Senator John Patrick | Maine Senate Democrats

Map of District 14
Committees:
Labor, Commerce, Research & Economic Development (Chair);
Veterans and Legal Affairs
Contact Senator Patrick

John L. Patrick of Rumford was elected to his second term in the Maine Senate, representing Maine Senate District 14. As a Senator, Patrick’s focus is on the needs of working families including creating jobs that pay a living wage, lowering health care costs, improving veterans services and promoting economic opportunity through education and small business initiatives.

Prior to his time in the Maine Senate, Senator Patrick served four terms in the Maine House of Representatives from 2001-2008. He was a member of the Labor Committee and chaired the Legal and Veterans Affairs Committee for his 3rd and 4th terms. Patrick was chairman of the Maine Citizen Trade Policy Commission from 2004-2008. As a state representative, Patrick fought for working families, investment in roads and bridges, veteran services, and ethics reform.

A journeyman mechanic for the NewPage Paper Mill in Rumford for the last 29 years, Patrick is a former President of the United Paperworkers Union Local 900. He is a past board member of the Maine AFL-CIO, served four years as a board member of the St. Athanasius and St. John’s school, as well as three years on the MSAD 43 school board. He is also a past member of the board of the River Valley Technology Center.

Patrick is a member and past president of the Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie #1248 and a member of the Rumford Lodge of Elks #862. He is a member of the Maine Snowmobile Association, Rumford Polar Bears, Webb River Valley Sportsman’s Club, the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine , the Hope Association, and member of the Parish of the Holy Savior. He is also a regular volunteer for the Hope Association’s Armory Bingo.

A 1972 graduate of Mexico High School and lifelong resident of the River Valley, Patrick has been married to Claire M. Coulombe of Rumford for 32 years and has three adult children. He enjoys gardening, fishing, snowmobiling and golfing, and he is a skilled pool player.

HISTORIC HEALTH CARE AND HOSPITAL MEASURE PASSED BY MAINE SENATE

May 23, 2013

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

Apr 25, 2013

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

Apr 23, 2013

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

Apr 11, 2013

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

Apr 10, 2013

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

Apr 4, 2013

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

Apr 2, 2013

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

Mar 30, 2013

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

Mar 6, 2013

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

Feb 28, 2013

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

Feb 27, 2013

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

Jan 28, 2013

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...