Legislature approves Vitelli proposal to study basic income security

A proposal by Sen. Eloise Vitelli, D-Arrowsic, to establish the Committee To Study the Feasibility of Creating Basic Income Security was approved by the Legislature on Tuesday.

“The poverty rate has barely budged over the last 50 years, even though we’ve instituted a number of programs intended to fight poverty,” said Sen. Vitelli. “What about these programs is working? What isn’t? Is there a better way we could fight poverty – and could that be a basic income policy? Those are the questions this Committee will study.”

The bill — LD 1324 “Resolve, To Establish the Committee To Study the Feasibility of Creating Basic Income Security” — creates the Committee To Study the Feasibility of Creating Basic Income Security to examine options to better provide basic economic security to Maine people, including through the development of a direct cash payment system. The Committee will be made up of legislators and members of the public.

LD 1324 has now been sent to Gov. Janet Mills, who has 10 days to sign it into law, veto it, or allow it to become law without her signature.