2014 Legislative Scorecard Bills

LD 1120: “An Act To Improve Maine’s Tax Laws” (MPA Supported)

Maine is a stronger state when everyone pays their fair share. This bill would have closed a common tax loophole that allows large companies to store profits made in Maine in offshore tax havens. It would have brought Maine’s tax dollars back into local communities to help fund critical services. The bill was vetoed by Governor LePage and an override vote failed to achieve a two-thirds vote in the House.

House Roll Call: #764
Senate Roll Call: #521

LD 1431: “An Act To Support School Nutrition and Expand the Local Foods Economy” (MPA Supported)

A sustainable local food system is an important component of local prosperity and economic opportunity, but Maine currently imports a larger percentage of its food than any other state in the continental United States. LD 1431 would have helped Maine’s network of small farms expand and feed more of the state by developing “food hubs,” enabling small farms to team up and pool their produce so that together they have enough volume to sell to schools, grocery stores, and hospitals. Despite strong bipartisan support, the bill was vetoed by Governor LePage and failed an override vote in the House by only two votes.

House Roll Call: #788
Senate Roll Call: #623

Medicaid Expansion Bills (MPA Supported) – One of MPA’s top priorities this last legislative session was making sure Maine accepted the federal health care dollars provided by the Affordable Care Act to expand health care to 70,000 low-income Mainers. Several bills were submitted with different mechanics that would have achieved this goal; however none mustered a veto-proof majority:

LD 1487: “An Act To Implement Managed Care in the MaineCare Program”

Submitted by Sen. Roger Katz, this bill was seen as a compromise that would have expanded health care to 70,000 Mainers while also moving nearly everyone in MaineCare into managed care plans, where a private corporation would administer MaineCare and be reimbursed on a per-person rate, not based on how much health care each person uses. The bill failed to overcome a veto from Governor LePage.  

House Roll Call: #537
Senate Roll Call: #572

LD 1578: “An Act To Increase Health Security by Expanding Federally Funded Health Care for Maine People”

Submitted by House Speaker Mark Eves, LD 1578 was seen as the “private option” for health care expansion. The bill would have used the health care dollars provided under the Affordable Care Act to subsidize purchasing insurance plans through the health care exchange. The bill was vetoed by LePage and his veto was sustained in the House.

House Roll Call: #606
Senate Role Call: #776

LD 1640: “An Act To Enhance the Stability and Predictability of Health Care Costs for Returning Veterans and Others by Addressing the Issues Associated with Hospital Charity Care and Bad Debt”

Submitted by Sen. Troy Jackson, this bill would have simply accepted the federal dollars to expand health care for 70,000 Mainers under the Affordable Care Act. The bill was vetoed by LePage and was sustained in the Senate.

House Roll Call: #716
Senate Roll Call: #629

LD 1822: “An Act To Increase Integrity in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program through Restriction of Expenditures” (MPA Opposed)

Governor LePage has made it his priority this year to demonize and attack poor families under the guise of “welfare reform.” This bill proposed by the Governor would have imposed harsh and unenforceable penalties on poor families who rely on the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. Despite opposition to this bill by a majority of legislators, Democrats offered a compromise amendment that would have done nothing to decrease misuse of public assistance benefits and would have forced small businesses to enforce DHHS rules. Thanks to a concerted effort by MPA and allies, this amendment was defeated along with the Governor’s original bill.

House Roll Call: #669
Senate Roll Call: #554

LD 1345: “An Act To Establish a Single-payer Health Care System To Be Effective in 2017” (MPA supported)

Access to health care shouldn’t be determined by a person’s bank account. Health care is a human right and the only way everyone can be assured access to quality, affordable health care is through a universal health care system. LD 1345 would have convened a panel to study the feasibility of implementing a universal, single-payer health care system in Maine. The bill was vetoed by Governor LePage and sustained in the House.

House Roll Call: #784
Senate Roll Call: #520

LD 1252: “An Act To Improve Maine’s Economy and Energy Security with Solar and Wind Energy” (MPA Supported)

When Governor LePage took office, he let a critical rebate program to foster the development of solar energy lapse.  This bill would have restored that program and addressed a critical renewable energy shortfall: Maine’s lack of investment in solar energy. The bill was vetoed by Governor LePage and, despite being overridden in the House by a majority of legislators, died in the Senate.

House Roll Call: #706
Senate Roll Call: #585

LD 1530: “An Act To Establish a Process for the Implementation of Universal Voluntary Pre-kindergarten Education” (MPA Supported)

All Maine kids should have a good start and a fair shot. However, only 60% of Maine schools offer access to pre-kindergarten. LD 1530 provides $4 million in grants to schools looking to begin their pre-K programs. Once established, they receive funding through the state, helping to overcome the startup costs that are often a major barrier to expansion of these programs. The bill passed in both houses and became law without the Governor’s signature.

House Roll Call: #696
Senate Roll Call: #576

LD 1247: “An Act To Expand Coverage of Family Planning Services” (MPA Supported)

Women shouldn’t be denied access to critical health services because of their income level. This bill would have expanded access to Maine family planning services, including routine tests and cancer screenings, for low-income women. Despite bipartisan support for the bill, it was vetoed by Governor LePage and his veto was sustained in the House after a contentious debate.

House Roll Call: #793
Senate Roll Call: #594