The 124th Maine State Legislature convened for the first regular session on December 3, 2008, and adjourned on June 13, 2009. Regular Bills and Resolves passed during the first regular session become effective 90 days after adjournment, September 12, 2009. The second regular session of the Legislature convenes on the first Wednesday after the first Tuesday of January. That will be Wednesday, January 6, 2010.
The League monitored over 70 bills this session. A selection of the important bills we're tracking is listed below. No League position regarding any bill is implied by its inclusion in this list. Link to complete information at the Maine Legislature's web site by clicking on the LD number. To see a list of bills where LWVME offered testimony, go to Action and Advocacy.
Campaign Finance
- LD 583 An Act Relating to Political Action Committees. Killed in committee.
- LD 584 An Act to Amend the Maine Clean Election Act to Equalize the Qualifying Period for All Candidates and to Increase the Number of Required Contributions for Candidates to the Legislature. Killed in Committee. Major provisions preserved under LDs 1197 & 1380.
- LD 607 An Act to Amend the Maine Clean Election Act as It Relates to Independent Expenditures. Dead.
- LD 921 An Act to Eliminate Maine Clean Election Act Funding for Gubernatorial Candidates. Dead.
- LD 1065 An Act to Change the Campaign Finance Laws Pertaining to Campaign Contributions to Allow for Increases Indexed to Inflation. Withdrawn
- LD 1189 An Act to Simplify and Improve the Maine Clean Election Laws. Killed in Committee
- LD 1197 An Act to Improve the Maine Clean Election Act. Passed as amended and signed into law.
- LD 1380 An Act to Amend the Maine Clean Election Laws Governing Gubernatorial Candidates. Passed as amended and signed into law. Emergency.
- LD 1420 An Act to Alter the Distribution of Maine Clean Election Act Funding to Gubernatorial Candidates. Carried over.
- LD 1462 Resolve, Regarding Legislative Review of Portions of Chapter 3: Maine Clean Election Act and Related Provisions - Increase of Seed Money to $150,000, a Major Substantive Rule of the Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices. Major substantive rule failed to be approved by the legislature. Seed money cap increased under LD 1380.
- LD 1020 An Act to End Discrimination in Civil Marriage and Affirm Religious Freedom. Passed as amended and signed into law. Citizen's veto attempt pending.
- LD 1118 An Act to Expand Rights for Maine Families. Killed in Committee
- LD 129 Resolve, Directing the Secretary of State to Conduct a Pilot Program for Early Voting for the November 2009 Election. Resolution adopted.
- LD 150 An Act to Allow Voters to Choose Ongoing Absenteed Status. Adopted as a resolution to conduct a pilot program.
- LD 350 Resolution, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine Regarding Early Voting. Failed final passage.
- LD 512 An Act to Facilitate Voting by Maine Residents in the Military Who Are Deployed Overseas. Killed in Committee
- LD 547 An Act to Amend the Laws Concerning Write-in Candidates for Elected Office to Increase Fairness. Killed in Committee. Substantial provision preserved under LD 1169 as amended.
- LD 1169 An Act to Amend the Election Laws. Passed as amended and signed into law.
- LD 1170 An Act to Ensure the Accuracy of Maine Election Results. Amended and adopted as a resolution.
- LD 1328 Resolution, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine Concerning Early Voting and Voting by Absentee Ballot. Killed in Committee
- LD 56 An Act to Join the Interstate Compact on the National Popular Vote. Sent back to committee.
- LD 226 An Act to Require a Vacancy in the Office of United States Senator to be Filled by Election. Indefinitely postponed in both houses. Dead.
- LD 604 Resolution, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Provide for the Popular Election of the Attorney General. Failed final passage. Dead.
- LD 605 Resolution, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Provide for the Popular Election of the Secretary of State. Failed final passage. Dead.
- LD 1344
Resolve, To Authorize a Pilot Project on Ranked Choice Voting. Indefinitely postponed in both houses. Dead.
- LD 310 An Act Regarding Grassroots Lobbying. Passed as amended and signed into law.
- LD 832 An Act to Amend the Laws Governing Lobbyist Disclosure. Passed as amended and signed into law.
- LD 1111 An Act to Promote Transparency and Accountability in Campaigns and Governmental Ethics. Passed as amended and signed into law.
- LD 1210 An Act Pertaining to Volunteer Lobbyists for Nonprofit Organizations. Passed as amended and signed into law.
- LD 1448 An Act Pertaining to Exempt Volunteer Lobbyists from State Disclosure Requirements. Killed in committee. Major provisions passed under LD 1210.
- LD 679 An Act to Allow a Court to Award Attorney's Fees in Successful Freedom of Access Appeals. Passed as amended; not yet signed into law.
- LD 828 An Act to Enhance the Shielding of Journalists' Sources. Dead.
- LD 1353 An Act Regarding Salary Information of Public Employees. Killed in committee.
- LD 144 Resolution, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Reduce the Size of the Legislature. Died between houses.
- LD 211 Resolution, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Change the Schedule for Redistricting. Indefinitely postponed in both houses. Dead.
- LD 1041 An Act to Alter the Mechanism by which a Political Party Is a Qualified Party. Passed to be enacted; signed into law.
- LD 1424 Resolution, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Establish a Unicameral Legislature. Died between houses.