Grants of $1,000 each to a small to mid-sized heritage organization in each of the six New England states. These grants support projects that raise the visibility of historic preservation and present diverse stories of life in our region. Past projects have included the renovation of a historic theater in New Hampshire, preservation of hand-colored photographs in Rhode Island, and the purchase of archival shelving to preserve family papers in Vermont.
Historic New England seeks to support projects that complement our goal of telling diverse stories of New England life. Award recipients will be announced in August 2013.
The application is simple. Apply online before Monday, July 1.
Learn more about the Community Preservation Grants program, and see a list of previous recipients HERE.
Maine History Corner
At the turn of the century, two of Maine’s famous citizens were oxen – the world’s largest, in fact. Owned by A.S. Rand of Stetson, and named A. Granger and Mt. Katahdin, the two oxen weighed in at about 6600 pounds and were too big to do farm work. In order to keep their leg muscles strong enough to support their massive weight, Rand placed the oxen’s water at the end of a raised board so they were forced to exercise their leg muscles in order to reach it. Because they were too large for farm work, Rand exhibited them around the northeast United States and southeast Canada. They were even displayed at Madison Square Garden in 1906. After the death of Mt. Katahdin, the ox was mounted and used in events such as parades until it was destroyed in a 1934 fire. Lore says that A. Granger was buried under an apple tree in Stetson following his death. For more information on these remarkable animals visit HERE.
LD 1555, “An Act To Strengthen Maine's Hospitals and To Provide for a New Spirits Contract,” passed both the Maine House and Senate unanimously under the hammer, moving the state closer to repaying the debt owed to hospitals. The measure will pay Maine’s hospitals, restructure the state’s liquor operations and sales, and advance bonds.
The biennial budget proposal for 2014/2015 was also considered by the House and Senate, with a 102-43 vote in favor of enactment in the House and a 25-10 vote in favor of enactment in the Senate. The budget proposal now awaits a decision by Governor LePage. The full budget document is available HERE.
Community Preservation Grants available; deadline July 1
Each year, Historic New England provides Community Preservation Grants of $1,000 each to a small to mid-sized heritage organization in each of the six New England states. These grants support projects that raise the visibility of historic preservation and present diverse stories of life in our region. Past projects have included the renovation of a historic theater in New Hampshire, preservation of hand-colored photographs in Rhode Island, and the purchase of archival shelving to preserve family papers in Vermont.
Historic New England seeks to support projects that complement our goal of telling diverse stories of New England life. Award recipients will be announced in August 2013.
The application is simple. Apply online before Monday, July 1.
Learn more about the Community Preservation Grants program, and see a list of previous recipients HERE.
Maine History Corner
At the turn of the century, two of Maine’s famous citizens were oxen – the world’s largest, in fact. Owned by A.S. Rand of Stetson, and named A. Granger and Mt. Katahdin, the two oxen weighed in at about 6600 pounds and were too big to do farm work. In order to keep their leg muscles strong enough to support their massive weight, Rand placed the oxen’s water at the end of a raised board so they were forced to exercise their leg muscles in order to reach it. Because they were too large for farm work, Rand exhibited them around the northeast United States and southeast Canada. They were even displayed at Madison Square Garden in 1906. After the death of Mt. Katahdin, the ox was mounted and used in events such as parades until it was destroyed in a 1934 fire. Lore says that A. Granger was buried under an apple tree in Stetson following his death. For more information on these remarkable animals visit HERE.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Maine House Overwhelmingly Supports GMO Labeling Requirements
Posted June 11, 2013, at 1:58 p.m.
Last modified June 11, 2013, at 7:47 p.m.
AUGUSTA, Maine — The Maine House took a step Tuesday toward requiring genetically modified food products carry special labels. If the measure ultimately becomes law, its success will depend on action taken by lawmakers in four nearby states.
The Maine House voted to support a bill, LD 718, that would require genetically modified food products carry labels that state “Produced with Genetic Engineering.” The 141-4 vote was in favor of an amendment that would have the labeling requirement take effect once four other contiguous states pass similar laws.
The bill originally would have taken effect if five other states anywhere in the United States passed similar legislation or any combination of states with a total population of at least 20 million.
“It does not make Maine an outlier,” said Rep. Lance Harvell, R-Farmington, the bill’s primary sponsor.
The measure now faces votes in the Senate and an additional vote in the House.
During debate on the House floor Tuesday, there was little disagreement about the value of labeling genetically modified food products.
“The consumers have a right to know,” said Rep. Craig Hickman, D-Winthrop. “The people want to know what’s in their food, and they want to be able to make a choice that’s right.”
Read the rest...
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Floor Speech: Cell Phone Privacy
Mr. Speaker, ladies and gentlemen of the House, as a cosponsor of LD 415, An Act To Require a Warrant To Obtain the Location Information of a Cell Phone or Other Electronic Device, I rise in strong opposition to the pending motion of ought not to pass.
Benjamin Franklin wrote, “They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
In other words, the ends do not justify the means.
The ends do not justify the means.
The ends do not justify the means.
The 4th Amendment demands that the government respect your privacy and liberty, demands that the government do its job by securing a warrant before tracing your whereabouts anywhere in the world.
Please vote against the pending motion. Please vote to uphold essential liberty for your constituents, for yourself.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
::
::
OUTCOME:
5/29/2013 - Speaker laid before the House
Subsequently, the Majority Ought Not to Pass Report FAILED.
ROLL CALL NO. 148
(Yeas 28 - Nays 113 - Absent 10 - Excused 0)
On motion of Representative McCABE of Skowhegan, the Minority Ought to Pass as Amended Report was ACCEPTED.
The Bill was READ ONCE.
Committee Amendment "A" (S-106) was READ and ADOPTED.
Under suspension of the rules, the Bill was given its SECOND READING without REFERENCE to the Committee on Bills in the Second Reading.
The Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-106).
In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
