SENATE PASSES HISTORIC MEASURE TO EXPAND HEALTHCARE COVERAGE AND REPAY HOSPITALS
Dems say the plan saves lives and saves money AUGUSTA—Today in a 20-15 vote, the Senate passed an historic measure to repay Maine’s hospital debt and accept federal funds to expand healthcare coverage for nearly 70,000 Mainers. “The time for delaying and denying healthcare to thousands of Maine people has passed. The time for...
Maine’s Legislative Council approves $30,000 to help victims of Lewiston fires
http://bangordailynews.com/2013/05/09/news/state/maines-legislative-council-approves-30000-to-help-victims-of-lewiston-fires/ AUGUSTA, Maine — The 10-member Legislative Council voted unanimously Thursday to send the City of Lewiston $30,000 to help some of the 200 people left homeless by three downtown fires last week. The council, which includes the minority and majority leaders in both the House and Senate as well as the Speaker of the...
MEASURE CREATING CHILD ADVOCACY CENTERS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED BY COMMITTEE
MEASURE CREATING CHILD ADVOCACY CENTERS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED BY COMMITTEE Measure will simplify process for reporting child sexual abuse and helping victims AUGUSTA— Senator Craven’s (D-Lewiston) bill to create child advocacy centers for sexually abused children across Maine received a unanimous “ought to pass” vote from the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee today. During the...
Maine lawmaker’s bill highlights novel option for affording long-term care: life insurance
http://bangordailynews.com/2013/04/23/news/state/maine-lawmakers-bill-highlights-novel-option-for-affording-long-term-care-life-insurance/print/ By Jackie Farwell, BDN Staff Posted April 23, 2013, at 8:46 p.m. Maine seniors and the state’s cash-strapped MaineCare program could both win under new legislation up for debate Wednesday in the Legislature, according to the bill’s supporters. The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Margaret Craven, D-Lewiston, involves an often overlooked way for seniors...
Bill Aims to Give Maine Seniors Another Option to Pay for End-of-Life Care
http://www.mpbn.net/News/MaineNewsArchive/tabid/181/ctl/ViewItem/mid/3475/ItemId/27619/Default.aspx Bill Aims to Give Maine Seniors Another Option to Pay for End-of-Life Care Reported By: Patty B. Wight According to the National Institutes of Health, nearly seven in 10 people over age 65 will need long term care at some point in their lives. But a recent poll by the AP-NORC Center for Public...
SENATE APPROVES MEASURE TO HELP ELDERLY PAY FOR PRESCRIPTION DRUGS
Bill restores funding levels to Drugs for the Elderly program AUGUSTA—Earlier today, the Senate approved a measure to restore funding levels and eligibility requirements for drug programs for the elderly and disabled by a bipartisan vote of 22-13. Cuts to the program were enacted under the Republican-controlled Legislature in the 2011-2012 budget cycle. ...
Bill pushes funding for Lewiston-Auburn passenger rail study
Bill pushes funding for Lewiston-Auburn passenger rail study By Scott Thistle, Sun Journal Posted April 10, 2013, at 4:26 p.m. AUGUSTA, Maine — Advocates for a passenger rail connecting Lewiston-Auburn to Portland and possibly to points north and west asked the Legislature’s Transportation Committee to get on board Tuesday. A bill, LD 999, authored by...
GOP PUTS POLITICS AHEAD OF PUBLIC HEALTH, FAILS TO OVERRIDE GOVERNOR’S VETO
Ignoring medical science Governor and Senate Republicans block skin cancer protection for youth AUGUSTA–In a vote of 19-16, Senate Republicans failed to put the best interest of Maine teens ahead of politics by upholding Governor LePage’s veto of a bill to protect youth from skin cancer by preventing children under the age of 18 from...
ALLEGED DOCUMENT SHREDDING SPARKS INVESTIGATION REQUEST
Lawmakers concerned by state worker’s claim that public documents were destroyed AUGUSTA—Today, lawmakers requested an independent investigation into allegations that public documents at the Department of Health and Human Services were shredded. The request was initiated by Health and Human Service committee co-chairs, Senator Margaret Craven and Representative Richard Farnsworth, along with legislators...
SENATE APPROVES BILL TO PROTECT YOUTH FROM SKIN CANCER
Teen tanning in Maine exceeds national average despite known increased risk of cancer AUGUSTA—Earlier today, the Senate endorsed a measure protecting youth from skin cancer with a vote of 19-16. The bill, sponsored by Doctor and Senator Geoff Gratwick, D-Bangor, prohibits children under age 18 from using tanning facilities. “It is medically...
DEMOCRATS SUPPORT A MEASURE TO INCREASE HEALTH CARE COVERAGE FOR TENS OF THOUSANDS OF MAINERS
Proposed legislation will save money and create jobs AUGUSTA—Members of the state’s Health and Human Services committee held a public hearing today on a bill that would expand health care coverage for up to 69,500 Mainers at no cost to the state. Under the Affordable Care Act, Maine is given the option to accept...
Weekly Radio Address: Craven says we must do more to end the scourge of domestic violence
Weekly Rado Address: Senator Craven Earlier this week many of us celebrated Valentine’s Day. A day where we take the opportunity to remind our loved ones how much they mean to us. The day also has another meaning: V-Day, as it’s called, is a global movement to end violence against women and girls. Good morning....
