SENATE OVERRIDES 9TH & 10TH LEPAGE VETOES
Senate Republicans sustain veto of bill to support youth homeless shelters
AUGUSTA—The Maine Senate halted Governor LePage’s latest veto spree by overriding two out of Governor LePage’s three recent vetoes. With a total of 122 vetoes during his tenure, Governor LePage has now exceeded the number of vetoes by any other Governor, including the previous record holder, one-term Governor Jim Longley with 118 vetoes.
The Maine Senate in a vote of 33 – 1, overrode Governor LePage’s veto of LD 1685 sponsored by Rep. Farnsworth to prevent child abuse and neglect. The governor vetoed the measure on Tuesday, April 1, the same day that he proclaimed April as Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Month
“Why wouldn’t we do everything we can to protect children from being abused? Governor LePage vetoed this bill saying child abuse will be addressed in a reasonable amount of time,” said Senate Majority Leader Troy Jackson of Allagash. “When it’s your kid, there’s nothing reasonable about it. The need is immediate. Overriding this veto requires immediate action.”
The House overrode LD 1685, “An Act To Ensure That All Maine Children Are Protected from Abuse and Neglect,” with a vote of 136-6. The bill is now law.
Additionally, the Senate in a vote of 29 – 5 overrode Governor LePage’s veto of LD 1597, “An Act To Clarify Provisions of the Maine Medical Use of Marijuana Act,” sponsored by Rep. Drew Gattine which provides additional oversight over medical marijuana facilities. The House overrode the veto with a vote of 129-12.
These are the ninth and tenth vetoes of Governor LePage’s that the Legislature has overridden. Last month, the Legislature overrode a veto of a measure to increase the number of qualified teachers in Maine. In February, the Legislature overrode Governor LePage’s veto of a bill sponsored by Senate President Justin Alfond of Portland to feed hungry students during summer vacation, and in January,overrode Governor LePage’s veto of a bill to help people quit smoking.
Last year, the Legislature overrode Governor LePage’s veto of the state’s two-year budget, as well as vetoes of a comprehensive omnibus energy bill, a measure to provide funding to the STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math) Council of Maine, a bill adjusting fees for county registries of deeds, and a bill to require warrants for cell phone tracking.
In a vote of 20-14 Senate Republicans sustained Governor LePage’s veto of LD 1717, a bill that requires money earmarked for a shelter that closes remain in the region served.
“The need for finding shelter for homeless youth does not cease to exist just because a shelter has closed,” said Democratic Senator Margaret Craven of Lewiston, the sponsor of the bill. “When a shelter closes, those available shelters in the region face a greater demand on their services, and need the funds that would have gone to the closed shelter. It’s unfortunate Governor LePage and Senate Republicans are not addressing this need.”
According to a 2013 study by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, while homelessness declined by 4 percent nationwide in the last year, homelessness in Maine increased by 26 percent, andaccording the Department of Housing and Urban Development, nearly 30 percent of Maine people who are homeless are under age 18.
The measure, LD 1717, “Resolve, to Support Homeless Youth Shelters,” is now dead.
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