District 8 Legislative Update - June 5th, 2009
June 5, 2009 -
The halls of Augusta are buzzing as we enter our final week. Lobbyists are nearly tackling legislators to get in their final talking points on bills; agency commissioners are sharing their expertise on remaining bills; and Senators and Representatives are filing amendments to bills left and right. We are almost at the end of the line! I hope you enjoy my update.
Last Week's Top Issues
1) LD 1088, a tax reform bill
2) LD 1333, a climate change bill
3) LD 1259, a restaurant menu labeling bill
Thank you for your interest, and keep it coming!
Community Update - Laptops in Portland
On Wednesday, June 3rd, I went to the Portland School Committee workshop on laptops. It was amazing listening to the dedicated teachers, administrators, and school committee members deliberate on their decision to add laptops to Portland's high schools. As many of you know, I have written extensively on laptops, and here is what I learned:
1. The School Committee recognizes that in order to prepare our students to be lifelong learners, technology must be part of their education;
2. The School Committee feels incredibly rushed in this decision, as they must decide in the next few weeks;
3. The School Committee understands that the 2011 budget is dire, and are aggressively looking at all the costs associated with the laptops.
I was glad to attend and contribute to this incredible, important discussion. Stay tuned for a public meeting where everyone will have the opportunity to give input.
Transportation: Funding & Alternative Bills
There has been a lot of press coverage in Maine around our transportation needs and how to pay for them. Many of Maine's roads and bridges are in a degraded state. Meanwhile, we have huge deficits in our highway fund and a largely underfunded paving program.
To deal with the shortfalls in the State's highway fund and paving programs, on Monday the Transportation Committee passed a bill to institute a 5 cent per gallon temporary surcharge on gas effective July 1, 2009 (the surcharge ends June 30, 2011). The surcharge would generate $78 million over two years. What does this mean for you? If you drove 15,000 miles per year in a vehicle that averages 22 miles per gallon, you would purchase 682 gallons of gas and pay an additional $34.09 per year.
What will this 5 cent tax do?
* Fund 1,200 miles of maintenance paving
* Provide transportation revenue to rural and urban municipalities
* Provide funding for highway and bridge improvements
Before ending, I cannot emphasize enough Maine's under-reliance on alternate forms of transportation. However, I want to highlight two bills that will help greater Portland. The legislature already passed into law "An Act To Include the Town of Falmouth as a Member of the Greater Portland Transit District," (LD 452), and on Wednesday, we passed "An Act To Promote Economic Development and Reduce Reliance on Automobiles through Transit-oriented Tax Increment Financing Districts" (LD 1392). Both of these bills are smart alternative transit bills that I supported fully.
My Bills - Child Development Services
Yesterday, LD 489, "Resolve, Regarding Continuity of Care in the Child Development Services System," passed both the House and the Senate. At this point, it goes to the Governor's desk to be signed.
Under current law, families that have children with developmental disabilities can go to Child Development Services (CDS) and receive an assessment to determine the child's disability. The next steps for families are CDS and private providers' sites. However, under current law, after an assessment is completed, the family must wait 60 school days before they can start getting professional services, which does not include the days that schools are on break. This means that if an assessment is done in the middle of May, the family will have to wait until October to start receiving services.
My bill changed the 60 school day requirement to 45 calendar days. It is a simple change, but it means that children who need these services can access them sooner. Research shows that children must have consistent contact with professionals and their peers early so that they can acclimate to society and the educational system.
Changing Gears in Augusta
On May 21st, the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee concluded all of our bills and work for the session. Since that date, my schedule in Augusta has drastically changed. The routine from early January until May 21st was: morning Senate session from 10-12:30 two or three times a week; then I would chair the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee four times a week; then one day of Insurance and Financial Services Committee work.
Now, my schedule is spent with my fellow Senate Democrats discussion upcoming bills and in the Senate Chambers voting. The change is dramatic on many fronts. As the co-chair of the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, I was directing the schedule, it was less formal, and we would spend hours discussing the finer points of bills. Now, I spend hours and hours with my fellow Democratic Senators learning about some of the most contentious bills. These are called Divided Reports, and through these meetings, I gain invaluable insight on how to vote. We then spend hours on the Senate floor debating and casting our votes.
I have enjoyed my time on the Senate floor both listening to my colleagues and giving speeches for and against pending bills. Still, I find the speed at which we are moving through the hundreds of bills in the final weeks mind-boggling. It is just so hard to predict which divided bills will pass without any dialogue, versus others that we debate for hours.
Closing
As you read this, I have one more week to go in the legislative session. It is hard to remember where the six months have gone. The last week will bring some big votes, including voting on the transportation budget, tax reform, and so much more. As ever, I'd love to get your input on these bills. Thank you!
-Justin
