This monthly newsletter written by Burton Eller, National Grange Legislative Director, covers “what’s happening” in Washington on various topics of interest to Grangers.
View from the Hill – January 2024
Category: Legislative
Maine’s Public Law Library
The services and resources of the Maine State Law & Legislative Reference Library are free and available to all Maine citizens. Located on the second floor of the Maine State House in Augusta, the Law Library is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Services include public access to the Internet and other digital resources and limited word processing.
Walk-in patrons are welcome, but Mainers from Kittery to Madawaska can request information by phone, email or U.S. mail. You can also visit their web page here. While the library cannot interpret the law or provide legal advice, staff can help with legal and legislative reference assistance with its complete collection of current and historical Maine legislative materials dating all the way back to 1820. The library also has information about federal codes and statutes as well as all U.S. states.
BEP Reopens Public Comment on Elective Vehicle Sales Mandate
AUGUSTA – The Maine Board of Environmental Protection (BEP) has reopened Public Comment on the Chapter 127-A: Advanced Clean Cars II Program, also known as the “California Rule.” The public comment period extends until February 5, 2024.
In response to a citizen petition, this new rule was proposed to establish motor vehicle emission standards for new passenger cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty vehicles by incorporating the requirements of the California Advanced Clean Cars II regulations, beginning the model year 2027.
A public hearing on the proposed Chapter 127-A was held on August 17, 2023, and the comment period closed on August 28, 2023. A final vote on the proposed rule was scheduled for the Board meeting on December 21, 2023. However, due to the state of emergency resulting from the December 18 storm, that meeting was canceled. This prevented a Board vote on whether to adopt the proposed rule and forced any potential adoption beyond the rule’s proposed effective date of January 1, 2024. This also prevents the rule from taking effect in time to apply to the 2027 model year. Therefore, the proposed rule has been amended to begin with model year 2028, and the Department is now requesting comments from the public concerning this substantive change. The Department has also proposed other non-substantive changes to the proposal.
Since the public hearing was already held in August, comments may be made by email. The deadline for commenting is now February 5, 2024.
Communications Director’s Note: To the best of my knowledge, the Grange has not taken a position on the adoption of this rule. Since this is a very substantive change, I am providing this information for those who wish to share their personal thoughts and opinions. If you do so, please do not imply or claim you represent the Grange!
UPDATE: According to an article in the Portland Press Herald, the BEP will ask the Legislature to revise state law to authorize lawmakers, not state agencies, to adopt and enforce standards deemed as “major substantive” changes rather than have them handled by an agency. Most recently, however, there has been some discussion suggesting that the requested revision would NOT impact the existing potential rule change since it is already under consideration. The revision requested would only apply to future rule changes and adoptions.
Don’t Forget To Vote Today!
“Talk is cheap, voting is free; take it to the polls.”
Nanette L. Avery
2023 Resolutions Report
For the sake of brevity, only the resolves are listed. For additional information, contact the Legislative Director.
Nonsmoking National Grange Events, submitted by Bingham Grange #237
Resolved, when future sites for the National Grange Convention or National Grange-sponsored conferences are chosen, only sites will be considered that are totally non-smoking.
The Good of the Order Committee recommended this ought to pass, and the delegate body agreed.
Activate Cameras at Major Intersections, submitted by Androscoggin Pomona #1
Resolved, that the Maine State Grange support legislation to activate the cameras that are at intersections and install cameras wherever they are needed.
The Legislative Committee recommended this ought not to pass, and the delegate body agreed.
Automatic Lights on All Vehicles submitted by Androscoggin Pomona #1
Resolved, that the Maine State Grange support legislation that all new vehicles have automatic lights.
The Legislative Committee recommended this ought not to pass, and the delegate body agreed.
Help Wanted!
Enterprise Grange is hosting a discussion of the eight referendum questions that will be on the ballot in November. The discussion will be held on Tuesday, October 3, 2023, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Secretary of State Shenna Bellows has agreed to attend and explain the voting process and speak in support of approving the first four referendum questions with a yes vote. Since Enterprise Grange is well-known for presenting both sides of issues, we’d like to continue to do so.
We are, therefore, seeking a person or person from the Richmond area who can speak authoritatively, with facts and figures, in support of a “no” vote on these questions. This is open to everyone from any area, not just Sagadahoc County. If you think you qualify, please contact Marilyn Stinson at 207-737-2611.
Maine Referendum Questions Offer Granges an Opportunity!
By Walter Boomsma
MSG Communications Director
Listed below are the eight referendum questions Maine voters will be asked to address in November. I’m providing them with several ideas and suggestions–not necessarily that you and your Grange take a position, but can you offer programming that could be helpful to voters? Starting with members, could your Grange (lecturers and legislative committees note) devote a meeting or program to exploring (discussing) one or more of these questions? Or (community service and legislative committees note), could your Grange offer a public discussion opportunity–or a panel discussion? With three months remaining, you have some time to put something together!
Just remember the rules of friendly discussion/debate and that the Grange is non-partisan!
QUESTION 1: An Act to Require Voter Approval of Certain Borrowing by Government-controlled Entities and Utilities and to Provide Voters More Information Regarding That Borrowing. Do you want to bar some quasi-governmental entities and all consumer-owned electric utilities from taking on more than $1 billion in debt unless they get statewide voter approval?
QUESTION 2: An Act to Prohibit Campaign Spending by Foreign Governments and Promote an Anticorruption Amendment to the United States Constitution. Do you want to ban foreign governments and entities that they own, control, or influence from making campaign contributions or financing communications for or against candidates or ballot questions?
QUESTION 3: An Act to Create the Pine Tree Power Company, a Nonprofit, Customer-owned Utility. Do you want to create a new power company governed by an elected board to acquire and operate existing for-profit electricity transmission and distribution facilities in Maine?
QUESTION 4: An Act Regarding Automotive Right to Repair. Do you want to require vehicle manufacturers to standardize on-board diagnostic systems and provide remote access to those systems and mechanical data to owners and independent repair facilities?
QUESTION 5: RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine Regarding the Timing of Judicial Review of the Determination of the Validity of Written Petitions. Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to change the time period for judicial review of the validity of written petitions from within 100 days from the date of filing to within 100 business days from the date of filing of a written petition in the office of the Secretary of State, with an exception for petitions filed within 30 calendar days before or after a general election?
QUESTION 6: RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Require All Provisions in the Constitution to Be Included in the Official Printing. Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to require that all of the provisions of the Constitution be included in the official printed copies of the Constitution prepared by the Secretary of State?
QUESTION 7: RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Align the Proceedings for Circulating Written Petitions for People’s Vetoes and Direct Initiatives with Federal Law. Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to remove a provision requiring a circulator of a citizen’s initiative or people’s veto petition to be a resident of Maine and a registered voter in Maine, requirements that have been ruled unconstitutional in federal court?
QUESTION 8: RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Allow Persons Under Guardianship for Mental Illness to Be Electors. Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to remove a provision prohibiting a person under guardianship for reasons of mental illness from voting for Governor, Senators and Representatives, which the United States District Court for the District of Maine found violates the United States Constitution and federal law?
Election Day – June 13, 2023
Voting is the expression of our commitment to ourselves, one another, this country and this world.
Sharon Salzberg
For many Maine cities and towns, Tuesday, June 13, 2023, is an election day to decide municipal races, school budgets, and other local matters. Please exercise your right to vote! Your vote matters!
Legislative Report — March 2023
By Linda Weston, Legislative Director
207-852-5795
The First Regular Session of the 131st Maine Legislature convened on Wednesday, December 7, 2022. Statutory adjournment is June 21, 2023.
When a request for a bill is filed, it is assigned a Legislative Request (L.R.) number that is used to track the request until it is assigned/printed as a Legislative Document (L.D.).
There were numerous Legislative Request (L.R.) request submitted this session, and not all will become Legislative Documents (L.D.) and not all LDs will become Law. It is interesting to see the titles of what have been submitted. Two links below – first shows you list by names of Titles by Legislator and second List by Index/Broad Subject.
The Preliminary List by Legislator Preliminary List of Working Titles Submitted by Legislators by Cloture, Sorted by Sponsor Name
Another List of LR s – is sorted by Index/Broad Subject. Preliminary List of Working Titles Submitted by Legislators By Cloture, Sorted by Broad Subject
If you want to know if a request was received and accepted and given a LD number – go to this Page Advanced Search – https://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/advancedsearch.asp?error=The+LR+number+range+is+invalid%2E
In the field “LR Type” put in number of LR number and in the “to” below it same number if you are only looking up that One LR, you could do a range of LRs. Click search –
If it has been assigned an LD number it will bring you to the LD – click on LD number (Example note LR 1856 became LD 517) – click on LD 517 link it will take you to the Status page. If the LR number brings up nothing – then the request most likely was not accepted.
From the Status page you can look up Actions, who Sponsors and Co-Sponsors are, what Committee it has been assigned to if it has, hearings that may have been set and other information.
LR 1856 became LD 517 An Act to Allow Maine Families to Deduct Vehicle Excise Taxes on State Income Tax Returns and has been assigned to Taxation Committee, no hearings set as of this writing.
Suggest you look over the lists of Titles – and look up any you would like to have more information on. Feel free to contact me if you have questions.
Vote and Honor a Vet!
You may request free of charge a “button” in honor of a family member. The button “I’m voting in Honor of a Veteran” is personalized with the name of a veteran the voter wants to recognize for his or her sacrifices to ensure our important freedoms, including the right to vote. In 2000, over 10,000 citizens honored someone who had served, or is serving, in the military. Maine voters paid tribute to a grandfather or grandmother, father or mother, brother or sister, son or daughter, husband or wife, or a neighbor, friend, or fellow veteran. Limit 3 buttons per address
Maine’s Vote in Honor of a Veteran program was created as a “Promote the Vote” initiative for the 2000 General Election. Because of the program’s popularity, as well as the events of September 11, 2001 and their aftermath, the program continues.
