Sen. Libby receives perfect score on education voting record

Posted: July 25, 2022 | Senator Libby

AUGUSTA — Sen. Nate Libby, D-Lewiston, earned a 100 percent rating from the Maine Education Association for his voting record on legislation to support students, teachers, and families. Sen. Libby is one of 19 state senators to earn a perfect score for their 2022 voting record from MEA.

Sen. Nate Libby

“We trust teachers with caring for our children, and with helping to raise and mold them into the leaders of tomorrow,” said Sen. Libby. “In order for them to do their jobs well and for Maine students to have the best chance of success, we must pass policies that gives them the proper tools. I’m proud to say that we did so much to support Maine students and educators this year.”

This year, Sen. Libby voted to continue funding free, universal school meals, fully fund education at 55 percent, invest in career and technical education, and provide two years of free community college for Maine high school graduates from the graduating classes of 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023. In addition, he supported the creation of an Education Rainy Day Fund to ensure the state is able to continue funding K-12 public education at the 55 percent threshold. Last year marked the first time in the state’s history that the Legislature met the threshold mandated by Maine voters at the ballot box in 2004. This fund will ensure the Legislature fulfills its obligation and will alleviate the burden that often falls on property taxpayers.

Sen. Libby also voted in favor of bills to expand family and medical leave protections for hourly school employees and ensure that teachers can take time off for COVID-19 related illness even if they don’t have accrued leave.

Supporting students and educators has long been a priority for Sen. Libby. In recent years, he has sponsored laws to improve attendance records for Maine’s youngest students and to help students who have experienced disruptions to their education, like homelessness, get their diplomas.

MEA represents 24,000 Maine teachers and advocates for policies and investments that ensure that educators’ voices, values and priorities are heard and respected both in the workplace and at the State House.

The 2022 Maine legislative scorecard from MEA can be found here.