Following a Bill on its Journey

How do you know when it’s time to pop that bottle of bubbly in celebration of a bill you care about becoming law? How can you follow the long journey of a bill? I’ll use LD (Legislative Document) 179 An Act To Change the Name of Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day, because that was one of the many bills before my committee, State and Local Government, this session.

You might have read about the bill’s progress in a state newspaper: “Maine lawmakers are being asked to consider what seven states and more than 130 other cities and towns have done across the country: replace the Columbus Day holiday with Indigenous Peoples’ Day.” That was in February. 

You might have seen this post on Facebook "An Act To Change the Name of Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day has passed the House, 88 to 51” in March. But clearing this legislative hurdle doesn’t mean LD 179 finished the race. 

You might have read this on a national news website shortly after that: “A bill changing Columbus Day to Indigenous People's Day in Maine is heading to the governor's desk after senators voted to approve the House-passed measure this week.” (At this point, you might also be confused as to where the apostrophe goes or if there is one!  Different news sources have different opinions.  The text of LD 179 includes no apostrophe.) 

Or perhaps you heard this on public radio: “On a roll call vote of 19-14, and with no debate, the Maine Senate gave final approval to change the Columbus Day Holiday to Indigenous Peoples Day.”

Even a website for an international television station reported that “Governor Janet Mills has already announced that she plans to sign the bill into law.”

Maybe we can start that LD 179 celebration now.

Certainly not all of the 2,200 bills we will consider this session receive—or deserve—this type of coverage.  But if you can’t find updates in the media, how can you follow a bill along its journey? 

Maine State Legislature’s website, http://legislature.maine.gov/, offers a portal to just about everything happening in Augusta. 

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  Looking like spring in Augusta

  Links to livestreaming the House or Senate when they are in session or listening in on any committee. 

• Contact information for legislators. 

• A calendar showing each committee meeting and the schedule of bills coming before them, whether in a public hearing or a work session.   

• A form for searching specific bills, which leads to more detailed information about a bill’s journey—what committee it belongs to and the testimony and votes that support or oppose it.   

• Link for submitting written testimony. 

• A status summary showing the path a bill has taken and whether it has been signed into law.

In late April, I offered an informational meet and greet to give a guided tour of legislature.maine.gov. A number of people also spoke about their experience of being involved in state politics this session.  If you missed it and would like to attend a future meeting, please sign up for my email newsletter here.