Senate President Alfond on Bill Green’s Maine
Senate President Justin Alfond talks with Bill Green about his life and his plans for the 126th Maine Senate.
Right-to-work legislation fizzles as GOP shifts to passage of bipartisan budget
… Democrats said that the apparent fizzling of the right-to-work bill showed that such legislation doesn’t have a place in Maine. Sen. Justin Alfond, D-Portland, said Republicans were using the budget process as a “smokescreen” to explain their abandonment of the right-to-work bills. “I think they don’t have the votes,” Alfond said. “I think Mainers,...
Senate Passes Health Care Overhaul After Heated Debate
… Republicans assured everyone during Monday’s debate that there would be bills coming down the road to address this and any other concerns that do arise from this bill. Democrats say those fixes wouldn’t be necessary if the bill wasn’t rushed through. “It’s been ramrodded and it’s too bad because the session isn’t ending tomorrow....
Talks fail to yield compromise on health insurance
… On Tuesday afternoon, a group of Democratic and Republican leaders met in the office Senate President Kevin Raye, R-Perry, to consider amendments to the bill. Sen. Justin Alfond, D-Portland, who attended the meeting, said Republicans rejected the Democrats’ primary objective: to delay a vote until the Maine Bureau of Insurance completes an actuarial study...
LD 1333 Section Summaries
Part A – Maximum Rate Differential This section of the bill will increase the amount an insurer can charge a customer based on certain criteria, such as geography. The current maximum rate differential is 1:1.5, and this bill will increase it to 1:5, phasing it in over a few years. Part B – High-risk Pool...
Maine Lawmaker Proposes Creating Unified Early Education System
… Another subject up for debate in Augusta today was the issue of the early childhood education. LD 568 is sponsored by Democratic state Sen. Justin Alfond of Portland. A concept bill just one sentence long, it “proposes to create a unified early childhood education system that will result in more effective use of limited...
Legislation Seeks To Remedy High Number of Hungry Maine Students
A bill introduced by Senator Justin Alfond (D-Portland) that seeks to feed hungry children during the summer months passed unanimously in the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee. The legislation targets students who qualify for free or reduced lunch during the school year and would provide a program in their school district for them to be...
