Christopher Cousins
Bath Bureau
- 207.443.5310
- ccousins@bangordailynews.com
LePage vetoes bill calling for Internet sales tax study
AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. Paul LePage vetoed his sixth bill of the legislative session Friday afternoon. LD 319 directed Maine Revenue Services to review Maine’s conformity with the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement, which is an agreement among several states and retailers, and to report back to the Legislature’s ...
Democrats kill bills that would have given rights to fetuses, changed abortion requirements
AUGUSTA, Maine — Two abortion-related bills and a third giving legal rights to fetuses, which drew more than six hours of public testimony Thursday, were rejected Friday by a majority of lawmakers on the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee. For the most part, Democrats said little during the work session before seven ...
Law enforcement officials gather for solemn memorial of 83 fallen Maine officers
AUGUSTA, Maine — Dozens of police officers and civilians gathered Thursday for a solemn ceremony in remembrance of the 83 law enforcement officers from Maine who have died while on duty. Expressions on the faces of the law enforcement officers were grim and tears streaked the faces of some audience ...
POLL QUESTION
Abortion rights debate reignites at State House with introduction of three bills
AUGUSTA, Maine — The thorny issue of abortion rights came to the forefront Thursday in Augusta with the introduction of three bills that sparked strong words even before they were introduced to lawmakers. Pro-choice and pro-life activists pre-empted the introduction of the bills during competing news conferences only a few ...
Democrats move Maine teacher evaluation rules forward after scolding from Bowen
AUGUSTA, Maine — A dust-up around the introduction of new teacher and principal evaluation rules appeared to calm Tuesday with Democrats vowing to pull the measure into the process within a week. At issue are rules written by the Department of Education in response to a bill enacted last year ...
Bill to legalize marijuana fails, but support emerges for statewide vote
AUGUSTA, Maine — A bid to legalize recreational use of marijuana in Maine was imperiled by a strong negative vote Tuesday in the Legislature’s Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, though the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Diane Russell, D-Portland, insisted that the issue is not dead. With two members absent, the ...
Republican lawmaker to propose major amendment to marijuana legalization bill
AUGUSTA, Maine — The face of a bill that would clear the way for legalizing recreational marijuana in Maine could change drastically Tuesday at the hands of a Republican-led amendment at the committee level. Rep. Corey Wilson, R-Augusta, said he will present an amendment to LD 1229, An Act to ...
House vote sustains LePage veto of rule allowing superintendents to live outside school district
AUGUSTA, Maine — More than 30 legislators in the House of Representatives voted Tuesday against overriding Gov. Paul LePage’s veto of a bill they originally supported. The vote sustains the veto of LD 6, An Act to Prohibit a Requirement That a Superintendent Reside in a School Administrative Unit, which ...
Democrats push bill to stall virtual charter schools in Maine
AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine would impose a moratorium on virtual charter schools and require that all charter schools function as nonprofit organizations if three measures endorsed Monday by the Legislature’s Education Committee become law. The committee voted 8-4 along party lines, with Democrats in the majority, to recommend passage of ...
Lawmakers stand squarely behind measure to audit Maine military sex assault laws
AUGUSTA, Maine — Lawmakers showed strong support Monday for a resolve that directs the Maine National Guard to bring the state in line with federal guidelines related to the investigation, prosecution and adjudication of sexual assault in the military. The Legislature’s Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee took the unusual step ...
Maine lawmakers recommend synthetic pot ban, stiffer bath salts penalties
AUGUSTA, Maine — Lawmakers on the Legislature’s Criminal Justice Committee gave unanimous support Friday to proposals that would increase the penalties for use, sale and possession of synthetic marijuana and a chemical hallucinogen known as bath salts. Variations of both substances are or have been legal in Maine, though the ...
Democrats stall teacher evaluation rules until LePage reveals education agenda
AUGUSTA, Maine — A week and a half of tension that began to mount last week with the release of an A-through-F grading system for public schools culminated Friday evening with Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen attacking Senate President Justin Alfond for delaying action on a sweeping teacher evaluation plan that ...
POLL QUESTION
Should Maine allow teachers to carry guns in school?
The bill would allow school boards to establish procedures for trained school employees to carry concealed handguns on school property.
VIDEO
LePage school grading system could hurt international student recruitment
AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. Paul LePage’s new A-through-F school grading system will likely make it harder for Maine public schools to enroll international students, educational recruiters say. Many Maine schools, especially in the northern part of the state, have been recruiting students from Asia to offset dropping enrollments. “In Asia, ...
Committee rejects food stamp junk food ban
AUGUSTA, Maine — Proposals by Gov. Paul LePage that would bar food stamp recipients from using benefits to buy junk food and make convicted drug felons ineligible for public assistance were rejected by lawmakers at the committee level along party lines Thursday. Both measures, which are part of LePage’s efforts ...
POLL QUESTION
LePage bill lifts cap on charter schools, lets public money go to religious schools
The bill comes come a day after education commissioner said no major new education proposals were expected from the governor.
Democrats unveil plan to develop plan for school grading system
AUGUSTA, Maine — Legislative Democrats said Wednesday that they will unveil a new school ranking system by next year to replace the one introduced by the LePage administration last week, though Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen said that by then a slew of new initiatives to help failing schools will be ...
Education committee stalls proposal to change charter school funding that they requested
AUGUSTA, Maine — Members of the Education Committee on Tuesday abruptly tabled a proposal to change the way charter schools are funded, even though the proposal was what members of the committee had requested. Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen presented formal language to the committee that followed up on their request ...
LePage proposal: Struggling schools would lose students to school choice
AUGUSTA, Maine — Struggling schools that fail to make significant improvements within two years would be subject to aggressive action by the state and their students would be free to enroll at another school under a new proposal by Gov. Paul LePage’s administration. Opponents of the governor’s education reform efforts ...
Democrats to counter LePage school grading system with formula of their own
AUGUSTA, Maine — Democrats on the Legislature’s Education Committee will announce Wednesday a new proposal for grading schools that they said will replace what they call a “scarlet letter grading system” implemented by the LePage administration last week. Sen. Rebecca Millett, D-South Portland, and Rep. Bruce MacDonald, D-Boothbay, who are ...
More than 500 help with ground search for missing Glenburn teen Nichole Cable
Silenced by legislators at budget talks, LePage says Mainers are being played for ‘patsies’
Family of third plane crash victim puts Knox County on notice
Emma Libby, 15, overcomes ruling to win Sport-4 race at Speedway 95
Hampden firm pokes holes in traditional boat mooring, leaving room for lobsters, crabs and other sea life
Jeffrey Nugent says his brother Ted Nugent is wrong on background checks
Maine protects a woman’s right to choose
Funding isn’t everything: Education reform takes innovation, cooperation
Strengthening the schools Maine already has
Marcus Davis wins mixed martial arts main event at NEF VII
Promise of land brought Theriault family to ‘Acadie’ in 1630s
How do I teach my kids it’s not OK to be bullied, even by family?
From a mountaintop…of sorts
Custom guitar played by two members of the Beatles sells for $408,000 at auction