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| At my committee desk |
Legislators in Augusta are starting to have some structure
to their weeks. Our committees are
meeting regularly to work on the bills passed to us from the House and Senate. We have three main tasks in committees. We
hold public hearings on each bill so
that those with vested interests can give testimony. People can speak for or
against a bill, or neither for nor against but just tell committee members
effects it would have. The committee
holds work sessions where we
consider the bill, the testimony, and other information we have collected to
help us decide how to vote on the bill.
Then the committee holds a vote. Finally, the committee returns the bill to the
House of Representatives or the Senate, depending on where the bill originated,
for a full vote. If approved and the
governor signs it, it becomes a law. If
not, a governor’s veto can be overridden by a two-thirds vote in the House and
Senate.
If you want to follow a bill through this process, start
here.
You can also keep an eye on the calendar.
If you’re interested in testifying before a committee,
helpful information can be found here, https://www.maine.gov/sos/path/exploring/testify.html.
Legislators continue to be offered educational trainings on
a vast array of subjects, including health insurance, the budget process, and tribal-state
relations. Sometimes legislators arrange
meetings on topics important to them and their constituents—we have the rural
caucus, the coastal caucus, the democracy reform caucus, the caucus on aging,
and the children’s caucus, among others. It’s impossible to attend them all, so
I focus on issues affecting children. I’m committed to not just solving
problems but preventing them. Investing in our youngest citizens and making
sure each child is healthy—that every mother has access to pre- and post-natal
care, that every family has the tools it needs to raise children, and that
every child is ready to learn—is a top priority for me. Making sure children have health insurance
and access to preventative healthcare can make a big difference.
January was “invite your legislator to school” month. I
spent a great morning at Brooklin Elementary School where I got to watch the
student body “sing” the school mission and vision in American Sign Language, read to some
“kiddos” from a chapter book, color with “littles,” and chat with seventh and
eighth graders about my new job in Augusta.
Blue Hill Consolidated School third graders came to
Augusta and toured the state house and visited the museum.
Senator Luchini and I both got to meet them and show them our chambers. I’m working with a George Stevens Academy student on his independent
study on politics and government. If you would like me to visit your school or
civic organization or if you plan to be at the State House, please let me know. Nancy Hathaway offered a training on mindfulness to legislators and then gave the opening prayer. Younger constituents can be honorary pages and musically talented folks can perform the national anthem. I'd love to have you join us.
You can follow the legislative process, online
or in local newspapers or radio, but if you would like to get move involved or
if you have questions or concerns, contact me at Sarah.Pebworth@legislature.maine.gov.
Onward!
