REPUBLICANS RIFE WITH EXCUSES FOR QUASHING PUBLIC PROCESS ON CONTROVERSIAL BILL

On the eve of holiday weekend, Republican lawmakers announce hearing on “right to work”

AUGUSTA—Senate Democrats fought hard on the Senate floor today to understand how a controversial bill on workers’ rights got derailed and sidelined from the legislative committee process and then revived in the eleventh hour of the legislative session. In a vote of 19 – 16, the Senate voted to send LD 309 back to Labor Commerce Research and Economic Development (LCRED) Committee for a public hearing.

The debate on the Senate floor started with Assistant Democratic Leader, Senator Justin Alfond.

“This bill was in committee back in February so I’m not sure what happened,” said Alfond of Portland. “Why wasn’t there a public hearing back in February like all of the other bills? Why was it pulled out of committee and how did it get here today? A lot of questions remain about the fairness of this process.”

LD 309 first arrived in the (LCRED) on Feb. 2. Typically, the bill would have had a public hearing in February or March along with similar bills this session. However, LD 309 sat in committee for months with no public hearing or action until May 17 when the bill was taken from the committee without public hearing and placed on the floor of the House by the Speaker. It was then held there for further discussion. Ten days later it appeared on the House calendar and in a measure led by Republican House leadership, the House voted to send LD 309 back to committee for a public hearing by a “razor thin margin” of 74 – 71.

“This issue is one of the most contentious issues of the Legislative session,” said Senator Seth Goodall of Richmond. “It should not be rushed through in the eleventh hour—especially after it has been characterized in the media and in Augusta as a issue for another session. Actions such as this can erode the public’s trust in the process.”

Senate Democrats expressed surprise at seeing LD 309 on today’s calendar since it did not appear on any of the supplements brought down from the House yesterday.

Minimal explanation for the process was given by Republican legislators. Senator Jon Courtney said the bill was “inadvertently pulled out of committee”. Senate President Kevin Raye referred to a memo he sent on May 5 directing Senate and House Chairs on how to handle committee bills that had not been voted on before May 13. In the May 5 memo, he instructed that all “unvoted bills that are not approved for an extension from the committees possession at the close of business on May 13th” will be “removed”.

“In the nine years I’ve been on LCRED, I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Senator Troy Jackson who serves as the Lead Democrat on LCRED. “It is not fair to the public to have a hearing on such a controversial matter with so little notice before a long holiday weekend.”

Senator Alfond attempted to table the bill but was denied in a largely partisan vote.

In closing remarks on the Senate floor, Senator Bill Diamond of Windham expressed his concern about the timing of this hearing and the perception of “undue influence” it may have on the upcoming negotiations with state employees.

The controversial bill would repeal a current law that says that all workers who benefit from representation and bargaining of organized labor share the costs, whether or not they are members of the organized labor group. A public hearing is scheduled for June 2—less than two weeks before final adjournment.