HISTORIC HEALTH CARE AND HOSPITAL MEASURE PASSED BY MAINE SENATE
Bill could be on governor’s desk today AUGUSTA—Today in a 20-15 party line vote, the Senate gave final approval to a historic measure to accept federal funds to expand healthcare coverage for nearly 70,000 Mainers, and repay Maine’s hospitals. “Voting for this bill is what we were sent here to do,” said Majority...
ANTI-WORKER MEASURES STRONGLY REJECTED BY SENATE
Right-to-work-for-less bill defeated AUGUSTA–Earlier today, the Maine Senate strongly rejected two anti-worker measures that, if passed, would have weakened and undermined Maine’s economy and workforce. Two years ago, under Republican-control, similar measures were also rejected by the Legislature. “Right to work was a bad idea in 1948 when Maine voters rejected it by a...
BILL TO IMPROVE VOTING ACCESS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES RECEIVES STAMP OF APPROVAL
Bill would provide voter registration assistance to people with disabilities AUGUSTA – Senator John Patrick (D-Rumford) is sponsoring a bill to increase voter access for people with disabilities. The bill requires voter registration services be available at all state agencies that provide services to people with disabilities, including campuses of the University of Maine...
Intimidation Allegations Spark Strong Rebuke
Labor Committee Chairs denounce LePage’s “appalling” behavior AUGUSTA — New allegations that Governor Paul LePage intimidated hearing officers charged with impartially arbitrating unemployment insurance claims is sparking strong rebuke from lawmakers. “This is appalling,” said Senator John Patrick, Senate Chair of the Labor Committee. “We owe unemployed workers a fair shot. We don’t need someone...
SENATOR JACKSON SPONSORS MEASURES TO PROTECT INJURED WORKERS
AUGUSTA –Earlier today, Senator Troy Jackson (D-Allagash) introduced two measures to strengthen workers’ compensation insurance benefits for workers who were injured on the job through no fault of their own. “Injured workers have already been dealt a bad hand,” said Senator Jackson. “They need to be able to focus on their health and not worry...
SENATOR PATRICK SPONSORS BILL TO REPEAL HARMFUL ASPECTS OF REPUBLICAN RATE-HIKE LAW
Bill would prevent insurance companies from raising rates with no limits AUGUSTA –Senator John Patrick (D-Rumford) is sponsoring a bill to repeal some of the harmful effects of the rate-hike law passed by Republicans last year. According to research by the Consumers for Affordable Healthcare, the rate-hike law, also known as PL 90, has increased healthcare...
SENATE VOTES TO RAISE MINIMUM WAGE
Honest day’s work should be rewarded with honest day’s pay AUGUSTA—Earlier today, the Senate passed legislation to increase the minimum wage in Maine with a vote of 19—16. The measure will increase the minimum wage of $7.50 per hour by 50 cents—about the cost of a postage stamp. “We have a lot of slogans...
Weekly Radio Address: Patrick says Raising minimum wage is the right thing to do and it’s the right time to do it
Weekly Radio Address: Senator John Patrick Imagine for an hour’s work you still are not earning enough to buy the laundry detergent you need to wash your clothes. Imagine for an hour’s work you still can’t afford a loaf of bread, a gallon of milk, and the gallon of gas you need to get to...
Bangor Daily News: Actually, LePage’s budget would increase taxes
By John Patrick Read more here The state of Maine faces serious challenges. While the rest of New England has found a path out of the economic downturn, Maine’s economy was the only one that shrunk. There are still more than 50,000 Mainers officially out of work and even more who are working but not...
Bangor Daily News: Take it slow on Maine drone law
Editorial Read more here Drones are coming, and Maine needs to be ready. That’s the premise of LD 236, “An Act to Protect the Privacy of Citizens from Domestic Unmanned Vehicle Use,” a bill sponsored by Sen. John Patrick, D-Rumford. Following a directive from Congress, the Federal Aviation Administration is working to integrate unmanned aerial...
Bangor Daily News: Bill seeks to regulate drones in Maine airspace
By Scott Thistle Read more here AUGUSTA, Maine — The buzz of high-flying police surveillance drones in the airspace above Maine is not yet a common occurrence, and that’s why state Sen. John Patrick hopes the state Legislature will support a bill that regulates the use of unmanned aerial vehicles. “This is a real opportunity for us...
KJ: OUR OPINION: We need rules governing surveillance by drones
Read more here. It’s not science fiction, it’s science fact. The same technology that allows unmanned drones to hunt and kill terrorists in remote mountain hide-outs in southern Asia also could be used at home to conduct surveillance on ordinary Americans. Drones can fly or hover, and record images of people’s activities without their knowledge. This...
