2017-05-07 Update
2017-05-07
Legislative
Update
Introduction - We have surely entered the
“third term” of the legislative session, and committee reports a
coming the House floor much more rapidly. Legislation falls “under
the hammer” when appropriate, or a roll call vote is called for
legislation needing direct attention.
Bottom line - it may be time
to plant the garden, but we are reaping the harvest of early work done in
the legislature.
House
Calendars
Tuesday,
May 2, 2017
Bill Text
-> Bill
Text
Bill Status -> Bill
Status
Testimony Link -> Bill
Testimony
This is really a great resource as you can see
all the testimony presented on any given bill.
Events
Calendars -> Events
This week in the Education
Committee
Two particular “issues” will be
facing the Education Committee shortly.
One issue concerns
the availability of guns on campus or in cars. Both are separate
bills, but they do mean that the proposed legislative actions allow
individuals to either carry guns in the car as they pick their children up
from school; or, in the second case, allow individuals to carry guns on
the state college campus systems.
Both issues have attracted
a great deal of attention - or at least a great number of emails. I
do like hearing from constituents and residents in Maine; however, copied
form letters leave a bit to be desired.
The second issue really
concerns a statewide teacher contract. The proposal indicates that
the Department of Education will negotiate with a state wide agency
representing teacher - most likely the MEA which is the largest teacher
union in Maine. The results of that contract negation will become
the default contract for all teachers.
Local districts will retain
the ability to increase their teacher contract payment system based on
their own decisions.
Again, this has attracted a great number of
emails. Lots an lots.
Reflections
As the legislature gets
busier and busier, the time for reflection decreases - which really means
the reflection on proposed legislation happens all the time. It is a
24-7 position.
More and more however, I begin to see the opposing
sides of almost any argument or contention as an expression of control
issues. Some people want the state to be in control, while
others want the individual to be in control.
Clearly, gun
carry is an issue of individual control, while state wide teacher
contracts are an issue of state control.
As always, feel free to
write to me and let me know your
thoughts.
