Advocates say they plan to ask the Maine Law Court to revisit its 2017 advisory opinion, which would not be possible if Gov. Janet Mills vetoed the bill as they expected.
Randy Billings
Staff Writer
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.
Posted inNews, Politics
Maine senators weigh Trump’s ‘big beautiful bill’ as pressure mounts for a vote
Independent Sen. Angus King detailed his opposition to Trump’s tax cuts and spending package on Wednesday, while Republican Sen. Susan Collins has expressed concerns about certain provisions.
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Sen. Susan Collins presses Trump’s budget director over foreign aid cuts
Russell Vought appeared before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday to field questions about the Trump administration’s request to cut $9.4 billion from the current budget for foreign aid and public broadcasting through what is called a rescission package.
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Maine lawmakers advance additional spending bills
Many of the bills advanced by the budget committee either had nominal costs or had their funding reduced, as nearly 300 bills, totalling more than $2 billion in spending over 2 years, competed for only $5 million funding.
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Gov. Mills has begun issuing vetoes. How aggressive will she be?
Mills vetoed bills to prohibit the taking of tribal lands through eminent domain, strengthen workplace protections for farmworkers and to entitle more people to state-funded legal defense services.
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Ranked choice voting expansion in Maine sent to Gov. Mills
Proponents say a court case in Alaska casts doubt on a Maine Law Court advisory opinion that the voting method violates the Maine Constitution.
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Maine lawmakers pass budget after brief rebellion from progressive Democrats
The House initially rejected the proposal to add more than $320 million in new spending and taxes over the next 2 years to supplement the $11.3 billion budget previously approved by the Democratic majority, but reversed course after it was approved in the Senate.
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Maine lawmakers advance bill to limit police cooperation with federal immigration authorities
A bill from Rep. Deqa Dhalac, D-South Portland, would still allow law enforcement to work with federal law enforcement on criminal investigations, as long as the primary purpose is not immigration enforcement.
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Maine Senate supports exclusive rights to online table games for tribes
A bill sponsored by Rep. Ambureen Rana, D-Bangor, faces a round of final votes in each chamber before it can be sent to Gov. Janet Mills, whose administration opposed the proposal earlier this year.
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Latest Maine budget compromise would end free community college for 2026 graduates
The program was a signature policy win for Gov. Janet Mills, who had proposed making it permanent in her budget.