More Final Bills
March 25, 2010 -
More Final Bills
Last week, I shared three bills with you that were coming out of committee and have received considerable attention in the final days of the session. I received such a great response that I felt it would be good to share a few more. Here is a brief rundown of three more bills:
Paid sick days
LD 1665, "An Act to Prevent the Spread of H1N1," was introduced by Senate President Mitchell, and would mandate employers to provide paid sick leave for all employees. Often, especially in lower-wage jobs, employees have little to no sick leave, sick days are usually unpaid, and in some cases, they have been fired for being sick or taking time off to care for a loved one. After initial opposition, President Mitchell amended the bill to allow employees to sue if they believe they have been fired for taking a sick day. Many business owners oppose this bill because of the costs associated with providing paid sick days to employees. In addition, Maine would be the first state to providing this benefit, leaving some to question its viability. On Monday, March 22nd, the Labor committee voted 9-2 against the bill. However, because it received some support in committee, the bill will still go for a full vote in the House and the Senate.
Click here to read more about the committee vote.
Prescription drug disposal
LD 821, "An Act To Support Collection and Proper Disposal of Unwanted Drugs," was introduced by Rep. Anne Perry, and would require manufacturers of prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications to pay for the proper disposal of those drugs and medications. The concern comes from abnormal levels of medications showing up in different groundwater studies. The bill passed the House with an amendment to exclude retailers and better define "covered drug". The bill now goes to the Senate for a vote.
Click here to read an editorial in support of the bill.
Click here to read an editorial in opposition to the bill.
Energy corridor
LD 1786, "An Act Regarding Energy Infrastructure Development," would establish a panel to review proposed transmission lines for electricity and fuels and encourage developers to use existing physical corridors for their projects, like the highway system and an existing line from Searsport to Limestone. Any revenue from land leased for projects would be given to the Efficiency Maine Trust for investment in energy efficiency programs.
Click here to read more about the committee vote.
