Sen. Deschambault to chair the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee for the 129th Maine Legislature

AUGUSTA — Sen. Susan Deschambault, D-Biddeford, has been appointed by Senate President Troy Jackson, D-Allagash, to chair the Joint Standing Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety for the 129th Legislative session. The Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee is responsible for overseeing legislation to protect Maine’s communities and to ensure that people convicted of crimes receive sentences proportional to the severity of their actions.

“I’ve been the police commissioner of Biddeford and a social worker for the Department of Corrections. These experiences give me particular insights into how the criminal justice system works and how it doesn’t,” said Sen. Deschambault. “My background will help me lead the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee.”

Sen. Deschambault also will serve on the Legislature’s State and Local Government Committee, which involves presiding over state officials and property, state contracts, municipal and local government, among other responsibilities.

In addition to her past positions as a police commissioner and a social worker, Sen. Deschambault also served on the Maine Criminal Justice Commission. She represents the towns of Alfred, Arundel, Biddeford, Dayton, Kennebunkport and Lyman in the Maine Senate. She is serving her second term.

Lawmakers are assigned to committees by the presiding officers based on their interests, experience and professional background. Joint standing committees are composed of three senators and ten representatives. The Legislature is set to reconvene Jan. 2.