Sen. Bellows receives perfect score on education record
Sen. Shenna Bellows, D-Manchester earned a 100 percent rating from the Maine Education Association for her voting record on education issues during the second regular session of the 128th Legislature.
“Ensuring that our kids get a good educational foundation is essential not just for their future, but the future of our communities and our state,” said Sen. Bellows. “I’m committed to ensuring that our kids get a good education, that our teachers have the resources they need to provide that education, and that our educational facilities provide a safe and healthy environment that is conducive to learning.”
The Maine Education Association is an organization representing 24,000 Maine teachers and is dedicated to supporting policies and laws to improve public education.
This year, Sen. Bellows supported two successful bills to protect the health and safety of school children. The first bill, LD 1710, restored state funding for school-based health centers, including the one at Maranacook Community High School, which the Department of Health and Human Services unexpectedly cut last summer. The second bill, LD 1858, makes technical changes to the School Revolving Renovation Fund to prioritize essential upgrades for school security systems. Both these bills provide Maine schools with the resources necessary to best meet the needs of their students from funding school safety upgrades to proper physical and mental health care.
Sen. Bellows also fought to protect Maine students and their families from predatory student loan companies, who make it impossible to pay off student debt and get ahead. While LD 1507 initially passed both the House and the Senate, the governor unfortunately vetoed the bill. Another bill that failed to become law because of the governor’s veto was LD 40, to ensure drinking water in all Maine schools is safe from lead and other harmful elements.
Sen. Bellows remains committed to fighting for Maine students and teachers in the Legislature.
