Sen. Donna Bailey to chair the Health Coverage, Insurance, and Financial Services Committee for the 132nd Maine State Legislature  

AUGUSTA — Sen. Donna Bailey, D-Saco, has been appointed by Senate President Mattie Daughtry, D-Brunswick, to serve as Senate chair of the Legislature’s Joint Standing Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance, and Financial Services for the 132nd Maine State Legislature.  

The Health Coverage, Insurance, and Financial Services Committee works on bills, laws, and policies related to banks and credit unions, consumer credit, health insurance, mortgages, motor vehicle insurance, occupational and professional licensing, the Office of Employee Health and Benefits, and the price of prescription drugs. 

“Last year, as chair of the Health Coverage, Insurance, and Financial Services Committee, I was determined to reform Maine’s health care system and promote consumer protections in the insurance industry. My colleagues and I worked hard to make health care more affordable and accessible to Mainers and bring down costs for Mainers shopping around for auto, home, and life insurance,” said Sen. Bailey. “Now that I am continuing to chair the committee, I remain committed to cracking down on exploitative medical debt collection practices, exposing hidden facility fees, improving transparency in prescription drug coverage, increasing access to lifesaving mediations, and reducing the costs of insurance premiums.”  
  
Besides chairing the Health Coverage, Insurance, and Financial Services Committee, Sen. Bailey will serve as a member of the Housing and Economic Development Committee, a newly formed committee that is expected to combine the work of the Joint Select Committee on Housing and the Joint Standing Committee on Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement, and Business (IDEA) from the 131st Maine State Legislature.  

Over the past two years, the Housing Committee worked on bills, laws, and policies related to accessory dwelling units, eviction, homelessness prevention, housing safety and supply, rental assistance, and mobile home parks. The IDEA Committee worked on bills, laws, and policies related to business regulation, the Finance Authority of Maine, Pine Tree Development Zones, recreation and tourism, and workforce development. The new Housing and Economic Development Committee is expected to continue this work. 

“The number one issue I hear from constituents is the need for more affordable housing options – for property owners and renters alike – in the community,” said Sen. Bailey. “Now that I’ve been appointed to the Housing and Economic Development Committee, I can work directly on increasing the number of affordable units, making it easier for first-time homebuyers to purchase a home, and protecting the affordable housing that we already have. Regarding that last point, this includes protecting the mobile home parks – like Atlantic Village and Old Orchard Village right here in the district – that are threatened by out-of-state investment firms, which are buying the parks and raising the rents far beyond what residents can afford.”  

Sen. Donna will also serve as the Senate chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Conduct and Ethics. It oversees any orders or complaints brought forward to the Senate, regarding a member of the Senate who may have breached ethics and code of conduct. 

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.  

Sen. Donna Bailey is serving her third term in the Maine State Senate. In the 131st Maine State Legislature, Sen. Bailey was the Senate chair of the Legislature’s Health Coverage, Insurance, and Financial Services Committee. She was also a member of the Judiciary Committee. Prior to that, she served on the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee and the Government Oversight Committee.  

Sen. Bailey represents Maine Senate District 31 which includes the communities of Buxton, Old Orchard Beach, and Saco. The Legislature is set to reconvene on Jan. 8, 2025.  

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