Randy Billings is a government watchdog and political reporter who has been the State House bureau chief since 2021. He was named the Maine Press Association’s Journalist of the Year in 2020. He joined the Press Herald in 2012 as the Portland City Hall reporter, where his beat touched on a wide range of topics, including municipal government, immigration, homelessness, housing and social services. Prior to that, he worked at various weeklies as well as business and arts publications. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maine, Orono. He lives in North Yarmouth with his wife and two children and enjoys the outdoors and playing his upright bass.
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PublishedMarch 31, 2022
Legislature unanimously approves $12 million boost for child care workforce
House Speaker Ryan Fecteau’s bill is supported by Gov. Janet Mills, but still needs to be funded by the Legislature’s budget-writing committee.
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PublishedMarch 25, 2022
State watchdog: Poor training, high workloads hampering child abuse investigations
A new OPEGA report did not directly say that the deficiencies contributed to the four child deaths that occurred within a month of each other last summer, sparking its investigation.
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PublishedMarch 24, 2022
$30 million fund to help lobstermen meet new rules gets strong support in Maine House
An initial 116-18 vote shows bipartisan support for aid to the industry in complying with new federal requirements meant to protect right whales.
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PublishedMarch 22, 2022
Maine House advances bill to allow ranked-choice voting in communities statewide
The bill would allow all of Maine’s communities, whether they have official charters or not, to establish ranked-choice voting.
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PublishedMarch 21, 2022
Republicans embrace inflation payments proposed by Gov. Mills, want them expedited
The move puts the party at odds with former Gov. Paul LePage, who is challenging Democratic Gov. Janet Mills in November and has called the proposal ‘an election-year gimmick.’
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PublishedMarch 16, 2022
Lawmakers advance bill to give mobile sports betting licenses to Maine tribes
A last-minute amendment would allow harness racing tracks in Bangor and Cumberland and the Oxford Casino to offer in-person sports betting.
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PublishedMarch 16, 2022
Bill to establish court-ordered substance use treatment divides recovery advocates
Rep. Colleen Madigan, D-Waterville, said losing her sister to alcohol addiction this year spurred her to introduce the bill after the deadline for new legislation.
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PublishedMarch 15, 2022
No primary challengers for Mills or LePage
The lack of any Democratic or Republican primary challengers will allow Gov. Janet Mills and former Gov. Paul LePage to focus their full attention on each other in what is expected to be a costly and contentious race this fall.
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PublishedMarch 15, 2022
Divided legislative committee passes landmark tribal sovereignty bill
The proposal to rewrite the state’s land claims settlement act is opposed by the Mills administration, which has offered more narrow legislation negotiated with tribal leaders.
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PublishedMarch 14, 2022
Maine’s top election official seeks funding to conduct post-voting audits
Maine is one of only six states that does not have a formal election auditing program.
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