AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - The latest on the Maine Legislature’s rush to finish its work for the session (all times local):
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10:34 p.m.
Maine voters likely will decide the fate of $100 million in bond proposals this fall.
The Legislature approved an $85 million transportation bond and a $15 million senior housing bond on Tuesday. The measures face a likely veto from Republican Gov. Paul LePage, who has threatened to reject all bills that make it to his desk.
But the bills have already earned two-thirds support in both chambers, which is what they will need to override the governor’s veto.
If they survive LePage’s veto, they will be put on the November ballot.
The transportation bond will fund improvements to Maine’s roads and bridges. The $15 million bond will go toward building more affordable housing for seniors. Supporters say that as Maine’s population gets older, access to affordable housing for the elderly will be critical.
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6:30 p.m.
Maine’s House of Representatives has passed two bond proposals that would fund infrastructure improvements and the construction of senior housing across the state.
The House voted 134-13 to approve the $85 million transportation bond on Tuesday. The $15 million senior housing bond won approval with a 117-27 vote. If the Senate passes the measures, they will be considered by voters in November.
Democratic Rep. Andrew McLean, co-chair of the Transportation Committee, said in a statement that the bond will go a long way to help fix Maine’s roads and bridges.
The $15 million bond would go toward building more affordable housing for seniors, which supporters say Maine desperately needs. Democratic House Speaker Mark Eves, who introduced the bond, says Maine’s economy will also benefit.
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4:45 p.m.
An effort to bring a casino to southern Maine will likely have to wait until next year.
The House of Representatives voted 97-45 on Tuesday in favor of sending the bill back to the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee. The Senate must agree for the bill to be carried over.
The measure would allow the state to establish a competitive bid process and seek proposals for a resort-style casino in York or Cumberland County. It would have to be approved by voters in that county.
The bill passed in the House, but appeared to be headed toward defeat in the Senate. Lawmakers hope that by holding it until next year, they can recraft the bill to gain more support.
Rep. Henry John Bear, who represents the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, said he hopes the bill can be rewritten to also allow Indian tribes to operate a casino in northern Maine. A bill that would have allowed them to do that was defeated this month.
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1:15 p.m.
Maine’s Government Oversight Committee will soon decide whether the state will launch an investigation into Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s interference in a school’s personnel affairs.
The committee will meet Wednesday to discuss Democratic House Speaker Mark Eves’ allegation that LePage pressured Good Will-Hinckley into removing him as president by threatening to withhold more than $500,000 a year in state funds.
LePage acknowledged on Monday that he threatened to withhold the funds, but says it wasn’t an abuse of power. He says Eves isn’t qualified for the job because he long opposed charter schools in the Legislature.
Two requests for an investigation into the issue were filed by lawmakers Monday.
More than 100 people rallied outside the Statehouse Tuesday to urge lawmakers to look into the governor’s actions and start the impeachment process if it’s discovered that he broke any laws. They held signs that read “impeach the bully” and “unfit to govern.”
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Noon
The Maine Senate has sent a bill to Republican Gov. Paul LePage that would allow people to carry concealed handguns without a permit.
The Republican-led Senate voted 23-12 to give final approval to Republican Sen. Eric Brakey’s bill on Tuesday.
The National Rifle Association says that Maine would join five states that don’t require people to get a permit to carry concealed handguns. People already don’t need one if their gun is visible.
LePage initially said he wouldn’t sign the bill because it didn’t allow military members and veterans who are under the age of 21 to be free from the permit requirement. But lawmakers added an amendment to address the governor’s concerns.
Some law enforcement officials and gun control groups have fiercely opposed the bill. They say the permit process is necessary to keep weapons out of the hands of criminals.
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