Sen. Carpenter appointed committees on Veterans and Legal Affairs, Inland Fisheries and Wildlife

AUGUSTA — Sen. Mike Carpenter, D-Houlton, has been appointed by the Senate President to the Legislature’s Joint Standing Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs, making him the Senate Democrats’ leading voice on issues concerning Maine’s service men and women, as well as policy regarding campaign finance.

Sen. Mike Carpenter, D-Houlton.

Sen. Carpenter was also appointed to the Legislature’s Joint Standing Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, giving him critical oversight of policy regarding Maine’s outdoor heritage activities.

“As a Vietnam veteran myself, I feel a deep sense of commitment to the soldiers, sailors and marines who work tirelessly in service and defense of our country,” said Sen. Carpenter. “Ensuring that we care for these men and women is one of my top priorities.”

“As a lifelong resident of Aroostook County, I also know the importance of our state’s long history of hunting, fishing, trapping and other means of outdoor recreation — not only for their place among our cultural traditions, but for the jobs these activities sustain,” said Sen. Carpenter. “We’ve got to safeguard our traditions while maintaining our natural resources is a balancing act, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on the committee to find that balance.”

The Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee has jurisdiction over the Maine National Guard, the Maine Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management Services and the Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages and Lottery Operations, as well as administration of campaign finance, including Maine’s Clean Elections system of public campaign financing.

It also has general oversight of policy regarding election and campaign law, the gambling and gaming sector, including the state lottery, voter registration, initiatives and referenda, governmental ethics, lobbyist registration, landlord-tenant laws, and veterans programs.

The Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee has jurisdiction over the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, and policy regarding inland fisheries and wildlife research and management; hunting; fishing; trapping; hunter safety; fish hatcheries; game wardens; guides; taxidermist licensing; ATVs; snowmobiles; watercraft registration and boater safety; and whitewater rafting.

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