How Trump Could Help Decide Who Wins Control of the Maine Senate

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Bangor Daily News (Maine)

September 25, 2018 Tuesday

How Trump could help decide who wins control of the Maine Senate

BYLINE: Michael Shepherd BDN Staff

LENGTH: 1492 words

Good morning from Augusta, where new sexual assault allegations against President Donald Trump's Su- preme Court nominee and confusion about the job status of the deputy attorney general got us thinking about where the president is most and least popular in Maine.

We sorted the results of the 2016 presidential election between Trump, a Republican, and Democrat Hillary Clinton by Maine Senate district. It reveals some parallels to national polling showing that under Trump, Re- publicans are increasingly struggling in suburban areas that they have held in the past.

Maine is lukewarm on Trump as a whole. A recent poll from Suffolk University found a 41 percent approval rating for the president here, which effectively matched past polls from Morning Consult that put the state near the middle of the pack nationally on Trump.

The subtle divisions in his approval could be a key factor in elections here. Some of the most interesting ones come when thinking about control of the Maine Senate, which is controlled by Republicans who hold just a 18-17 lead on Democrats. The smallest switch could flip it.

There are eight districts where Trump won a majority of votes. The one where he was most popular is held by a Democrat. Trump, who won the 2nd Congressional District but lost Maine at large to Clinton, only won majorities in eight of Maine's 35 Senate districts.

Seven of those seats are held by Republicans -- except the one where Trump won biggest. That's the one held by Sen. Michael Carpenter of Houlton. It's the state's most Republican seat by party affiliation, though he's a unique figure who once served as Maine's attorney general. He'll be contested this year by business- woman Kathy Reynolds of Fort Fairfield.

There aren't many more races that are expected to be heavily contested among this group, though one to watch is a challenge from Brewer City Councilor Bev Uhlenhake, a Democrat, against Sen. Kim Rosen, R-Bucksport, in a district where Trump won a narrow majority.

Democrats could flip two Republican seats in particular that were unfriendly to Trump. Two Republican seats in particular are in danger and Trump's results in those areas look like a major reason why.

The best example of this is the seat held by Assistant Senate Majority Leader Amy Volk, R-Scarborough. Trump got less than 39 percent of votes in the towns in her district, though she won big there in 2016. How- Page 2 How Trump could help decide who wins control of the Maine Senate Bangor Daily News (Maine) September 25, 2018 Tuesday ever, it's now a priority race for Democrats and Volk is being challenged by former state Rep. Linda Sanborn, D-Gorham.

The other one is in Hancock County, where Sen. Brian Langley, R-Ellsworth, is term-limited. State Reps. Louis Luchini, D-Ellsworth, and Richard Malaby, R-Hancock, are squaring off for the seat in a district where less than 40 percent of people backed Trump.

Outside spending goes above $3.4 million in Maine races

Nearly $3 million of that has been in the governor's race since the primaries, with the Maine Republican Par- ty buying ads against the Democratic nominee on Friday. Republicans have been outgunned so far in spending in the race to replace Gov. Paul LePage by Democratic interests, with two groups alone -- one linked to the Democratic Governors Association and the other an offshoot of the super PAC Priorities USA Action -- spending $1.7 million alone so far in the governor's race.

The Maine Republican Party has been the sole outside group fighting back for gubernatorial nominee Shawn Moody so far, spending more than $508,000. That includes a new, $133,000 round of ads against Attorney General Janet Mills, the Democratic nominee, on Friday.

The candidates face one of the last fundraising deadlines of the race today. By midnight, candidates in gubernatorial and legislative races will have to report money raised and spent between July 18 and Sept. 18. It will be our last look at the campaign books for a month.

At the last deadline, Mills had raised more money than Moody, but he had more left. The four candidates -- including the two independents, State Treasurer Terry Hayes and Alan Caron -- had spent $2.6 million by mid-July.

Reading list

Demonstrations against the president's Supreme Court nominee intensified as new allegations of sexual misconduct emerged. Protesters gathered outside the Portland and Washington, D.C., offices of U.S. Sen. Susan Collins as new allegations against Brett Kavanaugh became public. In Maine's largest city, sexual assault survivors urged Collins, one or two Republicans who has not already endorsed Kavanaugh, to vote against his confirmation. In the nation's capital, police arrested dozens of demonstrators outside Collins' office on Monday. U.S. Capitol Police said officers removed 46 protesters from the Dirksen Senate Office Building -- where the Maine senator's office is -- and 82 more were removed from another Senate office building and charged with obstruction. Christine Blasey Ford will testify to a Senate committee on Thursday about her alleged assault by Kavanaugh. A second woman told the New Yorker that he had thrust his genitals in her face during a party decades ago. Kavanaugh denies all allegations, as Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell lead an aggressive campaign to secure the votes needed to confirm him.

A Republican candidate for district attorney in three western Maine counties suffered a setback in court. A judge ruled Friday that Seth Carey is more likely than not to have assaulted and had illegal sexual contact with a woman who rented a room in his Rumford home last year. The decision in a disciplinary proceeding comes weeks before voters will see his name on ballots as the Republican nominee in Androscoggin, Frank- lin and Oxford counties. The party is not supporting him in the race against against incumbent Democrat An- drew Robinson. Carey's law license has been suspended since the spring, when a judge granted a protective order to the woman who accused him of sexual abuse. The group that oversees the conduct of Maine law- yers is seeking to have Carey disbarred, an outcome that would disqualify him from serving as district attorney.

Page 3 How Trump could help decide who wins control of the Maine Senate Bangor Daily News (Maine) September 25, 2018 Tuesday

Meanwhile, candidates in another district attorney's race are sparring over whether the incumbent can fill a job opening in his office. Steve Juskewitch, an independent who is challenging incumbent Republican Mat- thew Foster, asked Hancock County commissioners to stall Foster's plans to fill a clerical position until after the November election. Foster was not amused, saying he needs staff to be in place now. Commissioners rejected the request.

A nasty divorce involving a former Trump speechwriter who previously worked for Maine's governor seems headed back to court. David Sorensen's ex-wife has countersued the former aide to Gov. Paul LePage, saying she will prove in court that her abuse allegations are true. Sorensen, 33, of Barnstable, Massachusetts, in April sued Jessica Corbett, 32, of Portland in Massachusetts Superior Court seeking $4 million in a defama- tion lawsuit. Sorensen filed the complaint himself but has since hired an attorney. The couple divorced on October 2017 after three years of marriage.

Mascot madness

The NHL's Philadelphia Flyers unveiled their new mascot on Monday. The 7-foot-tall, scraggly orange creature named Gritty did not exactly inspire fealty among Philly fans.

Fans took to Twitter to explain how much Gritty grated on them. One called him "a horrifying orange moun- tain creature that radiates manic energy and has a backstory that definitely implies he was abused by his father." Another suggested that "Gritty is the street name his meth dealer gave him," while a third fan posited that Gritty is the deadbeat dad of Animal, beloved Muppet drummer for Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem. Let's stop right here for an Animal soundtrack.

A slightly more upbeat theory holds that Gritty is a "sentient ZZ Top beard." But that could be just plain un- healthy, according to a deep dive by WGME. Time for another soundtrack.

Regardless, it made me think that Maine's campaign season would be a lot more colorful if candidates had mascots. We should move beyond the standard donkeys and elephants and come up with mascots for individual candidates. For instance, I've always thought the narwhal is vastly underutilized as a mascot. What better way for a candidate to convince voters that she or he can point the state in the right direction or make their point in Washington?

We welcome your suggestions for this year's Maine candidate mascots. In the meantime, here is your official soundtrack. -- Robert Long

Today's Daily Brief was written by Michael Shepherd, Alex Acquisto and Robert Long. If you're reading this on the BDN's website or were forwarded it, click here to receive Maine's leading newsletter on state politics via email on weekday mornings. Click here to subscribe to the BDN.

To reach us, do not reply directly to this newsletter, but email us directly at aacquis- [email protected], [email protected] or [email protected]

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Morning Sentinel; Waterville, Me.

September 16, 2018 Sunday

Here's a look at the legislative seats likely to be... [Derived headline]

SECTION: Pg. 1.A

LENGTH: 908 words

DATELINE: Waterville, Me.

FULL TEXT Here's a look at the legislative seats likely to be in play in 2018: District 7: The contest in coastal Hancock County will feature Democrat Louis Luchini against Republican Richard Malaby. Both are termed out of the House and seeking the seat of Republican Sen. Brian Langley, who is also termed out. Both Luchini, of Ellsworth, and Malaby, of Hancock, won their respective House races in 2016 by wide margins. District 11: The seat in Waldo County is open in 2018 with the departure of Mike Thibodeau, who is the termed-out Republican Senate president. Thibodeau won the seat in 2016 by 861 votes, but House Majority Leader Erin Herbig, a Democrat from Belfast, is running for the seat against Republican Jayne Giles, also of Belfast. Giles also has served two terms in the House of Representatives. District 13: In Lincoln County, incumbent Republican Sen. Dana Dow, of Waldoboro, is being challenged by Democrat Laura Fortman, of Nobleboro. Dow is the owner of Dow Furniture, while Fortman is a former executive director of the Maine Women's Lobby. District 14: This seat in Kennebec County also could be in play as Republicans look to unseat incumbent Sen. Shenna Bellows, a Democrat from Manchester. Spending on the race by outside groups has been heavy as Republican challenger Matt Stone, of West Gardiner, looks to keep Bellows from a second term. District 20: The contest in Androscoggin County features Republican Ellie Espling, of New Gloucester, against Democrat Ned Claxton, of Auburn. Espling is well-known as the assistant House minority leader, but Claxton is a well-known retired physician hailing from the largest city in the district. The seat flipped from Democratic to Republican in 2014 when Eric Brakey defeated incumbent Sen. John Cleveland, a Democrat. Brakey, who has served two terms, is stepping down in a bid to run for the U.S. Senate against incumbent Angus King. District 30: This seat could be in play as well, as incumbent Republican Amy Volk faces Democratic challenger Linda Sanborn. While Volk, of Scarborough, handily won re-election to the seat in 2016 after she moved to the Senate from the House in 2014, Sanborn represents a serious challenge. A retired family physician from Gorham, Sanborn has strong name recognition and previously has won election to the Legisla- ture, serving four terms in the Maine House of Representatives from 2008 to 2014. District 9: Rep. Stedman Seavey, the Republican incumbent, won by just 91 votes in 2016. Seavey, of Kennebunkport, faces Democratic challenger Diane Denk, of Kennebunk. District 19: Incumbent Rep. Matthew Harrington, R-Sanford, won the seat in 2016 by 120 votes. He faces Democratic challenger Jeremy Mele, also of Sanford. District 25: Incumbent Rep. Patrick Corey, R-Windham, won the seat unopposed in 2016. This year he faces Democratic challenger Jennie Butler, also of Windham. Page 5 Here's a look at the legislative seats likely to be... [Derived headline] Morning Sentinel; Waterville, Me. September 16, 2018 Sunday

District 26: Incumbent Rep. Maureen Terry, D-Gorham, won the seat by 40 votes in 2016. She faces Repub- lican challenger Kenneth Hoyt Jr., also of Gorham. District 58: Incumbent Rep. James Handy, D-Lewiston, won the seat by 107 votes in 2016. He faces Repub- lican challenger Denise Hurilla. District 66: Incumbent Rep. Jessica Fay, a Democrat, took the seat from Republicans in 2016, beating then-Rep. Mike McClellan, R-Raymond, by 98 votes. This year Fay faces Republican challenger Gregory Foster, also of Raymond. District 69: Incumbent Rep. Phyllis Ginzler, R-Bridgton, won in 2016 by 147 votes over Harrison independent Walter Riseman. Ginzler is not seeking re-election and Riseman is running again, this time against Republi- can Tony Lorrain, also of Harrison. District 74: Incumbent Rep. Tina Riley, D-Jay, won in 2016 by 61 votes. Riley faces Republican challenger Robert Staples, also of Jay. District 75: Former Sen. John Nutting, a Litchfield Democrat, is running against Republican Joshua Morris, of Turner. This is an open seat vacated by Rep. Jeff Timberlake, R-Turner, who is running for the state Sen- ate. District 86: This open seat is being vacated by Rep. Matt Pouliot, R-Augusta. Pouliot handily won re-election in 2016, but the district, which includes a large number of unionized state workers, can be fickle. Republican Justin Fecteau and Democrat Jennifer Day, both of Augusta, will compete for the seat. District 100: Another open seat is being vacated by House Minority Leader Ken Fredette, R-Newport. Fre- dette won the seat unopposed in 2016. Republican Danny Constain, of Plymouth, and Democrat Frederick Austin, of Newport, are competing for the seat. District 113: Rep. Lance Harvell, R-Farmington, is not seeking re-election, leaving the seat open. Harvell won the seat in 2016 by 93 votes in an open race against Democrat Scott Landry Jr. Landry, also of Farmington, is running again for the seat, this time against Republican Paul Brown, also of Farmington. District 121: This is an open seat, as incumbent Rep. Bob Duchesne, D-Old Town, is termed out. Republican Gary Drinkwater, of Milford, who lost to Duchesne by just nine votes in 2016, will try for the seat again, squaring off in a three-way race against Democrat Teri Casavant, of Milford, and independent Bonnie Young, of Argyle Township. District 128: Incumbent Rep. Garrel Craig, R-Brewer, seeks to fend off Democratic challenger Arthur Verow, also of Brewer. Verow held the seat for three consecutive terms until he lost the seat to Craig in 2016 by 57 votes. Credit: Maine Senate Maine House

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Kennebec Journal

August 2, 2018 Thursday

Obama endorses 3 Dems in state races

BYLINE: SCOTT THISTLE

SECTION: Pg. 2.B ISSN: 07452039

LENGTH: 632 words

DATELINE: Augusta, Me.

FULL TEXT Senate candidates among 81 nationally that received endorsement AUGUSTA -- Former President Barack Obama endorsed three Democrats running for the Maine Senate in a tweet Wednesday that included dozens of other endorsements of candidates around the country. Louis Luchini, Linda Sanborn and Laura Fortman made Obama's first round of endorsements for the 2018 election. The tweet included a list of 81 Democratic candidates for state and federal office. It was described as the "first wave of 2018 midterm endorsements." "I'm confident that, together, they'll strengthen this country we love by restoring opportunity, repairing our alliances and standing in the world, and upholding our fundamental commitment to justice, fairness, responsibility, and the rule of law," Obama tweeted following the endorsements. "But first, they need our votes." Luchini is a state representative from Ellsworth running against Republican Rep. Richard Malaby, of Han- cock, for the Senate District 7 seat now held by Brian Langeley R-Ellsworth, who is term-limited. Sanborn, a former state representative from Gorham, is challenging incumbent Sen. Amy Volk, a Scarborough Republi- can, for the Senate District 30 seat. Fortman, of Nobleboro, is challenging incumbent Sen. Dana Dow, a Re- publican from Waldoboro, in the Senate District 13 race. Obama's endorsements did not include Maine Democrats running for Congress or governor. In 2014, Obama stumped for former 2nd District Rep. Mike Michaud, who eventually lost to incumbent Republican Gov. Paul LePage. Obama's tweet did not mention Jared Golden, a state representative from Lewiston who is running for the 2nd Congressional District seat; Maine Attorney General Janet Mills, the party's candidate for governor; or Zak Ringelstein, who is running for the U.S. Senate. Those omissions prompted Maine Republicans to criticize Obama and those candidates. "The lack of interest that the National Democratic Party is showing in Maine's statewide and Congressional races is not surprising to us," said Nina McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the Maine Republican Party. "Janet Mills, Jared Golden, and Zak Ringelstein are low energy candidates, and in Ringelstein's case, who don't even have the support of the state party. We will be interested to see if former President Obama eventually endorses Mills, Golden, or Ringelstein, but we won't hold our breath. This is just an attempt by a former President to stay relevant to a party that he helped destroy." Page 7 Obama endorses 3 Dems in state races Kennebec Journal August 2, 2018 Thursday

The Maine Democratic Party fired back. "If the Maine Republican Party wants to have a conversation about endorsements, then we really look forward to seeing if their candidates -- Shawn Moody, Bruce Poliquin, and Eric Brakey -- are willing to wrap their arms around President Trump and accept his endorsement," said Chris Glynn, a spokesman for the Maine Democratic Party. Moody is the Republican's candidate for governor. Poliquin is seeking re-election in the 2nd District and Brakey is trying to unseat U.S. Sen. Angus King, an independent who caucuses with Democrats. Glynn also noted that the former president has said he will release a second wave of endorsements and campaign for Democratic candidates ahead of the Nov. 6 elections. Luchini, one of the Maine Democrats endorsed by Obama, said the support was welcome. "I'm certainly honored and humbled to receive an endorsement from President Obama," Luchini wrote in an email. "Given the gridlock in D.C., I think there's a heightened importance and focus being placed on electing strong leaders at the state level." Sanborn also said she was honored. "As a former state legislator himself, President Obama recognizes the importance of electing strong leaders at the state level," Sanborn said in a written statement. Credit: By SCOTT THISTLE Portland Press Herald

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Bangor Daily News (Maine)

July 6, 2018 Friday

What's at stake in the Legislature's fight over public campaign financing

BYLINE: Michael Shepherd BDN Staff

LENGTH: 1182 words

Good morning from Augusta. The Legislature is set to return to Augusta next week to handle dozens of vetoes from Gov. Paul LePage amid a large pile of outstanding work. One of the chief items is the authorization of Clean Election funding for the 2018 campaigns.

Page 8 What's at stake in the Legislature's fight over public campaign financing Bangor Daily News (Maine) July 6, 2018 Friday

A fix to a legislative drafting error that has kept the fund from making payments to taxpayer-funded candidates since the new fiscal year began on July 1 has been held up by Republicans in the House of Repre- sentatives in a battle with Democrats.

Candidates also had their last payments slashed last month after LePage refused to allow a routine transfer and he was sued over it. Maine Citizens for Clean Elections, the advocacy group that is leading the lawsuit, has said their legal argument also applies after July 1 -- meaning they could sue again if the Legislature doesn't make the fix.

Long story short, it's a mess. We're not sure how it's going to be resolved after the Legislature's scheduled return on Monday. But we do know that most of the key races in both chambers feature at least one or two Clean Election candidates. Slim majorities in both the House and Senate mean that this battle could affect control of the Legislature.

A lack of further Clean Election funding would affect Democrats more, but many key Senate Republicans are also in the program. That's likely part of the reason why majority Senate Republicans have been open to a fix while the more conservative group of House Republicans, who are in the minority, have been less open to one.

At our last count in June, 77 percent of Democratic legislative candidates are running as Clean Election candidates to just 27 percent of Republicans. But 40 percent of Senate Republicans are using it and they include some of their top-tier candidates in the chamber, where the GOP has a 18-17 majority. In several races that are likely to be competitive, Senate candidates in both parties are using the program.

That includes the re-election race for Sen. Dana Dow, R-Waldoboro, against former Labor Commissioner Laura Fortman. Both Senate Minority Leader Troy Jackson, D-Allagash, and his Republican opponent, former Rep. Mike Nadeau, R-Fort Kent, are using it. The same is true for the open-seat race between House Minority Leader Erin Herbig, D-Belfast, and her Republican opponent, former Rep. Jayne Crosby Giles.

However, Democrats could be hurt in a few key races. Rep. Louis Luchini, D-Ellsworth, is running as a Clean Election candidate for an open seat against Rep. Richard Malaby, R-Hancock, a privately financed candidate. The same is true in a race where Democrats are hoping to give Assistant Senate Majority Leader Amy Volk a scare by running former Rep. Linda Sanborn, D-Gorham, against her.

Some of the key House races are more one-sided when it comes to Clean Elections. In the House, Demo- crats are more adversely impacted. They're running with Clean Elections money in several key seats, including the rematches between Rep. Stedman Seavey, R-Kennebunkport, and Democrat Diane Denk and Rep. Trey Stewart, R-Presque Isle, and former Rep. Bob Saucier, D-Presque Isle. Republicans could suffer in one race, where former state Sen. John Nutting, D-Leeds, is facing Clean Election candidate Joshua Mor- ris, a Republican.

Sometimes, the impact of money in legislative races can be overstated. If this continues, more of the onus could be on central party committees to pick up the fundraising slack and run ads on their candidates' behalf. It's really hard to tell how this will hit races because we just haven't been here before.

LePage assesses gubernatorial field

He predictably praised the Republican and hit the Democrat, but called an independent 'a true Democrat.' The Republican governor broke his relative silence on this year's race to replace him Thursday with an un- Page 9 What's at stake in the Legislature's fight over public campaign financing Bangor Daily News (Maine) July 6, 2018 Friday surprising endorsement of Republican nominee Shawn Moody and some perhaps more surprising comments about independent State Treasurer Terry Hayes.

LePage did not explicitly endorse Moody until Thursday, though LePage's support for the Gorham businessman has been obvious. Some of LePage's staff are working for Moody, including his daughter, Lauren LePage, and first lady Ann LePage endorsed Moody in May during the Republican state convention.

"Frankly, I believe I've done the heavy lifting now and I've put the state on a fairly good financial footing and I think we need somebody that can carry it forward," LePage said. "I'm all in for Shawn Moody."

LePage criticized Attorney General Janet Mills, the Democratic nominee who he has been clashing with for years, saying her election would lead to "more of the [former Gov. John] Baldacci years of red ink." He had kinder words for state Hayes, a former Democratic legislator.

"She's truly a Democrat, unlike what we have in Augusta these days," said LePage. "She's a good person. I just don't think she's heavy enough to carry the state forward."

As for independent hopeful Alan Caron, LePage was dismissive. "They're coming out of the rocks," he said.

Reading list

LePage says Roe v. Wade should not be a litmus test for U.S. Supreme Court nominees. Though he favors repeal of the 1973 decision that decriminalized abortion, LePage said during a radio interview Thursday that nominees shouldn't be disqualified because they won't vote to overturn the decision. The statement was aimed at Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, who has said she will not vote for any nominee who has "demonstrated hostility" to Roe v. Wade.

Scott Pruitt is out. President Donald Trump's Environmental Protection Agency director resigned Thursday after months of controversy around his travel spending, security costs, dealings with industry lobbyists and misuse of government resources. Deputy EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler will assume the acting administrator positions Monday.

Fishermen in disputed waters off Maine's coast are encountering border patrol agents. Canadian fishermen around Machias Seal Island are being questioned about illegal immigration by U.S. Customs and Border Pa- trol agents. There have been 21 contacts between the agency and fishermen since October 2017. There is a disputed "Gray Zone" of disputed territorial waters around the island, which lies about 12 miles southwest of the Canadian island of Grand Manan and 12 miles southeast of the Maine village of Cutler.

Adieu to a long week

We shouldn't be complaining, but it's been a doozy of a week. Independence Day is one of the great holidays of the year, but falling on a Wednesday made coming back to work Thursday seem worse than the worst Monday ever. The soaking blanket of heat hasn't helped either.

But it's Friday, the heat is lifting and you'll need a light jacket in the morning. Here's your soundtrack.

Page 10 What's at stake in the Legislature's fight over public campaign financing Bangor Daily News (Maine) July 6, 2018 Friday

Today's Daily Brief was written by Christopher Cousins and Michael Shepherd. If you're reading this on the BDN's website or were forwarded it, click here to get Maine's only newsletter on state politics via email on weekday mornings.

To reach us, do not reply directly to this newsletter, but email us directly at [email protected] or [email protected]

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Bangor Daily News (Maine)

June 13, 2018 Wednesday

Voters cull the herd in legislative primaries

BYLINE: Christopher Cousins BDN Staff

LENGTH: 528 words

November ballots for the Legislature became clearer Tuesday with the conclusion of numerous legislative primaries.

There were 26 primary contests for seats in the Legislature. In the Senate, all six were among Democrats. In the House, there were 13 Democratic primaries and seven among Republican candidates.

Some of the most interesting primaries involved sitting lawmakers. There were two Democratic primaries for seats representing Portland.

First-term Rep. Heather Sanborn, D-Portland, fended off Portland City Councilor Jill Duson to earn the party's nomination to run for a reliably safe Democratic Maine Senate seat. Sanborn will run against Patrick Martin of Westbrook for the open seat left by Sen. Mark Dion, D-Portland, who gave it up to run for governor.

First-term Rep. Rachel Talbot Ross, a Democrat representing Portland's District 40, fended off in a primary challenge from former Rep. Herb Adams, who she defeated by just 28 votes in a three-way primary in 2016. There is no Republican candidate on the November general election ballot.

There was also heightened interest in the Turner-area House District 75 seat formerly held by Republican Rep. Jeff Timberlake, who is term-limited out of his seat and is running for the Senate. Three Republicans from Turner -- Angelo Terreri, Alexander Pape and Joshua Morris -- are vying to run against former Demo- Page 11 Voters cull the herd in legislative primaries Bangor Daily News (Maine) June 13, 2018 Wednesday cratic Sen. John Nutting of Leeds. This is the only legislative race potentially being decided by ranked-choice voting this year, though Morris held a healthy lead and 55 percent support at around 1 a.m. Wednesday.

For a Hancock County Senate seat, four-term Rep. Louis Luchini of Ellsworth faced off against fellow Demo- crat Ian Schwarz of Mount Desert for the Senate District 7 seat currently held by Republican Sen. Brian Langley of Ellsworth, who is term-limited out of office. Luchini held a commanding lead with 13 or 27 precincts reporting. He will likely face off in November against Republican Rep. Richard Malaby of Hancock, who is also term-limited out of office.

For a Waldo County Senate seat, House Majority Leader Erin Herbig, D-Belfast, held a commanding lead over challenger Joseph Greenier of Stockton Springs and will likely face Republican Jayne Giles of Belfast for the seat current held by term-limited Senate President Mike Thibodeau of Winterport.

In House District 12 in Biddeford, Democrat Victoria Foley of Biddeford defeated John Eder, also of Bid- deford. There is no Republican on the November general election ballot.

In House District 13 in Old Orchard Beach, Democrat Lori Gramlich beat Jay Kelley for the right to run against Republican Sharri MacDonald in November.

In House District 42 in Portland, Democrat Benjamin Collings beat April Fournier for the right to run against Republican Susan Abercrombie in November.

Several other legislative primaries remained up in the air because not all precincts had reported results early Wednesday morning.

For a roundup of Maine political news, click here for the Daily Brief. Click here to get Maine's only newsletter on state politics via email on weekday mornings.

Follow the Bangor Daily News on Facebook for the latest Maine news.

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Bangor Daily News (Maine)

June 13, 2018 Wednesday

Familiar names triumph in Maine legislative primaries Page 12 Familiar names triumph in Maine legislative primaries Bangor Daily News (Maine) June 13, 2018 Wednesday

BYLINE: Christopher Cousins BDN Staff

LENGTH: 644 words

November ballots for the Legislature became clearer Tuesday, with the conclusion of numerous legislative primaries.

There were 26 primary contests for seats in the Legislature. In the Senate, all six were among Democrats. In the House, there were 13 Democratic primaries and seven among Republican candidates.

Some of the most interesting primaries involved sitting lawmakers. There were two Democratic primaries for seats representing Portland.

First-term Rep. Rachel Talbot Ross, a Democrat representing Portland's District 40, easily rebuffed a primary challenge from former Rep. Herb Adams, whom she defeated by just 28 votes in a three-way primary in 2016. There is no Republican candidate on the November general election ballot.

There was also heightened interest in the Turner-area House District 75 seat formerly held by Republican Rep. Jeff Timberlake, who is term-limited out of his seat and is running for the Senate. Three Republicans from Turner -- Angelo Terreri, Alexander Pape and Joshua Morris -- are vying to run against former Demo- cratic Sen. John Nutting of Leeds. This is the only legislative race potentially being decided by ranked-choice voting this year, though Morris held a healthy lead and 55 percent support at around 1 a.m. Wednesday.

In House District 109 in Waterville, Bruce White beat Charles Ferris for the Democratic nomination. White will face Republican Karen Rancourt-Thomas in the general election for the seat held by Rep. Thomas Longstaff.

In House District 110, which includes parts of Oakland and parts of Waterville, Mark Andre beat Jacob Imes by seven votes for the Republican nod and opportunity to run against incumbent Democratic Rep. Colleen Madigan.

In House District 12 in Biddeford, Democrat Victoria Foley of Biddeford defeated John Eder, also of Bid- deford. There is no Republican on the November general election ballot.

Page 13 Familiar names triumph in Maine legislative primaries Bangor Daily News (Maine) June 13, 2018 Wednesday

In House District 13 in Old Orchard Beach, Democrat Lori Gramlich beat Jay Kelley for the right to run against Republican Sharri MacDonald in November.

In House District 30, Anne Carney of Cape Elizabeth defeated Mary Ann Lynch for the Democratic nomination. Carney will face off against Republican Charles Rich in the November general election for the seat currently held by Democratic Rep. Kimberly Monaghan.

In House District 42 in Portland, Democrat Benjamin Collings beat April Fournier for the right to run against Republican Susan Abercrombie in November.

Several other legislative primaries remained up in the air because not all precincts had reported results early Wednesday afternoon.

For a roundup of Maine political news, click here for the Daily Brief. Click here to get Maine's only newsletter on state politics via email on weekday mornings.

Follow the Bangor Daily News on Facebook for the latest Maine news.

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Morning Sentinel; Waterville, Me.

May 6, 2018 Sunday

Pass 'red-flag' bill

SECTION: Pg. 1.A

LENGTH: 266 words

DATELINE: Waterville, Me.

FULL TEXT to protect Mainers We believe the following: 1) That too many people have access to guns despite the threats they have made to themselves or others, 2) That a reasonable way to decrease this number would be to institute a law which, with a court's consent, would not allow a person to have a weapon, nor would they be able to buy one, while a judge's ruling is in place. Page 14 Pass 'red-flag' bill Morning Sentinel; Waterville, Me. May 6, 2018 Sunday

There is such a law -- the so-called "red-flag bill," or "An Act to Create a Community Protection Order to Al- low Courts to Prevent High-risk Individuals from Possessing Firearms." It is L.D. 1884, sponsored by many legislators, including Sen. Mark Dion, House Speaker Sara Gideon, Sen. Lisa Keim, Rep. Richard Malaby, Rep. Karen Vachon, Sen. Amy Volk, Rep. Beth O'Connor, Sen. Dawn Hill, Rep. Bruce Bickford, and Rep. Rachel Talbot Ross. The Legislature adjourned without finishing work on this bill, but they could take it up in a later special session if one is called. The passage of the bill is of critical importance, not only to prevent suicides, but homi- cides as well. We believe that a sensible approach may be the following: 1) Pass the legislation. 2) Educate the courts and judges in what is to be considered in this law (much like the domestic violence laws, with which a judge can restrict people's rights temporarily). By doing these things we, as a state, could protect spouses or partners, our children, and our students, from senseless acts of violence. Our hope is that people will look into this issue, and support our legislators who stand up for L.D. 1884. Credit: Richard Fein Manchester Lisa Ledwidge Bath

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Associated Press State & Local

April 4, 2018 Wednesday 4:08 AM GMT

Bills address mental health, 'high-risk' individuals

SECTION: STATE AND REGIONAL

Page 15 Bills address mental health, 'high-risk' individuals Associated Press State & Local April 4, 2018 Wednesday 4:08 AM GMT

LENGTH: 134 words

DATELINE: AUGUSTA, Maine

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - Maine courts could keep "high-risk" individuals from possessing firearms under legislation that lawmakers are considering. The Legislature's Judiciary Committee is set to review Democratic Sen. Mark Dion's bill Wednesday. An online bill summary says it would create a community protection order to authorize a court to order a person to sudden firearms for 21 days. But first, it would have to be proved that a person poses a danger of injuring him or herself or another person. A police officer or family or household member could file a petition for a temporary community protection order. The committee is also set to consider Republican Rep. Richard Malaby's bill to change how the state's mental health and hospitalization laws define an individual's likelihood for serious future harm.

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Bangor Daily News (Maine)

March 12, 2018 Monday

After 25 years of term limits, Maine still has plenty of career politicians

BYLINE: Christopher Cousins BDN Staff

LENGTH: 1708 words

Maine enacted legislative term limits in 1993, when 67 percent of voters endorsed the measure proposed through a citizen-initiated referendum.

But 25 years later, the politician it targeted is still in office, candidates with legislative service dating to the 1970s are running and Maine's citizen legislature is populated by elected officials who would have a hard time disputing that the label "career politician" fits them. Being a legislator is a part-time job, but it's one that some State House regulars have held for decades.

Page 16 After 25 years of term limits, Maine still has plenty of career politicians Bangor Daily News (Maine) March 12, 2018 Monday

By switching from one chamber to the other or taking a couple of years off before launching a new campaign, lawmakers have found ways to stick around longer than the eight consecutive years limit in the law. Fur- thermore, voters have supported them.

Rocking the institution

After four unsuccessful attempts beginning in 1979, legislative term limits took effect in 1993, a year after a scandal involving ballot tampering by an aide for then-House Speaker John Martin, D-Eagle Lake, who at the time had led the House for 18 years. Martin, who was the poster child for supporters of Maine's term limits law, has served in either the House or Senate for all but four years since then and holds the record as Maine's longest-serving lawmaker.

Term limits as a concept play well when anti-government sentiment is high or when State House events ele- vate voter frustration. The 1993 referendum came two years after an acrimonious state government shutdown. Proponents of term limits convinced Maine voters in 1993 that longtime office holders focused more on accumulating power than governing, and that a regular churn of elected officials created by term limits would empower citizen legislators and inject fresh ideas into state government.

It hasn't worked that way, and efforts to modify Maine's term limits law have fizzled. Voters rejected a 2007 referendum to increase the maximum number of two-year terms in either chamber from four to six, and several legislative proposals in recent years to adjust term limits have also failed.

[What have term limits accomplished for Maine?]

That comes as a disappointment for some, including Mark Brewer, a University of Maine political science professor who has long opposed term limits, chiefly because he says they rob the Legislature of institutional knowledge.

"I can't for the life of me imagine why voters or anyone for that matter would want to get rid of people who are experienced," Brewer said. "If you were getting brain surgery, would you want someone with the most vast knowledge and the most experience? Of course you would."

Other than Martin, another prime example of someone who keeps coming back is Republican Sawin Millett of Waterford, who is running for the House this year after being termed out of office in 2010. Millett, who said he intends to file for the race this week, has decades of experience running several state departments, including a stint as Gov. Paul LePage's finance commissioner.

"Legislative service should not be looked at as a career," said Millett, who then added, "With the institutional knowledge I have gained, I can contribute something."

Voters and party operatives who recruit legislative candidates seem to agree. They've had 25 years of precedent to demonstrate that Mainers care more about electing people they trust than adhering to the political ideology that spawned the term limits law.

The deadline for party candidates to qualify for the ballot is Thursday, and here is a partial list of candidates whose campaigns illustrate ways to sidestep the term limits law. It's long.

Current House members seeking Senate seats

Page 17 After 25 years of term limits, Maine still has plenty of career politicians Bangor Daily News (Maine) March 12, 2018 Monday

-- Rep. Russell Black, R-Wilton, is termed out of office this year and is running for the Senate District 17 seat being vacated because Republican Tom Saviello is termed out.

-- Assistant House Minority Leader Ellie Espling, R-New Gloucester, is termed out of office this year and is running for the Senate District 20 seat currently held by Sen. Eric Brakey, R-Auburn, who is leaving the Maine Senate to run for the U.S. Senate.

-- Rep. Stacey Guerin, R-Glenburn, is termed out of her House seat and is running for the Senate District 10 seat being vacated by Sen. Andre Cushing, R-Hampden.

-- House Majority Leader Erin Herbig, D-Belfast, is termed out of the House and is running for the Senate District 11 seat currently held by Senate President Mike Thibodeau, R-Winterport, who is termed out of office. She will likely face former Rep. Jayne Crosby Giles, R-Belfast, who served two previous House terms.

-- Rep. Louis Luchini, D-Ellsworth, who is termed out of office, is running for the Senate District 7 seat currently held by Sen. Brian Langley, R-Ellsworth, who is also termed out of office. Rep. Richard Malaby, R-Hancock, is termed out of office but is running against Luchini for the Senate District 7 seat.

-- Rep. Jeff Timberlake, R-Turner, is termed out of office but is running for the Senate District 22 seat held by Senate Majority Leader Garrett Mason, R-Lisbon Falls, who is termed out of office.

-- Rep. Mark Lawrence, D-Eliot, has served four previous terms in the Senate and three terms in the House. He has three terms of House eligibility left in his current stint there but is running for the Senate 35 currently held by Sen. Dawn Hill, D-Cape Neddick, who is termed out of office.

-- Rep. Brad Farrin, R-Norridgewock, is eligible for two more terms in the House but is running for Senate District 3 to replace Sen. Rod Whittemore, R-Skowhegan.

-- Rep. Matthew Pouliot, R-Augusta, is eligible for another House term but is running for the Senate District 15 seat being vacated by Sen. Roger Katz, R-Augusta, who is termed out.

-- Former Rep. Linda Sanborn, D-Gorham, reached term limits in 2016 and is now running for the Senate District 30 seat held by Assistant Senate Minority Leader Amy Volk, R-Scarborough. Volk, who served two previous terms in the House, is seeking her third Senate term.

-- Rep. Heather Sanborn, D-Portland, is eligible for three more House terms but is running for the Senate District 28 seat held by Sen. Mark Dion, D-Portland, a former Maine House member who is eligible for three more Senate terms but who is running for governor.

Former House members seeking re-election in the Senate

-- Sen. Michael Carpenter, D-Houlton, has served a total of 12 years in the Legislature and is running for his second consecutive Senate term in District 2.

-- Sen. Justin Chenette, D-Saco, served two terms in the House before switching to the Senate in 2016. He is seeking re-election to his Senate District 31 seat.

Page 18 After 25 years of term limits, Maine still has plenty of career politicians Bangor Daily News (Maine) March 12, 2018 Monday

-- Sen. Benjamin Chipman, D-Portland, served three House terms before being elected to his Senate District 27 seat in 2016.

-- Sen. Paul Davis, R-Sangerville, served three terms in the House before being elected to the Senate Dis- trict 4 seat in 2014.

-- Sen. William Diamond, D-Windham, was first elected to the House in 1976 and served three consecutive terms before being elected to the Senate in 1982 for two terms. He came back to the Senate District 26 seat in 2004 and stayed until he was termed out in 2012. Diamond regained the seat in 2014 and is seeking his third consecutive term there.

-- Senate Majority Leader Troy Jackson, D-Allagash, served three terms in the Senate before leaving for an unsuccessful congressional bid in 2014. He was re-elected in 2016 and is seeking his second consecutive term in Senate District 1. Former Rep. Allen M. Nadeau, R-Fort Kent, who served one House term, is running against Jackson.

-- Sen. Kimberly Rosen, R-Bucksport, served three House terms before being elected to the Senate District 8 seat in 2014.

-- Sen. James Hamper, R-Oxford, was termed out of his House seat in 2012, when he was elected to the Senate District 19 seat. He is seeking is fourth consecutive Senate term.

-- Assistant Senate Minority Leader Nate Libby, D-Lewiston, served one term in the House before being elected to the Senate District 21 seat in 2014. He is seeking his third Senate term.

-- Sen. David Miramant, D-Camden, served one House term before being elected to Senate District 12 in 2012.

-- Sen. James Dill, D-Old Town, served two terms in the House before being elected to the Senate District 5 seat in 2014.

Former senator seeking a return

-- Former Sen. John Tuttle, D-Sanford, who has served seven House terms and four Senate terms, is seeking election to the Senate 33 held by Sen. David Woodsome, R-North Waterboro, who is seeking re-election.

Former senators seeking House seats

-- Former Sen. Margaret Craven, D-Lewiston, previously served three terms in the House and two Senate terms. She is running for the House District 59, which is currently held by Rep. Roger Fuller, a Democrat who is not seeking re-election.

-- Former Sen. Michael Brennan, D-Portland, served two terms in the Senate and is now seeking election to the House District 36 seat currently held by Rep. Denise Harlow, who is termed out of office.

-- Former Sen. Earle McCormick, R-West Gardiner, who served two House terms and three Senate terms, is running for House District 84 against Rep. Charlotte Warren, D-Hallowell.

Page 19 After 25 years of term limits, Maine still has plenty of career politicians Bangor Daily News (Maine) March 12, 2018 Monday

-- Former Sen. John Nutting, D-Leeds, who served three House terms and six Senate terms is running for the House District 75 seat held by Timberlake, who is running for the Senate.

Former House members trying to come back

Former Rep. Phil Curtis, R-Madison, who served three House terms and who was majority leader in 2011 and 2012, is running for the House District 111 held by Farrin, who is running for the Senate.

-- Former Rep. Ann Peoples, D-Westbrook, who was termed out of the House in 2014, is running for the House District 35 seat held by Rep. Dillon Bates, who is not seeking re-election.

This list does not include former legislators seeking to win back seats they lost in 2016. With an open Blaine House seat being pursued by another long list of former legislators and slim partisan splits in the House and Senate, stakes are high so expect to see more familiar faces show up on Maine ballots this year.

For a roundup of Maine political news, click here for the Daily Brief. Click here to get Maine's only newsletter on state politics via email on weekday mornings.

Follow the Bangor Daily News on Facebook for the latest Maine news.

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Kennebec Journal

August 13, 2017 Sunday

Solar bill met more powerful foe: Doubt

BYLINE: TUX TURKEL

SECTION: Pg. 1.A ISSN: 07452039

LENGTH: 1553 words

DATELINE: Augusta, Me.

FULL TEXT Page 20 Solar bill met more powerful foe: Doubt Kennebec Journal August 13, 2017 Sunday

Solar advocates spent months promoting the benefits of rooftop installations, developing details on topics ranging from job growth to lower electric rates. They thought they had the votes on Aug. 2 to override a veto by Gov. Paul LePage of a crucial solar energy bill. Then Rep. Richard Malaby, a Republican from Hancock with no interest in energy policy, rose on the floor of the House of Representatives. Malaby launched into a speech that had nothing to do with solar power. Instead, he made a passionate case that it was improper for the House to take up the bill because it was unconstitutional, citing a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the Affordable Care Act. The solar lobby never saw that one coming. Neither did House Speaker Sara Gideon, a Democrat. She was forced to put the House into recess for 18 minutes while she consulted Mason's Manual of Legislative Pro- cedure, the official parliamentary guidebook. No one knew that the seed for Malaby's diatribe was planted months ago, by a LePage energy adviser with a long history of undermining solar. When the vote finally came, solar supporters failed by three votes to get the two-thirds majority needed to override the governor's veto. Malaby's speech is being cited as an example of how tactics, including his out-of-the-blue comments, an alleged misinformation campaign by Central Maine Power and a strategic legislative blunder, combined to create confusion and defeat the solar lobby for a second year in a row. In the aftermath, some solar advocates say facts fell victim to politics. "Facts do matter and they will eventually prevail," said James Cote, a lobbyist who represents an alliance of solar installers. "But we're in a pretty toxic environment with solar policy and anything with the word 'solar' in it." The vote has created more uncertainty in Maine's solar industry, which employs about 500 people, and keeps Maine in the back of the pack of states developing solar power as a means of energy independence. Additionally, solar advocates have filed a lawsuit, challenging the state's authority to phase out existing solar incentives. Solar power generation has been growing nationally by double digits, driven in part by renewable energy mandates in states such as California and Massachusetts. But growth has been stunted in Maine, which lacks state incentives and has a governor who is hostile to an energy source he sees as shifting costs onto other electric customers. Last year, a bill was introduced that aimed to update net metering, a 1990s rule that gives panel owners a 100 percent credit for the retail value of excess power they feed back into the electric grid. It passed, but lawmakers failed to override LePage's veto by two votes. This year, after another expansive solar bill ran into opposition, supporters tried a scaled-back approach. L.D. 1504 sought to keep current net metering laws in place while the Public Utilities Commission -- which had enacted its own rule to gradually phase out net metering -- did a cost-benefit study. But solar supporters never got buy-in from CMP. To the contrary, Maine's largest utility doubled down. On July 18, Sara Burns, CMP's president and chief executive, wrote a column published in the Portland Press Herald that asserted incentives for rooftop solar owners could add $150 million to customer bills through 2035. That and other factors led lawmakers to put off a planned vote on the veto override, when they first convened to consider outstanding bills on July 20. Solar supporters accused Burns of scare tactics, and she later acknowledged that her $150 million figure reflected a worst-case scenario. It contradicted estimates from the Maine Office of the Public Advocate that the bill would actually provide customers with a modest savings. But the column had its desired effect: It made some lawmakers who had supported the solar bill think twice. The blur of competing facts formed a backdrop on Aug. 2, when lawmakers returned to finally end the longest legislative session in state history. Facing decisions on major public issues such as cellphone use while Page 21 Solar bill met more powerful foe: Doubt Kennebec Journal August 13, 2017 Sunday driving and the legal age for buying cigarettes, the House was asked to consider a new solar bill few members had heard of. L.D. 1373 had been introduced earlier this year by Rep. Seth Berry, D-Bowdoinham. It began life as an environmental activist wish list of incentives and rebates, but could never win enough support to move ahead. On Aug. 2, the bill was reborn as a vehicle to fix a perceived problem. Emera Maine, which serves electric customers in northern and eastern Maine, had raised concerns about legal language in the solar bill. Berry and other Democrats thought they could clarify the language, by using L.D. 1373 as a template for a new amendment. This turned out to be a mistake. LePage's Republican allies skillfully used the amendment bill to sow doubt about solar. House Republican Leader Ken Fredette rose and said he was confused. The solar bill had been vetoed by the governor, he pointed out. But now comes an amendment, which has been turned into a new bill, on the last day of the session, which hasn't gone through the committee process and which he hadn't seen until five minutes ago. "A bill that amends a bill that the chief executive has vetoed," Fredette said, sounding exasperated. Minutes later, Rep. Beth O'Connor, R-Berwick, took the floor. A member of the committee that handles energy issues and a critic of renewable energy subsidies, she said she couldn't possibly understand the amendment bill in five minutes. Her voice rising in anger, O'Connor called the bill a desperate attempt to just pass something. Berry then rose to apologize for any confusion. The amendment, he said, was just two sentences. It didn't change any current practices, just clarified how rooftop solar owners are compensated. But when a vote was called at the urging of Republicans, the House voted 73-64 to indefinitely postpone the amendment. Cote, the solar lobbyist, said his side didn't have time to explain the measure to lawmakers. "We thought it made sense," he said. "It was meant to be an olive branch. But it was easy at that point for opponents to take it and just confuse the issue even further." Confusion intensified later that afternoon, when the solar bill came up. Gideon was caught off guard by Rep. Malaby's contention that the House had no standing to consider the bill. In his view, the bill redistributed funds, which amounted to a tax on non-solar users. He thought that was unconstitutional, based on wording in Maine law and a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the individual mandate for health insurance, which he read aloud. Masking her displeasure, Gideon replied that Malaby had presented a well thought-out argument "that took some time for someone to put together." After reviewing the parliamentary rules, though, she determined the House could proceed. But this unexpected debate over whether the solar bill was a tax gave Republicans new ammunition. Fre- dette rose to say that the tax question, combined with the failure of L.D. 1373, exposed the "gaping hole" in L.D. 1504. Rep. Heather Sirocki, R-Scarborough, agreed, saying she found Malaby's argument "compelling." Then she said she would "share a few words from Sara Burns," and began reading passages from the CMP chief's July 18 newspaper column, repeating the disputed projection of a $150 million hit to ratepayers. Democrats tried to quell the growing rebellion. A member of the energy committee, Rep. Heather Sanborn, D-Portland, calmly listed the limited steps that would be taken under the bill. Rep. Janice Cooper, D-Yarmouth, urged members not to be sidetracked by a false argument, and emphasized that the bill contained no taxes. Page 22 Solar bill met more powerful foe: Doubt Kennebec Journal August 13, 2017 Sunday

But the tide had already turned. While the veto override easily passed in the Senate, 28-6, it failed in the House, 88-48, three votes short of the two-thirds majority needed. Fourteen House members were absent from the vote, and seven Republicans who initially supported the measure changed their positions. In an interview last week, Malaby said he got the idea for his speech months ago from one of LePage's energy advisers, Jim LaBrecque, a vocal opponent of solar energy. Malaby said he first thought the analogy between provisions of the solar bill and the Affordable Care Act was "crazy." But LaBrecque persisted, providing him with appeals court rulings meant to back the claim. Then, while watching a Red Sox game in mid-July, Malaby said something jogged his memory and led him to get on the internet and do his own research. What he learned formed the basis of his speech to the House, he said. "I think I swayed a few Republicans who voted against the bill, because they are more constitutionally ori- ented," Malaby said. "I think it made a difference." After the vote, solar supporters were left trying to sort out what happened. "What's so frustrating is, it's not about policy," said Chris Rauscher, public policy director for Sunrun Inc., a top national rooftop installer that lobbied for the Maine bill. "This is complicated stuff. So it's disingenuous to inject (misinformation) into the debate. The best way to kill a bill like this is to inject more doubt." Tux Turkel -- 791-6462 [email protected] Twitter: TuxTurkel Credit: By TUX TURKEL Maine Sunday Telegram

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Dayton Daily News (Ohio)

July 9, 2017 Sunday

The dental lobby has real teeth; As pushback to Maine bill shows, dentists are powerful political force

BYLINE: BY MARY JORDAN

Page 23 The dental lobby has real teeth; As pushback to Maine bill shows, dentists are powerful political force Dayton Daily News (Ohio) July 9, 2017 Sunday

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LENGTH: 1685 words

Michael Hanson had all his teeth pulled after being priced out of oral care. A new model promises lower costs, but most dentists oppose it. Little in politics has surprised Richard Malaby as much as the power of dentists. For years, local dentists held four Christmas parties at Mala-by's 19th-century country inn in the picturesque town of Hancock. But in 2014, Malaby, a Republican lawmaker in the Maine state legislature, voted to create a new type of dental provider to perform basic services in poor and rural areas. The Maine Dental Association, which opposed the bill, was furious. And the dentists took their Christmas parties elsewhere, costing Malaby $6,000 that December and every Yuletide since. Among the general public, dentists tend to have a Norman Rockwell appeal - solo practitioners who clean your teeth, tell your kids to cut down on the candy, and put their seal of approval on a range of minty tooth- pastes and mouthwashes. But lawmakers from Maine to Alaska see a different side of dentists and their lobby, the American Dental Association, describing a political force so unified, so relentless and so thor- oughly woven into American communities that its clout rivals that of the gun lobby. "I put their power right up there with the NRA," Malaby said. "Dentists do everything they can to protect their interests - and they have money." As the cost of dental care rises beyond the reach of millions of Americans, the dental lobby is coming under increasing scrutiny. Critics say the ADA has worked to scuttle competition that could improve access to dental care in underserved areas and make routine checkups and fillings more affordable. The Federal Trade Commission has battled dentists in state after state over anti-competitive conduct. In 2007, the FTC successfully settled a complaint over a South Carolina dental board requirement that dentists examine children in school clinics before hygienists can clean their teeth, adding greatly to the cost. In 2015, the FTC won a Supreme Court ruling against the North Carolina dental board, which tried to block teeth-whitening businesses from operating in malls. This year, the FTC publicly commented on a growing campaign to improve access to dental care by creating a category of mid-level practitioners, or "dental therapists," to provide some routine services. In a letter to the Ohio lawmakers considering such a measure, FTC officials said therapists "could benefit consumers by increasing choice, competition, and access to care, especially for the underserved." More than a dozen states are considering similar proposals, despite fierce resistance from the ADA and its state affiliates. During the Maine debate, so many dentists flooded the statehouse in Augusta that besieged lawmakers taped up signs declaring their offices a "Dental Free Zone." The dentists had a unique way to get around the blockade: the regular checkup. While the bill was pending, some lawmakers found themselves getting an earful when they stretched out and opened wide for an oral exam. "I'm certainly a captive audience when I am in the dental chair," said Brian Langley (R), a Maine state senator who also got calls from four other dentists in his district and ended up siding with them. The bill establishing a new provider type ultimately passed, but "it was brutal, very brutal," recalled David Burns, a Republican state senator who retired after supporting the measure. Afterward, Burns said, he got a call from his dentist, who vowed never to treat him again, saying, "This relationship is over." Most of the 200,000 dentists in America work solo, in offices that are essentially small businesses. They are known for projecting a remarkably unified voice on issues relating to their livelihood. The ADA says 64 percent of dentists belong to the association. By comparison, only 25 percent of physicians belong to the Amer- ican Medical Association. Page 24 The dental lobby has real teeth; As pushback to Maine bill shows, dentists are powerful political force Dayton Daily News (Ohio) July 9, 2017 Sunday

The ADA agrees that too many Americans are getting inadequate dental care. They argue that the answer is not the creation of "lesser trained" therapists, but more government funding and "community dental health care coordinators" to educate people and get them to a dentist. "Dentistry has a fundamental belief that dentists should be the only ones to do surgical, irreversible procedures," said Michael Graham, senior vice president of the ADA's Division of Government and Public Affairs. "A lot of things can happen when you cut into a tooth." Others argue that the American model of dentistry is badly in need of innovation and competition. The Pew Charitable Trusts and other foundations advocate therapists as a way to improve access and affordability. Therapists cost less to train than dentists do, and states set the rules governing their training and scope of practice. Supporters say the idea is for the therapists to work in concert with a licensed dentist but be more mobile, visiting people in nursing homes and underserved rural areas to perform basic oral exams and fill and pull some teeth. They would also treat people on Medicaid, the government health-care program for the poor. Two-thirds of licensed dentists do not accept Medicaid, and hospital emergency rooms are swamped with people with neglected teeth. Louis Sullivan, a physician who served as secretary of health and human services under President George H.W. Bush, said dentists' opposition to therapists is largely about money. "They think dental therapists will be competing against them and therefore will compromise their income," he said. Sullivan noted that doctors strongly opposed the creation of nurse practitioners in the 1970s. Now doctors - and the healthcare system - can't live without them, he said. As in the nurse-doctor battle, there is a gender factor: More than 95 percent of dental hygienists are female. As a group, they support the idea of therapists and, with additional training, could join their ranks. Currently, hygienists work in small offices with licensed dentists, 70 percent of whom are male. Dentistry has "been an old boys' club," said Ruth Ballweg, a professor and physician assistant at the Univer- sity of Washington School of Medicine who has been involved in the fight for dental therapists. "But the model is changing." Richard Malaby, a Republican lawmaker in the Maine state legislature, says, "Dentists do everything they can to protect their interests - and they have money." Heather Sirocki, a lawmaker who trained as a dental hygienist, cosponsored the bill that ultimately passed. Dentist Jonathan Shenkin vocally joined the Maine Dental Association in opposition of the bill. He says the fight for lower costs is misplaced. More than 50 countries, from Canada to New Zealand, have dental therapists. Alaska Native tribal areas first introduced dental therapists to the United States in 2004. Since then, Minnesota, Maine and Vermont have approved them. Ohio, Kansas, Massachusetts, North Dakota and several other states are now contemplating their authorization. The ADA has spent millions of dollars trying to block the bills. It also filed multiple lawsuits trying without success to stop the Alaska program. "They went after these Alaskan therapists like they were ISIS. It was embarrassing," said Jack Dillenberg, a dentist who has taught at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. Dillenberg visited the Alaska program, where therapists working in consultation with a licensed dentist - sometimes by telemedicine - visit islands, remote villages and other under-served areas. "I thought they were awesome," said Dillenberg, one of few dentists to publicly support the therapist idea. Of two dozen dentists interviewed, a handful said they liked the idea, with some arguing that the existence of therapists would let them concentrate on more complicated procedures. Another proponent, Maine dentist Page 25 The dental lobby has real teeth; As pushback to Maine bill shows, dentists are powerful political force Dayton Daily News (Ohio) July 9, 2017 Sunday

Aatif Ansari, posted pro-therapist comments on Facebook during the 2014 debate. He got hammered by his colleagues. "It was very aggressive. Folks were upset," Ansari said. "They said things like, 'How could you? I spend this many years in school and how could you let someone with inferior training do this work?' " The ADA and its state associations often argue that therapists provide second-class care. Jonathan Shenkin, a Maine dentist who is active in the lobby, said the push for therapists is misplaced. He argues for more em- phasis on prevention, including better nutrition and regular brushing. In Maine, the therapist bill turned out to be the most contentious issue of the 2014 legislative session. It passed only after opponents added multiple restrictions, including a requirement that therapists work only in the presence of a dentist. Supporters failed even to persuade lawmakers to let therapists travel to nursing homes alone. Three years later, resistance remains high. Dentists control the dental schools and the state licensing board, and not one therapist has yet been trained. Supporters of the legislation say restrictions and bureaucracy have made becoming a therapist less desirable. Meanwhile, people who can't pay continue to put off care. On a recent Friday, Michael Hanson, 54, a lob- sterman who went 15 years without seeing a dentist, was sitting in the community health clinic near Maine's Acadia National Park. Over time, lack of care and poor health ruined Hanson's teeth. In February, they were all pulled. He sat toothless, talking about eating soft food for months while he awaits his dentures. Hanson said his daughter, too, skips annual exams because it is hard to come up with the money. The dental system is broken, he said. "You go to the hospital and they give you time to pay your bill. But you go to the dentist and they want you to pay right there, and people just don't have the money." Heather Sirocki, a Maine lawmaker who backed the therapist bill, is a hygienist by training. She has seen the swollen jaws and blackened teeth of people who can't afford dental care. She's even heard of people driving to Canada to seek treatment. People like Hanson "are not asking for a free handout," Sirocki said. "They are asking for a dental appoint- ment." ?The Washington Post

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Morning Sentinel; Waterville, Me.

July 7, 2017 Friday

Industry foes limit Mainers' dental options

SECTION: Pg. 1.A

LENGTH: 511 words

Page 26 Industry foes limit Mainers' dental options Morning Sentinel; Waterville, Me. July 7, 2017 Friday

DATELINE: Waterville, Me.

FULL TEXT When Maine legislators voted in 2014 to create a new type of dental care provider -- the mid-level dental therapist -- it was supposed to be a step toward solving the state's dental health crisis. But because the measure wound up being watered down, too many Mainers are still having to get their dental care in the emergency room rather than the dentist's office. Nearly 1 in 4 Mainers lives in an area designated as having a dentist shortage, and the crisis is worst in the poorest and most rural parts of the state. To address this longstanding problem, the original 2014 proposal would have set up the kind of program that has worked in other states with dispersed rural populations, such as Alaska, where dental therapists get two years of training to provide both preventive and basic care (like cleanings, fillings and tooth extractions) in areas where few or no dentists have set up practice. But unlike in Alaska -- where dental therapists can work remotely, on islands and in far-flung tribal villages, as long as a dentist signs off on their work -- dental therapists in Maine can work only in the presence of a dentist. Even though multiple evaluations have shown that the Alaska model provides high-quality, effective care to people who'd had little to no access to it before, Maine dental therapists can't even travel to schools or nursing homes alone. Three years after the dental therapy bill became law, not one dental therapist has yet been trained in Maine -- because the restrictions added to mollify the bill's critics have made it less desirable to become a therapist, the bill's supporters told The Washington Post in a June 1 article. The eye-opening article -- headlined "The unexpected political power of dentists" -- outlines the full-court press put on to scuttle mid-level practitioner programs. The Maine Dental Association opposed even the compromise dental therapy measure; the American Dental Association, its parent organization, has spent millions of dollars trying to block such bills and filed multiple lawsuits in a fruitless effort to halt the Alaska program, the Post reported. Maine Rep. Richard Malaby, R-Hancock, told the paper: "Dentists do everything they can to protect their interests -- and they have money." He found that out the hard way. After Malaby backed the dental therapist bill, local dentists, who'd held four Christmas parties in his country inn, looked for another venue -- costing him a $6,000-a-year customer. Since 2014, efforts to make it easier for dental therapists to get accredited and to practice have faltered in the Legislature, though they had the backing of groups as diverse as the Christian Civic League and Maine Equal Justice Partners. Thousands of Mainers go without dental care every year until toothaches, abscesses and sepsis force them to resort to the ER -- because too many of the officials who represent them in Augusta can't live with the discomfort of pushing back against the interests who oppose even modest steps to expand access to these critically needed services. Credit:

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Morning Sentinel; Waterville, Me.

June 14, 2017 Wednesday

Maine passes up chance to help teenagers in need

SECTION: Pg. 1.A

LENGTH: 437 words

DATELINE: Waterville, Me.

FULL TEXT The tragic death by suicide last month of a Lewiston Middle School student shines a glaring spotlight on a horrible irony: It takes a crisis to focus attention on the lack of effective mental health services for young people. The rest of the time, we let opportunities to make a difference pass us by, and families continue to struggle alone. Exhibit A: L.D. 902. The measure, sponsored by Hancock Republican Rep. Richard Malaby, called for increasing MaineCare reimbursement rates for providers who offer evidence-based mental health care to children and teenagers. The bill should have been a shoo-in. Instead, the Health and Human Services Commit- tee tabled it, although it may be carried over to the next session. The fate of L.D. 902 shows there's a limited understanding of the barriers facing families whose children have mental health issues. It's true that young people are often reluctant to ask for help when they're having a hard time. It's also true that there aren't nearly enough child psychiatrists in Maine (the problem is a nationwide one). And it certainly doesn't help that Maine is one of just two states where the percentage of uninsured children grew between 2010 and 2015. But there are other barriers to care. A child with anxiety or depression won't benefit from therapy unless the counselor has been trained to work with young people and is using methods that have been researched and proven effective. And MaineCare has an influence over the state's entire health care structure: Private insurers often set their reimbursement rates based on the public insurer's regulations. We don't know why the Health and Human Services Committee voted to table L.D. 902 at its April 18 work session. But it's hard not to see a double standard of care between physical and mental health, especially when it comes to children and adolescents. Their symptoms are often dismissed as willful misbehavior, "just a phase" or typical teenage moodiness, even though half of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14. But a self-reported 2015 state survey points to very real troubles among children and adolescents in Maine: Fifteen percent of high schoolers had considered attempting suicide during the last year, the survey found, and 6.2 percent of middle school students had attempted suicide at some point in their lives. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for Mainers ages 10 to 25. This is a crisis, and the only way to head it off is with early intervention. Lawmakers have passed up one chance to effect change -- they should- n't be allowed to repeat their mistake next session. Credit:

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Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine)

June 6, 2017 Tuesday

House seeks to make lying to legislators a felony

BYLINE: Steve Collins

LENGTH: 547 words

DATELINE: Lewiston, Me.

FULL TEXT AUGUSTA -- Despite warnings it could escalate partisan squabbles into criminal charges, the House approved a proposal that would make it a felony for some to provide false testimony to legislators. File photo Initially conceived as a broad ban on anyone providing false testimony, the revised bill adopted by a vote of 76-70 would make it a crime only for lobbyists and executive branch officials to lie to lawmakers. Its original sponsor, Rep. Heather Sirocki, R-Scarborough, denounced the new version as "a terrible bill." Supporters said, though, that requiring people to tell the truth when they testify is a good idea. "Legislators increasingly rely on lobbyists and expert members of the public to fully understand the technical and often complicated effect a bill will have if passed," Suzanne Lafreniere, representing the Roman Catholic Diocese in Portland, told legislators in committee. "In order to make the right decisions that will further the common good, legislators need accurate and true information to properly evaluate each bill," she said. Supporters of the revised proposal brushed aside GOP concerns that including executive branch officials along with lobbyists might be used to go after those serving a governor whose party isn't also in control of the Legislature. Rep. Lance Harvell, R-Farmington, said that in the "heightened politically partisan environment" that's increasingly taking hold, perjury charges could become a weapon for the Legislature to use against executive branch officials who testify about bills. Page 29 House seeks to make lying to legislators a felony Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine) June 6, 2017 Tuesday

He warned that before long, the state may need to add space for all the people who could find perjury charges lodged against them. "There are times in this body where we try to make a silk purse of a sow's ear," Rep. Richard Malaby, R-Hancock, said. "This is one of those times." Minority Leader Ken Fredette, R-Newport, said he finds it troubling that legislators who favor the proposal are "going way beyond" what Sirocki's bill intended. Now, he said, "this is just a bad bill." Sirocki introduced her measure in committee with the explanation that it would "help clarify and enforce the expectation that information provided by anyone, including lobbyists, to the Maine Legislature, in both written and oral testimony, be truthful." "I don't need to tell each of you how important it is that lawmakers base decisions on truthful, accurate information," she told a legislative panel. Also in committee, Secretary of State Matt Dunlap weighed in against the proposal. "I know well enough that misleading testimony is damaging to the integrity of the process," Dunlap said. "But we also know through experience that this is a process that polices itself. "People who dissemble, mislead or outright lie don't last long in Augusta," he said. "The point here, I believe, is to make sure that committees are getting accurate and truthful information. I think that's understandable and laudable. But what is truth? What is accurate?" The proposal wound up heavily revised as legislators pared its initial language to target only lobbyists and lobbyists' associates. The House added executive branch officials as well. Before the measure can reach the governor's desk, the House and Senate need to approve identical bills. Credit: Steve Collins, Staff Writer

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Morning Sentinel; Waterville, Me.

December 8, 2016 Thursday

LePage delivers oath of office

Page 30 LePage delivers oath of office Morning Sentinel; Waterville, Me. December 8, 2016 Thursday

BYLINE: KEVIN MILLER; Scott Thistle; KEVIN MILLER; Scott Thistle

SECTION: Pg. 1.A

LENGTH: 1593 words

DATELINE: Waterville, Me.

ABSTRACT The Republican also said eliminating the tip credit -- which currently allows employers to pay employees 50 percent of the minimum wage as long as their tips make up the difference -- will harm Maine's critically important food service industry.

FULL TEXT Governor urges new Legislature to change referendum measures AUGUSTA -- Gov. Paul LePage swore in members of the 128th Legislature on Wednesday, but not before urging lawmakers to change two referendum measures passed by Maine voters in November. LePage said the ballot initiatives to raise Maine's minimum wage to $12 an hour by 2020 and to impose a 3 percent tax surcharge on individual income above $200,000 a year will hurt the state's economy. He said the tax surcharge, which will fund education programs, already is prompting wealthy Mainers to explore moving to income tax-free New Hampshire, while the minimum wage hike will harm small businesses and elderly residents living on a fixed income. "We all accept the will of the people. But first, as sworn elected officials, we must not do harm to our economy," LePage told newly elected senators. LePage's remarks, which he delivered before administering the oath of office to lawmakers, added a political edge to a largely ceremonial day when lawmakers pose for pictures with their families and elect leaders and key legislative staff members. They also underscored the especially unpredictable nature of the session, in part because of ramifications from the Nov. 8 referendum votes. LePage said he will introduce legislation to delay the implementation of the wage increase and to keep the so-called "tip credit" for restaurant workers, which would be phased out under the ballot initiative approved by 55 percent of voters. LePage warned that elderly and disabled Mainers will be unable to afford the higher costs of goods that he predicted would result from the higher minimum wage, causing "a real death spiral to our elderly." LePage repeatedly made similar claims during the campaign. The Republican also said eliminating the tip credit -- which currently allows employers to pay employees 50 percent of the minimum wage as long as their tips make up the difference -- will harm Maine's critically important food service industry. "I'm asking you to work with me to try to find a system that will work for everyone and that will do no harm to our economy, but most importantly to our elderly, to our disabled and to our mentally ill," LePage told the House. Some business leaders also are lobbying lawmakers to adjust the planned increase. Maine's minimum wage is scheduled to increase from $7.50 an hour to $9 an hour on Jan. 1 under the time line laid out in Question 4 on the November ballot. Wages then would increase annually by $1 until the minimum hits $12 in 2020, after which the wage would be pegged to increases in the federally calculated cost of living. For service workers who receive tips, wages would increase from $3.75 an hour to $5 an hour in 2017 and rise $1 an hour annually. By 2024, when the tip credit will be phased out, service industry workers would be paid a minimum hourly wage of $12. Page 31 LePage delivers oath of office Morning Sentinel; Waterville, Me. December 8, 2016 Thursday

A leader of the Question 4 campaign to increase the minimum wage, Mike Tipping with the Maine People's Alliance, said he doesn't expect to see the Legislature vote to roll back a wage increase that won such strong support at the polls. "Obviously his motivation is to use an opportunity like this, where he can't be asked questions, to put forward lies about the minimum wage -- things such as the effect on seniors and on restaurant workers," said Tip- ping, who is a frequent target of LePage's criticism. Tipping said that one in three Mainers over age 65 will see their wages increase because they are still working and said the dramatic price hikes predicted by LePage and other opponents have not happened in other states that recently increased the minimum wage or in Maine during previous increases. "The people voted overwhelmingly for it," Tipping said. "It was a very clear question. I don't think people misunderstood what they were voting for." Under the state's Constitution, the Legislature could repeal or alter in any fashion any of the ballot questions. Just as it could with any other law, the Legislature, with the votes to enact a bill and the support of the governor, could change the new citizen-enacted laws. Sen. Mike Thibodeau, a Winterport Republican who was elected Wednesday to his second consecutive term as Senate president, said that after the recent divisive elections lawmakers will have to collaborate on major issues. "This means we are going to have to work together and find common ground that we don't even know exists," Thibodeau said, noting that constituents voted for lawmakers to get things done, not because they are good at "partisan bickering." Newly elected House Speaker Sara Gideon, D-Freeport, set a similar tone as she pledged to lawmakers that she will "always work together to find common ground." "We will always remain at the table. We will not walk away so long as we have a willing partner who is negotiating in good faith on the other side," Gideon said. "When we work together we are capable of great things." Gideon told reporters following her election as speaker that the Democratic agenda is simple. "Number one, more jobs, and number two, help get Maine people in a better place," Gideon said. During her floor speech Wednesday, she said that while a lot of progress has been made in recent years, there is more work to do. "More work to give our children and grandchildren the quality education they deserve, more work to fix our crumbling roads and bridges, more work to create the basic infrastructure of modern broadband that is so necessary for our economy, more work to make Maine more energy independent, more work to fight back against this devastating opioid epidemic that continues to take lives, more work to provide health care, child care and elder care to those in need ..." Gideon said. Gideon also praised two Republican members for work they did to increase access to the opioid overdose antidote, naloxone, known commonly by its brand name Narcan. She said Reps. Deborah Sanderson, R-Chelsea, and Rich Malaby, R-Hancock, were instrumental in pushing legislation forward in 2016 despite LePage's opposition. "And though increasing access at first seemed like it could fall into the partisan abyss, both Rep. Sanderson and Rep. Malaby became the leaders who changed the conversation, helped bring us all together and ultimately saved hundreds of lives since," Gideon said. Thibodeau and Gideon will have to work closely with lawmakers from both sides of the aisle in order to ac- complish anything substantial during the legislative session. Not only are the two chambers controlled by different parties, but the margins in both chambers also are razor thin: Republicans hold a one-seat majority in the 35-member Senate, while Democrats outnumber Republicans 77 to 72 in the House, with two independents. Page 32 LePage delivers oath of office Morning Sentinel; Waterville, Me. December 8, 2016 Thursday

LePage probably will continue to serve as the wild card, as he has in previous legislative sessions when he vetoed budgets -- and hundreds of other bills -- and occasionally sparred with legislative leaders, including some from his own party. In addition to spearheading attempts to roll back aspects of the minimum-wage ballot initiative, LePage has made it clear that he plans to introduce a budget that will contain another round of income tax cuts aimed, in part, at counteracting the 3 percent tax surcharge assessed on incomes above $200,000 under Question 2. He has indicated that he will propose significant spending reductions to pay for the tax cuts. "These folks already pay most of our taxes," LePage said Wednesday. "If they leave and take their income with them, it will result in less money for education, less revenue for property taxes, less sales tax and less excise tax." Lawmakers in both chambers listened quietly -- and intently -- as the governor spoke. While LePage clearly sought to set the agenda for the upcoming session with his remarks, Senate Minority Leader Troy Jackson questioned whether legislators will be willing to tinker with issues clearly endorsed by voters. "I'm always happy to listen and to work with the governor, but at this point I don't see how it can be changed at all," said Jackson, D-Allagash. "I appreciated his tone, though. I didn't think it was over the top. But I think there are a lot of ways to make this economy move, and those are the things we should be focused on." Likewise, Gideon said Democrats were not interested in making dramatic changes to the intent of the laws passed by voters, especially the minimum-wage increase. "We've been talking about this for two weeks and my answer is the same. The priorities for Democrats (are) making sure that when people are working full time, they can actually put food on the table and pay the rent," Gideon said. "That's why we had a minimum-wage ballot question in front of us. The Legislature failed to act repeatedly. The people said, 'We need this to get done.' They spoke loud and clear, and we are going to honor that." In a joint session of the House and Senate later Wednesday, lawmakers voted to re-elect incumbents to fill the constitutional officer positions of attorney general, treasurer and secretary of state. Attorney General Ja- net Mills, a Democrat; Treasurer Terry Hayes, an independent; and Secretary of State Matt Dunlap, a Dem- ocrat, were re-elected to another two-year term. Credit: By KEVIN MILLER and Scott Thistle Portland Press Herald

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Targeted News Service

Page 33 MDP Calls Out Maine Republicans on VAWA Anniversary Targeted News Service September 13, 2016 Tuesday 4:53 AM EST

September 13, 2016 Tuesday 4:53 AM EST

MDP Calls Out Maine Republicans on VAWA Anniversary

BYLINE: Targeted News Service

LENGTH: 506 words

DATELINE: AUGUSTA, Maine

The Maine Democratic Party issued the following news release: On the 22nd anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act, Maine Democratic Party Chairman Phil Bartlett today called out members of the Maine House of Representatives who have failed to protect victims of sexual and domestic violence. In June 2015, 59 House Republicans voted against a bill that would allow victims of domestic violence and sexual assault to take necessary leave from work to receive medical treatment and attend court proceedings relating to the incident. "The Violence Against Women Act of 1994 was a crucial piece of federal legislation that expanded access to support services that victims needed to recover," said Bartlett. "It is unthinkable that Maine House Republi- cans would vote against a bill that would further strengthen the rights of these victims. Maine voters do not want to deny people the right to heal. We expect our legislators to uphold Maine values and fight for the rights, safety and security of all Maine citizens. The Republicans' failure to fight for victims of domestic violence will not be forgotten in November." The bill passed the House 83-60, with one unenrolled legislator voting against it. It passed the Senate unanimously. The following Republicans voted against this bill: Rep. Sue Austin (Gray) Rep. Kevin Battle (South Portland) Rep. Russell Black (Wilton) Rep. Andy Buckland (Farmington) Rep. Dick Campbell (Orrington) Rep. Paul Chace (Durham) Rep. Patrick Corey (Windham) Rep. Dale Crafts (Lisbon) Rep. Kathleen Dillingham (Oxford) Rep. A.J. Edgecomb (Fort Fairfield) Rep. Ellie Espling (New Gloucester) Rep. Brad Farrin (Norridgewock) Rep. Bob Foley (Wells) Rep. Ken Fredette (Newport) Rep. Karen Gerrish (Lebanon) Rep. James Gillway (Searsport) Rep. Phyllis Ginzler (Bridgton) Page 34 MDP Calls Out Maine Republicans on VAWA Anniversary Targeted News Service September 13, 2016 Tuesday 4:53 AM EST

Rep. Randy Greenwood (Wales) Rep. Stacey Guerin (Glenburn) Rep. Sheldon Hannington (Lincoln) Rep. Jeff Hanley (Pittston) Rep. Stephanie Hawke (Boothbay Harbor) Rep. Gary Hilliard (Belgrade) Rep Brian Hobart (Bowdoinham) Rep. Jonathan Kinney (Limington) Rep. Rep. Mary Anne Kinney (Knox) Rep. Larry Lockman (Amherst) Rep. Ricky Long (Sherman) Rep. Peter Lyford (Eddington) Rep. Joyce Maker (Calais) Rep. Rich Malaby (Hancock) Rep. Don Marean (Hollis) Rep. Mike McClellan (Raymond) Rep. Carol McElwee (Caribou) Rep. Bob Nutting (Oakland) Rep. Beth O'Connor (Berwick) Rep. Wayne Parry (Arundel) Rep. Richard Picchiotti (Fairfield) Rep. Richard Pickett (Dixfield) Rep. Jeffrey Pierce (Dresden) Rep. Dwayne Prescott (Waterboro) Rep. Roger Reed (Carmel) Rep. Deb Sanderson (Chelsea) Rep. Stedman Seavey (Kennebunkport) Rep. Heather Sircoki (Scarborough) Rep. Tom Skolfield (Weld) Rep. Paul Stearns (Guilford) Rep. Joel Stetkis (Canaan) Rep. Tim Theriault (China) Rep. Jeff Timberlake (Turner) Rep. Will Tuell (East Machias) Rep. Beth Turner (Burlington) Rep. Karen Vachon (Scarborough) Page 35 MDP Calls Out Maine Republicans on VAWA Anniversary Targeted News Service September 13, 2016 Tuesday 4:53 AM EST

Rep. Nathan Wadsworth (Hiram) Rep. Ray Wallace (Dexter) Rep. Karl Ward (Dedham) Rep. Dustin White (Washburn) Rep. Tom Winsor (Norway) Rep. Steve Wood (Greene) Copyright Targeted News Services 30FurigayJane-5644041 30FurigayJane

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Bangor Daily News (Maine)

August 19, 2016 Friday

Saturday, Aug. 20, 2016: Collins' party allegiance not an issue, update net metering policy

LENGTH: 1068 words

Positive news about Muslims

I extend my thanks to the Bangor Daily News for including the Aug. 17 article from MPBN, "Teacher makes Muslim students 'comfortable.'" I thank the paper first because of all the negative news connected to the Is- lamic faith and this is a very positive story. I thank the paper again because this is about Maine, and a teacher who is Muslim who believes she can and is making a difference in how Muslim people and persons of color are understood in our state. Keep up this good work.

Bruce Burnham

Old Town

Improving Riverview

I found the Aug. 16 BDN editorial about "DHHS' ever-changing plans for housing mentally ill" to be troubling. My concern is not with the department's plans, but rather with the implied lack of purpose that they represent. Page 36 Saturday, Aug. 20, 2016: Collins' party allegiance not an issue, update net metering policy Bangor Daily News (Maine) August 19, 2016 Friday

Members of the Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee, including myself, often discuss the fact that we house forensic patients for whom the court has determined they no longer require a "hospital level of care." The federal regulators cited this as a major problem, and it has been an impediment in regain- ing certification for the Riverview Psychiatric Recovery Center. Everyone agrees that we have people in Riverview who do not belong there.

I applaud the department for beginning to construct a "forensic step down facility." It has long been necessary, and it will greatly improve the backlog of both forensic and civil admissions to Riverview. Our civil hospitals will be grateful that beds are finally opening up within the mental health system. Likewise, the courts will have increased access to Riverview for evaluations and observations, once those patients are in an independent setting.

This is a positive step and it comes on the heels of the department funding 12 additional beds at Spring Harbor this spring. Both are significant accomplishments that could only be achieved through aggressive budgetary control in the Department of Health and Human Services.

There are 14 individuals in Riverview who do not require a hospital level of care. It is appropriate to construct a facility that has the capacity to address the needs of these individuals and those patients who will be reha- bilitated at some point in the future.

Rep. Richard Malaby

Hancock

Update net metering policy

As the debate around the pros and cons of "rooftop solar" energy continues in Maine, it is critical to point out that the net metering policies originally designed to spur on a fledgling industry are in fact creating a system of cross-subsidies that transfer wealth from less affluent households to more affluent ones.

Net metering is the product of an era of primitive technology, high cost solar panels and little competition. The result for solar customers is high priced solar installation costs and less than optimal technology, even in the face of declining panel costs and availability of efficient technological accoutrements. For nonsolar customers, net metering compels them to pay retail prices for wholesale energy, to pay for services to solar vendors they do not and, in some cases, cannot provide to subsidize the system costs incurred to serve solar customers.

Those are excellent reasons why it is a good thing that Maine is reconsidering its net metering policies. The state has an opportunity, in pending proceedings before the Maine Public Utilities Commission, to enable rooftop solar to take its place among our mainstream energy and clean energy resources. This can be accomplished without all of the adverse consequences of net metering. Solar panel costs are declining and customers should be able to take advantage of that opportunity.

Updating net metering policies along these lines will lead to a more sustainable growth for solar energy as well as more choices for and fairness among Maine customers.

Ashley Brown

Page 37 Saturday, Aug. 20, 2016: Collins' party allegiance not an issue, update net metering policy Bangor Daily News (Maine) August 19, 2016 Friday

Executive director

Harvard Electricity Policy Group

Denmark

Collins' party allegiance not an issue

I would add to the Donald Trump and Sen. Susan Collins brouhaha that her Republicanism and conservatism are not the issue here. Maine has had a proud history of sending honest, hard-working and independent-minded representatives to serve us in Washington. The list of courageous, pragmatic doers we have elected over the years from both of our political parties and independents, such as Sen. Angus King, is a long and distinguished one.

People might recall that we had one Republican congressman (a freshman at the time) who cast a committee vote for impeachment of his party's sitting president. Bill Cohen was able to continue to represent his party and his state during a long and distinguished career as a senator and secretary of defense.

Oddly enough, Cohen is relevant to the current issue, as recently, he came out strongly in opposition to Trump's candidacy. I haven't heard folks challenging Cohen's party membership or his conservatism, perhaps because he is not a current office holder. Collins is in excellent company with many Republicans who judge Trump unfit for the presidency. I want to thank her for speaking her mind.

John Lord

Brewer

Grow public health nursing ranks

Recently, on a news-talk radio show, Gov. Paul LePage pointed out that our health care system should shift from treating disease to keeping people well. At the Maine Public Health Association, we could not agree more, which is why we believe that a strong public health nursing core is critical to public health safety in our state.

For example, during the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic, 50 public health nurses, employed by the state, got to work. The nurses organized and staffed vaccination clinics. They educated providers. They advised about safe vaccine handling and storage. By mobilizing public health nurses, Maine managed to vaccinate high-risk populations, such as children and seniors, at the highest rates in the nation, reducing risk of infection across the state.

This is why we are especially concerned that Maine's public health workforce has been cut in half, resulting in increased duties and reduced presence, particularly in our rural communities. If another H1N1 outbreak or similar event occurs, will Maine fare as well? We urge the Maine Center for Disease Control to fill vacant public health nursing positions and restore the public health workforce to its full staffing potential so that we may continue to keep Mainers well.

Rebecca Boulos

Page 38 Saturday, Aug. 20, 2016: Collins' party allegiance not an issue, update net metering policy Bangor Daily News (Maine) August 19, 2016 Friday

Interim executive director

Maine Public Health Association

South Portland

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USNEWS.com

April 21, 2016 Thursday

Maine' s LePage Says Heroin Overdose Medicine ' Doesn' t Truly Save Lives'

BYLINE: Steven Nelson

SECTION: NEWS Vol. No.

LENGTH: 817 words

HIGHLIGHT: Legislators who support making the opioid overdose medicine over-the-counter hope to override the governor's veto.

Maine Gov. Paul LePage is being accused of implying drug addicts' lives aren't worth saving after vetoing legislation that would make medication to fight an opioid overdose available over the counter. In his veto message to legislators, the Republican governor wrote, "Naloxone does not truly save lives; it merely extends them until the next overdose." The medicine does save lives, however: It can be injected or used nasally and has been credited with reversing more than 10,000 overdoses since 1996. LePage's Wednesday letter struck critics as either callous or careless, and state politicians who disagree with his position hope to override the veto. Page 39 Maine' s LePage Says Heroin Overdose Medicine ' Doesn' t Truly Save Lives' USNEWS.com April 21, 2016 Thursday

"In essence, Gov. LePage is saying that saving lives perpetuates addiction and that it is better to let people die," Bill Piper, senior director of national affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance, said in a statement Thursday. In Maine, legislators for years have pushed to expand legal access to naloxone -- also called by the brand name Narcan -- with mixed success. LePage's position softened somewhat in 2014, when he let a bill allowing prescriptions for family members of addicts become law without his signature. Last year, another bill allowing prescriptions for addicts' friends became law after LePage missed a veto deadline for a pile of bills he opposed. Maine Rep. Henry Beck, a Democrat who sponsored last year's bill, says the governor's letter exhibited "strange thinking and potentially harmful language." Beck says he believes LePage's letter "would be particularly hurtful to any Maine person whose loved one has been lost from an overdose or whose life has been saved by Narcan. It's just not constructive language when we're so deep in this drug crisis." According to the Maine attorney general's office, 272 people died in the state in 2015 from drug overdose, 31 percent more than in 2014. But Beck says he's more focused on helping override the veto than criticizing LePage, who also said the bill from Democratic state Rep. Sara Gideon would create "a sense of normalcy and security around heroin use." The lower house of Maine's legislature voted 98-49 in favor of expanding naloxone access in March, and officially passed the idea vetoed by LePage without objection. A similar bill passed the state Senate 25-8, and veto overrides require a two-thirds vote in each chamber, suggesting all eyes will be on the lower house. "This is the first time he's successfully vetoed a Narcan bill, so it will be a real test for the state legislature," Beck says. State Rep. Richard Malaby, a Republican who supports making naloxone available over the counter, says he understands the governor's position that the non-intoxicating drug offers a safety net to people with no immediate plans to stop using heroin. "I'm hopeful that's not the case for many people, that it saves lives and then they move onto recovery," Malaby says. "I'm an optimist, maybe a pro-life person, and I'm going to vote for the bill." Though the veto letter kicked up outrage, LePage spokesman Peter Steele says the governor is being misunderstood. "Nowhere in the veto message does it imply lives are not worth saving," Steele says. "No one in Augusta is working harder than Gov. LePage to save lives." Steele says LePage recently proposed and then signed into law a bill adding 200 jail beds for addiction treatment, fought to increase the number of Maine Drug Enforcement Agency officers and earlier this week signed a bill limiting legal opioid prescriptions and requiring doctors to submit to a tracking system. "Until the governor started speaking loudly and publicly about the drug crisis in Maine, which claims over 250 lives a year and results in almost 1,000 babies a year being born addicted to or affected by drugs, the legislature was totally ignoring the problem," Steele says. Efforts similiar to the one vetoed by LePage have been popping up elsewhere as opioid addiction has become more widely discussed. Late last year, CVS Pharamacy said it offered naloxone over the counter in 14 states, up from two. National pharmacy-chain rival Walgreens said in February it intended to make the drug available without a prescrip- tion at locations in 35 states, and included Maine on the list. Blunt and allegedly offensive commentary from LePage about drugs is nothing new. In January , he said drug dealers "with the name D-Money, Smoothie, Shifty" visit Maine and "half the time ... impregnate a young white girl before they leave." Later that month, he suggested gun-owning Mainers "load up and get rid of the drug dealers," before backtracking. Page 40 Maine' s LePage Says Heroin Overdose Medicine ' Doesn' t Truly Save Lives' USNEWS.com April 21, 2016 Thursday

Malaby says the governor may sometimes misspeak, but he suspects he often purposely uses hyperbolic language to make people consider unappreciated truths. Read LePage's veto letter: [IMAGE] Steven Nelson is a reporter at U.S. News & World Report. You can follow him on Twitter or reach him at [email protected]

LOAD-DATE: April 22, 2016

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Picture, Gov. Paul LePage speaks at a news conference in January, where he apologized for saying out-of-state drug dealers were impregnating young white women., Robert F. Bukaty/AP

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Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine)

April 7, 2016 Thursday

Maine lawmakers continue practice of meeting behind closed doors

BYLINE: SCOTT THISTLE; State Politics Editor, SCOTT THISTLE, State Politics Editor

SECTION: STATE

LENGTH: 736 words

AUGUSTA -- Lawmakers on the Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee thumbed their noses at Maine's open-meeting law Thursday, taking their deliberations behind locked doors after being challenged by the Sun Journal on the matter. The committee was meeting to debate proposed Department of Health and Human Services rule changes that could result in the loss of millions of dollars to agencies that provide services to children on the autism spectrum or who live with other developmental disabilities. After discussing the issue in public before a standing-room-only crowd, Sen. Eric Brakey, R-Auburn, the Senate chairman of the committee, called for a so-called "corner caucus" and recessed the committee. Rep. Drew Gattine, D-Westbrook, the House chairman of the committee, did not object to taking the committee's business behind closed doors. Brakey first said he had no comment as to why he was allowing the committee to go behind closed doors but later said he was unfamiliar with the state law that requires lawmakers to conduct their business in public. He asked a Sun Journal editor to send him a copy of the Maine Freedom of Access Act. Page 41 Maine lawmakers continue practice of meeting behind closed doors Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine) April 7, 2016 Thursday

When challenged about the nature of their secret meetings, the two groups -- divided by party and meeting in separate rooms -- invited a reporter to attend but did not invite dozens of other members of the public who were left sitting in the public meeting room. Asked why they didn't hold their deliberations in public and told two reporters would be needed to cover the split committee in private meetings, Rep. Richard Malaby, R-Hancock, responded, "You're gonna have to tell your company to get two f---ing reporters." Rep. Deborah Sanderson, R-Chelsea, said the Sun Journal's protest over the closed-door meeting was "taking up time that we really can't afford." But within three minutes, both groups of lawmakers returned to the public meeting space to continue their deliberations. Sen. Anne Haskell, D-Portland, outlined her view on the situation, noting, "It's nothing any different than what we discussed in the other room." Brakey also emphasized he was going to say in public "my exact words that were said in the other room." Sen. Earle McCormick, R-West Gardiner, defended the closed-door sessions, saying secrecy was allowed under the Legislature's joint rules. "Appropriations does it all the time," McCormick said, referring to the Legislature's Appropriations and Finan- cial Affairs Committee, which crafts the state's budget. The closed-door meetings Thursday, while brief, were among dozens that reporters in the State House press corps have witnessed since the Legislature began its work in 2016. Reporters from the Maine Public Broadcasting Network, Portland Press Herald and Bangor Daily News say they have interrupted closed- door meetings since the start of the session, or have repeatedly reminded lawmakers of Maine's Freedom of Access Act, which requires elected officials, including the Legislature, to conduct the public's business in public. To facilitate public access, all of the meeting rooms of the Legislature's various joint standing committees are equipped with public seating areas, as well as microphones that are used to record the proceedings and broadcast them live on the Legislature's public website. Still, lawmakers frequently choose to "go off mic" and move into the corners of the committee rooms beyond the earshot of the audience and news media, or straight into back rooms that are blocked by locked doors only accessible by lawmakers or legislative staff. The state's open meetings law reads, in part, "The term 'public proceedings' as used in this subchapter means the transactions of any functions affecting any or all citizens of the State." The law also spells out that it applies to legislative committees and subcommittees that include three or more members of the same committee appointed to do the committee's work. Following the meeting, Brakey said he would take the time to review the law and change his practices going forward, if he deemed it was warranted. Lawmakers participating in the closed-door sessions Thursday included: Brakey, Gattine, Haskell, Malaby, Sanderson, McCormick, Rep. Christine Burstein, D-Lincolnville; Rep. Patricia Hymanson, D- York; Rep. Pe- ter Stuckey, D-Portland; Rep. Scott Hamann, D-South Portland; Rep. Frances Head, R-Bethel; and Rep. Karen Vachon, R- Scarborough. [email protected]

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Page 42 Maine lawmakers continue practice of meeting behind closed doors Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine) April 7, 2016 Thursday

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States News Service

April 1, 2016 Friday

MORE THAN 50 HOUSE REPUBLICANS REJECT TAX RELIEF FOR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS SERVING CHILDREN, ADULTS WITH DISA- BILITIES DESPITE POCKET OF OPPOSITION, BIPARTISAN PROPOSAL ADVANCES

BYLINE: States News Service

LENGTH: 327 words

DATELINE: AUGUSTA, ME

The following information was released by the Maine House of Representatives, Democrats: Members of the House Republican caucus on Friday voted against a bipartisan, emergency measure that would address a critical flaw in last years budget process that resulted in debilitating tax increases for MaineCare providers across the state. This is yet another unforgivable assault on Mainers living with a disability, said Rep. Drew Gattine, D-Westbrook, the House chair of the Health and Human Services Committee. Despite being a high priority shared by both Republicans and Democrats, a significant number of Republicans chose to do nothing and ignore the fact that our health care providers cannot absorb these tax increases. Despite a unanimous vote out of the Health and Human Services Committee in support of the measure, 51 House Republicans voted against LD 1638, An Act To Increase Payments to MaineCare Providers That Are Subject to Maine's Service Provider Tax, sponsored by Rep. Richard Malaby, R-Hancock. The House vote to advance the bill was 94-51. Its surprising and unfortunate that more than 50 of our Republican colleagues rejected this widely supported, bipartisan proposal, turning their backs on the providers who serve some of our most vulnerable neighbors, said House Majority Leader Jeff McCabe, D-Skowhegan. Maines service provider tax impacts health care providers that serve children and adults with intellectual disabilities. As part of the 2015 budget, Maines service provider tax increased from 5 percent to 6 percent. Typically, when the tax is increased, a mechanism is in place to protect MaineCare providers who serve vulnerable populations from being hit hard by the increase. However, no such mechanism was put in place in this instance. The increase in the service provider tax took effect on Jan. 1 of this year, significantly harming health care providers across the state who are unable to absorb the cost. Page 43 MORE THAN 50 HOUSE REPUBLICANS REJECT TAX RELIEF FOR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS SERVING CHILDREN, ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES DESPITE POCKET OF OPPOSITION, BIPARTISAN PROPOSAL ADVANCES States News Service April 1, 2016 Friday The bill now goes to the Senate.

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Portland Press Herald (Maine)

February 19, 2016 Friday

Lawmakers should back wider methadone access ; A proposed state reimbursement hike shouldn't be stalled by isolated anecdotes.

SECTION: Pg. 1.A

LENGTH: 430 words

To fight a raging statewide opioid crisis, Maine must put its full strength behind already-proven methods. So it was discouraging to learn this week that skepticism persists in Augusta about the most effective treatment for heroin addiction: methadone maintenance. To get this life-saving remedy into the hands of those who need it, legislators should act quickly to advance a proposal to raise Medicaid reimbursement rates for methadone instead of letting themselves be derailed by groundless concerns. Sponsored by state Sen. David Woodsome, R-Waterboro, L.D. 1473 would increase the weekly methadone reimbursement rate from $60 to $80 per patient, reversing a cut made in 2012 as part of the state's bipartisan spending plan. At a Health and Human Services Committee hearing last month, doctors and police turned out in force to advocate for the proposal. The need is huge - 3,463 Mainers sought treatment for opioid addiction in 2014, compared to 1,115 in 2010 - and a reimbursement increase would make it possible for methadone clinics to add staff and serve more people. But questions posed during a follow-up workshop on the bill Wednesday indicate that several Republicans on the panel apparently still aren't convinced. Rep. Deborah Sanderson of Chelsea said that she and Hancock Rep. Richard Malaby were told by an uni- dentified methadone clinic employee that the medication made some patients so groggy that their counseling sessions were unproductive. That isolated anecdote, though, shouldn't be given the same weight as the extensive research attesting to the efficacy of methadone. Eighty percent of the patients who stay on methadone recover from their addiction, going on to lead normal lives and hold down jobs. Given that Health and Human Services Commissioner Mary Mayhew has stressed the importance of an evidence-based approach to treating addiction, her agency should be supporting efforts to expand access to methadone. Page 44 Lawmakers should back wider methadone access ; A proposed state reimbursement hike shouldn't be stalled by isolated anecdotes. Portland Press Herald (Maine) February 19, 2016 Friday

In fact, making the medication more widely available is one provision of Vermont's strategy - which Mayhew has held up as a model for Maine. (The LePage administration tried unsuccessfully last year to eliminate Medicaid reimbursement for methadone maintenance; the DHHS has remained neutral on L.D. 1473.) This proposal isn't perfect. It should also include support for other anti-addiction medications, such as Sub- oxone, which is more effective for some patients and, unlike methadone, doesn't have to be distributed at a clinic. But the bill is on the right track, and given what's at stake, lawmakers shouldn't put needless obstacles in its path.

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Portland Press Herald (Maine)

February 18, 2016 Thursday

Republican lawmakers question addiction treatment bill ; One legislator asked if the bill, which would raise reimbursement rates, perpetuated the problem.

BYLINE: JOE LAWLOR, By JOE LAWLOR Staff Writer

SECTION: Pg. 2.B

LENGTH: 680 words

Bill to increase methadone reimbursements discussed by the health and human services committee. Lawlor, 12-15" Republican lawmakers asked tough questions of methadone providers during a legislative workshop Wednesday on a bill that would increase Medicaid reimbursement rates for the addiction medication. The reimbursement rates were cut in 2010 and 2012 to the detriment of patients, advocates of methadone treatment say. The bill, which would restore the rates to 2009 levels, is one of several measures the Legisla- ture is considering to address the state's heroin crisis. Methadone is a medication therapy used to treat opioid addiction, and many patients stay on methadone for years. In 2015, Gov. Paul LePage's administration unsuccessfully attempted to eliminate Medicaid reimbursement for methadone, and skepticism of the treatment persists. Page 45 Republican lawmakers question addiction treatment bill ; One legislator asked if the bill, which would raise reimbursement rates, perpetuated the problem. Portland Press Herald (Maine) February 18, 2016 Thursday

"I want to make sure we're spending state taxpayer money in a manner that is beneficial to the patient," said Rep. Deborah Sanderson, R-Chelsea. Sanderson recounted stories she had heard from a methadone clinic employee who told her and Rep. Richard Malaby, R- Hancock, that some patients were so groggy from taking methadone during counseling sessions that the sessions were unproductive. The employee did not want to be identified, Sanderson said. Malaby said she wondered whether methadone treatment is effective. "Are we addressing the problem or are we perpetuating the problem?" Malaby asked. Dan Coffey, president and CEO of Acadia Hospital in Bangor, which operates a methadone treatment program, said it works and has helped many people, and cautioned against paying too much attention to isolated anecdotes to the contrary. Coffey said methadone allows people who were opioid abusers to lead productive lives. "The plural of anecdote is not data," Coffey said, responding to Sanderson's story. "Many people in treatment are working, have families and are paying their taxes." Other lawmakers expressed support for the bill, which is sponsored by state Sen. David Woodsome, R-North Waterboro. Woodsome did not speak at the workshop but has previously said that while he used to be skeptical of methadone treatment, after researching the issue he realizes it's effective. The Health and Human Services Committee tabled the bill Wednesday while waiting for more information from a task force on the drug crisis established by LePage. Rep. Drew Gattine, D-Westbrook, said he's "very interested and very supportive" of Woodsome's bill, but he wanted to hear from the task force and possibly amend the bill to support other treatments, such as Subox- one, for opioid addition. The bill would boost the weekly reimbursement rate for patients in treatment at methadone clinics from $60 to $80. Advocates say the higher reimbursement would allow more clinics to open and make existing treatment more effective by improving counseling services. About 4,000 patients are treated in the state's 10 methadone clinics. A methadone clinic in Sanford closed in 2015 in part because of the state's low reimbursement rates, clinic officials have said. When the reimbursements were cut, the state relaxed rules on counseling requirements for patients, from one counselor for every 50 patients to one for every 150. If the cuts are reversed, patients will receive more counseling, making the program more effective, advocates say. Increasing the reimbursement rates would cost the state about $930,000 per year, according to the bill's fiscal note. Medicaid, which operates as MaineCare, is funded with a blend of federal and state money. The Maine Department of Health and Human Services has remained neutral on the bill, with officials saying they are studying reimbursement rates. The study may not be complete until this fall, officials said. Sen. Anne Haskell, D-Portland, said the reimbursement increase is sorely needed, and the state should not wait. "We are significantly underfunding what we consider to be a public health crisis in this state," Haskell said. Joe Lawlor can be contacted at 791-6376 or at: [email protected] Twitter: @joelawlorph

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Page 46 Republican lawmakers question addiction treatment bill ; One legislator asked if the bill, which would raise reimbursement rates, perpetuated the problem. Portland Press Herald (Maine) February 18, 2016 Thursday

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US State News

February 12, 2016 Friday 7:50 PM EST

LEGISLATURE WILL REVIEW PLAN THAT MAY REDUCE SERVICES FOR MAINERS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL, INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, AUTISM

LENGTH: 617 words

AUGUSTA, Maine, Feb. 12 -- The Democratic majority in the Maine State House of Representatives issued the following news release: Proposed rules that could cause adults with disabilities to lose critical support services will be subject to legislative review and approval. In a bipartisan 9-4 vote, the Health and Human Services Committee decided to review the Department of Health and Human Services' so- called "Supporting Individual Success" initiative. The administration's plan to change how it determines the level of support services for adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities and autism has frightened these Mainers and their families. "These changes could be devastating for our most vulnerable citizens - Mainers who are unable to speak or feed themselves, who are in danger of hurting themselves or wandering away from home without the proper support," said Rep. Drew Gattine, D-Westbrook, the House chair of the committee. "Their families are sounding the alarm about how their loved ones' well-being and even safety will be jeopardized. We owe it to them to take a hard look at this proposal." The administration's proposal is a routine technical rule change that does not typically require legislative review and approval. However, affected individuals and their families made use of an option to petition the Legislature for review because the technical rule changes could harm them. The petition submitted by Community Partners had 268 signatories. "In my 16 years in the Legislature, I have never seen Maine citizens take this step. We would not be worthy of representing our constituents if we didn't listen when so many of them come together like this," said Sen. Anne Haskell of Portland, the lead Senate Democrat on the committee. "Maine families who would be affected by these rules are demanding we give the department's proposed changes the thoughtful review they deserve, and I intend to listen to those families." Five votes from committee members were needed to initiate the review, which will include a public hearing and a recommendation by the committee. The rules will ultimately need approval from the full Legislature to go into effect. DHHS is planning to use a test called the Supports Intensity Scale, or SIS, to determine the how much service would be provided through MaineCare. Critics of the test say it is flawed and less reliable than the current assessment by family and medical professionals. Page 47 LEGISLATURE WILL REVIEW PLAN THAT MAY REDUCE SERVICES FOR MAINERS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL, INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, AUTISM US State News February 12, 2016 Friday 7:50 PM EST "Instead of using SIS as the complementary tool it was meant to be, the administration would use it to co-opt the comprehensive person-centered planning process," said Rep. Peter Stuckey, D-Portland. "No one should be summed up by a single test score." While an appeals process would be available, the Mainers with the greatest needs would be unlikely to get the intensive care they need. This is because DHHS has set staffing qualifications for that level of care, called Qualified Extra Support Service, so high that providers will not be able to meet them. The minimum requirement is three years on the job, but these providers have high annual turnover rates. The bipartisan vote in favor of the review was made up of Gattine, Haskell, Stuckey, Rep. Christine Burstein, D-Lincolnville, Rep. Scott Hamann, D-South Portland, Rep. Patty Hymanson, D-York, Rep. Richard Malaby, R-Hancock, Rep. Matt Peterson, D-Rumford, and Rep. Karen Vachon, R-Scarborough. Opposed were Sen. Eric Brakey, R-Auburn, the committee co-chair, Sen. Earle McCormick, R-West Gardi- ner, Rep. Frances Head, R-Bethel, and Rep. Deborah Sanderson, R-Chelsea. For any query with respect to this article or any other content requirement, please contact Editor at [email protected]

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Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine)

February 10, 2016 Wednesday

Maine medical marijuana bill allows for lab testing and hospital access

BYLINE: SCOTT THISTLE; State Politics Editor, SCOTT THISTLE, State Politics Editor

SECTION: STATE

LENGTH: 1242 words

AUGUSTA -- A legislative committee unanimously approved a bill Wednesday that would give immunity from state law to hospitals that allow nonsmoking marijuana for patients who need it. The bill, LD 726, also defines in law what incidental marijuana is, including nonflowering plants or plant by- products that have not yet been processed into medicinal products. Currently, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services has rules defining incidental marijuana, but those rules are not in the statute. Under the current rules, a medical marijuana caregiver is allowed to have up to 8 pounds of incidental marijuana. The legislation, approved by the Health and Human Services Committee, also sets up a lab-testing regime to certify the quality of medicinal marijuana products to ensure proper dosages and potency levels for patients, especially children who have epileptic seizures. That change would also allow for labeling of medical marijuana products to certify their quality and content. Page 48 Maine medical marijuana bill allows for lab testing and hospital access Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine) February 10, 2016 Wednesday

That change would set the same quality standards for medical marijuana caregivers, who can grow up to five plants per patient with a maximum of six patients, and the eight medicinal marijuana dispensaries scattered across Maine. But due to concern over possible opposition from Republican Gov. Paul LePage and others in the Legisla- ture, the lawmakers on the committee put the brakes on a pair of other provisions they were contemplating, including one that would increase the amount of excess marijuana a caregiver could sell to another caregiver or dispensary, or a dispensary could sell to another dispensary. That change would have upped the limit from 2 pounds to 5 pounds. The committee also backed away from a provision that would have allowed dispensaries in Maine to transition into for-profit companies. Current state law requires them to be nonprofit entities. But because marijuana remains illegal under federal law, they cannot obtain any official nonprofit status or benefit. That didn't stop a number of lawmakers Wednesday from expressing their support for those provisions. "I don't see the harm in moving forward with a business model here," said Sen. Anne Haskell, D-Portland. "I also have been supportive of caregivers and the expansion of caregivers. I think it's right; I think it should go forward. I've been a supporter of the industry and I will not turn my back on it." But looming in the background on all of the discussion is the possibility that Maine voters in November will have an opportunity to make recreational marijuana legal under state law, a move that would likely have a reverberating effect on the state's medical marijuana industry. The change to a for-profit model would more readily allow the state's largest medical marijuana growers and dispensaries to establish themselves in a fledgling recreational marijuana industry if approved by voters in November. "Being a big proponent of the free market, I kind of tend to support any chance we can to expand free-market principles in the industry," said Sen. Eric Brakey, R-Auburn. He said he supports allowing dispensaries to become for-profit businesses, but he also supports the idea that caregivers should be allowed to convert to dispensaries as they grow and that patient caps for caregivers should be eliminated. "Whatever path we can take to allow the free market to operate more in this industry, I support," said Brakey, the Senate chairman of the committee. But both of those ideas and others that could be viewed as expanding access to marijuana are unlikely to gain the support of anti-drug conservatives in the Legislature and could face opposition from LePage in the form of a veto. But representatives from both the caregivers and the dispensaries offered testimony in support of the new regulations for lab-testing quality control and setting in law definitions for incidental marijuana that has not yet been processed into medical products. "Believe it or not, the dispensaries and caregivers have really been reaching out to each other in trying to work together, in trying to move the program forward without so much negativity, which is very nice," said Catherine Lewis, the director of education for the Medical Marijuana Caregivers of Maine, a trade group. Lewis said her group did have concerns about allowing dispensaries to move to a for-profit model without also allowing caregivers to expand their businesses by removing patient and plant limits currently on the books. It's an issue that hasn't been lost on lawmakers, including Rep. Deborah Sanderson, R-Chelsea, one of the ranking Republicans on the committee. "I would like to see the entire industry be able to flourish and let the market decide the winners and the los- ers, not the regulatory pieces that we sit in here and make the decisions on," Sanderson said. "I am very uncomfortable in allowing -- in the most simplistic terms here -- something that allows for the growth of Wal-Marts and puts limitations on the mom and pops." Page 49 Maine medical marijuana bill allows for lab testing and hospital access Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine) February 10, 2016 Wednesday

Sanderson said caregivers in Maine had created thousands of jobs geographically dispersed around the state, including in some of Maine's most economically depressed areas. Sanderson said she would fight for parity for the little guy but ultimately, she wanted to advance legislation that had support. "We need to decide as a committee today, where do we want to push the boundaries and get as many more yards down the field as we can get to move this program forward," Sanderson said. Other lawmakers on the committee agreed they should try to move forward with legislation that appeared to be politically possible and then develop new bills for changes that are likely to be more controversial or could change, depending on what voters decide in November. Also likely to derail any state legislation could be changes at the federal level, including a rumored pending executive order from President Barack Obama that would remove medical marijuana from the federal government's list of prohibited scheduled drugs, said Rep. Richard Malaby, R-Hancock. Malaby said that while he could support the other provisions, he believed it would be in the best interest of the committee to take incremental steps. Others, including Rep. Patricia Hymanson, D-York, said they supported the need to improve quality controls to ensure dosage safety and effectiveness for patients, and they didn't want to sacrifice achieving that in law for the sake of the other provisions. "I think the labs are extraordinarily important for patient safety, and I wouldn't want to see that compromised in any way by putting it together with other things that could make that fall apart," Hymanson said. Brakey said regardless of the outcome of a potential November ballot question on recreational marijuana, Maine was going to continue to have a thriving medical marijuana industry, and he intended to advance legislation in the future to support it. "I think the medical marijuana program is here to stay," Brakey said. "It's very important for patients who are struggling with these sicknesses and diseases, and it's been very helpful for them. And this committee is going to continue working on the medical marijuana program, making it one of the strongest in the country and maintaining that, regardless of what happens with recreational marijuana." The bill will return to the committee for a final language review before it is moved to the full Legislature for votes in the weeks ahead. [email protected]

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Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Maine)

Page 50 Two legislative panels approve drug measure Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Maine) January 8, 2016 Friday

January 8, 2016 Friday

Two legislative panels approve drug measure

BYLINE: MISTLER, STEVE

SECTION: Pg. 2.B ISSN: 0745-2039

LENGTH: 643 words

ABSTRACT Despite the committee endorsements, the bill faces opposition from Republicans in the House of Represent- atives and a veto threat by LePage, whose administration has indicated that it will be advancing its own drug treatment and prevention plan this legislative session.

FULL TEXT AUGUSTA -- A $4.9 million bill designed to tackle Maine's drug epidemic inched forward Thursday, following an endorsement by two legislative committees. The Health and Human Services Committee voted 6-1 to advance the treatment and prevention portion of the proposal. The Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee voted 11-2 to advance a law enforcement initiative that includes funding for 10 additional Maine Drug Enforcement Agency agents requested by , Gov. Paul LePage. Despite the committee endorsements, the bill faces opposition from Republicans in the House of Representatives and a veto threat by LePage, whose administration has indicated that it will be advancing its own drug treatment and prevention plan this legislative session. Republican Senate President Mike Thibodeau and Democratic House Speaker Mark Eves both support the bill. They unveiled the proposal in early December in response to the governor's threat to call up the National Guard if lawmakers didn't provide funding immediately for the MDEA agents. The administration said Tues- day that it had found enough funding for the agents to carry them through the current budget, which runs through June 2017. That announcement, combined with resistance from House Republicans, has put the bill's passage in doubt. Although Democrats control the House, they would need Republican votes to override a gubernatorial veto. Members of the Health and Human Services Committee appeared ready to support the proposal unanimously after two work sessions, but Rep. Richard Malaby, R-Hancock, said Thursday he thinks the bill was rushed and is incomplete. Malaby expressed concerns about initiatives omitted from the bill. He voted against it after meeting privately with Republican staff members at one point during the committee meeting. The health committee amended the proposal slightly before the vote to address concerns that specific entities would receive funding without following the state's contract process. Initially, the bill would have sent $700,000 to the Maine Association of Substance Abuse Programs. The amended version adds language that would send the money to an organization that provides treatment, recovery and peer support within 60 days of the bill becoming law, while also setting up a request-for-proposals process for future funding. Two Republicans on the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, Reps. Ricky Long, of Sherman, and Mike Timmons, of Cumberland, voted against funding the MDEA agents. The bipartisan proposal is one of a half-dozen bills designed to address an opioid epidemic gripping Maine and other states. Data released Wednesday by the Office of the Maine Attorney General showed that heroin overdose deaths in Maine through the first nine months of last year had eclipsed the number of deaths for all of 2014 -- 71 through Sept. 30 compared with 57 in 2014. Page 51 Two legislative panels approve drug measure Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Maine) January 8, 2016 Friday

The proposal has received a mixed reaction. Treatment advocates argue that it doesn't go far enough to address the crisis and omits funding for medication-assisted treatment, such as methadone and buprenorphine, also known as Suboxone. The discussion about medication-assisted treatment is expected to generate significant debate between lawmakers. Sen. Eric Brakey, R-Auburn, co-chairman of the committee, acknowledged the bill's shortcomings. "This bill isn't going to fix the heroin problem," he said. "We'll do what we can, but a lot of this will get fixed outside the halls of Augusta." Steve Mistler -- 620-7016 [email protected] Twitter: @stevemistler Credit: By STEVE MISTLER State House Bureau

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Portland Press Herald (Maine)

January 8, 2016 Friday

Drug plan advances despite opposition ; Two legislative panels back funds to fight drug addiction, but the bill faces resistance from House Republicans.

BYLINE: STEVE MISTLER, By STEVE MISTLER Staff Writer

SECTION: Pg. 2.B

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A $4.9 million bill designed to tackle Maine's drug epidemic inched forward Thursday, following an endorsement by the Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee. The panel voted 6- 1 to advance the proposal, which still requires additional votes before moving to the full Legislature. The recommendation is specific to the drug treatment and recovery portion of the proposal. The law enforcement portion, which includes funding for 10 additional Maine Drug Enforcement Agency agents, will be vetted by the Legislature's Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee next week. Page 52 Drug plan advances despite opposition ; Two legislative panels back funds to fight drug addiction, but the bill faces resistance from House Republicans. Portland Press Herald (Maine) January 8, 2016 Friday

AUGUSTA -- A $4.9 million bill designed to tackle Maine's drug epidemic inched forward Thursday, following an endorsement by two legislative committees. The Health and Human Services Committee voted 6-1 to advance the treatment and prevention portion of the proposal. The Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee voted 11-2 to advance a law enforcement initiative that includes funding for 10 additional Maine Drug Enforcement Agency agents requested by Gov. Paul LePage. Despite the committee endorsements, the bill faces opposition from Republicans in the House of Representatives and a veto threat by LePage, whose administration has indicated that it will advance its own drug treatment and prevention plan this legislative session. Republican Senate President Mike Thibodeau and Democratic House Speaker Mark Eves both support the bill. They unveiled the proposal in early December in response to the governor's threat to call up the National Guard if lawmakers didn't immediately provide funding for the MDEA agents. The administration said Tues- day that it had found enough funding for the agents to carry them through the current budget, which runs through June 2017. That announcement, combined with resistance from House Republicans, has put the bill's passage in doubt. Although Democrats control the House, they would need Republican votes to override a gubernatorial veto. Members of the Health and Human Services Committee appeared ready to unanimously support the proposal after two work sessions, but Rep. Richard Malaby, R-Hancock, said Thursday that he felt the bill had been rushed and is incomplete. Malaby expressed concerns over initiatives omitted in the bill during an interview Thursday morning. He voted against it after meeting privately with Republican staff at one point during the committee meeting. "This is all a bit quick and a bit hurried," he said. "I just question it all. I'll leave it at that." The health committee amended the proposal slightly before the vote to address concerns that specific entities would receive funding without following the state's contract process. Initially, the bill would have sent $700,000 to the Maine Association of Substance Abuse Programs. The amended version adds language that would send the money to an organization that provides treatment, recovery and peer support within 60 days of the bill becoming law, while also setting up a request-for-proposals process for future funding. Two Republicans on the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, Reps. Ricky Long, of Sherman, and Mike Timmons, of Cumberland, voted against funding the MDEA agents. The bipartisan proposal is one of a half-dozen bills designed to address an opiate epidemic gripping Maine and other states. Data released recently by the Maine Attorney General's Office showed that heroin overdose deaths in Maine through the first nine months of last year had eclipsed the number of deaths for all of 2014 - 71 through Sept. 30 compared with 57 in 2014. The proposal has received a mixed reaction. Treatment advocates argue that it doesn't go far enough to address the crisis and omits funding for medication-assisted treatment, such as methadone and buprenorphine - also known as Suboxone. The discussion over medication-assisted treatment is expected to generate significant debate between lawmakers with different views of how to address addiction. Sen. Eric Brakey, R-Auburn, co-chairman of the committee, acknowledged the bill's shortcomings. "This bill isn't going to fix the heroin problem," he said. "We'll do what we can, but a lot of this will get fixed outside the halls of Augusta." The legislators' plan also would expand a program used by the Scarborough Police Department that invites people who possess drugs or drug paraphernalia to turn them in to police and get help without facing arrest. Another $2.5 million would be allocated to treatment and recovery programs, including $1 million for a new 10-bed detox unit in the Bangor area, $600,000 to increase access to residential treatment for the uninsured, and $200,000 for outpatient services. Another $600,000 would be devoted to doubling the number of recovery centers in the state. Steve Mistler can be contacted at 620- 7016 or at: [email protected] Twit- ter: @stevemistler

LOAD-DATE: January 8, 2016 Page 53 Drug plan advances despite opposition ; Two legislative panels back funds to fight drug addiction, but the bill faces resistance from House Republicans. Portland Press Herald (Maine) January 8, 2016 Friday

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

DOCUMENT-TYPE: News

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

JOURNAL-CODE: PTPH

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Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine)

September 27, 2015 Sunday

Emergency responders on the front lines of a mental health crisis

SECTION: LEWISTON/AUBURN

LENGTH: 2590 words

Maine emergency responders learning patience and understanding are critical to saving lives. It had all the elements of a situation that couldbadly. The man had a history of mental health problems, and in the wee hours of one morning last year he seemed out of touch with reality. His mother decided he needed to go to the hospital, now. He decided he wasn't going anywhere. She called 911. Eric Samson, then a deputy with the Androscoggin County Sheriff's Department, responded with another deputy. Samson had been trained to deal with someone who was mentally ill. Listen. Don't discount the other person's thoughts or feelings. De-escalate. "He was resistant, actively resistant, didn't really feel the need for law enforcement . . . I had remembered the technique of how to deal just verbally," Samson said. "He was saying things to me that did not make sense. But I responded with asking him to explain, and I just waited for that opportunity through the conversation, accepting what he was saying was reality and talking to him about that. He brought up how he wants to help law enforcement. So I explained, 'Well, if you want to help us, for us to be able to do our jobs we need you to come with us. And if you're willing to come with us, that would be a great help.'" The night ended with him willingly going to the hospital. Samson, now Androscoggin County sheriff, still thinks about that success. "Everything turned from him sitting in a chair refusing to go, and something that could have ended up (with police ordering) 'You're going,' to (the man saying) 'OK! Let's go,'" Samson said. It's the kind of call Maine's first responders often get: Help someone who is mentally ill or in crisis. Page 54 Emergency responders on the front lines of a mental health crisis Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine) September 27, 2015 Sunday

They're complex situations that can escalate quickly, sometimes with the potential for violence, risking the lives of both first responders and the person needing help. Mental health advocates and mentally ill Mainers say first responders in Maine tend to handle such calls well, with sensitivity, a sense of calm and knowledge. Though both first responders and advocates say more can always be done. Samson, for one, has started sending his officers to a weeklong training program run by the Maine chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI. One of his first volunteers was the deputy who went with him during that middle-of-the-night call last year. "He said 'I want to go' because he saw," Samson said. 'We run into it every day' First responders -- including dispatchers, police, firefighters and emergency medical personnel -- get involved with an emergency call at the beginning. Their job is to gather information, stabilize the situation and get help to the person who needs it. Any call can go badly, whether it involves someone who has mental health problems or not. And the vast majority of people who are mentally ill aren't violent. But calls that involve someone who is in crisis or strug- gles with mental illness can be particularly tricky to handle because the person may not want help, may not understand what's going on, may be difficult to talk to or may have had a bad experience that makes going to the hospital or dealing with police anxiety-provoking. "You can't paint mental health with just a single brush. It's a very complex situation," said Jay Bradshaw, who recently retired after years heading Maine EMS, the emergency medical services arm of the Maine Depart- ment of Public Safety. "Sometimes the person's mental health may need just a comforting voice of somebody who's calm and near. That's one thing. On the otherof the spectrum you may have somebody who has serious psychological, behavioral challenges that require reaching out to, perhaps, law enforcement." First responders say that when they encounter people who are mentally ill or in crisis, often those people are hallucinating, feeling anxious or depressed, having a panic attack, considering killing themselves or no longer taking care of themselves. Drugs and alcohol exacerbate the situation. Sometimes other issues -- like autism, a diabetic crisis or a bad reaction to medication -- can resemble a mental health problem. "There's any number of possibilities that fall into that realm of behavioral emergency," said Auburn Fire Chief Frank Roma, whose department handles both fire and medical calls. "We respond to behavioral emergencies on a fairly frequent basis . . . certainly at least weekly." About 51,000 Maine adults and 13,000 children have a serious mental health issue, according to a 2010 NAMI state fact sheet. That doesn't include Mainers who have a less severe mental health issue or who will find themselves in a sudden crisis. "The reality is that you don't know when the issue is going to matter to you until it matters to you an incredible amount," said Jenna Mehnert, executive director of NAMI Maine. "It has no racial, no socio-economic, no educational barrier. Mental health challenges touch everybody." First responders say they handle more mental health issues now than in decades past. Many believe that's because the state -- and the country -- began shifting away from institutions in the 1990s, instead favoring outpatient care, which keeps people in their communities and, sometimes, in the path of first responders. Some say the long-running shortage of short-term and long-term psychiatric beds has also caused patients to cycle in and out of emergency care, stabilizing only for a short time before they need help again. Whatever the reason, it's become common to get calls involving someone with mental health issues. "We run into it every day, from cars that we stop to well-being checks," said Maine State Police Chief Robert Williams. "Mental illness or mental health is a huge problem facing law enforcement today. I read one study that said 80 percent of people we come in contact with has a mental illness. That seems kind of high, but we do deal with it a lot." Page 55 Emergency responders on the front lines of a mental health crisis Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine) September 27, 2015 Sunday

Maine first responders have long been looking at ways to deal with people who are mentally ill or in crisis. In 1996, after a mentally ill man killed two elderly nuns and injured two others in a Waterville chapel, police there began partnering with local mental health agency Crisis & Counseling Centers, having mental health workers ride along during some shifts. The program has since been adopted by a number of other police departments in Maine, including Augusta earlier this year. In the early 2000s, Laurie Cyr-Martel, an experienced mental health worker, served as a dedicated crisis intervention officer tasked with working scenes with the Lewiston Police Department. She also wrote a book on dealing with people in crisis -- "Responding to Emotionally Disturbed Persons: a Manual for Law Enforce- ment Personnel." Also in the early 2000s, NAMI Maine began offering Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training to first responders and others. The 40-hour, weeklong course teaches them how to calm, contain and intervene in situations, and introduces them to people who have mental health problems so they can better understand the point of view of someone on the otherof a call. NAMI Maine later added a more basic 8-hour "Mental Health First Aid" course for those who couldn't commit to a full week of training. Although many consider NAMI's courses to be "the gold standard," some first responders' groups have their own specialized training. "There's a handling-suicidal-callers class that, depending on availability and funds, we'll send students to," said Phyllis Gamache, director for Lewiston-Auburn's 911 communications center. "It's good for new people who haven't been exposed to a great deal. It's nerve wracking. There's a lot of responsibility for somebody who's only been on the job for six months, or even three years, to have the responsibility to talk to someone who's suicidal." Advocates, first responders and people with mental health issues say the training efforts have helped. "They make you feel real comfortable," said Judy Binnette, 66, of Auburn, who deals with anxiety, depression and PTSD and has had to call 911 for chest pains. "They try to calm you down so that you're not getting overworked and getting more panicky and stuff. They're really calm and very thoughtful with you." Paul Gauvreau, board chairman of Tri-County Mental Health Services in Lewiston and a Maine assistant attorney general who deals with involuntary hospital commitments, tends to hear about the most harrowing situations -- like, recently, the man who was "obviously thought disordered" and found lying asleep on Route 202 in Greene. Police got him to the hospital without incident. "It's pretty stunning. There's no other way to say it. People who are severely impaired put themselves in re- markable situations," Gauvreau said. "I'm always impressed with the professionalism of first responders who go out of their way to make sure people are brought in to a secure setting." Attitudes have changed, too. "The story I like to tell is when I first started at the (Lewiston) PD, the comments were 'Oh, they're just crazy or whacked out,'" said Cyr-Martel. "And then like 2006, 2008, I'd get officers saying, 'Laurie, I think they're de-compensating.' It's night and day." But while first responders, advocates and others agree that things have improved, they also say it could always be better. Often, "better" starts with more training. Listen Although a few Maine departments have all or almost-all of their first responders CIT trained, most don't. The program is free through NAMI Maine, but departments have to replace the trainee on the job for a week -- often paying overtime -- and that can be a financial barrier. It can also be difficult to push crisis training when departments have other training they need to prioritize, too. And some first responders don't know special training is available. Page 56 Emergency responders on the front lines of a mental health crisis Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine) September 27, 2015 Sunday

"It's in the course of emergency training that you do (mental health training), but it's just so cursory that it doesn't give you anything in depth other than the fact that yes, this is mental illness, and this is what you shouldn't do rather than what you should do," said Donald Wormell, supervisor for United Ambulance Service in Lewiston. "Wouldn't anyone want more training?" Last year, United handled about 20,000 calls for help, 574 of them classified as "psychiatric, abnormal behavior or suicide attempt." When it comes to police, Mehnert at NAMI Maine said she'd like to see half of Maine's officers go through the 40-hour CIT session. State Rep. Richard Malaby, R-Hancock, would have been happy with 20 percent. During the last legislative session, he introduced a bill that would have required at least 20 percent of officers in municipal and sheriff's departments be CIT trained by 2017. The bill died in committee. Malaby wasn't surprised. "I knew that wouldn't happen, to be frank. Nonetheless, I pushed the issue," he said. "But I didup with a good compromise by working with the head of the police academy." Starting this year, the Maine Criminal Justice Academy -- which trains most law enforcement officers in the state, including wardens, marine patrol, municipal and state police -- will require that all of its students take NAMI Maine's 8-hour Mental Health First Aid class. "Today, that's kind of a critical piece of training law enforcement officers," said training coordinator David Ty- rol of crisis training. The academy graduates 100 to 120 people a year. Previously, students got seven hours of NAMI's time, but that was largely focused on involuntary commitment. They'll now receive that information in three hours rather than seven. Mental Health First Aid is not as intensive as the weeklong CIT, but advocates say it will be a good start for students who have little-to-no experience in the field. And they like the fact that training all academy students will mean that, eventually, virtually all Maine police will be trained. Some departments aren't waiting for students to graduate and move up through the ranks. Samson, the Androscoggin County Sheriff, started putting his deputies through CIT this year and has spoken with NAMI Maine about designing training geared specifically toward his corrections officers. Samson was trained in the 1990s and now serves as a board member for Tri-County Mental Health Services in Lewiston. His goal: train all the officers he's responsible for. As a deputy, he repeatedly saw how well his crisis training worked -- including, two or three years ago, when a Wales woman got upset because she believed people were talking to her through her ceiling and wouldn't leave her alone. Rather than dismiss her claims and leave, Samson was trained to stay and listen. When the woman mentioned she had a mental health case worker, Samson called the worker and got her help. "You see (training) is successful and you say, 'This is something more people need,'" he said. More ideas being tried Some first responders are trying new things, in addition to training. The Auburn Fire Department last year started offering an emergency registry for families with autistic children so first responders will know, for example, not to use lights and sirens because that will upset the child more. Autism isn't a mental health issue, but someone with autism can fall into the same "behavioral emergency"category. So far, about a half-dozen families have signed up. The Lewiston Fire Department is considering something similar. Page 57 Emergency responders on the front lines of a mental health crisis Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine) September 27, 2015 Sunday

The Maine State Police, meanwhile, is creating partnerships aimed at responding to mental health issues before they escalate. The agency has some of the most well-trained first responders in the state, but its chief lamented that some situations still require force. "I want to make sure the perception isn't that when law enforcement gets called to somebody who's in a mental health crisis that our first instinct is to shoot them, because that's what we hear all the time," Williams said. "In the last year or so, state police have been involved in two or three shootings where the person has had mental illnesses and that's all we hear -- why didn't you have more training to de-escalate, why didn't you this, why didn't you that? Well, the bottom line is, in those situations where we had to use deadly force, we had to use deadly force." His officers often meet people who have obvious mental health issues; they've interacted with people who believe someone snuck into their house through an electrical outlet, people who labeled everything in their home with the date they first saw it -- but there's nothing for the police to do. Those Mainers may have mental health problems, but they haven't committed a crime, they don't want to hurt themselves or someone else, and they aren't posing a danger. However, mental health problems can intensify. One day police can't do anything, the next day that person is in crisis. "We want to try to prevent the case where nothing gets done -- we've been there a dozen times and then the person escalates where the police have to intervene. If there's a way to prevent that, we want to do that," Williams said. So the Maine State Police has started working on a new partnership with mental health providers across the state to connect people who have mental health issues with professionals who can help. "We can refer them, then we can call that agency and tell them, 'You need to do a follow-up on these people,'" he said. Williams knows it won't always work. Some people will still refuse help. But it's something more. "At least the people involved can say, 'You know what? These are the things we did to try and fix this,'" he said. [email protected]

LOAD-DATE: September 28, 2015

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

DOCUMENT-TYPE: News

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

JOURNAL-CODE: SJLM

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Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Maine)

Page 58 Should criminal suspects be drugged? Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Maine) September 20, 2015 Sunday

September 20, 2015 Sunday

Should criminal suspects be drugged?

BYLINE: RUSSELL, ERIC

SECTION: Pg. 1.A ISSN: 0745-2039

LENGTH: 1839 words

ABSTRACT According to court documents, he has refused to take his Seroquel, an anti-psychotic medication that's often used to treat schizophrenia, his mental health diagnosis.

FULL TEXT Gardiner homicide case raises questions about how far the state can go Leroy Smith III has been held at the Riverview Psychiatric Center since January, when a judge found him not competent to stand trial for murder in the gruesome slaying and dismemberment of his father in May 2014. Now the state wants to take the unusual step of forcing Smith, who suffers delusions from schizophrenia, to take his anti-psychotic medication in hopes that he may become fit for trial. A Kennebec County judge ultimately will decide on the state's motion to force medication, but Smith's case -- believed to be Maine's first instance of asking a judge to authorize it for competency reasons -- has brought additional attention to the debate about how to handle people with severe mental illness who have been linked to violent crimes. Forced medication, sometimes referred to as assisted outpatient treatment, has been upheld consistently as lawful by the U.S. Supreme Court. Still, it remains controversial because it sides with the safety of the patient and others at the expense of a patient's individual rights. Two sweeping mental health reform bills that have been introduced in Congress call for expanding the capacity for forced medication. However, some mental health advocates, including the National Alliance on Mental Illness, have expressed moral concerns about forcing an individual, even one with profound mental illness, to be medicated against his or her will. They also argue that it doesn't work. The Smith case is particularly unusual because the state is asking a judge to force medication not necessarily for the usual reason of protecting people from harm but to ensure that the state can move through the legal process. That type of forced medication is not common, although it has been upheld by the U.S. Su- preme Court, and a handful of states have passed laws to facilitate it as an option. Assistant Attorney General Deborah Cashman cited a new Maine law, passed just this summer, in her motion last month; but she didn't need to. The Supreme Court decision from 2003 already provided a pathway, which may render moot the objections of Smith's attorneys, who believe their client's constitutional rights are being violated. Constitutionality aside, forcing medication in these types of cases raises questions. Smith is a pretrial defendant, who -- even though he has confessed -- still is presumed innocent. And his competence to stand trial is an entirely different issue from his mental capacity at the time of the alleged crime. That means even if his competence is restored through medication, it has no bearing on his state of mind in May 2014, when he allegedly killed his father. Kathy Swedlow, an assistant dean and professor at Western Michigan University's Cooley Law School who has published on the topic, said despite the high court's decision 12 years ago, forced medication for the purpose of restoring competence remains fraught with problems. "Professionals can determine incompetency, but how do you effectively determine that medication restores competency?" she said. "How are we really going to know if a person is competent?" Page 59 Should criminal suspects be drugged? Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Maine) September 20, 2015 Sunday

Smith, 25, already has confessed to stabbing his father, Leroy Smith Jr., to death in May 2014 inside the Gardiner apartment they shared. He told police that he dragged the body into the bathtub to cut it into pieces, loaded those pieces into trash bags and dumped the bags in the woods a few miles down the road. During his confession, the younger Smith said he killed his father because of years of sexual abuse, but he also referred to himself as God, said the FBI told him to put a video of the slaying on YouTube and later claimed that people associated with heavy metal bands were conspiring to kill him. At an initial hearing less than a week after the killing, Smith claimed that he was a political prisoner. His behavior has been similarly bizarre during subsequent court appearances. Smith underwent a forensic evaluation last summer and fall that resulted in a ruling in January by Justice Donald Marden, who found the defendant not competent to stand trial. He's been at Riverview, in Augusta, ever since. By law, Smith can be held indefinitely to see if his competence can be restored, but that might never happen. Lately, Smith has been making things more difficult. According to court documents, he has refused to take his Seroquel, an anti-psychotic medication that's often used to treat schizophrenia, his mental health diagnosis. Without that medicine, Smith suffers from debilitating delusions, according to Ann LeBlanc, director of the State Forensic Service, who conducted his forensic evaluation. With it, though, Smith is "substantially likely" to be rendered competent, Cashman has argued. Scott Hess, one of Smith's attorneys, said that although the Supreme Court case allows involuntary medication, the state has to meet certain criteria: that there are important government interests at stake, that the medication probably will render a defendant competent, that less intrusive means are unlikely to achieve the same results, and that administering medication is medically appropriate. "Even though Mr. Smith is charged with a serous crime, the state cannot simply experiment upon him by forcing medications into his body, based on a guess that a particular medication might restore his competency," Hess said. "This would be unconstitutional." Cashman has outlined in court documents that the state has a "significant interest in restoring (the) defendant's competency in this case." Although she wouldn't comment on the case directly, it's likely that the significant interest she cites is the fact that restoring Smith's competence, even if it means he eventually is found not criminally responsible, will make it easier for him to be institutionalized. If he's found not guilty by reason of insanity, the state could keep him at Riverview indefinitely. If Smith's competency is not restored and he demonstrates no imminent threat of harm to himself or others, the state might not be able to keep him at Riverview for the long term. Amy Fairfield, a defense attorney with a long history of representing forensic clients, said she was surprised to hear about the state's motion. Forensic patients generally are defined as either criminal defendants who have been found not competent to stand trial or people who have been found not criminally responsible because of a mental illness. "In most cases of competency, people never come back to competence, even with medication," Fairfield said. Asked whether the state's interest is in keeping Smith as a forensic patient rather than a civil patient, Fairfield said that seemed likely. "If the charges go away, the state has almost zero control over that patient," she said. "There is a real possibility that he would be having dinner with all of us in the near future." A hearing is scheduled for Tuesday in Kennebec County Superior Court, but the judge probably will not act on the state's motion then. Page 60 Should criminal suspects be drugged? Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Maine) September 20, 2015 Sunday

The decision will be watched closely. Daniel Wathen, former chief justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court and the court master for the consent decree that governs treatment of Riverview patients, said he thinks this is the first time the state has requested forced medication for the purpose of restoring competency. Richard Malaby, the state representative who sponsored the bill that became the law cited by Cashman, said he didn't draft the legislation to assist in criminal cases, although he supports that use. As it turns out, though, the law was not needed to petition a judge to force medication. That framework already was provided in the 2003 Supreme Court case, Sell v. United States. Malaby said his main aim was to improve safety for both patients and staff members at psychiatric facilities, specifically Riverview. He said patients who have refused medication have become violent and attacked the staff or harmed themselves. The Republican lawmaker from Hancock said an inability to force medication on patients at Riverview -- specifically, forensic patients -- is one of the major reasons the hospital has been plagued with problems. So Malaby's bill created provisions to allow forced medication, under certain circumstances, for two types of forensic patients -- those who have been found not competent to stand trial, like Leroy Smith III, and those who have been found not criminally responsible for their crime by reason of insanity. State officials already have discretion to force patients to take their medication under certain circumstances in civil cases. That is allowed under a law that passed in 2010. Legal guardians, health care practitioners and law enforcement personnel can petition a court to order treatment -- much in the same way they can petition to have an individual involuntarily committed to a hospital. The threshold for forced medication in civil cases is lower than the bar required to commit someone to a psychiatric facility involuntarily. The option is still used sparingly, however, in part because some mental health advocates have been critical of it. Those same organizations fought passage of Malaby's bill this spring. Oamshri Amarasingham, public policy counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine, testified in May that a law already exists to force-medicate -- a reference to the 2010 legislation -- and said additional measures were not needed. "If a patient lacks the capacity to consent, a guardian should be appointed to make decisions in her best interest. Outside of that process, DHHS has the authority to forcibly medicate patients in its custody in emergency situations," she said, referring to the Department of Health and Human Services. NAMI Maine's Jenna Mehnert said that forcing medication simply to aid in prosecutions is misguided. "An individual's mental state at the time the crime was committed, not after forced treatment, should be the driving factor during the court process," she said. Despite those objections by mental health advocates, the labor unions representing nurses and social workers supported the measure. Wathen explained that officials thought that it didn't make sense to allow forced medication for patients who have been committed in civil cases but not for forensic patients whose institutionalization was tied to a criminal case. The bill passed unanimously in both the House and the Senate and became law without the governor's signature. Maine became the sixth state to codify the 2003 Supreme Court decision into statute. Wathen said the Smith case will be interesting to watch, but he doesn't think it will lead to a groundswell of requests for forced medication. Page 61 Should criminal suspects be drugged? Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Maine) September 20, 2015 Sunday

"There just aren't enough of these types of cases in Maine, thankfully," he said. Credit: By ERIC RUSSELL Maine Sunday Telegram

ILLUSTRATION SMITH REFUSES DRUGS HIGH COURT PAVED WAY

LOAD-DATE: September 21, 2015

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

ACC-NO: 101

DOCUMENT-TYPE: News

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Portland Press Herald (Maine)

September 20, 2015 Sunday

State's effort to force drug on defendant before trial sparks debate ; Leroy Smith III's case raises questions about how far the state can go to ensure its murder case moves ahead.

BYLINE: ERIC RUSSELL, By ERIC RUSSELL Staff Writer

SECTION: Pg. 1.A

LENGTH: 1907 words

Leroy Smith III has been held at Riverview Psychiatric Center since January, when a judge found him not competent to stand trial for the gruesome murder and dismemberment of his father in May 2014. Now, the state wants to take the unusual step of forcing Smith, who suffers delusions from schizophrenia, to take his anti-psychotic medication in hopes that he may become fit for trial. A Kennebec County justice will ultimately decide on the state's motion to force medication, but Smith's case has brought additional attention to the debate over how to handle people with severe mental illness who have been linked to violent crimes. Leroy Smith III has been held at the Riverview Psychiatric Center since January, when a judge found him not competent to stand trial for murder in the gruesome slaying and dismemberment of his father in May 2014. Now the state wants to take the unusual step of forcing Smith, who suffers delusions from schizophrenia, to take his anti- psychotic medication in hopes that he may become fit for trial. Page 62 State's effort to force drug on defendant before trial sparks debate ; Leroy Smith III's case raises questions about how far the state can go to ensure its murder case moves ahead. Portland Press Herald (Maine) September 20, 2015 Sunday A Kennebec County judge will ultimately decide on the state's motion to force medication, but Smith's case - believed to be Maine's first instance of asking a judge to authorize it for competency reasons - has brought additional attention to the debate over how to handle people with severe mental illness who have been linked to violent crimes. Forced medication, sometimes referred to as assisted outpatient treatment, has been consistently upheld as lawful by the U.S. Supreme Court. Still, it remains controversial because it sides with the safety of the patient and others at the expense of a patient's individual rights. Two sweeping mental health reform bills that have been introduced in Congress both call for expanding capacity for forced medication. However, some mental health advocates, including the National Alliance on Mental Illness, have expressed moral concerns about forcing an individual, even one with profound mental illness, to be medicated against his or her will. They also argue that it doesn't work. The Smith case is particularly unusual because the state is asking a judge to force medication not necessarily for the usual reason of protecting people from harm but to ensure that the state can move through the legal process. That type of forced medication is not common, although it has been upheld by the U.S. Su- preme Court and a handful of states have passed laws to facilitate it as an option. Assistant Attorney General Deborah Cashman cited a new Maine law, passed this summer, in her motion last month, but didn't need to. The Supreme Court decision from 2003 already provided a pathway, which may render moot the objections of Smith's attorneys, who believe their client's constitutional rights are being violated. Constitutionality aside, forcing medication in these types of cases raises questions. Smith is a pretrial defendant, who - even though he has confessed - is still presumed innocent. And his competence to stand trial is an entirely different issue than his mental capacity at the time of the alleged crime. That means even if his competency is restored through medication, it has no bearing on his state of mind in May 2014, when he allegedly killed his father. Kathy Swedlow, an assistant dean and professor at Western Michigan University's Cooley Law School who has published on the topic, said despite the high court's decision 12 years ago, forced medication for the purpose of restoring competency remains fraught with problems. "Professionals can determine incompetency, but how do you effectively determine that medication restores competency?" she said. "How are we really going to know if a person is competent?" CONFESSION, BIZARRE BEHAVIOR Smith, 25, already has confessed to stabbing his father, Leroy Smith Jr., to death in May 2014 inside the Gardiner apartment they shared. He told police that he dragged the body into the bathtub to cut it into pieces, loaded those pieces into trash bags, and dumped the bags in the woods a few miles down the road. During his confession, the younger Smith said he killed his father because of years of sexual abuse, but he also referred to himself as God, said the FBI told him to put a video of the slaying on YouTube and later claimed that people associated with heavy metal bands were conspiring to kill him. At an initial hearing less than a week after the killing, Smith claimed that he was a political prisoner. His behavior has been similarly bizarre during subsequent court appearances. Smith underwent a forensic evaluation last summer and fall that resulted in a ruling in January by Justice Donald Marden, who found the defendant not competent to stand trial. He's been at Riverview, in Augusta, ever since. By law, Smith can be held indefinitely to see if his competence can be restored, but that may never happen. Lately, Smith has been making things more difficult. According to court documents, Smith has refused to take his Seroquel, an anti-psychotic medication that's often used to treat schizophrenia, his mental health diagnosis. Page 63 State's effort to force drug on defendant before trial sparks debate ; Leroy Smith III's case raises questions about how far the state can go to ensure its murder case moves ahead. Portland Press Herald (Maine) September 20, 2015 Sunday Without that medicine, Smith suffers from debilitating delusions, according to Ann LeBlanc, director of the State Forensic Service, who conducted his forensic evaluation. With it, though, Smith is "substantially likely" to be rendered competent, Cashman has argued. Scott Hess, one of Smith's attorneys, said that although the Supreme Court case allows involuntary medication, the state has to meet certain criteria: that there are important government interests at stake, that the medication will make it likely to render a defendant competent, that less intrusive means are unlikely to achieve the same results, and that administering medication is medically appropriate. "Even though Mr. Smith is charged with a serous crime, the state cannot simply experiment upon him by forcing medications into his body, based on a guess that a particular medication might restore his competency," Hess said. "This would be unconstitutional." Cashman has outlined in court documents that the state has a "significant interest in restoring (the) defendant's competency in this case." Although she wouldn't comment on the case directly, it's likely that the significant interest she cites is the fact that restoring Smith's competency, even if it means he eventually is found not criminally responsible, will make it easier for him to be institutionalized. If he's found not guilty by reason of insanity, the state could keep him at Riverview indefinitely. If Smith's competency is not restored and he demonstrates no imminent threat of harm to himself or others, the state may not be able to keep him at Riverview for the long term. Amy Fairfield, a defense attorney with a long history of representing forensic clients, said she was surprised to hear about the state's motion. Forensic patients are generally defined as either accused criminals who have been found not competent to stand trial or individuals who have been found not criminally responsible because of a mental illness. "In most cases of competency, people never come back to competence, even with medication," Fairfield said. Asked whether the state's interest is in keeping Smith as a forensic patient rather than a civil patient, Fairfield said that seemed likely. "If the charges go away, the state has almost zero control over that patient," she said. "There is a real possibility that he would be having dinner with all of us in the near future." A hearing is scheduled for Tuesday in Kennebec County Superior Court, but the judge likely will not act on the state's motion at that time. The decision will be watched closely. Daniel Wathen, former chief justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court and the court master for the consent decree that governs treatment of Riverview patients, said he believes this is the first time the state has requested forced medication for the purpose of restoring competency. TWO TYPES OF FORENSIC PATIENTS Richard Malaby, the state representative who sponsored the bill that became the law cited by Cashman, said he didn't draft the legislation to assist in criminal cases, although he supports that use. As it turns out, though, the law was not needed to petition a judge to force medication. That framework already was provided in the 2003 Supreme Court case, Sell v. United States. Malaby said his main aim was to improve safety for both patients and staff at psychiatric facilities, specifically Riverview. He said patients who have refused medication have become violent and attacked staff or harmed themselves. The Republican lawmaker from Hancock said an inability to force medication on patients at Riverview - specifically, forensic patients - is one of the major reasons the hospital has been plagued with problems. So Malaby's bill created provisions to allow forced medication, under certain circumstances, for two types of forensic patients - those who have been found not competent to stand trial, like Leroy Smith III, and those who have been found not criminally responsible for their crime by reason of insanity. Page 64 State's effort to force drug on defendant before trial sparks debate ; Leroy Smith III's case raises questions about how far the state can go to ensure its murder case moves ahead. Portland Press Herald (Maine) September 20, 2015 Sunday State officials already have discretion to force patients to take their medication under certain circumstances in civil cases. That is allowed under a law that passed in 2010. Legal guardians, health care practitioners and law enforcement personnel can petition a court to order treatment - much in the same way they can petition to have an individual involuntarily committed to a hospital. The threshold for forced medication in civil cases is lower than the bar required to commit someone to a psychiatric facility involuntarily. But the option is still used sparingly, in part because some mental health advocates have been critical of it. Those same organizations fought passage of Malaby's bill this spring. Oamshri Amarasingham, public policy counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine, testified in May that a law already exists to force-medicate - a reference to the 2010 legislation - and said additional measures were not needed. "If a patient lacks the capacity to consent, a guardian should be appointed to make decisions in her best interest. Outside of that process, DHHS has the authority to forcibly medicate patients in its custody in emergency situations," she said, referring to the Department of Health and Human Services. NAMI Maine's Jenna Mehnert said that forcing medication simply to aid in prosecutions is misguided. "An individual's mental state at the time the crime was committed, not after forced treatment, should be the driving factor during the court process," she said. Despite those objections by mental health advocates, the labor unions representing nurses and social workers supported the measure. Wathen said that officials felt that it didn't make sense to allow forced medication for patients who have been committed in civil cases but not for forensic patients whose institutionalization was tied to a criminal case. The bill passed unanimously in both the House and Senate and became law without the governor's signature. Maine became the sixth state to codify the 2003 Supreme court decision into statute. Wathen said the Smith case will be interesting to watch but he doesn't think it will lead to a groundswell of requests for forced medication. "There just aren't enough of these types of cases in Maine, thankfully," he said. Eric Russell can be contacted at 791- 6344 or at: [email protected] Twitter: PPHEricRussell

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Page 65 Paul LePage argues Maine Legislature adjourned but experts disagree Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine) July 8, 2015 Wednesday

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Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine)

July 8, 2015 Wednesday

Paul LePage argues Maine Legislature adjourned but experts disagree

BYLINE: SCOTT THISTLE; State Politics Editor, SCOTT THISTLE, State Politics Editor

SECTION: STATE

LENGTH: 1682 words

AUGUSTA -- Pundits and experts Wednesday were scratching their heads over why Republican Gov. Paul LePage didn't sign or veto a set of 19 bills when the Legislature took a break at theof June. 19 bills in question LD 25, "An Act To Protect the Privacy of Citizens from Domestic Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Uses," sponsored by Rep. Diane Russell, D- Portland. LD 78, "An Act Regarding Limitations on Certain Storm Water Fees," sponsored by Sen. Nathan Libby, D-Lewiston. LD 113, "An Act To Reduce the Penalties for Certain Drug Offenses," sponsored by Sen. Roger Katz, R-Augusta. LD 234, "An Act To Adjust Appropriations and Allocations from the General Fund and Other Funds for the Expenditures of State Government for the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2015," (Emergency) (Governor's Bill), sponsored by Rep. Margaret Rotund, D-Lewiston. LD 299, "An Act To Protect Children in Municipal and School Facilities by Requiring Boiler Inspections," sponsored by Sen. Dawn Hill, D-Cape Neddick. LD 369, "An Act To Align Municipal General Assistance Programs with the Immigration Status Policies of the Department of Health and Human Services," sponsored by Sen. Eric Brakey, R-Auburn. LD 522, "An Act To Clarify a Recently Enacted Law Designed To Expand the Number of Qualified Educa- tors," sponsored by Sen. David Burns, R-Whiting. LD 722, "An Act To Strengthen Penalties for Abuse of General Assistance," sponsored by Sen. Eric Brakey, R-Auburn. LD 756, "An Act To Enhance the Address Confidentiality Program Regarding Property Records," sponsored by Rep. Michelle Dunphy, D- Old Town. LD 822, "An Act To Allow a Former Spouse of a Member of the Maine Public Employees Retirement System To Begin Collecting Benefits When the Former Spouse Reaches the Member's Retirement Age," sponsored by Rep. Patrick Corey, R-Windham. LD 870, "An Act To Amend the Maine Spruce Budworm Management Laws," Sponsored by Sen. James Dill, D-Old Town. LD 1013, "An Act To Prevent the Shackling of Pregnant Prisoners," sponsored by Sen. Anne Haskell, D-Portland. LD 1039, "An Act To Amend the Polygraph Examiners Act," sponsored by Sen. Anne Haskell, D-Portland. Page 66 Paul LePage argues Maine Legislature adjourned but experts disagree Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine) July 8, 2015 Wednesday

LD 1085, "An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Right To Know Advisory Committee Concern- ing Receipt of a Request for Public Records," sponsored by Rep. Barry Hobbins, D-Saco. LD 1108, "An Act To Protect Children and the Public from Electronic Cigarette Vapor," sponsored by Rep. Jeff McCabe, D- Skowhegan. LD 1134, "An Act To Require the Department of Health and Human Services To Distribute Information Re- garding Down Syndrome to Providers of Prenatal and Postnatal Care and to Genetic Counselors," sponsored by Sen. Amy Volk, R-Scarborough. LD 1185, "An Act To Establish the Municipal Gigabit Broadband Network Access Fund," sponsored by Rep. Norman Higgins, R-Dover- Foxcroft. LD 1303, "An Act To Stabilize and Streamline the Department of Environmental Protection's Ground Water Oil Clean-up Fund and Maine Coastal and Inland Surface Oil Clean-up Fund," sponsored by Sen. Thomas Saviello, R-Wilton. LD 1391, "An Act Regarding the Treatment of Forensic Patients," sponsored by Rep. Richard Malaby, R-Hancock. Sun Journal file photo Gov. Paul LePage A number of lawmakers and others say the bills became law without LePage's signature because he failed to act on the legislation within the 10 days allowed under the law. LePage had previously promised to veto every bill that got to his desk, but he apparently abandoned that promise, and his staff says he intended to leave the 19 bills in question for the next lawmaking session. A statement from LePage's press secretary issued Wednesday morning suggests LePage intentionally decided not to sign or veto the bills, including one that allows asylum-seeking immigrants to receive General Assistance benefits for up to two years. "This is not a pocket veto," press secretary Adrienne Bennett wrote in a statement to the media. "As allowed by the Maine Constitution, the governor will submit the vetoes when the Legislature meets again for three days." LePage told reporters at the State House on Wednesday that he would take the matter to the courts if lawmakers pushed the issue. The governor referenced the the third part of Article IV of the state constitution, which defines the powers and time frames the Legislature must follow. Asked what he would tell lawmakers who said he was misinterpreting the constitution, LePage said he would tell them to read the constitution. "Even I can understand it, and I'm French," LePage said. But lawmakers said their actions when they closed out their work June 30 didn't constitute final adjournment but was a long pause or recess in the first half of the 127th legislative session. They said the bills in question should become law without LePage's signature. Final adjournment traditionally comes following a motion that includes the Latin phrase, "sine die" or "without day." The phrase has the legal meaning of "with no appointed day for resumption." Lawmakers are set to return Thursday, July 16, and last met on June 30, when they adjourned "at the call of the speaker of the House and the state Senate president." House Speaker Mark Eves, D-North Berwick, said LePage's interpretation of the law and the constitution were wrong, and the Legislature would move to place the bills into the state's lawbooks. "The constitution and historical precedent make clear that these bills are law," Eves said in a prepared statement. "The governor is wrong." Page 67 Paul LePage argues Maine Legislature adjourned but experts disagree Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine) July 8, 2015 Wednesday

Eves' office noted that in 2012 during the 125th legislative session, when Republicans held majorities in both the House and Senate, the legislative leaders issued the similar joint adjournment order as they did on June 30, "adjourning to the call of the Senate President and Speaker of the House." That order passed May 17, 2012, and the Legislature returned on May 31 when the House addressed four vetoes returned to the House from LePage's office on May 25. LePage's argument is a new one for a Maine governor, according to Paul Mills, a Farmington-based attorney and state politics and history scholar. Mills said Wednesday no other Maine governor to his knowledge has attempted a similar maneuver in an effort to kill legislation. He said the Legislature's decision on June 30 to adjourn "at the call of the Senate President and the Speaker of the House" was commonplace and not the same as the Legislature's "final adjournment." "What is unusual is the governor's interpretation of the situation," Mills said. "I can't think of a historical par- allel for it." Mills said the Legislature or LePage or both could seek a declaratory judgment from the Maine Supreme Ju- dicial Court, but the court also would have to decide whether the issue resulted in a so- called "solemn occa- sion," a matter so serious they must act on it immediately. In her statement Wednesday, Bennett wrote that the next time the Legislature returns for three or more days it would be given the bills with veto messages. "The Legislature can choose to meet for at least three days now, or they can wait until they come back in January," Bennett wrote. "Either way, they will have ample time to thoughtfully consider these vetoes, rather than rushing through them in another veto- override spree without understanding what they are voting on." Political operatives on both the left and the right said it appeared LePage's administration had made a mistake and was attempting to justify it with a unique argument and the threat of a court action. "They made a serious mistake and now they are trying to scramble to find the best defense that they can mount to say it wasn't a mistake, that there was intent, that it was legal and it is in the confines of the constitution," said David Farmer, a Democratic political operative and former deputy chief of staff for Democratic Gov. John Baldacci. Farmer also worked on U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud's 2014 campaign for the governor's office Farmer said statements from LePage and his staff didn't hold up to scrutiny. "He says it's not a pocket veto, but then they apply the circumstances under which he puts a bill in his pocket," Farmer said. Lance Dutson, a Republican who worked on the re-election campaign of U.S. Sen. Susan Collins in 2014, said there was no practical reason for LePage not to simply veto the bills he opposed, especially ones he knew would be sustained by Republicans in the Legislature. "It's just so convoluted, " Dutson said. "And I think what it comes down to is for some reason, someone screwed up and misinterpreted this and now after the fact they are trying to justify it." Dutson said LePage's administration should answer the question of why they tried this instead of just vetoing the bills. "I think they should be straight about it," Dutson said. "Did they screw up and now they are trying to fix it? Or is there some plan and if there is a plan, what the heck is it, because it is not obvious to anybody else." Requests to LePage's staff for a comment on why the governor had changed his tack on vetoes were not returned Wednesday. Lewiston Mayor Robert Macdonald, who has been a strong LePage supporter and an outspoken opponent of providing General Assistance welfare benefits to immigrants without legal work papers, said he was per- turbed that the political wrangling in Augusta could result in the immigrant welfare bill, LD 369, becoming law. "I am telling you, I am extremely teed off here," Macdonald said. "If 369 gets passed, well, Lewiston taxpayers have been back- stabbed." Page 68 Paul LePage argues Maine Legislature adjourned but experts disagree Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine) July 8, 2015 Wednesday

Macdonald said the bill was originally drafted in his office, with the help of Lewiston and Auburn staffers and Sen. Eric Brakey, R-Auburn. "It was originally designed to prohibit asylum-seekers from making us keep having to support them," he said. "It was changed and now it goes entirely in another direction. Now, if it becomes law, we have to carry them for two more years. I am really aggravated that this might become law." Macdonald said he's waiting to see what happens. "But I intend to make a lot of noise about this," he said. Sun Journal Staff Writer Scott Taylor contributed to this report. [email protected]

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Portland Press Herald (Maine)

May 23, 2015 Saturday

Lawmakers take aim at vaccinations ; The Legislature considers requiring parents to get a doctor's signature before opting kids out of vaccines.

BYLINE: KEVIN MILLER, By KEVIN MILLER staff writer

SECTION: Pg. 1.A

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Committee votes on two vaccination bills: they endorsed one requiring parents to consult with a medical professional before exempting their children from vaccines but unanimously rejected another bill to eliminate the current vaccine opt-out. AUGUSTA -- Maine parents would have to consult with doctors before exempting their children from vaccinations required by public schools, under a bill that won endorsement from a legislative committee Friday. Page 69 Lawmakers take aim at vaccinations ; The Legislature considers requiring parents to get a doctor's signature before opting kids out of vaccines. Portland Press Herald (Maine) May 23, 2015 Saturday

But despite Maine's relatively high vaccine opt-out rates, the Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee voted unanimously to reject a separate bill that would have eliminated the philosophical exemption that has sparked a heated debate over vaccine safety and "herd immunity." The committee voted 9-3 in support of L.D. 471, the bill that would require any parent who seeks a philosophical exemption from vaccines to first consult with a medical professional and obtain a signature. Law- makers from both parties supported the measure; the three dissenting votes were cast by Republicans. "There are risks in every medical procedure and other things that we do in life, and I think parents have a right to weigh those risks," said committee co-chair Rep. Drew Gattine, D-Westbrook. "But I think this is an important step to make sure that important conversation happens with respect to something that doesn't just protect the child being vaccinated, but other children as well." The bill could face tougher votes in the House and Senate, and a potential veto by Gov. Paul LePage. Maine now allows parents to opt out of required vaccines for their children on both philosophical and reli- gious grounds. The vast majority of exemptions are for philosophical reasons, a trend that reflects concerns in some segments of the population that childhood vaccinations could trigger autism or health problems. Medical professionals and scientific research assert that vaccines are overwhelmingly safe for recipients, and provide what is known as "herd immunity" - in which high vaccination rates help protect those who are too young to be vaccinated or those with weakened immune systems. An outbreak of measles that sickened hundreds in California last winter has elevated the debate over vaccination exemptions to the national stage. Maine has one of the highest voluntary opt-out rates for children entering kindergarten in the country, at 5.2 percent in 2013-14 and 3.9 percent in 2014-15. The opt-out rates at dozens of schools exceed 10 percent, raising concerns that the lack of "herd immunity" could lead to outbreaks of infectious diseases such as measles, polio and pertussis. A Portland Press Herald analysis of Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention data showed that at 39 primary schools, 20 percent or more of the students had not had a measles shot, while at least 60 elementary schools had vaccination opt-out rates exceeding 10 percent. Tonya Philbrick, who directs the Maine CDC's immunization program, told committee members Friday that Maine's overall vaccination rates have held steady or increased since 2009 and are comparable to national averages. But Philbrick acknowledged that there are pockets with higher opt-out rates. "In any community where the immunization rates might not be up to the state average, I don't want to say that there is an air of concern, but I think there are opportunities for education and dialogue to happen between parents and those (vaccine) providers," Philbrick said. KEEPING THE EXEMPTION Committee members sent a strong message that they support the current exemption option by voting unanimously to reject L.D. 606, the bill that would have eliminated the option for parents of school- age children. The three members who voted against L.D. 471 - co- chair Sen. Eric Brakey of Auburn, Rep. Deb Sanderson of Chelsea and Rep. Richard Malaby of Hancock, all Republicans - opposed adding requirements on parents who are concerned about vaccinations. Brakey said he felt the bill requiring parents to consult with doctors begins to encroach on parents' ability "to make choices about what goes into their children's body." "I"m very uncomfortable pushing a decision like that," Brakey said. "When there is risk, there should be choice." Ginger Taylor, a parent who's heavily involved in preserving the philosophical exemption, said she and others concerned about vaccine risk were "very, very pleased" with the overall results. While she hopes the Legislature will ultimately reject L.D. 471, she echoed comments from some lawmakers that she hopes it will lead to more open dialogue between doctors and parents. Page 70 Lawmakers take aim at vaccinations ; The Legislature considers requiring parents to get a doctor's signature before opting kids out of vaccines. Portland Press Herald (Maine) May 23, 2015 Saturday

"This is a difficult issue," Taylor said afterward. "The committee listened to us and they heard us." Kevin Mil- ler can be contacted at 791-6312 or at: [email protected] Twitter: KevinMillerPPH

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Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Maine)

March 23, 2015 Monday

Hospitals arguing against budget

BYLINE: LAWLOR, JOE

SECTION: Pg. 1.A ISSN: 0745-2039

LENGTH: 1465 words

ABSTRACT [...]many primary care services for low-income patients, such as behavioral health and primary care, could be on the chopping block if the cuts go through.\n

FULL TEXT Officials claim proposal means reduced services Maine hospital officials are pushing back against the LePage administration's budget proposal, arguing that if millions of dollars in MaineCare reimbursement cutbacks are combined with the proposed property tax on nonprofit organizations, needed medical services would be reduced or eliminated. "This budget is not in any way realistic. The hospitals cannot just absorb these cuts," said Jeff Austin, vice president of the Maine Hospital Association, who estimates the reimbursement cuts total $55 million statewide on top of $10 million to $20 million in extra property taxes. Primary care, mental health and substance abuse treatment, and other outpatient services are most threatened by , Gov. Paul LePage's budget proposal, hospital officials said. Page 71 Hospitals arguing against budget Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Maine) March 23, 2015 Monday

But administration officials and some legislators have argued that the budget reflects new priorities, such as eliminating the MaineCare waiting list for adults with intellectual disabilities and funding more positions at the troubled Riverview Psychiatric Center in Augusta. "I was pleased with the budget. We believe what we are funding is of a higher priority," said Rep. Richard Malaby, R-Hancock, a member of the Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee. Mitchell Stein, an independent health policy analyst, said some reimbursement cuts are probably warranted, to wring inefficiencies out of hospitals and accelerate payment reforms. "The hospitals have to learn to do things differently," Stein said. But he also said cuts should be gradual and not drastic. Malaby said while he's concerned about the budget impact on small, rural hospitals, he's less worried about the financial impact on large hospitals that have extensive networks, such as MaineHealth, the parent corporation of Maine Medical Center in Portland. "They (larger hospitals) do great things, but I think they have some room to trim," Malaby said. He also said he believes after negotiations with the Legislature occur, the cutbacks won't be as severe as they currently are under the LePage proposal. Austin agreed that rural hospitals operate on thinner margins -- close to zero -- but said the cuts are severe and would affect all hospitals. Health and Human Services Commissioner Mary Mayhew, in budget testimony before lawmakers on March 4, pointed to Maine's historically generous reimbursement terms, and the administration's desire to create incentives for certain changes to health care systems as reasons for the funding shifts. For instance, one reimbursement cut would encourage hospitals to discourage unnecessary utilization of hospital emergency rooms. "One-third of submissions through the (emergency departments) are for typically preventable conditions when patients have access to timely and effective primary care," Mayhew said. The Portland Press Herald surveyed four hospital organizations -- MaineHealth, York Hospital, Central Maine Health Care and Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems -- and officials at all four said the reductions represent- ed deep cutbacks that could result in services being reduced. Most vulnerable to cuts are mental health, substance abuse and outpatient services, hospital officials said. "If this budget is passed, it would do considerable damage to the fabric of our health care system," said Frank McGinty, executive vice president and treasurer at MaineHealth, who projects $28 million in combined cuts and property taxes. While the proposal to allow municipalities to levy property taxes on nonprofit organizations -- which would greatly affect hospitals -- attracted much publicity when LePage unveiled the budget earlier this year, the MaineCare reimbursement cutbacks initially flew under the radar. The depth of the cuts was not immediately apparent, and the administration did not consult with hospitals to let them know what was in the budget, Austin said. "Some of these cuts were literally two sentences in the budget," Austin said. "It took us a while to determine exactly what was happening." Austin said unlike in previous years, the MaineCare budget is balanced, so the hospital cuts would entirely be undertaken to fund other priorities. Jud Knox, CEO of York Hospital, an independent hospital, said the $700,000 to $850,000 in cuts "would be very detrimental to us" but he's hopeful budget negotiations will result in a more reasonable budget. Katie Fullam Harris, senior vice president of government relations at MaineHealth, said when people think of a hospital, they might only think of a large building filled with specialists, nurses and other health professionals. Page 72 Hospitals arguing against budget Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Maine) March 23, 2015 Monday

But increasingly, hospitals are called on to provide services to people who could not otherwise obtain health care, Fullam Harris said. For instance, a primary care doctor working for a hospital must accept a MaineCare patient, while a doctor in private practice could limit or refuse to accept MaineCare patients. MaineCare re- imburses at a lower rate than private health insurance, so MaineCare patients are less financially lucrative. As a result, many primary care services for low-income patients, such as behavioral health and primary care, could be on the chopping block if the cuts go through. "This could tear apart what's left of the safety net in the state," Fullam Haris said. "We were really shocked at this budget." About 80 to 90 percent of Maine's primary care doctors are employed by a hospital and are not in private practice. While the LePage budget would cut hospital reimbursements, it would maintain MaineCare reimbursement rates for primary care doctors in private practice. Those doctors would have seen their rates slashed because the federal government is reducing reimbursement rates. But for doctors unattached to a hospital, Maine is filling the gap with state dollars -- about $8 million. In addition to the proposed MaineCare cutbacks, the hospitals are also being asked to shoulder federal Medicare cuts and are taking in more charity care cases when uninsured or underinsured patients use the emergency room, hospital officials said. The state's decision not to expand Medicaid -- called MaineCare in the state -- has exacerbated charity care costs in emergency rooms, hospital officials told the Press Herald. "We have accepted the societal challenge of caring for Maine's poor. Meanwhile, the state has stepped away," said Lisa Harvey-McPherson, a vice president at Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems, the parent company of Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor. EMHS has estimated that it would be cut $20 million by the LePage budget. Chuck Gill, a spokesman for Central Maine Health Care in Lewiston, said if hospitals have to reduce the number of primary care doctors they employ, it will not only threaten the safety net, but later make it difficult to recruit health professionals to Maine if in future years the cuts are restored. Gill said doctors like to know they have a stable employer, and not have to worry about state cutbacks threatening job security. As highly skilled professionals, they could choose to live anywhere in the country. "Why would we want to put these jobs at risk with these cuts?" said Gill, who estimated a $13 million net reduction for CMHC -- the parent company of Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston -- from the LePage budget. "They're already critical to Maine's economy." In the past, if the state had cut reimbusement rates to hospitals, often the cuts would be made up by the hospitals charging higher rates to insurance companies, which would then pass on the rate increases to private policyholders, said Stein, the health policy analyst. He said cost shifting is much less likely to happen under the Affordable Care Act, which prohibits hospitals from cherry-picking younger, healthier consumers and rejecting those with pre-existing conditions who are more likely to need benefits. Companies are now putting more focus on volume and keeping consumers happy. McGinty, the MaineHealth treasurer, agreed that substantial cost shifting to insurance companies would be unlikely. And what about the LePage administration paying down the hospital debt in 2013, eliminating $183 million owed to hospitals? Austin said Maine hospitals still appreciate LePage's move to repay them the overdue MaineCare reimbursements. But he said that doesn't help hospital finances going forward. "That money was not a windfall. It was revenue that was already booked against expenses years before. It was money that was already spent," Austin said. Joe Lawlor can be contacted at 791-6376 or at: [email protected] Twitter: joelawlorph Credit: By JOE LAWLOR Portland Press Herald

Page 73 Hospitals arguing against budget Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Maine) March 23, 2015 Monday

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Bangor Daily News (Maine)

October 3, 2014 Friday

LePage and Poliquin receive endorsements from gun-rights advocates

BYLINE: Nell Gluckman BDN Staff

LENGTH: 601 words

HOLDEN, Maine -- Gov. Paul LePage, who is running for re-election, and Bruce Poliquin, who hopes to represent Maine's 2nd Congressional District, accepted the support of gun-rights advocates, including the Na- tional Rifle Association, at a press conference at Maine Military Supply on Thursday.

The Republican candidates were praised for their support of the Second Amendment by Jeff Zimba, chairman of the "Sportsman for LePage Coalition" and Todd Tolhurst, president of the nonprofit group, Gun Own- ers of Maine.

At the event, Poliquin took a stab at the fact that his Democratic opponent, state Sen. Emily Cain, did not grow up in Maine.

"She's been here a short time," he said, explaining that gun ownership is about tradition and history in Maine. "She does not share our values."

Cain, who attended the University of Maine and has lived in the state since, also said Maine's history of hunting and shooting sports are important.

"I support the Second Amendment and I support Maine gun owners," she said in a statement.

Page 74 LePage and Poliquin receive endorsements from gun-rights advocates Bangor Daily News (Maine) October 3, 2014 Friday

"Like so many Mainers, including Senator Susan Collins and Senator Angus King I also support background checks to keep guns out of the hands of criminals," she continued. "My opponent Bruce Poliquin is against even these reasonable common sense steps to keep our communities safe."

A recent poll, conducted by the Portland Press Herald, had Poliquin leading with 40 percent of the vote to Cain's 30 percent. Independent candidate Blaine Richardson held 3 percent of the vote.

The poll also put Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mike Michaud slightly ahead of his opponents with 40 percent of the vote. LePage had 38 percent and Eliot Cutler, an independent candidate, had 12 percent.

Blaine Anthony, former host of Sportsman Channel's "The Bear Whisperer," made an appearance at Thurs- day's event to speak in favor of LePage, saying he is "the only person to vote for if you don't want any of your rights infringed on."

LePage then explained his relationship with guns.

"I own guns. I own three guns. Not one of them's ever been fired. That's not the issue with me. This is the issue for me," he said as he held up a copy of the constitution.

An announcement that Poliquin and LePage would be endorsed by the National Rifle Association were made in September.

Back in May, the NRA endorsed Poliquin's opponent, Kevin Raye, in the primary. Raye's spokesman said at the time that Poliquin's record did not align with the NRA because he had donated $500 to an organization called Handgun Control in 1989 and supported mandatory background checks when he ran for governor in 2010.

During this election season, Poliquin has made a point of declaring his support for the pro-gun group.

"I am deeply honored to receive the support of the NRA," he said in a prepared statement that was released Tuesday. "It has been a long time since Maine's 2nd District has had a true advocate for the 2nd Amendment in Washington."

The National Rifle Association is a powerful lobbying force in Augusta, but expenditures through its PAC this election cycle have been relatively small -- $526 in independent expenditures to support incumbent Demo- cratic Sen. John Tuttle, D-Sanford; $125 each in direct contributions to Republican incumbent Reps. Larry Lockman of Amherst and Richard Malaby of Hancock; and $250 in a direct contribution to Sen. David Burns, R-Whiting.

The NRA Political Victory Fund's largest contribution, though, was to a leadership PAC run by incumbent Sen. Andre Cushing, R-Hampden. Cushing's PAC, called "Respect Maine," has received $2,500 from the NRA.

BDN writer Mario Moretto contributed to this report.

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Page 75 LePage and Poliquin receive endorsements from gun-rights advocates Bangor Daily News (Maine) October 3, 2014 Friday

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Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Maine)

May 16, 2014 Friday

Insurer: 1 in 5 could have got Medicaid

BYLINE: LAWLOR, JOE

SECTION: Pg. 2.B ISSN: 0745-2039

LENGTH: 1146 words

ABSTRACT Additional cost-sharing subsidies available for low-income residents who earn between 100 and 150 percent of the federal poverty level further reduce the costs of insurance by helping to pay out-of-pocket costs such as deductibles or co-pays.

FULL TEXT What action newly eligible people would have taken remains unknown About one in five enrollees in Maine's health insurance marketplace -- roughly 8,000 to 10,000 people -- would have qualified for Medicaid had the state expanded the program for low-income Mainers under the Affordable Care Act, according to estimates based on numbers released by one of the state's insurers. The figures are the first glimpse at how declining to expand Medicaid has affected Maine's health insurance marketplace, where people can purchase subsidized insurance under the Affordable Care Act. Republican , Gov. Paul LePage, citing cost concerns, vetoed several attempts by the Democratic-led Legis- lature to expand MaineCare and rebuffed efforts by moderate Republicans to forge a bipartisan compromise. The first enrollment period ended March 31, with about 44,000 Mainers signing up for benefits. A big question during the State House debate was whether the uninsured who would have been eligible for MaineCare under expansion would choose to remain without insurance or buy a low-cost plan on the marketplace. About half of the 70,000 people who would have been covered were eligible to purchase insurance on the marketplace with substantial payment assistance. Republican legislators encouraged low-income people to sign up on the marketplace, even passing out pamphlets this spring to those rallying for MaineCare expansion at the State House. Democrats viewed that suggestion as a political stunt or, at best, a half-measure that would leave the 35,000 who didn't qualify for subsidies without an affordable option. Regardless, an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 people who would have qualified under the Medicaid expansion took the plunge and purchased insurance on the marketplace in the first year it was available. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has not released financial breakdowns of those purchasing marketplace insurance, and insurers do not receive income information from the federal government. But those people who make between 100 and 150 percent of the federal poverty level -- about Page 76 Insurer: 1 in 5 could have got Medicaid Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Maine) May 16, 2014 Friday

$12,000 to $17,000 -- are known to insurance companies because they are eligible for additional cost-sharing subsidies. MaineCare expansion would have covered adults earning up to 138 percent, or about $16,000. Using figures provided by Maine Community Health Options, Mitchell Stein, a Cumberland-based health policy analyst, estimated that between 8,000 and 10,000 with marketplace plans would have qualified for MaineCare. Stein's higher estimate accounts for a more even distribution of enrollees throughout the income bracket. If more people earned closer to 150 percent of the federal poverty level, the estimate would be lower. Maine Community Health Options has captured about 80 percent of the state marketplace market. Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, the only other Maine insurer selling plans through the marketplace, declined to provide figures. Libby Cummings, a navigator who helped people sign up for health insurance at the Portland Community Health Center, said that for the most part, the low-income people she helped believed they could afford the premiums. They were willing to pay, rather than remain uninsured. "People looked at it and said, 'Of course I'm willing to pay for it.' They felt like they were getting a really good deal," Cummings said. "They were really proud to get insurance with a brand name." While marketplace plans are not free, subsidies for the lowest income residents drive down premium costs to about $10 to $15 per month. Additional cost-sharing subsidies available for low-income residents who earn between 100 and 150 percent of the federal poverty level further reduce the costs of insurance by helping to pay out-of-pocket costs such as deductibles or co-pays. Rep. Richard Malaby, R-Hancock, who serves on the health and human services committee, said he's happy to hear thousands took advantage of the health insurance marketplace, and he believes it will ultimately be better for the working poor than MaineCare expansion. "If you have to pay a little bit of money, you value it more," Malaby said. "They have some skin in the game." Malaby said the subsidies should also be made available to those earning less than 100 percent of the federal poverty level. Subsidies are not available to the poorest residents because the Affordable Care Act mandated that all states expand Medicaid, but a 2012 U.S. Supreme Court decision allowed states to opt out. About half of the states have so far refused to expand Medicaid. However, Rep. Drew Gattine, D-Westbrook, also a member of the health committee, said the fact that some people are willing to pay for insurance is not a reason to deny MaineCare expansion. More people would have benefited from expansion than the few thousand who gained insurance via the marketplace, he said. The federal government would have paid for 100 percent of the cost of MaineCare expansion for three years, and 90 percent in subsequent years, although Republicans have argued that there are many hidden costs. Emily Brostek, associate director at advocacy group Consumers for Affordable Health Care in Augusta, said the low-income Mainers may not be able to pay for the modest premiums over time. "If you're living paycheck to paycheck, $15 a month can be a challenge," Brostek said. Kevin Lewis, president of Maine Community Health Options, said more than 90 percent of those choosing the insurer's plans have paid their first month's premium. But Cummings said the fact that Maine Medical Center and Mercy Hospital still offered free care to those who purchase insurance on the marketplace was also an incentive. For low-income Mainers who qualify, the hospitals would cover costs not paid for by private insurance companies, Cummings said. She said if they hadn't, it would have been a disincentive to purchase marketplace insurance. "It's better for the hospitals because they get most of their costs reimbursed by private insurance, where the hospitals aren't reimbursed at all for people who don't have any insurance," Cummings said. Page 77 Insurer: 1 in 5 could have got Medicaid Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Maine) May 16, 2014 Friday

Will Chapman, 23, of Greenwood, would have qualified for MaineCare this year, but he said he probably would have declined the state coverage had it been available because he knew his income would likely increase. Chapman, a student at University of Maine at Augusta, earned about $12,000 per year working one part-time job, but he picked up another part-time job, which will double his earnings. Chapman said he pays about $12 per month for marketplace coverage, although his premium will increase once he reports his new income.

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Portland Press Herald (Maine)

April 9, 2014 Wednesday

Give peace a chance, get rid of fireworks

SECTION: Pg. 1.A

LENGTH: 1043 words

I wonder if E.B. White would have come back "once more" to the lakes in Maine if, after his first visit, while he sat by the evening campfire, colorful sparkles from lakeside fireworks lit up the sky, blocking the stars, followed by loud, cannon-like booms shattering the peaceful atmosphere on and off again for the next few hours, night after night. If I recall correctly, it was the natural essence of Maine's environment, the birds and the animals that stimu- lated his writings; the clear waters, the endless summer days, the colorful trout, the quietude of the Maine evenings complemented only by the mournful cry of the loon. Unfortunately, the peace and quiet that E.B. wrote about have not prevailed. The problem has gone well beyond the nuisance of the two- stroke motor he so much disliked. With the legalizing of fireworks by the state of Maine, folks are finding the lakes a convenient place to set off their evening displays along the shorelines. On some lakes, this occurs almost every night throughout the summer for a few hours starting at dusk. Toxic substances and paper debris drift into the waters from these aerial displays, adding unwanted chemi- cals including phosphorous and unsightly flotsam. The loud booms scare the loons, as their panicked cries indicate. Page 78 Give peace a chance, get rid of fireworks Portland Press Herald (Maine) April 9, 2014 Wednesday

To ask the question once again, "Would E.B. White have bothered to come back to that lake in Maine if he encountered such noise and light pollution the first time he was there?" Perhaps a more topical question would be, "Will visitors from out of the region bother to come back after they find their vacation time less than peaceful and not as advertised?" Is this really the way life should be? John R. Gibbs Ipswich, Mass. A liberal and conservative view: Address CO2 levels We are a father and son living here in Maine. One of us is a baby boomer, a physician and a self-described liberal. The other is a millennial, a student of political science and a conservative. Although we both love our nation and Maine, there is much that we see differently. On one critical issue, however, we feel the need to speak together. Climate change is a real and pressing danger to our country, state and family. We all rely on the health of our planet. Although we differ on the details, it's clear to us that the future of human biological, social and financial systems ultimately depends on maintaining the health of the environment. Effectively addressing CO2 levels is crucial to maintaining that health. We both feel that a revenue-neutral carbon tax is a necessary step toward the important leadership that the United States must take on in maintaining our healthy planet. Both of us have confidence that a carbon tax could help us all to move toward a sustainable, predictable world - the same conditions needed for healthy ecosystems, communities, healthy markets and continued business growth. So together, the two of us respectfully ask that Maine's delegation to the U.S. Congress help lead the way toward a worthwhile future we can all appreciate. We ask the delegation to make use of all resources and opportunities available to their offices to promote the development and implementation of revenue-neutral carbon tax legislation. Edward Pontius, M.D., DFAPA physician, liberal and father Adam Pontius student of political science, conservative and son Topsham Singing a different tune about Sen. Roger Katz Reading Sen. Roger Katz's op-ed about the Democrats singing a Groucho Marx song ("Commentary: Dem- ocrats take cue from Groucho Marx, assistant GOP leader says," April 7), one word kept coming to mind: Chutzpah! For those unfamiliar with this Yiddish term, it means "unmitigated gall or brazenness beyond im- agination." In contrast to Sen. Katz's assertions about Democrats, Gov. LePage and his legislative enablers appear to epitomize Groucho Marx's description of politics: "Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies." Sen. Katz's own voting record contradicts his claims about the supposedly good ideas coming from our chief executive. I would remind him that the biennial budget that Gov. LePage submitted was so horrendous and so filled with bad ideas that even legislative Republicans declined to support it. The Legislature had to do the work that Gov. LePage and finance Commissioner Sawin Millett were incapa- ble of doing, and the new budget had to be approved with the Legislature, including Sen. Katz, overriding the governor's veto. Discussion of reforms of our grossly mismanaged Department of Health and Human Services should begin with a discussion of the incompetence of Mary Mayhew, the lobbyist-commissioner LePage continually de- fends. Page 79 Give peace a chance, get rid of fireworks Portland Press Herald (Maine) April 9, 2014 Wednesday

At the sessions of the Health and Human Services Committee that Sen. Katz mentions and that he did not attend, I found it was the Republicans on that committee who were unreasonable and unwilling to discuss realistic solutions. In particular, when Rep. Ann Dorney noted that the electronic benefits card abuse in purchasing items not permitted by legislation involved both the EBT card-holder and a vendor - and that any sanctions should affect both parties - Reps. Deb Sanderson and Richard Malaby quickly moved to change the subject. Louis T. Sigel Democratic candidate for Maine Senate, District 14 Gardiner Kudos to turnpike chief for clearing trees and brush I would like to applaud Peter Mills of the Maine Turnpike Authority on a job well done regarding the cutting of the trees and brush from Portland to Gray in both directions. We now have a much safer highway to travel. Visibility has been greatly enhanced and there is proper drainage. We have an abundance of wildlife in our beautiful state, and by removing the trees from the side of the highway, this will allow wildlife to graze at a safer distance. I would be interested in the cost of the project. The trees and chips had value to offset the cost, and perhaps this could be a model for more roads down the road. I also noticed the work is being done by a local company - it is nice to see money stay within state. We all pay higher insurance premiums in Maine because of deer- car accidents and this project will address that. Thanks again to Peter Mills for a job well done. Lucien Langlois Limerick

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GRAPHIC: Caption: John R. Gibbs

DOCUMENT-TYPE: Editorial

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Portland Press Herald (Maine)

March 26, 2014 Wednesday

House takes first vote to nullify welfare study contract ; A bill takes aim at a study that has been besieged by Democrats but is still supported by the governor. Page 80 House takes first vote to nullify welfare study contract ; A bill takes aim at a study that has been besieged by Democrats but is still supported by the governor. Portland Press Herald (Maine) March 26, 2014 Wednesday

BYLINE: STEVE MISTLER, By STEVE MISTLER Staff Writer

SECTION: Pg. 2.B

LENGTH: 659 words

Democrats in the House gave preliminary approval to a bill that terminates a $925,000 contract with the Al- exander Group to analyze the state's welfare system. The first portion of the study, a Medicaid expansion feasibility analysis, was widely criticized for a $575 million calculation error and omitting cost savings meaures. Democrats have described the contract as a political document designed to reinforce the gover- nor's controversial welfare proposals. AUGUSTA -- Democratic lawmakers in the House gave preliminary approval Tuesday to a bill that would nullify the LePage administration's controversial $925,000 contract with a consultant to study Maine's welfare system. The House voted 80-60 to approve the bill, on a mostly party- line vote that likely foreshadows a veto by Gov. Paul LePage. The administration awarded the no-bid contract to the Alexander Group in September. The study has since been besieged by Democrats as a political document used to justify the governor's welfare reform policies. Gary Alexander, a former health and human services chief for Pennsylvania and Rhode Island, is now head of the Alexander Group. Democrats have labeled him a "crony" of the governor. The criticism increased in January, when Alexander delivered an analysis of the feasibility of expanding Maine's Medicaid program. One national analyst said the report contained a $575 million calculation error. Others noted that it didn't show any cost savings from expanding Medicaid. "The taxpayers of Maine should not have to pay for a flashy campaign report for the (governor)," said Rep. Jeff McCabe, D- Skowhegan, the assistant majority leader. Republicans defended the report during Tuesday's floor debate. Rep. Richard Malaby, R-Hancock, said the no-bid contract was justified because Alexander had helped obtain a "global waiver" from the federal government, which gave Rhode Island flexibility to make reforms in its Medicaid program. Such reform is needed in Maine, he said. Some Democrats did not endorse the bill. Rep. Terry Hayes, D- Buckfield, said she does not support the Al- exander Group's work but worries about the precedent of voiding an agreement made by the executive branch. The bill, L.D. 1794, needs additional votes in the House and the Senate. The study is funded with a mix of state general fu nd dollars and federal money. Health and Human Services Commissioner Mary Mayhew has defended the study and said the bill is "a blatant attempt by partisan lawmakers to discredit a thorough and accurate report from a national Medicaid expert that does not support their political position on Medicaid expansion." The report was touted initially by Republican lawmakers as a reason to oppose Medicaid expansion, a key policy battle in this session. Republican support for the report has been muted since its findings were questioned by outside analysts. Under the contract, the Alexander Group was given several target dates to deliver specific elements of its analysis. The group missed its Dec. 1 target date for the Medicaid expansion study. Page 81 House takes first vote to nullify welfare study contract ; A bill takes aim at a study that has been besieged by Democrats but is still supported by the governor. Portland Press Herald (Maine) March 26, 2014 Wednesday

The report was delivered Dec. 16, and the LePage administration didn't release it until Jan. 10, even though the contract notes that all documents in the state's possession are subject to the state's Freedom of Access Act. The Alexander Group was scheduled to deliver a "data-driven analysis" of the state's welfare system, and a plan to redesign the Medicaid system, on Dec. 20. A spokesman for the DHHS said Jan. 14 that the department was giving Alexander more time to complete the reports and had not set a deadline. The spokesman, John Martins, said 40 percent of the payment to the Alexander Group would be withheld until the required work was completed. Martins said Monday that the state has not paid the Alexander Group for the outstanding portions of the report, but the monthly payments continue to be made. Steve Mistler can be contacted at 791-6345 or at: smis- [email protected] Twitter: @stevemistler

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Portland Press Herald (Maine)

March 17, 2014 Monday

Further Discussion ; The major candidates in both the Democratic and Republican primaries have sharp differences.

BYLINE: Michael Shepherd, Michael Shepherd Kennebec Journal

LENGTH: 1172 words

Two are Democratic state senators. One of those is an outspoken, pro-life logger born and bred in northern Aroostook County; the other, a young transplant to a university town who is known for compromise. On the Republican side, a former legislative leader who got his political start under a famous moderate is taking on a wealthy businessman who recently moved to the district, running hard to his opponent's right. Later this year, the governor's race will get the most headlines, but the campaign in Maine's 2nd District may be the most interesting - now and approaching November. National campaign committees have made the race a high priority. Page 82 Further Discussion ; The major candidates in both the Democratic and Republican primaries have sharp differences. Portland Press Herald (Maine) March 17, 2014 Monday

Earlier this month, Democrats placed it among their 35 top- priority districts nationwide, a distinction they said will come with monetary and other support for the primary winner, probably either Maine Senate Majority Leader Troy Jackson of Allagash or Sen. Emily Cain of Orono. Alden Smith, a Navy reservist from Sanger- ville, is also in the race. The National Republican Congressional Committee also highlighted the race in November, putting both Re- publican hopefuls - former Maine Senate President Kevin Raye of Perry and former State Treasurer Bruce Poliquin of Oakland - on a list of 36 priority candidates, a distinction also coming with assistance. The candidates have highlighted sharp personal and policy differences early in the campaign and have gotten support from divergent groups. REPUBLICANS: RIGHT OR MIDDLE? Poliquin is running hard to the right of Raye on the Republican side, with Raye already pitching his perceived favorability in a general election. Endorsements have started, with Poliquin touting the support of FreedomWorks, a tea party group tied to the Koch Brothers, and most Republican state representatives from the 2nd District. One of them, Rep. Richard Malaby of Hancock, said he'd fully support either Raye or Poliquin after the primary, but he supports the former state treasurer now because Poliquin's 'probably a bit more conservative on fiscal issues.' However, Raye's campaign has gotten support from small-business people regionwide; the Busi- ness-Industry Political Action Committee, a national group boosting perceived pro-business candidates; and former U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe, for whom Raye worked for 17 years, part of that while she held the 2nd District seat. Dan Demeritt, a Republican political consultant who writes a weekly column for the Kennebec Journal, the Morning Sentinel and the Maine Sunday Telegram, said Raye is 'more in line with the Republicans who have held that seat,' including Snowe and William Cohen, both known as moderates. Raye has tried to ride that middle road, releasing internal poll information in November saying he's more electable against a Democrat than Poliquin. Even so, Demeritt said, Poliquin 'has a strong point of view and is very spirited on the campaign trail.' His forte is appealing to conservatives on fiscal issues: As treasurer, he described his role as being an activist for taxpayers. He used that pulpit to be Gov. Paul LePage's fiscal 'cheerleader- in-chief,' in Demeritt's words. However, when Raye was Senate president, Demeritt, who once was LePage's spokesman, noted that Raye had to shepherd many of the policies popular among conservatives through the Legislature. So far, Poliquin has assailed Raye's long political career, while Raye's camp has attacked Poliquin's recent move to the district and his penchant for pouring wealth into a campaign. On Twitter in February, Raye adviser Kathie Summers-Grice called Poliquin a 'wealthy carpetbagger.' Poliquin has a large coastal home in Georgetown, in Maine's 1st District, but he recently listed his residence as Oakland. After Raye issued a news release in January attacking Poliquin for putting $100,000 into his campaign, Poliquin campaign manager Matthew Hutson issued a statement saying Raye 'cannot escape the ways of Washington where political attacks push out substance.' BATTLE FOR LIBERAL CREDIBILITY Cain has sold herself as the favorite in the race, releasing internal polling in January that showed she was favored over Jackson in the primary, which his campaign disputed. Labor has lined up on his side so far, with the Maine AFL-CIO endorsing him despite the fact that he and Cain both gained perfect scores on the union coalition's most recent scorecard for legislators, issued last year. Page 83 Further Discussion ; The major candidates in both the Democratic and Republican primaries have sharp differences. Portland Press Herald (Maine) March 17, 2014 Monday

Cain is less outspoken on labor issues, whereas Jackson has served as chairman of the Legislature's labor committee and long advocated for higher wages for workers. Still, the coalition's early entrance into the race was notable: Matt Schlobohm, the Maine AFL-CIO's executive director, said the group's last high-profile primary endorsement was in 2002 for Michaud, before he won his first congressional term. Schlobohm said members see both Cain and Jackson as strong leaders, but Jackson as 'exceptional,' with a 'personal story of knowing what it's like to work for a living.' 'What it really came down to was that Troy has just been a tireless champion of working people and middle-class families,' Schlobohm said. Cain's base has been broad so far, however. She raised $300,000 to Jackson's $140,000 through theof De- cember, with notable names on that donor list. She has gotten money from Maine's most notable Democratic donor, S. Donald Sussman. He is the financier husband of Democratic 1st District U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, and the majority share owner of MaineToday Media, publisher of the Kennebec Journal, the Morning Sentinel, the Portland Press Herald and other media outlets. Cain also has support from out-of-state groups, including EMILY's List, an organization that helps pro-choice women get elected to office. The two Democrats have sparred recently about each other's liberal credibility. In December, Cain sent a letter to potential supporters highlighting Jackson's anti-gay marriage vote in 2009 and his pro-life stance, suggesting he would 'roll back the years ... to a more conservative time.' Jackson's campaign hit back in January with an email blast from Sen. John Patrick, D-Rumford, citing a blogger who highlighted Cain's support of a tax reform plan that would have flattened income taxes to raise sales taxes as one reason she often talks 'like a Republican.' Sandy Maisel, a Democratic political science professor at Colby College, said Cain's money lead and campaign gives her an edge against Jackson. He said he sees Jackson as a somewhat more conservative Democrat than Michaud, while Cain is more conventional. With Michaud at the top of the ticket and popular in the district, Maisel said, both candidates would tie themselves to him should they win the primary. The real question, he said, is which candidate could appeal better to people who would vote for independent gubernatorial candidate Eliot Cutler, in a three-way race with LePage and Michaud for governor. 'It seems like that would be Cain,' Maisel said. Michael Shepherd can be contacted at 370-7652 or at: [email protected] Twitter: @mikeshepherdme

LOAD-DATE: March 18, 2014

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Copyright 2014 ProQuest Information and Learning All Rights Reserved Page 84 Further Discussion ; The major candidates in both the Democratic and Republican primaries have sharp differences. Portland Press Herald (Maine) March 17, 2014 Monday

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States News Service

January 15, 2014 Wednesday

TAXPAYERS COME OUT IN FORCE AGAINST MEDICAID EXPANSION HOUSE REPUBLICANS REITERATE OPPOSITION TO FISCALLY DIS- ASTROUS EXPANSION OF OBAMACARE

BYLINE: States News Service

LENGTH: 512 words

DATELINE: AUGUSTA, ME

The following information was released by the Maine House of Representatives, Republicans: The Maine Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee on Wednesday held a public hearing on LD 1578, the bill to force the state to help fund an expansion of medical welfare to at least 70,000 able-bodied adults under ObamaCare. The committee heard testimony in cyclesfive proponents followed by five opponents, repeated. As of 1:00 PM, after beginning at 9:00 AM, members of the public opposing welfare expansion were still matching testimony with those in favor of it, including welfare lobbyists. "Usually we hear overwhelmingly from liberal activists and lobbying organizations at hearings regarding Medicaid, but today I was pleasantly surprised to see so many people express concern for Maine's fiscal future," said Rep. Deborah Sanderson (R-Chelsea), the ranking House Republican on the committee. "Many of these people were hardworking taxpayers who are being squeezed by taxes and seeing services like education and transportation cut because Medicaid is growing and consuming so much of our state budget," said Rep. Heather Sirocki (R-Scarborough). "It was very compelling to listen to people who are living paycheck to paycheck while paying the taxes that fund DHHS," said Rep. Richard Malaby (R-Hancock). "They are concerned that the welfare system they're funding is no longer going to help the elderly and disabled who truly need it, but able-bodied younger adults." House Republican Leaders said the hearing was a sign that the realities of welfare expansion are beginning to sink in with the public. A recent poll conducted by a Democratic-leaning Portland firm found a roughly even divide of opinion on Medicaid expansion among Mainers, with 50 percent in support and 45 percent in opposition. "MaineCare needs to get back to its roots, and that means taking care of our elderly, disabled, and children, including 3,100 disabled Mainers who are on waitlists for services," said House Republican Leader Ken Fre- dette of Newport. "Expanding medical welfare to as many as 125,000 additional able-bodied adults would undermine those on the waitlists and create an unsustainable new entitlement." "This is the same exact bill we saw and defeated last year; it is in no way a compromise," added Rep. Fre- dette. "It's a proposal that would expand the very program that created the state's hospital debt and gave us the $119 million budget shortfall we just recently learned about." Page 85 TAXPAYERS COME OUT IN FORCE AGAINST MEDICAID EXPANSION HOUSE REPUBLICANS REITERATE OPPOSITION TO FISCALLY DISASTROUS EXPANSION OF OBAMACARE States News Service January 15, 2014 Wednesday Assistant House Republican Leader Alex Willette of Mapleton, at 24 the youngest legislative leader in Maine's history, said that his generation would be burdened with paying for the massive new entitlement. "If we want to attract and retain young people to grow our economy and balance out our aging population, we must see a departure from the welfare state Democrats have built up over the decades and the debts and taxes that come with it," he said. "ObamaCare's welfare expansion would hand an $807 million bill to young Mainers at a time when we need change and reform, not more of the same."

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Kennebec Journal

December 27, 2013 Friday

A Democratic state senator's bill that would replace MaineCare's troubled... [Derived headline]

BYLINE: JOE LAWLOR

SECTION: Pg. 1.A ISSN: 07452039

LENGTH: 944 words

DATELINE: Augusta, Me.

ABSTRACT The bill sponsored by Sen. Colleen Lachowicz, D-Waterville, would force the DHHS to stop using a system that depends on regional ride brokers and has left thousands of people without rides to doctor's offices, cancer treatments, mental health therapy and other medical appointments. Trish Riley, who worked for the DHHS under Democratic administrations as director of public health policy, said there's no doubt that the system is having problems but she questions whether it's the Legislature's role to force-feed a solution to the executive branch.

FULL TEXT A Democratic state senator's bill that would replace MaineCare's troubled transportation system with a Ver- mont-style solution will be among the first bills considered in the new legislative session in January. Leaders of local nonprofit groups, MaineCare patients and Democrats have signaled support, but it's unclear whether the bill will get enough backing from Republicans to survive a potential veto. Republican Gov. Paul LePage has expressed dissatisfaction with the MaineCare rides program but does not appear to support an overhaul. Officials in the Department of Health and Human Services have consistently said the system will remain, and eventually will work as envisioned when it started Aug 1. Page 86 A Democratic state senator's bill that would replace MaineCare's troubled... [Derived headline] Kennebec Journal December 27, 2013 Friday

The bill sponsored by Sen. Colleen Lachowicz, D-Waterville, would force the DHHS to stop using a system that depends on regional ride brokers and has left thousands of people without rides to doctor's offices, cancer treatments, mental health therapy and other medical appointments. The $40 million-a-year program serves 45,000 low-income Mainers who have no other way to get to their appointments. It has been beset with problems since the state dropped a system in which local nonprofit agencies arranged and provided the rides. Lachowicz's bill would get rid of the regional brokers, which take requests for rides and book them with nonprofit agencies, and put the transportation providers back in charge. As in Vermont, the local nonprofits would have to track the rides and file paperwork required by the federal government. In Maine's previous system, there was little documentation of the rides, which raised concerns at the federal level. The federal government is requiring more transparency to prevent fraud, in which recipients may get free rides to places like the grocery store or the beach. The Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee will debate Lachowicz's bill on Jan. 9. DHHS officials would not comment on the bill Thursday. "I want us to do something that works better for the taxpayers and for the people who need the rides," Lachowicz said. "I want to put something back together more like the way it was, even though it can't be exactly the way it was before" because of federal requirements. Lachowicz's bill has support from at least one Republican legislator, although another Republican lawmaker was non-committal. "I like the idea," said Rep. Carol McElwee, R-Caribou, a member of the Health and Human Services Com- mittee. She said the DHHS has been unable to solve problems in the program, despite extensive prodding by the committee, so the Legislature must step in. "I'm embarrassed that we haven't been able to help," she said. "I feel so bad for the people who are missing their rides. The stories have been unbelievable." Rep. Richard Malaby, R-Hancock, another member of the committee, said the status quo is unacceptable and he appreciates Lachowicz's efforts to solve the problem, but he doesn't know if it's the best way to go about it. Malaby said he would like to see an analysis of the bill's financial impact. I don't know what the right solution is," he said. "It's an ugly situation right now." Rep. Richard Farnsworth, D-Portland, the committee's House chair, said he expects that LePage will veto anything related to the MaineCare rides program that doesn't support the administration's stance on the program. LePage's spokeswoman, Adrienne Bennett, didn't respond to requests for comment Thursday. LePage, in brief comments to reporters last week, indicated that some contracts for the broker that arranges rides in most of the state would not be renewed. Connecticut-based Coordinated Transportation Solutions has separate contracts to serve six of eight regions in the state, excluding the Bangor and York County regions. It has been on the equivalent of probation from the state for subpar performance. LePage's comments drew criticism from Democrats, who noted that waiting for renewal time in August would mean that Coordinated Transportation Solutions would be on the job for another eight months. Another bill up for consideration would simply cancel the company's contracts. Farnsworth said that measure is helpful but wouldn't address the root of the problem, which is a system that adds a layer of bureaucracy. Lachowicz said she looked to Vermont's system this summer as she anticipated the problems. Page 87 A Democratic state senator's bill that would replace MaineCare's troubled... [Derived headline] Kennebec Journal December 27, 2013 Friday

"I looked to a state that was like us, rural and relying on volunteer drivers," she said. "They're like us, and their rides program is working." Trish Riley, who worked for the DHHS under Democratic administrations as director of public health policy, said there's no doubt that the system is having problems but she questions whether it's the Legislature's role to force-feed a solution to the executive branch. "It is beyond the oversight role of the Legislature, and gets into the Legislature operating the department," said Riley. "It is an executive function to administer contracts." Legislators who back the bill dispute that view and say the MaineCare rides program is an extraordinary cir- cumstance. Credit: By JOE LAWLOR Portland Press Herald

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States News Service

December 10, 2013 Tuesday

HHS COMMITTEE REPUBLICANS TO DEMS: WHERE ARE YOUR IDEAS

BYLINE: States News Service

LENGTH: 401 words

DATELINE: AUGUSTA, ME

The following information was released by the Maine House of Representatives, Republicans: House Republicans ask Dems to provide cost-saving alternative to Alexander Group Republican members of the legislature's Health and Human Services Committee on Tuesday called on Democrats to offer their own alternatives to hiring an outside firm to identify savings in Maine's welfare system. The committee met Tuesday to discuss the Department of Health and Human Services' contract with an outside firm, among other items. Page 88 HHS COMMITTEE REPUBLICANS TO DEMS: WHERE ARE YOUR IDEAS States News Service December 10, 2013 Tuesday

"Time will tell the effectiveness of the welfare auditing firm, but if Democrats are going to criticize it, I want to hear what their alternative is," said Rep. Deborah Sanderson (R-Chelsea). "Over the years, they have reflex- ively shot down every idea for curbing the skyrocketing spending at Maine's welfare agency." Last week, Democrats also attacked a department decision to relocate one welfare office for a savings of $14 million. "I'm not sure if Democrats even agree with us that we have a spending problem at DHHS," said Rep. Heather Sirocki (R-Scarborough). "It would be nice to at least come to a consensus on that. Welfare spending on able-bodied young adults keeps going up while 3,100 of our neediest neighborsthe elderly, children, and severely disabledlanguish on wait lists." The Department hired a firm specializing in welfare savings not to provide information supporting a need for reformthere has long been wide consensus in the administration, and among a majority of Mainers, that reform is neededbut instead to guide the department in actually accomplishing it. "The welfare system that has grown at the state and federal levels over the years and the law that governs it is extraordinarily complex," said Rep. Richard Malaby (R-Hancock). "It makes sense to seek expertise from outside the department and the state. Instead of making political hay over a contract that has already been signed, Democrats should offer their own solutions for getting Medicaid spending under control. They have yet to even recognize the need to do so." Rep. Malaby noted that the Alexander Group successfully helped Rhode Island save millions by obtaining more flexibility from the federal government in the administration of its Medicaid program, leading to other reforms and commonsense efficiencies. "If the Alexander Group can obtain such a waiver for Maine, we will all be ahead," he added.

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Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine)

October 5, 2013 Saturday

In rebuttal, Rep. Richard Malaby: Insurmountable indebtedness

SECTION: LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

LENGTH: 267 words

In his recent guest column (Sept. 29), Rich Livingston, president of the AARP of Maine, was sadly mistaken about medical welfare expansion and Maine's decision not to do it. He said that if Maine doesn't spend the money to expand its Medicaid program, the funds will just go to other states instead, and that Mainers won't get their "money back" from the federal government that they pay in the form of federal income taxes. That is not true. Page 89 In rebuttal, Rep. Richard Malaby: Insurmountable indebtedness Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine) October 5, 2013 Saturday

First, money not spent by the federal government to expand Medicaid will not be redistributed to other states. It will go directly back into the U.S. Treasury, thus reducing (or not expanding) the federal deficit. I would have thought that Livingston, as the president of AARP of Maine, would support such an action, as out-of-control federal spending and borrowing have brought on inflationary rises in food and fuel costs resulting in crushing fiscal pressures on the at- risk elderly population. That same government spending has also depressed the rate of return on savings and has many middle class seniors worried that their life savings will expire before they do. Also, Maine is a net "taker" of federal funds -- Maine citizens send much less money in taxes to Washington each year than the state gets back in benefits and funding. Finally, what does this debate really say about us as a state and a nation? Livingston evidently believes that Maine shouldn't fall behind in the mad scramble to plunge our children and grandchildren into insurmountable indebtedness. The hot pursuit of federal dollars is not a race I want to win. Rep. Richard S. Malaby, Hancock

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Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine)

September 20, 2013 Friday

Editorial was misquoted in response

SECTION: OUR VIEW

LENGTH: 96 words

Responding to a Sun Journal editorial Sunday, four Maine legislators quoted a Sun Journal editorial several times, but once in error. The editorial in question never said the expansion of Medicaid in Maine would be funded by "free money," as reported by Sen. Jim Hamper and Reps. Richard Malaby, Deb Sanderson and Heather Sirocki. The expansion would be funded with federal tax money, paid in part by Maine citizens. The money we refuse to accept, about $250 million per year, will be used in other states or by other federal programs. Page 90 Editorial was misquoted in response Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine) September 20, 2013 Friday

The word "free" never appeared in the editorial.

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Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine)

September 15, 2013 Sunday

Medicaid expansion anything but 'free money' from the Feds

SECTION: LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

LENGTH: 663 words

A Sept. 6 editorial in this newspaper suggested that Maine will soon be missing out on "big checks" from the federal government to pay for health insurance in Maine. The piece took Gov. Paul LePage and many Republicans in the Legislature to task for not agreeing to expand MaineCare (Maine's version of Medicaid) to an additional 70,000 Mainers by taking federal dollars to pay for the expansion. For now, we'll put aside the fact that in addition to paying state taxes, we also pay federal taxes which would be the source of this "free money." The editorial ends by stating that had Maine agreed to the expansion, we would be receiving $256 million in federal dollars annually, which is more than the sum the state paid recently to reimburse Maine's hospitals for years of accumulated debt. It's an ironic point considering runaway expansion of Medicaid is the reason why Maine racked up so much debt with the hospitals in the first place. Now we're contemplating a similar expansion on steroids. In the first decade of this century, Maine expanded taxpayer- funded health care (Medicaid) to an unsustainable rate. It grew 78 percent between 2002 and 2009, while the population only increased by 7 percent. Maine's spending on its Medicaid program is more than 30 percent higher than the national average. We would be remiss if we did not mention that the last expansion currently costs Maine $175 million a year in general fund dollars. In addition, the federal reimbursement for MaineCare for a $2.5 billion budget was at a rate just under 75 percent in 2010. As of October 2013, that rate declines to 61.55 percent. That means that Maine taxpayers must fund an additional $320 million annually for the same level of programming. Page 91 Medicaid expansion anything but 'free money' from the Feds Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine) September 15, 2013 Sunday

In short, we have already expanded Medicaid while other states haven't, and have paid dearly for it as evi- denced by years of never- ending supplemental budgets needed to cover budget shortfalls created by cost overruns in Medicaid spending that continue to grow and cannibalize our state budget. While it is true that many states have recently signed up to take federal dollars for Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare), they will still be lagging behind Maine's previous expansions resulting in our current and expensive level of government-paid health care. The Medicaid expansion proposal has been sold to us with the promise of Maine receiving 100 percent funding for it from the federal government. But a closer examination reveals this is not a good deal for Maine. While the first three years of the expansion would be "free," the federal reimbursement rate would drop to 90 percent after that. The Department of Health and Human Services estimates Maine would then have to start contributing 75 million additional dollars to Medicaid every year. That means we would have to ask Maine taxpayers to contribute an additional $150 million in every two-year budget going forward. That's $150 million less we would have for education, public safety and other vital state programs. And it turns out, the short-term costs during that "free money" period aren't so free, after all. Maine would have to kick in $10.5 million annually during those first three years for administrative costs of covering the additional 70,000 Mainers. In addition to creating endless debt, Medicaid expansion in Maine has had another unintended consequence over the past 10 years: it has provided an incentive for those able-bodied individuals who were paying for their own health insurance to join the welfare rolls at our expense. After all, why pay for something when you can get it for (here comes that word again) free? So, contrary to what this newspaper editorial states, Maine does not stand to benefit from the "big checks" coming from the federal government. Those big checks come with a price that we simply cannot afford. Sen. Jim Hamper and Reps. Richard Malaby, Deb Sanderson and Heather Sirocki serve on the Health and Human Services Committee.

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Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Maine)

September 4, 2013 Wednesday

Universal health-care drive launched

Page 92 Universal health-care drive launched Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Maine) September 4, 2013 Wednesday

BYLINE: KOENIG, PAUL

SECTION: LOCAL NEWS; Pg. B.1 ISSN: 0745-2039

LENGTH: 757 words

Staff Writer AUGUSTA -- Supporters of a government-funded universal health care system rallied on Tuesday outside the State House for the launch of a 10-day tour of eight cities considering legislation for their cause. About 10 people gathered along Capitol Street held signs bearing messages such as "People Over Profits," encouraging passing drivers to honk if they supported universal health care. Representatives from Maine AllCare, the Maine chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program -- a national organization advocating for single-payer health care -- joined the Chicago-based Drive for Universal Healthcare at its stop at the State House. Rep. Charlie Priest, D-Brunswick, who is co-sponsoring a bill to establish a single-payer health care system in Maine by 2017, spoke at a news conference about the proposed legislation before the demonstration outside. The bill, L.D. 1345, eventually would transition a state exchange under the federal Affordable Care Act into a state-funded health care system, Priest said. He expects the Health and Human Services Committee to take up the bill in February or March. The legislation's goal is to provide affordable, quality health care to all Maine people and try to take the burden of employees' health insurance away from employers, Priest said. He thinks it's possible the bill will pass in the Legislature, but it could face a veto from Gov. Paul LePage, who vetoed a bill to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act last session and opted to not take part in the state health insurance exchanges that are part of the federal law. LePage described the Affordable Care Act as a stepping stone to a single-payer system in a November letter to the , Obama administration. However, some supporters of a single-payer system say the federal law shows why the country needs a different approach to health care because not everyone will be guaranteed insurance under it. Priest said he thinks the Affordable Care Act will be expensive, and people in the middle class who don't qualify for the subsidies to buy insurance on the exchanges will find costs increasing. He also said congressional Republicans' repeated attempts to repeal the law increase its uncertainty. The hope with starting a universal health care system in the state is that the federal government eventually will adopt a national system if enough states show their support for it, Priest said, calling such a development similar to what happened in Canada. Fred Horch, a member of Maine AllCare, said it's not an ideal course, but it may be the only realistic way to make universal health care a reality in the United States. Horch, the former owner of a sustainable supply store in Brunswick, said he doesn't think health insurance should be tied to employment status. If people with health insurance through their employers lose their jobs, they may end up uninsured when they're most vulnerable, Horch said. Health insurance also adds a burden on small-business owners, he said. Horch, who didn't pay for health insurance for his employees at F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies, said he sometimes struggled to hire people because some were looking for a job that provided it. By not offering insurance, his store was at a disadvantage compared to large retail chains that could afford it, Horch said. "It's making it so hard for our small businesses to stay in business," he said. Page 93 Universal health-care drive launched Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Maine) September 4, 2013 Wednesday

Rep. Richard Malaby, R-Hancock, a small-business owner himself, said he agrees that health insurance shouldn't be tied to employment and thinks it's one reason for rising health care costs. Even so, he said he doesn't think a single-payer system is the answer. Instead, Malaby, a member of the Health and Human Services Committee, said he wants to see greater competition among insurance companies and more openness about pricing in the medical industry to allow people to shop around for medical care. Another reason Malaby said he's against single-payer health care is that people wouldn't have "skin in the game" if the government was footing the bill. "Then they don't shop for a good value for prices, and they don't always make decisions based on it," Malaby said. He also said he sees health care as a personal responsibility, not a human right. He said people can help ensure they stay healthy through a healthy diet, exercise and good lifestyle choices. "I'm not of the mind that the government should be paying," Malaby said. "When other people pay, you don't care as much about how much you spend." Paul Koenig -- 621-5663 [email protected]

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Morning Sentinel (Waterville, Maine)

September 4, 2013 Wednesday

Drive launched for single-payer health system

BYLINE: KOENIG, PAUL

SECTION: LOCAL NEWS; Pg. B.3

LENGTH: 751 words

Staff Writer Page 94 Drive launched for single-payer health system Morning Sentinel (Waterville, Maine) September 4, 2013 Wednesday

AUGUSTA -- Supporters of a government-funded universal health care system rallied on Tuesday outside the State House for the launch of a 10-day tour of eight cities considering legislation for their cause. About 10 people gathered along Capitol Street held signs bearing messages such as "People Over Profits," encouraging passing drivers to honk if they supported universal health care. Representatives from Maine AllCare, the Maine chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program -- a national organization advocating for single-payer health care -- joined the Chicago-based Drive for Universal Healthcare at its stop at the State House. Rep. Charlie Priest, D-Brunswick, who is co-sponsoring a bill to establish a single-payer health care system in Maine by 2017, spoke at a news conference about the proposed legislation before the demonstration outside. The bill, L.D. 1345, eventually would transition a state exchange under the federal Affordable Care Act into a state-funded health care system, Priest said. He expects the Health and Human Services Committee to take up the bill in February or March. The legislation's goal is to provide affordable, quality health care to all Maine people and to try to take the burden of employees' health insurance away from employers, Priest said. He thinks it's possible the bill will pass in the Legislature, but it could face a veto from Gov. Paul LePage, who described the Affordable Care Act as a stepping stone to a single-payer system in a November letter to the Obama administration. However, some supporters of a single-payer system say the federal law shows why the country needs a different approach to health care because not everyone will be guaranteed insurance under it. Priest said he thinks the Affordable Care Act will be expensive, and people in the middle class who don't qualify for the subsidies to buy insurance on the exchanges will find costs increasing. Fred Horch, a member of Maine AllCare, said it's not an ideal course, but it may be the only realistic way to make universal health care a reality in the United States. Horch, the former owner of a sustainable supply store in Brunswick, said he doesn't think health insurance should be tied to employment status. If people with health insurance through their employers lose their jobs, they may end up uninsured when they're most vulnerable, Horch said. Rep. Richard Malaby, R-Hancock, a small-business owner himself, said he agrees that health insurance shouldn't be tied to employment and thinks it's one reason for rising health care costs. Even so, he said he doesn't think a single-payer system is the answer. Instead, Malaby, a member of the Health and Human Services Committee, said he wants to see greater competition among insurance companies and more openness about pricing in the medical industry to allow people to shop around for medical care. Paul Koenig -- 621-5663 [email protected] [email protected] Health insurance also adds a burden on small-business owners, he said. Horch, who didn't pay for health insurance for his employees at F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies, said he sometimes struggled to hire people because some were looking for a job that provided it. By not offering insurance, his store was at a disadvantage compared to large retail chains that could afford it, Horch said. "It's making it so hard for our small businesses to stay in business," he said. Another reason Malaby said he's against single-payer health care is that people wouldn't have "skin in the game" if the government was footing the bill. Page 95 Drive launched for single-payer health system Morning Sentinel (Waterville, Maine) September 4, 2013 Wednesday

"Then they don't shop for a good value for prices, and they don't always make decisions based on it," Malaby said. He also said he sees health care as a personal responsibility, not a human right. He said people can help ensure they stay healthy through a healthy diet, exercise and good lifestyle choices. "I'm not of the mind that the government should be paying," Malaby said. "When other people pay, you don't care as much about how much you spend." Paul Koenig -- 621-5663 [email protected] , who vetoed a bill to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act last session and opted not to take part in the state health insurance exchanges that are part of the federal law. The hope with starting a universal health care system in the state is that federal government eventually will adopt a national system if enough states show their support for it, Priest said, calling such a development similar to what happened in Canada.

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Bangor Daily News (Maine)

September 3, 2013 Tuesday

Brunswick lawmaker touts single-payer bill at Augusta health care rally

BYLINE: Mario Moretto BDN Staff

LENGTH: 923 words

AUGUSTA, Maine -- Activists assembled at the State House on Tuesday to kick off an eight-state tour of the Northeast in support of health care reform.

The group, called Drive for Universal Healthcare, or "DUH," bills itself as a "rolling demonstration" of activists in their vehicles, visiting states with pending legislation that would expand health care coverage by instituting some version of single-payer health care.

Page 96 Brunswick lawmaker touts single-payer bill at Augusta health care rally Bangor Daily News (Maine) September 3, 2013 Tuesday

In Maine, that's LD 1345, sponsored by Rep. Charlie Priest, D-Brunswick. His bill would transition the state slowly toward a state-run insurance system similar to those established in Canada and much of Europe.

Priest has introduced similar bills in previous legislatures. This time, he said he took his cues from Vermont, which in 2011 approved a law to slowly establish a single-payer system, and is working today toward imple- menting the law by 2017.

He said single-payer -- which proponents say would drastically reduce the cost of health care by eliminating the private profit motivation and overhead costs associated with tracking the myriad insurance payments -- was established piecemeal in Canada, and should be approached the same way in the United States.

"It's going to happen state by state by state until there's enough momentum for Congress to act," he told the small group of supporters at the State House Welcome Center.

Proponents of Priest's bill -- it has 51 co-sponsors in the House -- will surely be watching as Vermont attempts to implement its law. The state is attempting to bring companies that operate their own insurance plans under the single-payer system.

The U.S. Employee Retirement Income Security Act, or ERISA, says companies operating their own plans are exempt from state health care laws. Vermont needs a waiver to make those companies opt in to the single-payer system. No state has ever obtained an ERISA waiver before.

The outcome of that process will provide crucial precedent for Maine's single-payer efforts, said Trish Riley, a senior fellow for health policy at the Muskie School.

"The biggest difference between Vermont and Maine is we have far more businesses that are self-insured," Riley said. There's also the question of whether a "single" payer could ever be established, she said.

"If you try to do single payer [in Maine], the question is whether Medicare will play along, because we're the oldest state. And what do you do about self-insurers if you can't get a waiver?" she said.

It's feasible that even under a single-payer plan -- where private health insurance companies were kicked out of the system -- health care providers still could end up dealing with multiple state and federal agencies, plus the large companies that operate under ERISA, such as Bath Iron Works, the University of Maine and the Maine State Employees Union.

Rep. Richard Malaby, R-Hancock, who sits on the Health and Human Services Committee, said he opposes Priest's plan for health care.

"Single-payer has a lot of allure in that it could minimize overhead costs, which is good, but it does not address a key component of the health care system, which is that we need more competition," he said.

Malaby said that even though there are more than 1,000 health insurance companies in the country, only a handful operate in Maine's small group market. Easing regulations, he said, would make Maine's market more attractive and drive prices down.

He also said that while it's true that Europeans operating under a single-payer system pay dramatically less for health care than Americans, that's not necessarily a function of their payment scheme. Page 97 Brunswick lawmaker touts single-payer bill at Augusta health care rally Bangor Daily News (Maine) September 3, 2013 Tuesday

"I think it's a lot to do with technology and lifestyle choices. They also make rationing choices in those countries that we are not willing to make. We spend a lot of money on end-of-life services, for example," he said.

Malaby and other Republicans also responded to Tuesday's event at the State House by touting Public Law 90, a GOP-supported insurance reform package approved during the Republican-controlled 125th Legisla- ture. The law decreased regulation on insurance companies by making it easier for them to offer new plans and by allowing small businesses to band together and negotiate more favorable rates.

The bill also created a high-risk pool -- or reinsurance program -- to protect insurance companies from the high costs of covering patients who require the most medical care. In addition, the law allowed insurers to charge different rates based on patients' age, place of residence and health status. Proponents have said that part of the bill is an attempt to woo more young, healthy patients into the marketplace by allowing insurers to charge them less.

Democrats and lawmakers from northern Maine have criticized PL 90 for allowing rate hikes on older and rural customers. Republicans have countered by pointing out that more Mainers have seen rate decreases since PL 90 was enacted.

Malaby said that the geographic fluctuations were rough in the first year since PL 90 but that they are level- ing off and that the Republican reform bill has been a success.

"You're getting more and more young people who can stay in Maine and afford insurance," he said. "It used to be we never saw rate decreases at all, and now we are."

Regardless of the political battles over PL 90 or a single-payer bill -- which Gov. Paul LePage opposes -- Priest said there's always a Plan B.

"If we can't get it through the Legislature, which is a possibility, Maine has a wonderful citizen referendum system," he said.

Follow Mario Moretto on Twitter at @riocarmine.

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Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Maine)

August 18, 2013 Sunday

Page 98 Caregiver programs struggle to get enough money Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Maine) August 18, 2013 Sunday

Caregiver programs struggle to get enough money

BYLINE: BRIDGERS, LESLIE

SECTION: LOCAL NEWS; Pg. A.3 ISSN: 0745-2039

LENGTH: 714 words

Maine Sunday Telegram Two bills proposed in the Legislature last session would have boosted funding for state programs that provide home-care services, such as housekeeping and bathing, to supplement the work of family caregivers and enable elders to stay in their homes longer. When lawmakers adjourned last month, however, the fiscal note had been stripped from one bill and the other was carried over to the next session. Even though caregiver support services have proved to save taxpayers money by delaying nursing home placements, programs are having a hard time getting adequately funded. "We know if you spend more money on the front side, you prevent huge expenses on the back side," said Jessica Maurer, executive director of the Maine Association of Area Agencies on Aging. The trick, she said, is finding the money to front the change. Caregivers who use support services are able to keep people out of nursing homes for an average of about a year and a half longer, said Brenda Gallant, Maine's long-term care ombudsman. That cost differences are huge. About $8,000 a year pays for at-home help with errands, meal preparation and transportation, compared to about $68,000 a year for nursing home care, said Sen. Margaret Craven, D-Lewiston. She sponsored L.D. 20, An Act to Fully Fund the Homemaker Services Program, during the last legislative session. The $1.5 million fiscal note attached to the bill was meant to eliminate the program's 2,000-person waiting list. What passed instead was a directive for the state Department of Health and Human Services to apply for a waiver to allow Medicaid to cover nonmedical services such as those provided by home-care workers. Rep. Richard Malaby, R-Hancock, proposed a bill to add $460,000 over two years to cover the cost of adult day care for more low-income people. The bill morphed into a proposal to raise the hourly rate at which adult day centers are reimbursed by the state, from $9 to $12. Action on the measure was deferred until next year's legislative session. At the federal level, proposals to give tax credits to caregivers have gotten little traction in Washington, said Gail Hunt, president and chief executive officer of the National Alliance for Caregiving. She doesn't expect that to change anytime soon. Her group is looking into whether caregivers who have had to quit their jobs could get Social Security credits. The group would also like to see a requirement that when an older person gets a geriatric assessment, their caregiver is given one, too. "As Congress looks to save money on the institutional side of long-term care, the idea of then not supporting the people that are going to be expected to take care of them is appalling," Hunt said. The primary source of funding for caregiver services is the National Family Caregiver Support Program, established within the U.S. Administration on Aging as an amendment to the Older Americans Act in 2000. The program allocates money to each state, according to its population over age 70. As a result of this year's budget cuts, known as sequestration, Maine's funding is expected to be reduced from recent levels of $765,000 a year, said Romaine Turyn in the state's Office of Aging and Disability Ser- vices. The money is distributed to the state's five Area Agencies on Aging, which can use it for information and referral services, classes, support groups and respite care. Page 99 Caregiver programs struggle to get enough money Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Maine) August 18, 2013 Sunday

State-funded programs are meant to supplement what's available through Medicaid and the National Family Caregiver Support grant, but there's still not enough for those who are eligible. There's a waiting list of 170 people for the state-funded home-based care program, which provides assistance with basic daily activities, such as bathing and dressing, to low-income people who don't qualify for Medicaid. Another 700 people are waiting to be assessed for those services, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. For caregivers who are in desperate need of support -- even if it's just a few hours a day -- sometimes a waiting list isn't good enough and their relatives end up going straight to nursing homes, Gallant said. "There's a general lack of information about these services, and people have to access these services often when they're in a crisis situation," she said.

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Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine)

June 26, 2013 Wednesday

LePage says Legislature's override of budget veto is 'sad day for Maine'

SECTION: STATE

LENGTH: 2355 words

AUGUSTA -- The Maine House and Senate voted Wednesday to override Republican Gov. Paul LePage's veto of the state budget for the next two years, avoiding a state government shutdown and temporarily raising sales, meals and lodging taxes. LePage reacted Wednesday afternoon during a news conference, saying, "It was a sad day for Maine." He blasted Democrats and Republicans whom he said had created a "country club" of the State House and again disputed the notion that his budget, which cut about $400 million in state revenue-sharing with municipalities, would automatically result in property-tax increases. "I'm very disappointed on this budget," LePage said. "Until we start understanding what makes an economy drive and why the southeast and the southwest and the Atlantic states have such good economies, until we Page 100 LePage says Legislature's override of budget veto is 'sad day for Maine' Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine) June 26, 2013 Wednesday emulate some of their behaviors we are not going to be anywheres but 50th place in the country for doing business." The House voted 114-34 just after noon Wednesday. The Senate followed with a 26-9 vote. Both tallies ex- ceeded the two-thirds threshold required by law to override the veto and enact a two-year budget, which will take effect on July 1. Wednesday's votes on the budget veto mark the first time that the Democrat-controlled Legislature has overridden one of LePage's more than 40 vetoes this session. The vote in the House followed two hours of intense debate from both parties. The Senate vote followed nearly two hours of debate. Sen. Dawn Hill, D-York, who chairs the legislative committee that crafted the budget deal, cast the override vote in stark terms. "Today, you can no longer vote whether or not you agree with the budget or whether you like the budget. That's a concern you can bring up when we return in January," she said. "But today, your vote will be either to shut down or not to shut down and I hope you will think seriously about that." The Senate vote came down to whether enough Republicans would stand by their original votes in support of the budget to override LePage's veto. Two of those Republicans urged their colleagues to reject the veto. Sen. Brian Langley, R-Ellsworth, said his vote to override LePage's veto was meant to support the lawmakers who negotiated a budget during the past six months. "This budget is ugly. We have no great options. We were briefed that we were voting for things we were di- ametrically opposed to," he said. "My vote today is a statement of support for our Republican team on the Appropriations Committee. For what it's worth, I've got your back." Sen. Tom Saviello of Wilton, another of the Republicans to support the budget the first time around, touted Republican victories in the budget. Income-tax cuts lawmakers passed two years ago that have been cham- pioned by LePage and Republicans remain intact, he said, as well as a Republican-backed proposal forming a work group to review unfunded mandates on towns and cities. "Today, I vote with my friend and fellow logger, Troy Jackson," Saviello said, referring to LePage's comments last week about the Democratic senator from Aroostook County. Some House members spoke in similar terms, while many of the budget opponents said concern for constituents caused them to stick with their original votes against the deal. "This budget represents poor choices and misplaced priorities," said Rep. Lawrence Lockman, R-Amherst. "It represents politics as usual in Augusta, a surrender to the status quo and a dangerous disregard for the challenges facing our state. ... Mainers cannot afford to pay any more taxes." Rep. Jeff Timberlake, R-Turner, agreed and said he supports neither the current budget compromise nor Gov. Paul LePage's original proposal. "I don't want to raise any taxes," he said. "I want smaller government and I believe we can do it. We're headed for chaos and if we continue at this level it won't be sustainable." Rep. Jarrod Crockett, R-Bethel, is one of the Republicans who voted against the budget earlier this month but flipped his vote on Wednesday. "A state shutdown is a failure for all of us, there's no question about that," he said. "I'm either voting for a budget that I don't necessarily love or I can vote for a government shutdown. That's what the people back home see this as." Rep. Benjamin Chipman, I-Portland, is another lawmaker who switched his vote to support the override Wednesday after voting June 13 against the budget. He said he changed his vote because a budget must be passed by Monday to avoid a state government shutdown. "We're in a really tough spot right now," said Chipman. "We don't have a lot of time to renegotiate the budget and nobody wants to see a state shutdown. We don't have a lot of options. Somehow we have to find a way to go forward." Page 101 LePage says Legislature's override of budget veto is 'sad day for Maine' Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine) June 26, 2013 Wednesday

Rep. Kathleen Chase, R-Wells, the ranking Republican on the Appropriations Committee, said the stakes were too high to sustain LePage's veto. "Voting (no) is absolutely nothing less than chaos," she said. Rep. Peggy Rotundo, D-Lewiston, who co-chairs the Appropriations Committee, said the budget isn't perfect but a state shutdown would be devastating. "There isn't a member in this chamber who couldn't find fault with some aspect of this budget," said Rotundo. "Yet this is a true compromise. ... In a divided government we cannot demand all or nothing." Tension began building over the biennial budget soon after LePage proposed it in January. Maine municipalities, along with numerous legislators, immediately singled out LePage's proposal to zero out funding for the four-decade-old municipal revenue sharing program for two years and his bids to cut back property tax relief programs as the major battleground. Together, those proposals would have saved some $275 million over the biennium, according to LePage. A unanimous coalition of lawmakers on the Appropriations Committee disagreed and wrote a budget package that avoids nearly 65 percent of the revenue sharing cuts and restores some of the property tax relief programs. The lawmakers also introduced a $30 million hike in spending on public schools and funds to restore merit and longevity pay for state workers who have had their salaries frozen for more than four years. Most Republicans, including LePage, agreed that the original budget document contained many provisions that they didn't like, but the real conflict came with the committee's final decisions, which included temporarily raising the sales tax from 5 percent to 5.5 percent and the meals and lodging tax from 7 percent to 8 percent. LePage immediately began talking about a veto, which he followed through with on Monday. The biennial budget, because it was passed so late in the legislative session and is considered an emergency measure, required a two-thirds vote in the House and Senate. The enactment votes barely met that threshold, 102-43 in the House and 25-10 in the Senate. Five GOP senators and 23 House Republicans joined all Democratic senators and most House Democrats in voting June 13 to enact the budget. Wednesday's House vote wasn't as close, with some Democrats, Republicans and independents who originally opposed the budget voting to override the veto. Many cited the threat of a state government shutdown as their motivation. Without a budget in place by July 1, all but essential services of state government would shut down, repeating a 1991 scenario that Democrats and Republicans in the Legislature have said they want to avoid. On Thursday, the governor proposed a temporary 60-day budget in the form of the continuing resolutions used by Congress to pay for ongoing government functions while he and legislators negotiate a new budget deal. Maine Attorney General Janet Mills, a Democrat, said such a plan would violate the Maine Constitution, but Michael Cianchette, LePage's chief legal counsel, said a short-term budget that does not call for state government to spend more than it takes in would not violate the Maine Constitution and could be presented as an emergency bill. House Minority Leader Kenneth Fredette, R-Newport, said LePage's proposal was "unreasonable." "If there were a viable alternative, a path to inject more Republicans values into this budget, I would consider it," said Fredette. "The choice we have is a shutdown or a budget compromise. The time for negotiation has passed. There is no plan B, nor have I been approached with a plan B." The votes to override the budget veto put legislators in a position Wednesday to divvy up about $1.25 million for roughly 130 bills that passed without dedicated funding. The bills that gain funding will go to LePage, who could veto them, sign them or let them take effect without his signature. BDN State House reporter Matthew Stone contributed to this report. How the Legislators voted How the legislators voted Maine Senate Yes votes Page 102 LePage says Legislature's override of budget veto is 'sad day for Maine' Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine) June 26, 2013 Wednesday

* Alfond, Justin, D-Cumberland * Boyle, James, D-Cumberland * Cain, Emily, D-Penobscot * Cleveland, John, D-Androscoggin * Craven, Margaret, D-Androscoggin * Dutremble, David, D-York * Flood, Patrick, R-Kennebec * Gerzofsky, Stanley, D-Cumberland * Goodall, Seth, D-Sagadahoc * Gratwick, Geoffrey, D-Penobscot * Haskell, Anne, D-Cumberland * Hill, Dawn, D-York * Jackson, Troy, D-Aroostook * Johnson, Christopher, D-Lincoln * Katz, Roger, R-Kennebec * Lachowicz, Colleen, D-Kennebec * Langley, Brian, R-Hancock * Mazurek, Edward, D-Knox * Millett, Rebecca, D-Cumberland * Patrick, John, D-Oxford * Saviello, Thomas, R-Franklin * Sherman, Roger, R-Aroostook * Tuttle, John, D-York * Valentino, Linda, D-York * Woodbury, Richard, U-Cumberland * Youngblood, Edward, R-Penobscot Maine Senate No votes * Burns, David, R-Washington * Collins, Ronald, R-York * Cushing, Andre, R-Penobscot * Hamper, James, R-Oxford * Mason, Garrett, R-Androscoggin * Plummer, Gary, R-Cumberland * Thibodeau, Michael, R-Waldo * Thomas, Douglas, R-Somerset * Whittemore, Rodney, R-Somerset Page 103 LePage says Legislature's override of budget veto is 'sad day for Maine' Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine) June 26, 2013 Wednesday

Maine House Yes votes * Beaudoin, Paulette, D-Biddeford * Beavers, Roberta, D-South Berwick * Beck, Henry, D-Waterville * Berry, Seth, D-Bowdoinham * Black, Russell, R-Wilton * Boland, Andrea, D-Sanford * Bolduc, Brian, D-Auburn * Briggs, Sheryl, D-Mexico * Brooks, Joseph, U-Winterport * Campbell, Richard, R-Orrington * Carey, Michael, D-Lewiston * Casavant, Alan, D-Biddeford * Cassidy, Katherine, D-Lubec * Chapman, Ralph, D-Brooksville * Chase, Kathleen, R-Wells * Chenette, Justin, D-Saco * Chipman, Benjamin, I-Portland * Clark, Tyler, R-Easton * Cooper, Janice, D-Yarmouth * Cotta, H., R-China * Crockett, Jarrod, R-Bethel * Daughtry, Matthea, D-Brunswick * DeChant, Jennifer, D-Bath * Devin, Michael, D-Newcastle * Dickerson, Elizabeth, D-Rockland * Dill, James, D-Old Town * Dion, Mark, D-Portland * Doak, Peter, R-Columbia Falls * Dorney, Ann, D-Norridgewock * Evangelos, Jeffrey, U-Friendship * Eves, Mark, D-North Berwick * Farnsworth, Richard, D-Portland * Fitzpatrick, Joyce, R-Houlton * Fowle, Lori, D-Vassalboro * Fredette, Kenneth, R-Newport Page 104 LePage says Legislature's override of budget veto is 'sad day for Maine' Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine) June 26, 2013 Wednesday

* Frey, Aaron, D-Bangor * Gattine, Drew, D-Westbrook * Gideon, Sara, D-Freeport * Gilbert, Paul, D-Jay * Gillway, James, R-Searsport * Goode, Adam, D-Bangor * Graham, Anne, D-North Yarmouth * Grant, Gay, D-Gardiner * Hamann, Scott, D-South Portland * Harlow, Denise, D-Portland * Hayes, Terry, D-Buckfield * Herbig, Erin, D-Belfast * Hickman, Craig, D-Winthrop * Hobbins, Barry, D-Saco * Hubbell, Brian, D-Bar Harbor * Jorgensen, Erik, D-Portland * Kaenrath, Bryan, D-South Portland * Keschl, Dennis, R-Belgrade * Kruger, Chuck, D-Thomaston * Kumiega, Walter, D-Deer Isle * Kusiak, Karen, D-Fairfield * Lajoie, Michel, D-Lewiston * Libby, Nathan, D-Lewiston * Longstaff, Thomas, D-Waterville * Luchini, Louis, D-Ellsworth * MacDonald, W., D-Boothbay * MacDonald, Sharri, R-Old Orchard Beach * Maker, Joyce, R-Calais * Malaby, Richard, R-Hancock * Marean, Donald, R-Hollis * Marks, Timothy, D-Pittston * Mason, Andrew, D-Topsham * Mastraccio, Anne-Marie, D-Sanford * McCabe, Jeff, D-Skowhegan * McElwee, Carol, R-Caribou * McGowan, Paul, D-York Page 105 LePage says Legislature's override of budget veto is 'sad day for Maine' Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine) June 26, 2013 Wednesday

* McLean, Andrew, D-Gorham * Monaghan-Derrig, Kimberly, D-Cape Elizabeth * Moonen, Matthew, D-Portland * Moriarty, Stephen, D-Cumberland * Morrison, Terry, D-South Portland * Nadeau, Allen, R-Fort Kent * Nadeau, Catherine, D-Winslow * Nelson, Mary, D-Falmouth * Noon, William, D-Sanford * Pease, Jethro, R-Morrill * Peoples, Ann, D-Westbrook * Peterson, Matthew, D-Rumford * Plante, Joshua, D-Berwick * Pouliot, Matthew, R-Augusta * Powers, Christine, D-Naples * Priest, Charles, D-Brunswick * Pringle, Jane, D-Windham * Rankin, Helen, D-Hiram * Rochelo, Megan, D-Biddeford * Rotundo, Margaret, D-Lewiston * Russell, Diane, D-Portland * Rykerson, Deane, D-Kittery * Sanborn, Linda, D-Gorham * Saucier, Robert, D-Presque Isle * Saxton, Jeremy, D-Harpswell * Schneck, John, D-Bangor * Shaw, Michael, D-Standish * Short, Stanley, D-Pittsfield * Stanley, Stephen, D-Medway * Stuckey, Peter, D-Portland * Theriault, Charles, D-Madawaska * Tipping-Spitz, Ryan, D-Orono * Treat, Sharon, D-Hallowell * Tyler, Thomas, R-Windham * Verow, Arthur, D-Brewer * Villa, Lisa, D-Harrison Page 106 LePage says Legislature's override of budget veto is 'sad day for Maine' Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine) June 26, 2013 Wednesday

* Volk, Amy, R-Scarborough * Weaver, Windol, R-York * Welsh, Joan, D-Rockport * Werts, R., D-Auburn * Wilson, Corey, R-Augusta * Winchenbach, Ellen, R-Waldoboro * Winsor, Tom, R-Norway Maine House No votes * Ayotte, Bernard, R-Caswell * Beaulieu, Michael, R-Auburn * Bennett, Paul, R-Kennebunk * Campbell, James, I-Newfield * Crafts, Dale, R-Lisbon * Cray, Dean, R-Palmyra * Davis, Paul, R-Sangerville * Dunphy, Larry, R-Embden * Espling, Eleanor, R-New Gloucester * Gifford, Jeffery, R-Lincoln * Guerin, Stacey, R-Glenburn * Harvell, Lance, R-Farmington * Jackson, Roger, R-Oxford * Johnson, David, R-Eddington * Johnson, Peter, R-Greenville * Jones, Brian, D-Freedom * Kinney, Jonathan, R-Limington * Knight, L. Gary, R-Livermore Falls * Libby, Aaron, R-Waterboro * Lockman, Lawrence, R-Amherst * Long, Ricky, R-Sherman * McClellan, Michael, R-Raymond * Newendyke, Melvin, R-Litchfield * Nutting, Robert, R-Oakland * Parry, Wayne, R-Arundel * Peavey Haskell, Anita, R-Milford * Reed, Roger, R-Carmel * Sanderson, Deborah, R-Chelsea Page 107 LePage says Legislature's override of budget veto is 'sad day for Maine' Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine) June 26, 2013 Wednesday

* Sirocki, Heather, R-Scarborough * Timberlake, Jeffrey, R-Turner * Turner, Beth, R-Burlington * Wallace, Raymond, R-Dexter * Willette, Alexander, R-Mapleton * Wood, Stephen, R-Sabattus Absent * Duprey, Brian, R-Hampden * Kent, Peter, D-Woolwich * Kornfield, Victoria, D-Bangor

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Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Maine)

June 14, 2013 Friday

House passes hospital debt bill

BYLINE: SHEPHERD, MICHAEL

SECTION: LOCAL NEWS; Pg. B.1 ISSN: 0745-2039

LENGTH: 571 words

State House Bureau AUGUSTA -- Payment of Maine's debt to hospitals, an issue that served as a political football throughout the year, finally passed Thursday in the state House of Representatives. The bill, L.D. 1555, authorizes borrowing money to pay the state's $183.5-million share of debt to 39 hospitals based on a revenue stream from a soon-to-be negotiated liquor contract. Payment of the debt has been a key goal for , Gov. Paul LePage, who has frequently berated Democratic leaders of the Legislature for not acting more quickly on the bill. Page 108 House passes hospital debt bill Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Maine) June 14, 2013 Friday

"What would you rather collateralize your debt with?" asked Rep. Richard Malaby, R-Hancock, on the floor. "U.S. treasuries ... or Allen's Coffee Brandy?" referring to the drink perennially named Maine's most popular spirit. The bill finally passed the House by a 149-0 margin and was in line for a final Senate vote later Thursday. The bill won an initial Senate vote Wednesday unanimously with no debate. "We're pleased to see the bill moving forward, and we look forward to seeing it moving through the chambers," said Jeffrey Austin, a lobbyist for the Maine Hospital Association, after the House vote. Paying Maine's share of hospital debt would unlock approximately $300 million more in federal funds, making the package a nearly half-a-billion-dollar proposition for the state's hospitals. "Our hospitals are critical to the well-being of our communities and state," said Rep, Peggy Rotundo, D-Lewiston. "We are all eager to help these important institutions stay strong and healthy." LePage has made the payment his overriding goal for this legislative session, and his actions toward that end have made headlines all on their own. The governor refused to release $105 million in voter-approved bonds dating back to 2009 until the debt payment passed. His office has recently reiterated his promise to release those bonds. The bonds would fund improvements to transportation infrastructure, energy-efficiency and construction programs at higher education institutions and conservation and water upgrades. Maine law gives the governor five years to issue bonds. Although he didn't carry it out, LePage also threatened to veto all bills until the plan got to his desk. He put up a television screen outside his office urging the plan's passage. Lately, his press office has released statements on the 139th and 150th days since he proposed his plan to pay hospitals. LePage spokeswoman Adrienne Bennett said she expected LePage would take "prompt action" to sign the bill, but she didn't elaborate on that. "Democrats have delayed ... the hospital debt for as long as they could," she said. "It's unfortunate that you have to wait." But Democrats have countered those arguments by saying the governor has been stalling. In May, he vetoed a Democratic plan that would have paid the hospitals while expanding Medicaid, the state-federal health care program for the poor. LePage vetoed the plan because he opposes expanding Medicaid under the federal Affordable Care Act. "We cannot use political reasons to dodge paying our hospitals," said Senate Majority Leader Seth Goodall, D-Richmond, in a statement Thursday. "We are all in agreement that we will make our final payment to the hospitals, which is exactly what today's vote will do." But, he added, "We hope, this time, the governor will join us getting this done." Michael Shepherd -- 370-7652 [email protected] Twitter: @mikeshepherdme

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Bangor Daily News (Maine)

June 12, 2013 Wednesday

House Medicaid expansion compromise vote falls short of threshold to overcome LePage veto

BYLINE: Matthew Stone BDN Staff

LENGTH: 973 words

AUGUSTA, Maine -- The Maine House on Wednesday agreed to a compromise measure that would allow the state to expand Medicaid under the federal Affordable Care Act but cut off the expansion after three years.

The measure managed to attract slightly more support than the Medicaid expansion bill attracted in its last go-around in the House, when five Republicans supported the expansion. But the 97-51 tally means Demo- crats still fell short of the two-thirds threshold they would need to override a near certain veto from Republi- can Gov. Paul LePage.

The House voted mostly along party lines to agree to the compromise measure crafted by Assistant Senate Republican Leader Roger Katz of Augusta that passed the Senate last week.

Six Republicans joined the House's Democrats and unenrolled members to support expanding Medicaid. Two House Republicans who supported the expansion in a vote earlier this month -- Reps. Sharri MacDon- ald of Old Orchard Beach and Windol Weaver of York -- switched their votes to oppose the measure Wednesday. Three Republicans who opposed the previous Medicaid expansion bill supported the amended measure: Reps. Donald Marean of Hollis, Corey Wilson of Augusta and Ellen Winchenbach of Waldoboro.

The measure would sign Maine up for the expansion under the federal health care law but have Maine withdraw after the three years during which the federal government pays 100 percent of expansion costs unless the Legislature at that time decides otherwise.

The deal would also require the Legislature hire a nonpartisan research group to study the effect of Maine's Medicaid expansion after the three-year period expires. And Katz proposed allowing the state's Medicaid program, known as MaineCare, to charge patients the maximum co-payments allowed under federal law as a way to dissuade Medicaid recipients from using the emergency room for care.

Page 110 House Medicaid expansion compromise vote falls short of threshold to overcome LePage veto Bangor Daily News (Maine) June 12, 2013 Wednesday

Because Maine would spend less in state funds on Medicaid during the first three years of the expansion, and the state Department of Health and Human Services is working on a number of initiatives to reduce Medicaid costs, Katz's proposal would set aside the savings in a special account that could be used to cover additional Medicaid costs once the federal government's share of expansion costs drops below 100 percent in 2017.

Rep. Jeff McCabe of Skowhegan, the assistant Democratic leader in the House, said the Senate version is something to celebrate. He called it the result of lawmakers working together.

The bill "has been amended because people in this room on both sides of the aisle have expressed concern, asked questions and shown courage," he said. "It's amended so we can get out at any point in time if the federal government does not stay to their word and pay what they say they will pay."

Rep. Mark Dion, D-Portland, said providing health care for low-income people would result in savings in the criminal justice system because many arrive at Maine prisons with health problems, particularly with mental health. Dion, a former Cumberland County sheriff, cited the support other law enforcement officials have voiced for expanding Medicaid.

"A proper investment at the front end helps to contain the cost of corrections, law enforcement and judiciary at the back end," Dion said.

Republicans continued to argue that Maine shouldn't provide health coverage to thousands of nondisabled people while hundreds of people with disabilities are on wait lists for services in their homes and communities.

"My constituents are going to say, 'We've neglected this group of people,'" said Rep. Michael Nadeau, R-Fort Kent.

"What we are doing is increasing access and probably increasing costs and, yes, it will probably help the hospitals, but I'm not sure we've done anything for quality," said Rep. Richard Malaby, R-Hancock.

Since Maine already covers 27 percent of its population with Medicaid, the state doesn't have as much to gain from expanding the program, said Rep. Wayne Parry, R-Arundel. As a result, today's lawmakers would be saddling legislators in the future with the costs of an expanded Medicaid program.

"That's this legislature binding another legislature," he said. "We need to look into the future also."

The House vote on the compromise measure came after representatives rejected an amendment proposed by Rep. Deborah Sanderson, R-Chelsea, that would add a $75 million annual price tag to a bill that currently carries no official price tag and promises the state savings over the next three years.

Sanderson's amendment would require the state provide services to hundreds of people with physical and intellectual disabilities who are currently on waiting lists for those services. Republicans opposed to expanding Medicaid, including Gov. Paul LePage, have frequently pointed to the existing wait lists for services as a reason they can't support the Medicaid expansion.

The vote to reject Sanderson's amendment, 88-61, was cast largely along party lines.

Page 111 House Medicaid expansion compromise vote falls short of threshold to overcome LePage veto Bangor Daily News (Maine) June 12, 2013 Wednesday

"If you don't put these people as a priority now, they will never be a priority for us," Sanderson said. "We will continue to subject the neediest of our citizens to abuse, abuse from neglect."

Democrats agreed Sanderson's proposal addressed an important issue. But attached to the Medicaid expansion proposal, it's an attempt to cause the expansion legislation to fail, McCabe said.

"These federal dollars are coming to us specifically for an opportunity," he said. "We must accept these dollars and we must continue to work together to address this waiting list."

Expanding the state's Medicaid program would provide coverage for about 50,000 adults without children who earn up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level, or $20,628 for a two-person household. The expansion would also prevent about 25,000 parents and childless adults from losing their Medicaid coverage starting Jan. 1, 2014.

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Bangor Daily News (Maine)

June 12, 2013 Wednesday

Irrational GOP threatens Medicaid expansion

LENGTH: 746 words

Once again, Maine Republican lawmakers have shown they will withhold health care coverage from this state's poorest residents to spite federal health reform. The arguments that members of the Maine House made Wednesday in opposition to Medicaid expansion were appalling.

It won't matter that 97 representatives voted to support a Medicaid expansion compromise measure on Wednesday, while 51 were opposed. The House needs four more votes to override an anticipated veto from Gov. Paul LePage. Apparently just enough members are listening to the ill-informed rhetoric of their House colleagues.

Rep. Richard Malaby, R-Hancock, spoke on the House floor of how increasing Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act would be "expanding a program I feel is broken." There's no doubt Maine's Medicaid program for the poor and disabled, MaineCare, can deliver services more efficiently. Lawmakers have the power to suggest and approve changes, and improvements don't have to happen separate from expansion.

Page 112 Irrational GOP threatens Medicaid expansion Bangor Daily News (Maine) June 12, 2013 Wednesday

Rep. Michael Nadeau, R-Fort Kent, meanwhile, argued that the state should not expand Medicaid when as many as 3,100 people remain on a waitlist for services. "My constituents are going to say, 'We've neglected this group of people,'" he said.

Of course Medicaid expansion and taking care of people with developmental disabilities on the waitlist are not mutually exclusive options. To be clear, the people on the list already have health care. They are waiting for services to help them be as independent as possible in their homes, work and communities. Using them as an excuse to not provide health care to others is a cruel diversionary tactic.

Rep. Ken Fredette, R-Newport, the House minority leader, used an unfortunate analogy to convey a point about the cost of expansion -- and later apologized. He said the Medicaid expansion debate reminded him of the relationship guide, "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus."

"Now my brain, being a man's brain, sort of thinks differently because I say, 'Well, it's not, if it's free, is it really free?' because I say, in my brain, 'There's a cost to this.'"

The federal government would cover 100 percent of the costs of newly eligible individuals for three years and then slowly drop down to 90 percent. Even though the reputable Kaiser Family Foundation has estimated Maine would be one of 10 states likely to save money on Medicaid over the next decade if it expands, people have said it doesn't matter because federal spending comes from taxpayer dollars, too.

Aside from the fact that Maine receives more dollars than it sends to the federal government, the point of expansion is to not only improve health but actually reduce health care costs -- a benefit to everyone. A study by the Rand Corporation, a nonpartisan research institution, analyzed the effect of 14 states opting out of expansion.

"We estimate that 3.6 million fewer people would be insured, federal transfer payments to those states could fall by $8.4 billion, and state spending on uncompensated care could increase by $1 billion in 2016, compared to what would be expected if all states participated in the expansion," the study found. "We conclude that in terms of coverage, cost, and federal payments, states would do best to expand Medicaid."

As if that's not enough, Maine learned Wednesday it will get $21.2 million from the Affordable Care Act to help seniors and people with disabilities get long-term care in their home, rather than institutions. Is it OK for Maine to accept these dollars, offered through the federal health care reform law, but not others?

Even more ludicrously, a few ill-informed House members find themselves trying to argue against a bill amended by a fellow Republican. The compromise measure crafted by Assistant Senate Republican Leader Roger Katz of Augusta would allow expansion but have Maine withdraw after three years -- during which time the federal government pays 100 percent of the costs -- unless the Legislature decides later it wants to continue the program.

The Affordable Care Act will bring coverage to low- and moderate-income individuals and families whether Maine votes to expand or not. Medicaid expansion is for those near and below the poverty line. It makes no sense to tell those individuals that people who earn more than they do should get help to pay for insurance, but they, because they are the poorest, are on their own. It's becoming embarrassing for lawmakers to continue to oppose expansion.

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Page 113 Irrational GOP threatens Medicaid expansion Bangor Daily News (Maine) June 12, 2013 Wednesday

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Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Maine)

June 4, 2013 Tuesday

House Dems approve bill to expand Medicaid

BYLINE: MISTLER, STEVE

SECTION: LOCAL NEWS; Pg. A.1 ISSN: 0745-2039

LENGTH: 1073 words

State House Bureau AUGUSTA -- With the end of the legislative session closing in, Democratic lawmakers Monday attempted another push to expand Medicaid, the public health insurance program for the poor. Democrats in the House of Representatives voted 89-51 to give preliminary approval to L.D. 1066, a proposal sponsored by Rep. Linda Sanborn, D-Gorham, that would increase MaineCare, the state's version of Medicaid, to approximately 60,000 residents through the Affordable Care Act. It was Democrats' second attempt to expand one of the key components of the federal health care law, a fight mirrored in other states as the expansion debate has become a front in the political battle over the Af- fordable Care Act, or Obamacare. The Democrats' first attempt was linked to , Gov. Paul LePage's plan to pay Maine's hospitals $186 million in state-owed debt. Republicans objected to the combination bill, arguing that Democrats, who are in the majority, jeopardized a bipartisan agreement on the hospital payback bill with the divisive Medicaid expansion. Democrats passed the combination bill, but it was immediately vetoed by LePage. The same fate appears to await L.D. 1066, although five Republicans voted with the Democratic majority on Monday. Two-thirds of legislators present and voting are required to override a veto. Republican lawmakers, whose support would be needed to override a veto by the governor, were nearly unanimous in opposing the standalone expansion bill. Several expressed skepticism that the federal government would follow through on its promise to reimburse states for 90 percent of the cost of insuring the expanded population after fully funding it from 2014 through 2016. Republicans argued that the state should stabilize its current Medicaid program before insuring more people. Several referenced the 3,100 mentally disabled Mainers currently on a waiting list to receive coverage. LePage, in a written statement, said he wouldn't consider Medicaid expansion until lawmakers dealt with the waiting list. The governor said expansion would only benefit "able-bodied" adults. "We do not need to burden hard-working taxpayers with additional costs for those who are not disabled," LePage said."The Democrats have to stop discriminating against the disabled and elderly and treat them fairly." Page 114 House Dems approve bill to expand Medicaid Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Maine) June 4, 2013 Tuesday

Some, including House minority leader Rep. Kenneth Fredette, have proposed studying the impacts of expansion before participating. Sanborn said the state had all the answers it needed. She said expansion was a step toward repairing a "broken" health care system by providing health care to people who can't currently afford it. Rep. Richard Malaby, R-Hancock, who said Medicaid encouraged recipients to "overconsume and undervalue" insurance during a lengthy May 22 debate on the combination bill, said Monday that expansion advocates offered "a false choice" when arguing that the state should accept the federal funding. Malaby noted that low-income residents would qualify for subsidies to purchase private insurance through the Affordable Care Act. He said the private route was much less risky to Maine than Medicaid expansion. Malaby questioned the "financial viability" of the Affordable Care Act. Malaby's reference to the subsidies available through the health care law have been discussed by Republi- cans in other states. The Affordable Care Act will require most Americans to purchase health insurance, and those who can't will receive federal subsidies through state-run exchanges, or insurance marketplaces, to help defray the cost. To qualify for the subsidies, residents would have to earn between 100 and 400 percent of the federal poverty level. Residents would have to earn below 138 percent of the federal poverty level to qualify for Medicaid expansion. Critics of expansion believe the income threshold is a disincentive for people to take a higher paying job that doesn't offer health insurance. Advocates for private insurance subsidized through the exchanges also argue that low-income residents would be less susceptible to the so-called "eligibility cliff." The federal government has struck deals with some states, including Arkansas, allowing them to use Medi- caid expansion dollars to help low income residents purchase private insurance through the exchange, also known as "premium assistance." Skeptics say the private insurance route may ultimately be more costly to the federal government. According to the Congressional Budget Office, it will cost the federal government $9,000 per person to provide subsidies through the insurance exchanges compared to $6,000 through Medicaid. Republicans also said Maine would be penalized for expanding Medicaid nearly a decade ago. The federal government now pays 62 percent to cover about 10,500 Maine adults without children, and would likely increase reimbursement to 100 percent from 2014 to 2016 before gradually dropping to 90 percent, according to the letter from the Center for Medicaid Services. Maine also would receive 100 percent funding to cover about 50,000 additional childless adults under Medi- caid expansion. Maine already provides Medicaid to about 15,000 non-disabled parents, as defined in the federal health care law. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the state would continue to receive its current matching rate of 62 percent. Expansion isn't expected to add parents, but it would prevent the 15,000 parents from losing coverage on Jan. 1 because of changes enacted by the Legislature last year. The LePage administration said it would cost the state $31 million in the next two years to pay for all insured, able-bodied parents, a group estimated to number 41,000. Not everyone in that group would be affected by Medicaid expansion, and the Department of Health and Human Services has already budgeted for the population that would. Democrats, citing those that would lose coverage, said the consequences for not expanding were dire. Rep. James Campbell, I-Newfield, was frustrated by the Republican resistance to expansion. Campbell, noting that lawmakers receive publicly funded health insurance, said he was considering putting in a bill that get rid of legislators' insurance. Page 115 House Dems approve bill to expand Medicaid Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Maine) June 4, 2013 Tuesday

"Maybe I should put a bill in and watch all the (voting) lights to see who want to give it (health insurance) up," Campbell said. L.D. 1066 will now move to the Senate for a vote. Steve Mistler -- 620-7016 [email protected] Twitter: @stevemistler

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Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine)

June 4, 2013 Tuesday

LePage won't approve Medicaid expansion until current waiting list is addressed

SECTION: STATE

LENGTH: 1031 words

AUGUSTA -- Gov. Paul LePage drew a new line in the sand on expanding the state's Medicaid program Monday, hours after Democrats in the Maine House moved ahead with their second attempt to expand the low-income health insurance program. The House voted 89-51 Monday morning to support an expansion of Medicaid under the federal Affordable Care Act. The vote, however, fell short of the two-thirds threshold necessary to override a near certain LePage veto. Responding to the vote, LePage said he wouldn't entertain a discussion about expanding Medicaid until the state can address a wait list of 3,100 people with developmental disabilities who can't access certain services in their homes and communities. The state's Medicaid program provides those residents with health insurance but the state has been unable to afford housing and other services for them. LePage's proposal for a new two-year budget includes enough funds to remove 85 people from the wait list. Page 116 LePage won't approve Medicaid expansion until current waiting list is addressed Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine) June 4, 2013 Tuesday

"The Legislature has ignored the needs of these citizens for years, but now the Democrats want to expand welfare to able-bodied adults with no children," LePage said in a prepared statement. "Not only is that bad public policy, it's a disgrace." LePage's statement echoed comments made last week by his health and human services commissioner, Mary Mayhew, and by Republicans on the House floor Monday. Democrats called the argument a distraction from the real issue. "If we do not accept the federal funds, we will still have 3,100 on the wait list," said Rep. Linda Sanborn, D-Gorham, sponsor of the Medicaid expansion bill. "Talk about stubborn facts. Talk about false arguments." Five Republicans -- Reps. Jarrod Crockett of Bethel, Sharri MacDonald of Old Orchard Beach, Carol McEl- wee of Caribou, Thomas Tyler of Windham and Windol Weaver of York -- voted with Democrats to support the expansion. One Republican co-sponsor of the expansion bill, Rep. Ellen Winchenbach of Waldoboro, voted against it. The vote came about a week and a half after LePage instantly vetoed a bill passed on party lines that would have signed Maine up for the Medicaid expansion and allowed the state to repay its $484 million debt to 39 hospitals for past-due Medicaid bills. Monday's vote was on a bill that solely proposes an expansion of Medicaid under the federal Affordable Care Act, separate from the hospital debt repayment. Democrats amended the bill last week before passing it at the committee level to appeal to Republican concerns that the federal government could back off its promised expansion funding rates. As proposed, the expansion would be repealed if federal funding rates drop below the percentages currently prescribed in federal law. The measure now heads to the Senate, where it could be further amended to appeal to more Republicans. Democrats touted an opportunity to expand coverage to those who can't afford it while the federal government pays 100 percent of costs for three years for about 50,000 newly eligible Medicaid recipients. They also touted the potential economic benefits of expanding coverage. Republicans largely echoed statements from LePage and others in his administration who have warned against expanding a program that has been on an unstable financial footing in recent years. The issue also needs more study, they said. "It hurts nothing to wait a few months," said Rep. Deborah Sanderson, R-Chelsea, referring to a proposal by House Republican Leader Kenneth Fredette of Newport that would set up a study group to explore the state's expansion options and report back later in the year. "Nothing is etched in stone." Rep. Joshua Plante, D-Berwick, said a study "sounds like a delay tactic." "We have all the facts. What is clear is that we do not need further studies about Medicaid expansion," Sanborn said. "We will not learn anything we don't already know." In Maine, more than 50,000 adults without children would gain Medicaid coverage if the state opts to expand, according to the Legislature's nonpartisan Office of Fiscal and Program Review. If the state chooses not to expand, about 25,000 childless adults and parents would lose their Medicaid coverage on Jan. 1, 2014. Under the Affordable Care Act, the federal government would pay 100 percent of costs for new Medicaid recipients for three years starting Jan. 1, 2014. That 100 percent rate would gradually fall to 90 percent by 2020 and the state would have to make up the remaining share. The state would receive its standard federal funding rate, which is 62.57 percent, to cover the residents Maine's Medicaid program already covers. That includes the more than 40,000 parents in Maine who already have Medicaid coverage. The state will continue to get its current federal match rate for them, while states that hadn't previously expanded Medicaid to parents would receive 100 percent funding to cover them for the first time under Medicaid expansion. Republicans and LePage have said that represents a penalty to Maine for previously expanding Medicaid coverage. Page 117 LePage won't approve Medicaid expansion until current waiting list is addressed Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine) June 4, 2013 Tuesday

Rep. Richard Malaby, R-Hancock, said Maine should instead encourage low-income residents to seek private health insurance through insurance exchanges that will soon take effect under the Affordable Care Act. Residents who earn between 100 percent and 400 percent of the federal poverty level, $15,510 to $62,020 for a two- person households, will be eligible for federal subsidies to help them purchase insurance if they don't already have it. "I cannot in good conscience choose Medicaid expansion when the exchanges offer such obvious benefits," Malaby said. "It has no cost to the state. It has positive incentives for individuals to control their own health care spending and, indeed, their own health." Democrats countered that low-income people who would otherwise qualify for Medicaid would struggle to afford the premiums and co- payments that go along with private insurance. "I can tell you that finding $44 a month when all your make is $16,000 a year is not easy," said Rep. Jane Pringle, D-Windham. Plus, they said, those who earn less than 100 percent of the federal poverty level wouldn't qualify for subsidies to help them afford covered offered through exchanges.

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Portland Press Herald

June 3, 2013 Monday

Divided Maine House approves MaineCare expansion

BYLINE: Steve Mistler, Steve Mistler, State House Reporter

SECTION: NEWS

LENGTH: 1010 words

AUGUSTA -- With the legislative session nearing its end, Democratic lawmakers made another push Mon- day to expand Medicaid, the public health insurance program for the poor. The House voted 89-51 along party lines to give preliminary approval to L.D. 1066, a bill sponsored by Rep. Linda Sanborn, D- Gorham, that would extend MaineCare, the state's Medicaid program, to about 60,000 residents through the federal Affordable Care Act. The bill will now move to the Senate for a vote. Page 118 Divided Maine House approves MaineCare expansion Portland Press Herald June 3, 2013 Monday

It is Democrats' second attempt to adopt one of the key components of the federal health care law. Medicaid expansion has become a front in the national political battle over the Affordable Care Act. Maine Democrats' first attempt was linked to Gov. Paul LePage's plan to pay off Maine's $186 million debt to its hospitals. Republicans objected to the combination, arguing that Democrats, who have majorities in the House and Senate, jeopardized a bipartisan agreement on the hospital payback bill with the divisive Medi- caid expansion. Democrats passed the combination bill but LePage vetoed it immediately, The same fate appears to await L.D. 1066. Although five Republicans voted with the Democratic majority Monday, the bill fell short of the two-thirds majority it would need to override a veto. Several Republican lawmakers expressed skepticism that the federal government would keep its promise to reimburse states for 90 percent of the cost of insuring the new MaineCare recipients after fully covering the cost from 2014 through 2016. They said the state should stabilize its current program before insuring more people. Several referred to the 3,100 mentally disabled Mainers who are on a waiting list for coverage. In a written statement, LePage said he won't consider Medicaid expansion until lawmakers deal with the waiting list. He said expansion would benefit only "able-bodied" adults. "We do not need to burden hardworking taxpayers with additional costs for those who are not disabled," LePage said. "The Democrats have to stop discriminating against the disabled and elderly and treat them fairly." Some, including House Minority Leader Kenneth Fredette, have proposed studying the potential effects of expansion before participating. Sanborn said the state has all the answers it needs. She said expansion is a step toward repairing a "broken" system by providing health care to people who can't afford it now. Rep. Richard Malaby, R-Hancock, who said during debate on the combination bill last month that Medicaid encourages recipients to "overconsume and undervalue" insurance, said Monday that expansion advocates offer "a false choice" in arguing that the state should accept the federal funding. Malaby noted that low-income residents will qualify for subsidies to buy private insurance through the Af- fordable Care Act. He said the private route is much less risky to Maine than Medicaid expansion. Malaby also questioned the "financial viability" of the Affordable Care Act. His reference to the subsidies available through the health care law have been discussed by Republicans in other states. The Affordable Care Act will require most Americans to buy health insurance. Those who can't will receive federal subsidies through state-run exchanges to help defray the cost. To qualify for the subsidies, recipients will have to earn 100 percent to 400 percent of the federal poverty level. They will have to earn less than 138 percent of the federal poverty level to qualify for Medicaid expansion. Critics of expansion say the income threshold is a disincentive to take higher- paying jobs that don't offer health insurance. Advocates for private insurance subsidized through the exchanges also argue that low-income people would be less susceptible to the "eligibility cliff." The federal government has struck deals allowing some states, including Arkansas, to use Medicaid expansion dollars to help low- income residents buy private insurance through the exchange. Skeptics say the private insurance route may ultimately be more costly to the federal government. According to the Congressional Budget Office, it will cost the federal government $9,000 per person to provide subsidies through the insurance exchanges, compared with $6,000 through Medicaid. Republicans said that if Maine expands Medicaid now, it will be penalized for expanding it nearly a decade ago. Page 119 Divided Maine House approves MaineCare expansion Portland Press Herald June 3, 2013 Monday

The federal government now pays 62 percent to cover about 10,500 Maine adults without children, and would likely increase reimbursement to 100 percent from 2014 to 2016 before gradually dropping to 90 percent, according to a letter from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Maine also would receive 100 percent funding to cover about 50,000 childless adults under Medicaid expansion. Maine already provides Medicaid to about 15,000 non-disabled parents, as defined in the federal health care law. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the state would continue to receive 62 percent reimbursement. Expansion isn't expected to add parents to the program, but it would prevent the 15,000 parents from losing coverage on Jan. 1 because of changes enacted by the Legislature last year. The LePage administration said it would cost the state $31 million in the next two years to pay for all insured, able-bodied parents, a group estimated to number 41,000. Not everyone in that group would be affected by Medicaid expansion, and the Department of Health and Human Services has already budgeted for the population that would. Democrats, citing those who would lose coverage, said the consequences for not expanding are dire. Rep. James Campbell, I-Newfield, was frustrated by the Republican resistance to expansion. Noting that lawmakers receive publicly funded health insurance, he said he is considering submitting a bill that get rid of legislators' insurance. "Maybe I should put a bill in and watch all the (voting) lights to see who wants to give (health insurance) up," Campbell said. Steve Mistler can be contacted at 620-7016 or at: [email protected] Twitter: @stevemistler

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The Associated Press State & Local Wire

June 3, 2013 Monday 9:10 PM GMT

House passes MaineCare expansion, gov wants change

BYLINE: By GLENN ADAMS, Associated Press

Page 120 House passes MaineCare expansion, gov wants change The Associated Press State & Local Wire June 3, 2013 Monday 9:10 PM GMT

SECTION: STATE AND REGIONAL

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DATELINE: AUGUSTA Maine

The Maine House on Monday approved a bill to expand the state's Medicaid program to include roughly 70,000 more people, a key component of the national Affordable Care Act. Representatives voted 89-51 for the bill Monday, adding changes aimed at mitigating worries of Republicans who've opposed expansion in past votes. The amended version says the state can opt out of the Medicaid expansion if the federal government doesn't match its share of the cost as promised. The bill faces a Senate vote as early as Tuesday. Last week, the federal Health and Human Services Department confirmed it will pay 100 percent of the cost of expansion for the three calendar years starting in 2014, reaching 90 percent in 2020. But minority Re- publicans have remained concerned about potential expense to the state despite government promises, saying it will cost $400 million in Maine taxpayers' money in the seven years after the first three-year full-coverage period. Republicans also say expansion will not help 3,100 seriously disabled Mainers who are on waiting list for Medicaid services. Medicaid is administered as MaineCare in the state. Rep. Richard Malaby, R-Hancock, told lawmakers during Monday's debate that a health care exchange, to be in service this October as part of the national health care law, will offer low-cost health care coverage opportunities for those who would otherwise be covered through the expansion. Malaby described MaineCare as a "financially failed program" and said it makes no sense to expand it "with all of its inherent risks." But supporters of expansion said it will fill a large gap in the number of Mainers who get health coverage. "We have the opportunity to provide for 70,000 of our neighbors the benefits of preventive care for their health, that we in this chamber all enjoy," said Rep. Drew Gattine, D-Westbrook. "We have the opportunity to inject Maine's economy with over $250 million in economic stimulus and create more than 3,100 new jobs. We have the opportunity to lighten the burden charity and uncompensated care have on our providers, especially hospitals, and on consumers who ultimately pay for that care." In addition to creating thousands of health care-related jobs, the bill will free up money for education, infrastructure and public safety, said Assistant House Majority Leader Jeff McCabe, D-Skowhegan. By adding the "opt out" provision to the bill, majority Democrats lured more Republicans behind the Medicaid expansion, in hopes of lining up enough support to override a potential veto should the bill reach Gov. Paul LePage's desk. LePage issued a statement saying he will not discuss expansion of Medicaid until 3,100 disabled and elderly people on waiting lists "are taken care of," and fraud and abuse in the social service system are addressed. "Until we crack down on the fraud and abuse that robs hard-working Mainers of their tax dollars, I will not discuss any efforts to expand welfare," LePage said. The Republican governor has already vetoed a more sweeping bill calling for Medicaid expansion, even though it included a provision to repay the state's hospitals $484 million in past debts for unpaid Medicaid services, a major priority for LePage.

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Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Maine)

May 24, 2013 Friday

LePage wields quick pen

BYLINE: MISTLER, STEVE

SECTION: LOCAL NEWS; Pg. A.1 ISSN: 0745-2039

LENGTH: 1012 words

State House Bureau AUGUSTA -- Democrats in the Legislature knew that their signature policy achievement -- a combination bill to expand public health insurance for the poor and pay off Maine's $186 million debt to its hospitals -- was likely temporary. On Thursday, , Gov. Paul LePage made it so. Within minutes of the Senate's final passage of L.D. 1546, LePage and Republican lawmakers gathered in the State House Hall of Flags, where Democrats were preparing to hold their celebratory press conference. The governor, sitting at a desk beneath a bank of television cameras, quickly signed his veto message. It was only a draft veto; the official bill hasn't yet hit his desk. But it was a symbolic end to what appears to be a symbolic victory for Democrats, who used a high-risk strategy to get what they hoped would be a high-reward outcome, the expansion of Medicaid. Shortly thereafter, Democrats gathered on the Hall of Flag's steps. They rolled out the props: A map showing the number of Mainers who would gain health insurance through Medicaid expansion. An oversized check made out to Maine's hospitals, now symbolically voided with LePage's symbolic veto. Senate President Justin Alfond, D-Portland, and House Speaker Mark Eves, D-North Berwick, proceeded with the press conference, knowing the governor had pre-empted their event. Eves, delivering his most forceful remarks as speaker, blasted LePage. ", Gov. LePage had an opportunity to prove to Maine people that he could compromise," Eves said. "He failed. He had an opportunity to put politics aside. He failed. , Gov. LePage has failed to pay his bills. He failed to provide health care to people whose lives are on the line." Eves urged Republicans to override the governor's veto. That appears unlikely. Since taking office in 2011, LePage has vetoed about 20 bills that have been passed unanimously by the Legislature. Only two vetoes have been overridden. And Republicans have unilaterally rejected L.D. 1546 during floor votes, calling the Democrats' plan to link Medicaid expansion with a bipartisan proposal to pay the hospital debt reckless and futile. Democrats believed that L.D. 1546 was their best and only chance to expand Medicaid to an estimated 60,000 Mainers. Using their majorities in the House and Senate, they took LePage's signature policy goal -- paying back the hospitals -- and tied it to Medicaid expansion. That distinguished Maine from the other states in the Medicaid debate, the latest front in the battle over the federal Affordable Care Act. Page 122 LePage wields quick pen Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Maine) May 24, 2013 Friday

The legislative vehicle in Maine was different, but the debate was the same as everywhere else. Democrats said expansion will cover more people, improve health outcomes and reduce health care costs. Republicans said Medicaid expansion is risky, far from free and a costly way to deliver health insurance. The floor debates over the bill have been the most contentious and passionate of this legislative session. It was personal for some Democrats. During the first Senate floor debate, Sen. Troy Jackson, D-Allagash, talked about two friends in his district who died from heart failure after being diagnosed initially with acid reflux. Neither had health insurance. Jackson had a similar diagnosis and found that he had a heart condition. He now has a pacemaker -- and the guilt of having health insurance because he's a legislator. "It's ... embarrassment that I had health insurance and they didn't," Jackson said. "It's embarrassment that I'm alive and they didn't have that opportunity." Sen. Roger Katz, R-Augusta, acknowledged that the cause is heartfelt for some Democrats. However, he and his Republican colleagues were skeptical of expanding a program that is now the source of repeated state budget shortfalls. The federal government is promising to fully fund the expansion from 2014 to 2016, but there is no guarantee that it could fund it at 90 percent after that, Republicans said. Katz said Democrats saw a clear path for expansion, but for Republicans, the way forward was "foggy," financially risky. Subsequent debates became more aggressive as Democrats continued to push the combination bill. On Tuesday, Rep. Richard Malaby, R-Hancock, said Medicaid encourages recipients to "overconsume and undervalue" insurance, and hospitals exploit the program and overbill for services. Rep. Lawrence Lockman, R-Amherst, leveled a more direct charge at the Democrats' push for a program that he said would saddle future generations with debt. "Why should my grandchildren not view you as a thief?" Lockman said. The debates aren't over. Democrats hope to peel off enough Republican votes to override LePage's veto. But Republicans say they won't budge. In fact, Republicans were claiming victory Thursday. Sen. Mike Thibodeau of Winterport, the Senate Republican leader, mocked the Democrats' oversized check in a press release. "I understand that following the governor's veto today, Democrat leadership displayed a symbolic check that represents payment to Maine hospitals," Thibodeau said. "I find that highly ironic, given that it was their in- sistence on attaching Medicaid welfare expansion to the hospital repayment that led to the veto." The focus immediately shifted back to the hospital debt. Will the Democrats split the bill and pass the hospital payback plan? Will they risk being the first Legislature not to make some kind of payment on a debt that began exploding in 2002? Every Legislature has paid the hospitals since that time. Alfond told reporters Thursday that paying the hospitals is a priority, and so is Medicaid expansion. "The time for action is now," Alfond said. "We don't need political excuses. We don't need to draw hard lines drawn in the sand. We simply shouldn't wait to do what's right for our state, both morally and fiscally." LePage's original hospital payback proposal is still in committee. The governor said Thursday that he will introduce an identical bill. "I strongly urge all Democrats and Republicans in the Legislature to sustain this veto and pay their bills," he said. Page 123 LePage wields quick pen Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Maine) May 24, 2013 Friday

Steve Mistler -- 620-7016 [email protected]

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Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Maine)

May 22, 2013 Wednesday

Dems push ahead Medicaid, hospital payment measure

BYLINE: MISTLER, STEVE

SECTION: LOCAL NEWS; Pg. B.3 ISSN: 0745-2039

LENGTH: 1211 words

State House Bureau AUGUSTA -- With a veto from , Gov. Paul LePage looming, Democrats in the Legislature on Tuesday continued their high-stakes bid to link the governor's hospital payback plan with the expansion of Medicaid, the public health insurance program for the poor. Democrats in the Senate and House advanced L.D. 1546 despite failed parliamentary attempts by Republi- cans to delay or change a bill that would increase health care coverage for approximately 60,000 Mainers while settling the state's $186 million share of debt to Maine's 39 hospitals. The Senate voted 20-15 to approve the bill. Independent Sen. Richard Woodbury, of Yarmouth, voted with the Democrats. The House debate ranged well into the evening. House Speaker Mark Eves, D-North Berwick, during his first speech of the legislative session, urged Repub- licans to join the Democrats to support a bill that settles both issues at once. "The members of this body have a choice," he said. "Will you support a plan that pays the hospitals and ac- cepts federal health care dollars to cover more Mainers? Or will you choose to deny and delay health care for tens of thousands of Maine people, putting politics ahead of the people's health and our hospitals?" Republicans were united in their resistance. Some suggested that the push by the Democratic majority could have implications on other legislative work. Page 124 Dems push ahead Medicaid, hospital payment measure Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Maine) May 22, 2013 Wednesday

"The die has been cast," said Newport Rep. Kenneth Fredette, the House Republican leader, drawing a par- allel between the Democratic Medicaid push and a civil war in ancient Greece. The debates marked the most contentious policy conflict of the session and one that has unfolded in other legislatures grappling with expanding Medicaid through the politically divisive Affordable Care Act. Medicaid expansion is considered a key component of the law. So far, 21 states have agreed to participate in Medicaid expansion through the Affordable Care Act. Six states, including Maine, have not yet decided. The Maine proposal could land the measure on LePage's desk by the end of the week. Although LePage has not publicly guaranteed that he'll veto the measure, Republican opposition and statements from the governor's allies suggest that outcome is likely. If the bill is vetoed, it's not yet clear whether Democrats will reintroduce a separate bill designed to repay the hospital debt, as LePage and Republicans have requested. If not, the majority party may risk additional public criticism from LePage and Republicans, who have used the hospital debt issue to great effect since LePage ran for governor in 2010. Democrats have attempted to flip the debt issue, saying in press statements that it's Republicans that are refusing to pay the hospitals by rejecting L.D. 1546, the bill combining expansion and the hospital payback plan. Rep. Jeff McCabe, D-Skowhegan, the assistant House leader, said Tuesday that he wasn't sure how Demo- crats would proceed if Republicans and LePage reject the combination bill, but suggested that the outcome may hinge on Maine hospitals. The Maine Hospital Association supports Medicaid expansion and the debt payment, but as separate bills. McCabe said the hospitals' opposition to the combination plan shows that they "want their cake and eat it, too." "I think they hitched their wagon a little too closely to the governor," said McCabe, adding that LePage's budget proposal cut hospital reimbursement rates by $50 million. Democrats, using their legislative majority for leverage, believe the combination proposal is their best and only chance to pass the expansion. The move underscores the significance of a Medicaid debate with counterparts in state legislatures across the country and has emerged as another political battle over President Barack Obama's health care law. Democrats in other states, such as Florida, have gone to great lengths to advance expansion, risking other legislative initiatives. While some Republican governors have agreed to expand Medicaid, their legislative counterparts have fought just as hard to delay or kill it. Republicans argue there are too many financial risks associated with the expansion. They argued that it was unrealistic to expect that the federal government would reimburse the state for 90 percent of the expansion after paying 100 percent of the cost of the expansion from 2014 to 2016. Others questioned the effectiveness of Medicaid health insurance. Rep. Richard Malaby, R-Hancock, said the program encouraged recipients to "overconsume and undervalue" insurance. Malaby added that hospitals exploited the program and overbilled for medical services. Rep. Lawrence Lockman, R-Amherst, said the program was unsustainable and contributed to the country's fiscal woes. He said the United States was the most bankrupt country in the world, adding that expanding Medicaid would saddle future generations with debt. "Why should my grandchildren not view you as a thief?" Lockman said. Other Republicans said they were open to Medicaid expansion, but not when combined with the hospital bill. During the Senate debate Tuesday morning, Sen. Doug Thomas, R-Ripley, said linking the popular hospital plan to Medicaid expansion didn't make sense. Page 125 Dems push ahead Medicaid, hospital payment measure Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Maine) May 22, 2013 Wednesday

"If Medicaid is such a good idea, why do we have to tie it such a popular proposal? Why can't it stand on its own merits?" Thomas said. "Is it because it's not as good a proposal as we're being told?" Democrats argue that the combination bill makes sense because it will erase the hospital debt while reducing charity care and emergency room visits. "We all know that people using emergency rooms for their health care are driving up costs," said Sen. Seth Goodall, D-Richmond, adding that consistent medical coverage should curb emergency room visits because more people will have health insurance and see a physician regularly. Republicans said linking the two plans jeopardizes both initiatives. Sen. Roger Katz, R-Augusta, has said that some Republicans are open to Medicaid expansion, but need to know more about the long-term consequences and to allow LePage to continue negotiating a deal with the Obama administration. The administration has allowed some Republican governors additional flexibility over their respective Medi- caid programs in exchange for participating in expansion. However, Democrats believe LePage's counter-proposal is a non-starter and are not convinced that the governor is genuinely bargaining. Democrats said the combined proposal was a win for hospitals and low-income Mainers. The nonpartisan Office of Fiscal and Program Review estimates that an additional 50,000 residents would qualify for Medicaid coverage. If the state doesn't expand approximately 25,000 childless adults and parents would lose Medicaid insurance on Jan. 1, 2014. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the expansion would cover nonelderly adults earning as much as 133 percent of the federal poverty level, just over $20,500 a year for a two-person household. The CBO estimated that 49 percent of those affected by expanded Medicaid eligibility earn $5,745 a year or less. The same study estimated that 37 percent of the people who would gain coverage would be 35 to 54 years old, and 11 percent would be 55 to 64. Steve Mistler can be contacted at 620-7016 or at: [email protected]

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Portland Press Herald

April 3, 2013 Wednesday

Page 126 Legislature kills GOP-backed capital-gains tax break Portland Press Herald April 3, 2013 Wednesday

Legislature kills GOP-backed capital-gains tax break

BYLINE: Michael Shepherd, By Michael Shepherd [email protected] Staff Writer

SECTION: NEWS

LENGTH: 231 words

Legislature kills GOP-backed capital-gains tax break By Michael Shepherd [email protected] Staff Writer AUGUSTA - As expected, the Maine Senate killed a bill Wednesday to exempt 50 percent of capital-gains income subject to federal tax from Maine income tax. Senators voted 21-14 to reject the bill, a day after the House voted 91-55. also in opposition. Both votes moved only slightly from party lines. Sen. Patrick Flood, R-Winthrop, voted with Democrats, along with independent Richard Woodbury of Yarmouth, according to Ericka Dodge, Senate Democrats' spokeswoman. In the House on Tuesday, Rep. Eleanor Espling, R-New Gloucester, and Rep. Corey Wilson, R-Augusta, voted with Democrats to reject the bill. The Republican-sponsored bill would cost nearly $191 million through 2017, also reducing municipal revenue sharing by nearly $2.5 million over that period, according to its fiscal note. Rep. Richard Malaby, R-Hancock, the bill's sponsor, said the fiscal note merely counted revenue lost, ignoring an uptick in capital gains investment he thinks would occur if taxes were lowered. "When it comes to capital gains income tax, a lowering of the rate leads to an increase in activity," Malaby said on the floor. But Democrats, who won out, said it's unlikely that the money lost would come close to equaling money gained, and tax breaks should be focused on low- and middle-income payers.

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Bangor Daily News (Maine)

Page 127 Maine House rejects capital gains tax cut, backs bill to hike earned income credit Bangor Daily News (Maine) April 2, 2013 Tuesday

April 2, 2013 Tuesday

Maine House rejects capital gains tax cut, backs bill to hike earned income credit

BYLINE: Christopher Cousins BDN Staff

LENGTH: 758 words

AUGUSTA, Maine -- Two tax relief bills that would benefit opposite ends of the income spectrum received mostly party-line votes Tuesday in the House of Representatives.

Democrats, who hold a majority in the House, banded together in support of one measure, An Act to In- crease the State Earned Income Credit, which would increase the state-level earned income tax credit. The majority voted against another bill, An Act to Reduce the Income Tax on Capital Gains, that would have cut taxes on capital gains income by more than 50 percent. The two measures, which came from the Legisla- ture's Taxation Committee with mostly party-line recommendations, now head to the Senate for further consideration.

Republicans argued that cutting taxes on capital gains would actually bring more revenue into state coffers because reducing the rate would cause many investors to sell. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Richard Malaby, R-Hancock, would reduce taxes on capital gains by exempting 50 percent of capital gains held for more than a year from state income taxes of 7.5 percent.

Malaby argued on the House floor Tuesday that capital gains are not "regular income" and reflect earnings by people who create jobs and invest in economic development. He said Maine currently has the eighth-highest tax rates for capital gains in the country.

"Right now is kind of the perfect time to decrease rates," said Malaby. "The stock market has never been higher and investors are very likely to recognize gains. I am a Republican. I am looking forward to cutting this gains rate because it will increase revenue, which I hear we need."

A fiscal note attached to the bill estimated that the change would reduce revenues to the state by more than $46 million this year and more in future years, though Republicans argued that the estimate from the Legis- lature's Office of Fiscal and Program Review doesn't take into account revenues that would result from a sell-off triggered by the rate cut.

Rep. Brian Jones, D-Freedom, and others doubted that the tax cut could result in increased state revenues.

"A tax reduction at this moment certainly couldn't fill that shortfall in the immediate term nor in the near term as well," said Jones.

Rep. Wayne Parry, R-Arundel, tied the proposal to job creation and a possible counterpoint to recent Demo- crat-led votes in the House and Senate in favor of increasing the minimum wage. The minimum wage bill faces more legislative votes and possible veto by Gov. Paul LePage.

"If we don't start helping the people that actually hire the employees we will never have more jobs in Maine," Parry said. "By raising the [minimum wage] labor cost by 20 percent and not helping them on their capital investments that they're risking in this economy, you will never have more jobs in Maine." Page 128 Maine House rejects capital gains tax cut, backs bill to hike earned income credit Bangor Daily News (Maine) April 2, 2013 Tuesday

Only Rep. Bryan Kaenrath, D-South Portland, and Rep. Corey Wilson, R-Augusta, broke from the party-line vote. The House's four independents voted with the Democrats.

Portland Democrat Rep. Peter Stuckey's bill, LD 455, An Act to Increase the State Earned Income Credit, would double the state earned income tax credit for low-income individuals and families to 10 percent of the federal earned income tax credit and make it fully refundable at the state level.

Democrats said the bill would provide financial relief to those who need it most, people who are likely to spend the money locally on necessities such as rent and groceries.

"We heard over and over again that the people who are going to get this credit are going to buy groceries, gas for their cars, and pay their rent," said Rep. Adam Goode, D-Bangor, who co-chairs the Legislature's Taxation Committee. "These are people we are sure are going to spend the money right away."

Stuckey agreed.

"The earned income tax credit is clearly designed to help working families meet their basic needs," he said. "Too many Maine workers can't earn enough, even with two jobs, to meet their family's basic needs and that just isn't right."

House Minority Leader Kenneth Fredette, R-Newport, said he agrees that the bill would be helpful for a lot of needy Mainers, but said now is not the time to cut $35 million in revenues from state coffers. He also added that the Legislature helped a lot of those people last year by cutting income taxes for some 70,000 low-income people.

The vote in favor of the bill was 91-52 with Republican Reps. Lance Harvell of Farmington and Matthew Pouliot of Augusta voting with the Democrats. As with the other tax bill debated Tuesday, the House's four independents voted with the Democrats.

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Bangor Daily News (Maine)

February 18, 2013 Monday

GOP lawmaker seeks to loosen requirements for health care expansions

BYLINE: Matthew Stone BDN Staff

Page 129 GOP lawmaker seeks to loosen requirements for health care expansions Bangor Daily News (Maine) February 18, 2013 Monday

LENGTH: 1276 words

AUGUSTA, Maine -- Lawmakers on Thursday will hear from advocates on both sides of a familiar debate over hospital expansions and the introduction of new services in the state's health care industry.

A Republican legislator from Hancock will make a pitch to the Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee to roll back the state's Certificate of Need program, which closely regulates the expansion of hospitals and other health care facilities in Maine. The chief lobbying association for Maine's hospitals, the Maine Hospital Association, will oppose the measure.

Rep. Richard Malaby is sponsoring LD 162, which would repeal the key state laws that require hospitals and other health care providers to receive state approval before they install major pieces of new equipment, undertake expansions, introduce new services and add to the number of hospital beds.

Malaby says that level of regulation stifles free-market competition in health care that could ultimately lower costs and ensure that Maine residents have access to the latest medical developments.

"I feel philosophically that hospitals [and] ambulatory surgical centers should be competing and improving their product and maybe, through competition, bringing down costs for consumers," he said.

Under the Certificate of Need program, officials at the state Department of Health and Human Services review proposals for major hospital expansions and the construction of new facilities to determine whether there's need for the added services and that the services aren't already offered at nearby facilities. They also require that new health care facilities serve all patients in a geographic area, rather than only those with private health insurance.

The idea is to rein in overall health care spending in Maine by preventing duplication of services and excess capacity that makes it unsustainable for health care facilities to offer needed services, said Trish Riley, who developed much of Maine's Certificate of Need program while serving as health policy adviser to former Gov. John Baldacci. Maine's per-capita spending on health care was fifth highest in the nation in 2009, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

"We know that supply drives demand. If you have a hospital bed, it gets filled. If you have a piece of equipment, it gets used," Riley said. "You want all the services you need, but not more. You don't want to escalate health care spending unnecessarily."

Through the Certificate of Need process Eastern Maine Medical Center received approval for a $250 million expansion in 2008. The project was put on hold until late last year. In addition to a new tower, the plan calls for more than a dozen operating suites, increasing the number of private patient rooms, updating cardiac and obstetrics services, and relocating the neonatal intensive care unit.

The tower project is one of the most ambitious tackled by a Maine hospital in recent years. It's smaller than MaineGeneral's pursuit of a $300-million-plus hospital in Augusta, but dwarfs Maine Medical Center's plan for a $40 million expansion and update of several operating rooms. Also in Portland, Mercy Hospital has been shifting its services to a new campus on the Fore River, a multiyear project pegged at $162 million.

The federal government began requiring and funding Certificate of Need programs in 1974. The funding stream and associated requirements ended in 1987, but 36 states have maintained their Certificate of Need requirements, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Page 130 GOP lawmaker seeks to loosen requirements for health care expansions Bangor Daily News (Maine) February 18, 2013 Monday

"Certificate of Need is one tool, and an imperfect one, to get a more planned, thoughtful health system that works for everybody in the state," Riley said.

The state's Certificate of Need program has become a familiar target for Republicans in the Maine Legisla- ture. Former Rep. Jonathan McKane, R-Newcastle, introduced a proposal identical to Malaby's two years ago when Republicans controlled both legislative chambers. The final bill stopped short of repealing Certifi- cate of Need, but it exempted a wider range of health care facility investments from state approval.

McKane's legislation, for example, raised the minimum spending threshold for new medical equipment before state approval is required to $3.2 million from $1.6 million. It also raised the spending threshold for facility improvements to $10 million from $3.1 million.

The Maine Hospital Association two years ago opposed repealing the Certificate of Need program, but pushed for legislation to raise some of those threshold spending amounts, said Jeffrey Austin, the association's vice president of government affairs and communications.

The association also will oppose Malaby's repeal bill, Austin said.

"We want the regulation to be as easy to understand and as easy to navigate as possible at the micro level. At the macro level, we do still think that the policy has merit," he said. "There can be an oversupply of a service, and that additional supply generates its own demand, unnecessarily driving up health care costs. Hav- ing something to try to prevent that oversupply is, we think, meritorious."

The Certificate of Need approval process is onerous, expensive and anti-competitive, Malaby said. The process, he said, can shut a small-scale health care facility out of the market for certain services because state officials might not allow the facility to invest in new equipment so it can provide more services to its patients.

"I don't mean to imply that our hospitals are overcharging," Malaby said. "I just think competition's a good thing, and the state is not well suited to making some of these decisions. I would rather trust the marketplace."

But not allowing a small health facility to invest in an X-ray machine could help to control overall health system costs, said Riley.

"If you take volume out of the hospital and put it in these smaller places, the hospital still has to operate that machine," she said. "And if they're spreading the cost to 100 patients, rather than 1,000 patients, the cost to those patients goes up."

And the insurance companies paying for those procedures make up for higher costs by raising premiums, Riley said.

Austin of the Maine Hospital Association said the changes made to the Certificate of Need program two years ago have made it easier for smaller health care facilities to offer new services and install new equipment.

"It is less credible to say that a small provider can't come in because of Certificate of Need, because we doubled, tripled and in some cases, way beyond doubled and tripled the threshold," he said. Page 131 GOP lawmaker seeks to loosen requirements for health care expansions Bangor Daily News (Maine) February 18, 2013 Monday

Malaby said he's not optimistic his bill will pass this year, especially now that Democrats hold majorities in both chambers of the Legislature. But it's still a debate worth having, he said.

Sen. Margaret Craven, a Lewiston Democrat who chairs the Health and Human Services Committee that will hear Malaby's proposal Thursday, said she's opposed to eliminating the Certificate of Need program. There's no indication there's a lack of needed medical services in Maine, she said, and dispensing with the Certificate of Need requirements could open the door to new for-profit hospitals that serve limited populations and endanger the state's existing hospitals, she said.

"Health care does not fit into the free market," Craven said. "Our hospitals and other providers in this state have already built their organizations within the confines of the Certificate of Need."

John Martins, a spokesman for the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, said his agency hasn't yet taken a position on Malaby's bill. A spokeswoman for Gov. Paul LePage declined to comment on the legislation.

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Bangor Daily News (Maine)

October 20, 2012 Saturday

Monday, Oct. 22, 2012: Same-sex marriage, moderate King and Election Day

LENGTH: 1025 words

Do it for the kids

For those married folks who are not sure how to vote on allowing same-sex couples to marry and who have been hearing dire threats that it will "destroy marriage" or "redefine marriage," here is a simple way to decide.

Consider all of the many things that are related to your being married, all of the meanings that you and others give to that, and ask yourself how many of those things have depended on you and your spouse having different genitals. Is that really what your marriage is all about?

Page 132 Monday, Oct. 22, 2012: Same-sex marriage, moderate King and Election Day Bangor Daily News (Maine) October 20, 2012 Saturday

When women finally got the right to vote, did that destroy or redefine voting? If you think that raising kids is special about your marriage, know that lots and lots of same-sex couples are doing that, too, and doing it just fine. If your kids have benefited from having married parents, so will theirs.

Please vote yes on Question 1 for marriage equality. If for no other reason, do it for the kids.

Peter Rees

Trenton

Vote Nadeau

I would like to thank Republican Mike Nadeau for stepping up to the plate and running for Maine State Rep- resentative of District 1. When I met him I realized that he has the integrity and the heart to represent the hard-working people in Aroostook County.

He calls himself a simple mechanic who can figure out how to fix things that are broken. He is much more than that -- a small-business owner and a pillar of the Fort Kent community.

Nadeau, like many of us, is tired of rising taxes, rising insurance, rising energy costs and having to hire people full time to keep up with regulations at the local, state and federal level.

Enough is enough. Please consider voting for Nadeau for District 1.

Deb Kent

New Canada

Voting for Levesque

I called on Levesque Lumber as sales manager for the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad for five years in the early '90s. Dan Levesque, a Democrat, and his family were always a joy to work with. Levesque converted a rail loading siding at the Ashland mill over a weekend to allow access to both sides in order to load our new center-beam lumber cars. He later modified the Masardis siding to accept additional cars at that mill.

He could be counted on to get things done. He has been active in community government, was vice chairman on the reconstruction of Route 11 and 212 highway project, was former owner of businesses in Ashland and Presque Isle and was active in bringing an industrial park, co-generation plant and spec building to Ash- land.

Levesque has been a voice in Augusta on the Canadian lumber tariff in order to protect the lumber mills and jobs in Maine. His knowledge of business and issues of concern will be a great asset as he works for us in Augusta. I hope you join me in voting for Levesque on Nov. 6 as our state senator in District 34.

Bruce Larlee

Island Falls Page 133 Monday, Oct. 22, 2012: Same-sex marriage, moderate King and Election Day Bangor Daily News (Maine) October 20, 2012 Saturday

Return to Augusta

I am the mother of a special-needs child and had the unnerving task two years ago of testifying before the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services in Augusta on a complex and controversial medical issue. I have talked to many legislators before about my son's special medical needs and vulnerabilities and had become used to being ignored or dismissed, so I expected the same at the hearing.

I was very pleasantly surprised that four of the legislators on the committee listened intently, asked well-considered questions and then brought to the floor the bill that would protect children with atypical medical needs like my son.

One of those legislators was Republican Richard Malaby, who is currently running for re-election to his seat in the Maine House to represent District 34. I thank him for his compassionate and thoughtful service to children like mine and encourage the voters of Gouldsboro, Hancock, Lamoine, Sorrento, Sullivan, Waltham and Winter Harbor to return him to his post in Augusta this fall.

Ginger Taylor

Brunswick

Center seat

Like many Maine voters, I consider myself to be moderate. And like about one third of Maine voters, I am not enrolled in either political party.

I vote for intelligent, pragmatic, nonparty-line people of any party or no party. Had Sen. Olympia Snowe run for reelection, I would have proudly voted (again) for our accomplished moderate female Republican senator. In her absence, I will just as proudly be casting my vote for former Gov. Angus King, an independent.

From his eight years as our governor, he knows all about being "the man in the middle." He will vote his conscience, form coalitions where necessary and intelligently represent the best interests of Maine and our nation. He cannot be bought or bullied. I am voting for King for U.S. Senate because he is moderate and independent. Snowe is correct: the centrists need to assert themselves. King has the experience and intelligence to do just that.

Christina Breen

Holden

Lifelong commitment

Recently Annie fractured her shoulder. When the ambulance arrived at Penobscot Bay Medical Center, the EMT told the emergency department staff that Annie's wife, Lucie, was following behind. Soon Lucie was signing the papers, which allowed Annie to be treated, and was by her side.

Page 134 Monday, Oct. 22, 2012: Same-sex marriage, moderate King and Election Day Bangor Daily News (Maine) October 20, 2012 Saturday

In a time of emergency, we were unbelievably fortunate. Our marriage in California is not legally recognized here in our home state of Maine. As registered domestic partners in Maine we hope, but can never be certain, that the very limited protections we are granted will cover our ability to support each other in medical emergencies.

The limited protections of our civil union in Vermont stop at the state border.

There is only one word which describes the lifelong commitment we have made to one another and to our family: marriage. Our children deserve to be able to count on the legal recognition of our vows, and so do we, especially in an emergency.

In just a few days the voters of Maine will decide whether or not to recognize our marriage license. We urge you to talk with your lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender neighbors, friends, coworkers or family members about what the freedom to marry will mean to them.

Please ask them how your vote on Question 1 will affect their lives.

Then stand on the side of love, commitment and family and join us in voting yes on 1.

Lucie Bauer

West Rockport

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Bangor Daily News (Maine)

October 14, 2012 Sunday

Monday, Oct. 15, 2012: Romney's vision, Iran and hospital mergers

LENGTH: 1033 words

Prefer Romney's vision

I mentioned to a friend with a steady, but low-paying job that I would be voting for Mitt Romney. She responded that she would vote for Obama. When I asked why, she said: "Because he's a nice guy and he's trying." That analysis is frightening.

Page 135 Monday, Oct. 15, 2012: Romney's vision, Iran and hospital mergers Bangor Daily News (Maine) October 14, 2012 Sunday

In any job except apparently the presidency, performance counts. If David Ortiz struck out 10 times for every hit, he'd be gone. If Tom Brady threw five interceptions for every touchdown, he'd be gone. If a businessman consistently lost money, he'd soon be out of business.

Obama has been a disaster for middle-class workers like my friend and me. Gas prices have more than doubled since he took office; heating oil is way up. Unemployment remains high, and millions who have jobs are underemployed. Interest earned on most investments is negligible. Housing sales remain slow. The federal deficit increases by about $10 every day for every man, woman and child in the country, growing despite Obama's campaign promises to reduce it. Our children are still sent overseas on dubious military missions, and more people in foreign countries hate us.

Apparently in Obama's ideal world, everyone (except him and his governing friends) would be poor and totally dependent on government for their existence. In Romney's ideal world, everyone would be rich and de- pend on government for very little. Obviously neither ideal will be reached anytime soon, but I certainly prefer Romney's vision for our country.

Lawrence E. Merrill

Bangor

Cartoon bomb

Netanyahu's chart before the UN in the shape of a bomb was intended to suggest that Iran's intention to build a bomb was a fact, when actually Bibi has no evidence at all to support that allegation. His lust for war has carried him over the top into highly irrational warmongering, claiming that his attacking Iran is really not an attack at all but is actually defending Israel from a powerful and threatening enemy.

Orwell's doublethink.

Both Benjamin Netanyahu and candidate Romney are suffering from this affliction. What is Iran's threat? Certainly not from one atom bomb that Bibi's pretending concern over, considering Israel's huge stockpile of (illegal?) nuclear weapons, and his overwhelming military readiness, only second place to the U.S. in the world, and mostly paid for or supplied by the U.S.

Knowing triggering a bomb would be suicide, Iran has no interest in acquiring one. Their "threat" is claiming they will still be standing when the belligerent Israeli government is no more. Iran's "threat" does not pertain to geography but to autocracy, not to the Israeli people but to their leader.

Iran's concern for the oppressed Palestinians will preclude any thought of dropping a bomb on Israel since it would also wipe out Gaza and the West Bank. Is Bibi ignorant or obsessed?

EJ Chandler

Hampden

We can do better

Page 136 Monday, Oct. 15, 2012: Romney's vision, Iran and hospital mergers Bangor Daily News (Maine) October 14, 2012 Sunday

The O p-Ed in the Bangor Daily News on Sept. 11 written by Richard Malaby, District 34's representative, tried to explain the need for federal waivers being granted so Maine can cut, and cut again, services provided to its most needy in an attempt to balance the state budget.

His premise was to phase the decision as an easy one, between childless 19- and 20-year-olds and adults with disabilities.

If a huge tax cut had not been passed at the beginning of his term, one totaling more than $150 million, this decision would have been avoided and both groups of people could have been helped. It's interesting to note that the tax break worked out to $7 going to the lower 20 percent of income earners, $123 going to the average family, and around $3,000 going to the wealthiest in the state.

In a nutshell our real choice is tax breaks for the wealthy or helping our neediest residents.

I am running as a write-in candidate for District 34. Since no one was running against Mr. Malaby, I stepped up to take on this fight. Are there budget battles to be fought? Huge ones. Are there compromises to make? Hard ones, but balancing the budget on the backs of the neediest is a choice no right-thinking person could make.

Example: Rep. Malaby voted to cut $2 million of the $3 million the state has given to Head Start, causing programs across the state to close.

Let's invest in Maine, its people, schools and environment.

Arthur Morison

Hancock

Financial motives

In a recent news story about Parkview Adventist Medical Center and Central Maine Healthcare's intentions about merging, your paper suggested that the reason for this merger might have nothing to do with finances. We're not so sure.

It appears that CMHC is a business that hopes to expand its market share and take hold of some of the patient care in the midcoast region. They hope to do this because there are thousands of people living in this community who receive care at either Parkview or Mid Coast Hospital.

It is public information that CMHC has lent $11 million to Parkview over the past five years, and this is doc- umented in Parkview's audited statements available on your website. CMHC must want its money back.

Clearly, there are major financial motives here, and our community deserves to fully understand their potential outcomes. We must recognize that CMHC wants to take over a portion of the midcoast health care system and we need to consider what this will mean for our high quality, local care if this happens.

Page 137 Monday, Oct. 15, 2012: Romney's vision, Iran and hospital mergers Bangor Daily News (Maine) October 14, 2012 Sunday

Linda and Bruce MacMillan

Phippsburg

Disappointing coverage

How disappointing was your scant coverage of the recent Common Ground Fair (Sept. 24, B Section). Your story of two paragraphs did little to impart the depth of information available at this three-day wonder event.

From demonstrations of sustainable forestry to practical examples of energy savings appropriate to the Maine climate, this fair is more substantive than a weekend picnic.

A myriad of practical, workable options for a more sustainable way of life were demonstrated by the many folks living it.

Janet Christrup

Township 7

Job profiteers

Why do some Maine politicians keep talking about businesses as "job creators?"

Under capitalism, the purpose of a business is to make a profit. No business starts out or keeps on operating to create jobs.

So, don't call them "job creators." Call them "profiteers."

Larry Dansinger

Monroe ekahl: byline: none

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63 of 76 DOCUMENTS Page 138 HEALTH INSURANCE WAIVERS SHOW WRONG PRIORITIES States News Service September 14, 2012 Friday

States News Service

September 14, 2012 Friday

HEALTH INSURANCE WAIVERS SHOW WRONG PRIORITIES

BYLINE: States News Service

LENGTH: 650 words

DATELINE: AUGUSTA, ME

The following information was released by the Maine House of Representatives, Democrats: Governor Paul LePage and Republican state lawmakers who voted to remove nearly 30,000 people from Medicaid and Medicare need a waiver from the federal government to make many of these cuts. The debate over the waiver may sound like inside bureaucratic wrangling, but the consequences will have a real and devastating impact on thousands of Maine seniors, people with disabilities, and working families. A recent column by State Rep. Richard Malaby, R-Hancock, Which Medicaid waiver do you object to? (Sept. 11), argues that the state needs to make these cuts so we can help the truly needy. But this rhetoric does not match reality. The thousands of people they would like to take health care away from are truly needy. They include working parents, who are trying to make ends meet. Nineteen and 20 year olds with serious illnesses like diabetes, cancer or severe mental health issues. They include seniors and people with disabilities who will have to choose between paying for their medicine or buying groceries. Last year, Republicans pushed through a budget that made these cuts after passing a huge tax cut for the rich. Seniors, people with disabilities, and many Maine families will be asked to shoulder the burden so more money can go to people who dont need it. In times like these millionaires should be giving to charity, not getting it. Any money that the state saves from a waiver will go toward paying for the tax cut that largely benefits the top 10 percent. These are the priorities of the Republican lawmakers in Augusta. This was a choice made by the GOP in a highly partisan budget. The funds used for the tax cut primarily benefiting the rich could have helped fund the cost of the housing and care for people with severe developmental disabilities that Rep. Malaby is concerned about. The families of those individuals, in many cases, will have to quit their job to care for them. The truth is Democrats and Republicans agree that our health care system needs to be more affordable. We just have starkly different solutions for how to lower those costs. Taking health care away from Mainers in need is not reforming the system -- and it wont save taxpayers money in the long run. It will just create a cost shift. Think about it this way: When sick people need care, hospitals cannot turn them away. Instead, they pass on those costs to people who do have insurance or cities and towns have to pick up the bill. If a 19 or 20 year old who requires medicine for severe mental illness cant afford his or her medication, he or she wont be able to get or keep a job. They wont be able to pay their rent or mortgage or worse they could become much sicker. Or what about the 19 or 20 year old who cant afford her insulin pump? Taking care and medicine away from people who need it can be devastating, even deadly, for that individual. And, the domino effect is both economic and moral. We all benefit when more people have insurance. It lowers costs for everyone. Page 139 HEALTH INSURANCE WAIVERS SHOW WRONG PRIORITIES States News Service September 14, 2012 Friday

Here is an astounding number: Five percent of the people who receive health insurance through MaineCare, or Maines Medicaid program, generate 55 percent of its cost. Thats because they are the most sick and need the most care. Democrats believe the best solution to lowering the states health care cost is focusing on better managing care for these people. Weve already seen pilot programs in the state making progress in these areas. Before the LePage administration took control, the state was on track to save millions more through managing member care than from the much smaller amounts projected from the GOP cuts. Slashing health care for one set of needy people wont help another set of needy people. Targeted reform that creates real savings and addresses the real problems in the system will. Its time Augusta got its priorities straight.

LOAD-DATE: September 14, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newswire

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Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine)

July 1, 2012 Sunday

R. Fochtmann: Taxpayers will be the ones to pay

SECTION: LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

LENGTH: 259 words

If Rep. Richard Malaby insists I am ill-informed (June 22), then I must assert that he is disingenuous. While he is correct that the MaineCare budget increased by $88 million, he ignores that the increase was needed to address Maine's huge debt to hospitals, and to compensate for the ending of federal stimulus money -- a shortfall that will not increase matching funding. There is no new funding for Maine's neediest. Indeed, the Legislature eliminated thousands of people from eligibility, and cut support for co-pays and drugs for the elderly. He is also less than candid about Maine's higher per-capita spending, caused by Maine's compliance with the consent decree to provide services for those with mental illness. The point I was making (June 16) was that we ought to use our resources and spend them wisely to encourage and support preventative and primary care, focusing on helping people be successful in the work place, within their families, etc., rather than installing a set of perverse incentives that generates more sick care and inappropriate hospital emergency room use. The Legislature, in listening to DHHS Commissioner Mary Mayhew, a former hospital lobbyist, may have satisfied her former constituency, but by forcing those with the least out of primary care into waiting until they are very sick, they have done nothing to help Maine's neediest live healthier lives. Page 140 R. Fochtmann: Taxpayers will be the ones to pay Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine) July 1, 2012 Sunday

I stand by my contention that, in the end, we taxpayers will be the ones to pay the higher hospital costs ver- sus the moderate costs of managed care. Richard Fochtmann, Leeds

LOAD-DATE: July 2, 2012

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

DOCUMENT-TYPE: Letter

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

JOURNAL-CODE: SJLM

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Bangor Daily News (Maine)

November 4, 2010 Thursday Coastal Edition; Final Edition

GOP, Democrats split Hancock County races

BYLINE: RICH HEWITT OF THE NEWS STAFF

SECTION: Pg. B3

LENGTH: 273 words

DATELINE: ELLSWORTH

Despite Republican gains in legislative races around the state, Hancock County voters split legislative seats between the two parties. Republican state Sen. Richard Rosen easily won another term in the Senate, defeating his Democratic opponent Paul Liebow by a vote of 10,758-5,804. And Republican incumbent Rep. Kimberly Rosen retained her seat in House District 40 to continue representing the Hancock County town of Bucksport and the Penobscot County town of Orrington. Rosen beat Democrat Mark LeBlanc, 2,340-1,419. Republican challenger Richard Malaby also unseated incumbent Democrat Rob Eaton in the House District 34 race by a vote of 2,126-1,740 and Republican Rep. Brian Langley won a three way Senate District 28 race. Democrats, however, held their own in other House races in the county. Page 141 GOP, Democrats split Hancock County races Bangor Daily News (Maine) November 4, 2010 Thursday

Walter Kumiega defeated Republican Jacqueline Spofford by a vote of 1,486-1,302 to win the seat in House District 36, vacated by House Speaker Hannah Pingree, who could not seek re-election because of term limits. In the House District 37 race - the seat vacated by Democratic Rep. James Schatz, who lost his bid for Sen- ate District 28 - Democrat Ralph Chapman defeated Republican Madeleine "Gay" Leach in a close race, 2,256-2,227. And in the House 38 race, newcomer Louis Luchini, a Democrat, defeated retiring Hancock County District Attorney Michael Povich, a Republican seeking legislative office for the first time, by a vote of 2,290-1,950. That seat was vacated by Republican Rep. Brian Langley, who won the Senate District 28 race. In House District 35, Democratic incumbent Elsie Flemings was unopposed. [email protected] 667-9394

LOAD-DATE: November 4, 2010

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Bangor Daily News (Maine)

June 5, 2010 Saturday State Edition; Coastal Edition

2 vie for GOP bid in House District 34

BYLINE: BILL TROTTER OF THE NEWS STAFF

SECTION: Pg. B2

LENGTH: 548 words

DATELINE: ELLSWORTH

Republican voters in a handful of eastern Hancock County towns will have a choice of whom to support when they go the polls on Tuesday, June 8. Leonard "Earl" Bierman and Richard Malaby are competing for the chance to represent their party in the Nov. 2 general election, in which one of them will challenge Democrat Rob Eaton. Eaton now represents District 34 in the Maine House. District 34 comprises the Unorganized Township of Fletcher's Landing and the towns of Gouldsboro, Han- cock, Lamoine, Sorrento, Sullivan, Waltham and Winter Harbor. Bierman, 44, of Sorrento held the seat before losing it to Eaton in 2006. He said Thursday evening that he's running because he wants to ensure that his three young children have a future in Maine. Page 142 2 vie for GOP bid in House District 34 Bangor Daily News (Maine) June 5, 2010 Saturday

The closure of schools in small towns and the state's Essential Services and Programs funding model for schools, he said, are undercutting the ability of rural towns to provide good education for their children. He said the EPS model shortchanges small towns in favor of larger municipalities. "[The model] rewards [towns with] higher populations and property values," Bierman said. Coastal towns, especially those farther east, are losing out on state subsidies because, even though they have high property values, they have relatively low populations, he said. "I think the EPS model needs to be changed," Bierman said. "Maybe we need to look at having two models." Bierman said that the state spends too much money and needs to be more business-friendly. He described himself as a fiscal and social conservative who believes state government needs to be smaller. "I have a strong bond to this area," said Bierman, whose family has lived in Sorrento for generations. "I'm a student of the Constitution." Malaby, 59, of Hancock expressed several of the same concerns Bierman mentioned among his reasons for running for the Legislature. He described himself as a fiscal conservative and a social libertarian. Malaby, who unsuccessfully ran against Eaton in 2008, said the state government does some things well but that the EPS model needs to be changed. Malaby, who sits on the board of directors for Regional School Unit 24, said the EPS model, which has forced most school districts in Maine to consolidate into bigger units, should be thrown out in favor of the former funding model. "It's unwieldly, undemocratic and takes away local control," Malaby said. Malaby also said Maine is "not a pro-business state" and that more market competition should be allowed in the state's health insurance industry. He said Maine needs to reduce taxes and reform its tax structure. Likewise, he said the Legislature should be reduced in size and spend less time in session. "The footprint of state government is just too large," Malaby said. "We have suffered from an absence of leadership." Malaby, who has lived in Maine for 31 years, also has served on the board of directors of Maine Coast Me- morial Hospital in Ellsworth. Bierman, a firefighter and contractor, and Malaby, who owns and runs Crocker House Inn, did not have strong distinctions to make between each other's positions. Malaby said either he or Bierman would make for a good candidate in the general election, while Bierman said he did not know enough specifics about Malaby's positions to comment on them.

LOAD-DATE: June 7, 2010

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Bangor Daily News (Maine)

March 31, 2010 Wednesday All Editions Page 143 Searsport library seeks help for centennial events Bangor Daily News (Maine) March 31, 2010 Wednesday

Searsport library seeks help for centennial events

BYLINE: JONI AVERILL

SECTION: Pg. B4

LENGTH: 754 words

Carver Memorial Library trustee Priscilla King wrote me recently about events that are being planned to celebrate the 100th anniversary next October of this Searsport facility. King explained the centennial "activities will include laying a new walk with memorial-honorary bricking, pub- lishing a booklet, and unearthing the copper box from the cornerstone of the building, bringing to light the items placed in it a century ago. "After the old box is open and examined," King continued, "a new box will be buried." She then went on to explain that "the committee working on the centennial booklet would like people who have used the library to submit their recollections of times spent there, whether it was just yesterday, or 50 years ago. "Our plan is to publish some of these [recollections] on a couple pages in the book." Any information you can supply that would help in this effort can be mailed to King at P.O. Box 203, Searsport 04974, or e-mailed to her at [email protected] "All area residents are invited to attend what promises to be an interesting and entertaining talk," Diana Arney wrote about the next meeting of the Hancock Woman's Club at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 1, at the Han- cock Community Center. The speaker will be resident innkeeper Rich Malaby, "who will talk about the history of The Crocker House, and share an insider's view of operating an historic country inn," Arney wrote. Refreshments will be served after the program, and the business meeting will be conducted after that. For more information, call Arney at 422-9993, or HWC president Jackie Nicholson, 422-6852. Orono Land Trust volunteer Peggy Markson invites the public to join OLT members at their annual meeting beginning with refreshments served at 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 2, at Keith Anderson Community Center, 19 Bennoch Road, Orono. A short meeting will be followed by a presentation by Maine State Climatologist and University of Maine professor emeritus of biology, ecology and climate change, Dr. George Jacobson. The presentation will offer "an overview of the influence of climate change on Orono landscapes, and a fas- cinating history of Maine through time, putting the present and future landscapes in perspective," Markson wrote. Also, at this meeting, "three outstanding volunteers and local landowners" will be recognized, Markson added. From members of the parent-teacher group of Charlotte Elementary School, known as "Charlotte School Friends," comes word they are sponsoring a penny carnival titled the Fool's Fair, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sat- urday, April 3, in the school gymnasium at 1006 Ayers Junction Road. The event features dozens of games, face painting, a jail and bail event, cakewalks and more, and prizes will be awarded for all games and activities. Youngsters will enjoy an Easter egg hunt, and refreshments include hot dogs, popcorn, sweets and bever- ages. Page 144 Searsport library seeks help for centennial events Bangor Daily News (Maine) March 31, 2010 Wednesday

The event is free and everyone is welcome to attend. Patricia Beckwith reports Harmony Hill will appear in concert to benefit Ronald McDonald House of Bangor at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 3, at Morgan Hill Event Center in Hermon. Advance tickets are $10 and can be purchased by calling 848-7100. Tickets at the door will be $12, and pre-show dining is available for $25. Members of Harmony Hill are 17-year-old Catherine Strauch, vocals and fiddle; 18-year-old Morgan Smith, vocals, mandolin and percussion; and 15-year-old Jacob Stutzman on mandolin. Morgan's father, Brian Smith, plays lead guitar and bass, and Jacob's father, Craig Stutzman, plays guitar, bass, and sings as well. For more information, call Beckwith at 942-9003 or visit www.ronaldmcdonaldhousebangor.org. The kind and generous community members of Otis and Mariaville are hosting a potluck benefit dinner for Leroy Colson at 5 p.m. Saturday, April 5, at Beech Hill School. Ann Austin explained that Colson, who "has lived and worked in this community all of his life," recently suffered a heart attack. For more information, call Austin at 537-5222 or Laura Salisbury at the Otis town office, 537-2211. Those of you who were unable to attend a recent benefit supper for 27-year-old Becky Engroff Mabry of Holden, who is seriously ill, can still make a donation to help this young wife and mother. Judy Heath reports people unable to attend that event can send a check to Stetson Memorial United Meth- odist Church, 4 Houlton Street, Patten 04765, and just "earmark it for the Becky Engroff Mabry Benefit."

Joni Averill, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402; [email protected]; 990-8288.

LOAD-DATE: March 31, 2010

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

DOCUMENT-TYPE: Column

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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The Patriot Ledger (Quincy, MA)

November 28, 2009 Saturday ROP Edition

SPEAK OUT - DRIVING LAWS; Too much safety can be dangerous

BYLINE: RICHARD MALABY

SECTION: Editorial; pg. 7 Page 145 SPEAK OUT - DRIVING LAWS; Too much safety can be dangerous The Patriot Ledger (Quincy, MA) November 28, 2009 Saturday

LENGTH: 281 words

I have no doubt that Sheila Burgess and Emily Ring had the best intentions in reminding Patriot Ledger readers to buckle their seat belts during the holiday season, ("A decision to be thankful for," Nov. 20). How- ever, I must confess to chuckling at their metaphor equating seat belts to football helmets. The Wall Street Journal recently published an article suggesting helmets provide an incentive for athletes to be more physical, ergo, football players routinely engage in violent contact they would otherwise avoid without a helmet. I do not intend to invite letters on the utility of football helmets, but there is precedent for the propinquity of vehicular safety and those along for the ride. In 1965, Ralph Nader published his polemic "Unsafe at Any Speed," resulting in massive safety regulations for auto makers and consumers swarming to purchase the "safest" vehicles on the market. While the number of deaths per accident dwindled due to these additional safety features, the aggregate sum of accidents skyrocketed, creating what economists now designate the Peltzman Effect; individuals adjust their actions counter to the intended purpose of a regulation. I recall Steven Landsburg's "Armchair Economist," where the author suggests that in order to minimize the number of car accidents, every car should come equipped with a spike on the steering wheel aimed at the driver's heart. Radical, to be sure, but the author notes with ominous confidence that tailgating would certainly cease. For the record, I wear a seat belt, but if an individual wants to drive without one, that is their choice. Who knows, perhaps he or she will drive more defensively. Richard Malaby lives in Quincy.

LOAD-DATE: December 2, 2009

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Bangor Daily News (Maine)

May 14, 2009 Thursday All Editions

Correcting the record

SECTION: Pg. A2

LENGTH: 162 words

A story on Page B2 in some editions on Wednesday about Hancock's annual town meeting incorrectly identified the town's new Citizen of the Year. The 2009 recipient of the award is Richard Malaby. Page 146 Correcting the record Bangor Daily News (Maine) May 14, 2009 Thursday

A story about ATV accidents published on Page B5 of Tuesday's State section contained incorrect information. Rodney Thibodeau of St. Francis was not working for the U.S. Census when his accident occurred. He was assisting his wife, who is.

In a story on Page B2 of some editions on Tuesday about Down East hazardous waste cleanup grants, incorrect information was given about the Washington County Council of Governments. The last paragraph should have said that the Washington County Council of Governments is a nonprofit municipal organization that provides land use planning services to its member communities. A story on Page A1 on Wednesday about Harrison Hunt's trip to the Arctic as part of the Crocker Land Expe- dition in 1913 contained an error. Hunt died on July 17, 1967.

LOAD-DATE: May 14, 2009

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

DOCUMENT-TYPE: Correction

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Bangor Daily News (Maine)

February 19, 2009 Thursday State Edition; Coastal Edition

RSU 24 moving ahead despite voting glitch

BYLINE: RICH HEWITT OF THE NEWS STAFF

SECTION: Pg. B2

LENGTH: 635 words

DATELINE: ELLSWORTH

Despite a glitch in the voting process in Steuben, the towns that form the new Regional School Unit 24 are just about ready to seat their newly elected board members. Voters in the 12 towns participating in the new RSU last week elected 14 representatives to serve on the board. The new RSU joins the schools in Ellsworth, the Union 92 towns of Lamoine, Hancock, Mariaville, Waltham and Eastbrook, and the Union 96 towns of Franklin, Sullivan, Sorrento, Sullivan, Steuben and Win- ter Harbor. The process went smoothly except in Steuben where a posting mistake has raised questions about whether the election there was legal and the results valid. Union 96 Superintendent Bill Webster explained that the town clerk posted a notice of election, which is the usual procedure for a statewide election, rather than posting a warrant, which is the method used for municipal elections. Page 147 RSU 24 moving ahead despite voting glitch Bangor Daily News (Maine) February 19, 2009 Thursday

"Legally, it's a municipal election," Webster said Wednesday. "School board members are municipal officials, so they should have had a warrant for each town." Warrants were issued in the other 11 towns in the proposed RSU, he said. The discrepancy has raised questions of whether the election in Steuben was a legal one and whether the results are valid. Webster has consulted with the school department attorney and with an attorney from the Maine Municipal Association to get an opinion on that issue. He said it's possible they could determine that the process was not legal but that the results are valid. There was just one candidate on the ballot, Geoff Zentz, and he garnered the most votes despite a strong write-in effort. Webster said he hoped to get an opinion from the attorneys soon, but by the end of the day Wednesday, the issue was still unresolved. It was unclear Wednesday whether questions about the Steuben election will delay the formation of the new school board. Omar Norton, the interim Union 92 superintendent and the interim secretary for the interim RSU board, said Wednesday he did not think the mix-up would affect the formation of the board. Even without a representative from Steuben, there would be a quorum for the board once the representatives from the other towns were sworn in, he said. Norton noted that he too was waiting to hear the opinion of the attorneys on the issue. Once election results are certified, the state Board of Education will officially notify the new board members. The board's first meeting has tentatively been scheduled for March 3. When that meeting is held, Norton said, the board will elect a presiding officer and adopt its rules of procedure. Norton said they also will review the weighted voting procedure which is based on population. The new board also will begin the process of hiring a superintendent and receive an update on the development of a budget for the new school district for the 2009-10 school year. Staff members from the three school units already have been working on a variety of issues related to the start of the new RSU. Some work already has been done in the areas of financing and accounting, technology, curriculum, athletics and special education, according to information provided in transition newsletters distributed by the superintendents. Under the school consolidation law, the new district must be ready to begin operations for the start of the new school year on July 1. The new school board members are, serving three-year terms: Julie Curtis, Eastbrook; Leigh Guilford, Ells- worth; Jonathan Morren, Lamoine; Geoff Zentz, Steuben; Jeff Alley, Winter Harbor; two-year terms: Dick Gray, Ellsworth; Annie Perry, Gouldsboro; Rich Malaby, Hancock; Randy Bragg, Mariaville; James Buteau, Waltham; and one-year terms: Alice Dow, Ellsworth; Jenna Shorey, Franklin; Janet Wilpan, Sorrento; and Michael Pinkham, Sullivan. [email protected] 667-9394

LOAD-DATE: February 19, 2009

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

71 of 76 DOCUMENTS Page 148 Learn from the Irish Bangor Daily News (Maine) January 14, 2009 Wednesday

Bangor Daily News (Maine)

January 14, 2009 Wednesday All Editions

Learn from the Irish

SECTION: Pg. A6

LENGTH: 261 words

The BDN's Dec. 29 editorial, "Maine's Population Woes," was right to cite the negative economic impact a stagnant population has on our state. Unfortunately, its analysis of the factors that contribute to Maine's population challenges was seriously lack- ing. It cites weather and sociology as the primary forces driving our current situation but ignores the underly- ing role of economic incentives. Taxation policies for individuals and businesses have a significant impact on population growth and migration. One need only look across the ocean to Ireland to see how this works. Long mired in declining population - from 8 million people in 1841 just before the famine, down to 2.6 million in 1961. Ireland's population today is estimated at almost 4.2 million. In 1990, Ireland's total work force was 1.1 million, and this year 2 million people are left with minimal unemployment. Many factors have contributed to Ireland's reversal, but the primary reason is that businesses have been attracted to invest in Ireland due to continued bipartisan support for fiscal austerity and the lowest corporate tax rates in Europe. Today, Ireland enjoys the second-highest per capita income in Europe. The model it uses is being copied by many Third World and Eastern European countries. This model works, and easily could be emulated by Maine. So, before we sink completely to Third World standards ourselves, let's stop blaming the weather and instead fix our tax policies and improve our business climate. We just may find that our population woes will vanish. Richard Malaby Hancock

LOAD-DATE: January 14, 2009

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

DOCUMENT-TYPE: Letter

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Bangor Daily News (Maine)

Page 149 District 41 race unresolved; Heavy voting seen in Hancock County legislative balloting Bangor Daily News (Maine) November 6, 2008 Thursday

November 6, 2008 Thursday State Edition; Coastal Edition

District 41 race unresolved; Heavy voting seen in Hancock County legislative balloting

SECTION: Pg. B3

LENGTH: 568 words

Heavy voting in Hancock County returned some legislative incumbents, but the makeup of the delegation will change slightly. Three incumbent representatives, Republican Robert Crosthwaite and Democrats Theodore Koffman and Lance Weddell, were not on Tuesday's ballot. Koffman was prevented from seeking another term by the state's term limits. Weddell and Crosthwaite chose not to seek re-election. Unofficial results show that Republican Brian Langley will fill Crosthwaite's seat, and Democrat Elspeth Flemings will take Koffman's place in the House. The outcome in the race for Weddell's House District 41 seat was still up in the air late Wednesday afternoon because results from some towns still had not been tabulated. With the results from the Waldo County towns of Frankfort and Searsport still not counted, Victoria Magnan was leading former state Rep. Kenneth Lindell in that race. Magnan had 1,643 to Lindell's 1,314 votes. In Senate District 28 (Hancock County including Ellsworth), Democratic incumbent Dennis Damon defeated his Republican challenger, Mark Remick, 14,446 to 8,252. In Senate District 29 (Washington County), in a three-way race, incumbent Republican Kevin Raye retained his seat with 11,337 votes, with Democrat Karen Johnson receiving 5,127 votes, and independent candidate Dana Kadey, 1,439 votes. In Senate District 31 (Eastern Penobscot County including Brewer and western Hancock County including Bucksport), Republican incumbent Richard Rosen won re-election with a vote of 9,446-6,512 over the Dem- ocratic challenger Deborah Deane. In House District 20 (Bradley, part of Brewer, Clifton, Dedham, Eddington and Holden), incumbent Democrat Benjamin Pratt beat Republican challenger Steven Juskewitch with by a vote of 3,024 to 2,280. In House District 30 (Alexander, Amherst, Aurora, Beddington, Cooper, Crawford, Deblois, Dennysville, East Machias, Eastbrook, Franklin, Great Pond, Jonesboro, Mariaville, Marshfield, Meddybemps, Northfield, Os- born, Pembroke, Wesley and Whitneyville, plus the unorganized territories), Republican incumbent Howard McFadden won re-election over challenger Democrat Dennis Mahar, with a 2,507 to 1,939 vote. In House District 34 (Gouldsboro, Hancock, Lamoine, Sorrento, Sullivan, Waltham and Winter Harbor, plus the unorganized territory of No. 8 Township), incumbent Democrat Robert Eaton held onto his seat. Eaton defeated Republican challenger Richard Malaby, 2,620 to 2,049. In House District 35 (Bar Harbor, Cranberry Isles, part of Mount Desert and Southwest Harbor), Democrat Elspeth Flemings will fill Rep. Koffman's empty seat. Flemings received 3,330 vote to defeat Republican Richard Savage II, who received 1,892 votes. In House District 37 (Blue Hill, Brooksville, Castine, Penobscot, Sedgwick and Surry), incumbent Democrat James Schatz won re-election, defeating Republican Jonathan Walden, 3,393 to 2,209. In House District 38 (Ellsworth, Otis and Trenton), Republican Brian Langley will fill Rep. Crosthwaite's seat. He defeated Democrat Carrie Jones, 2,846 to 2,317. In House District 40 (Bucksport and Orrington), incumbent Republican Kimberly Rosen held onto her seat defeating Democrat Marc LeBlanc, 2,687 to 2,088. Page 150 District 41 race unresolved; Heavy voting seen in Hancock County legislative balloting Bangor Daily News (Maine) November 6, 2008 Thursday

In House District 36 (Brooklin, Deer Isle, Frenchboro, Isle au Haut, part of Mount Desert, North Haven, Ston- ington, Swan's Island, Tremont and Vinalhaven), incumbent Democrat Hannah Pingree was unopposed for re-election.

LOAD-DATE: November 6, 2008

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Bangor Daily News (Maine)

September 30, 2008 Tuesday Coastal Edition

House District 34

SECTION: Pg. B2

LENGTH: 245 words

Hancock County towns Republican Richard Malaby Age: 57 Hometown: Hancock Address: 52 Cross Road Education: BA, University of Michigan; MBA, Michigan State University Family: Married 24 years, three children Occupation: Innkeeper, owner of Crocker House Country Inn Experience: Fourteen-plus years, Hancock School Board; eight-plus years, trustee of Maine Coast Memorial Hospital, currently secretary, immediate past chairman of the board (2005-2007); president, Coastal Acadia Development Corp., Epsilon graduate (1997), Leadership Maine Reason for running: I am fed up with the direction in which the state of Maine is heading .We must control spending, and we have to begin to grow Maine. We need good jobs for our citizens, equitable taxation policies and a pro-business environment. We are witnessing the slow death of our private sector, and that is not sustainable. Democrat Rob Eaton Age: 53 Page 151 House District 34 Bangor Daily News (Maine) September 30, 2008 Tuesday

Hometown: Sullivan Address: P.O. Box 264, Sullivan, ME 04664 Family: Married; two cats and a puppy Occupation: Health Link director, Maine Coast Memorial Hospital Experience: State representative, 123rd Legislature Reason for running: I'm running to continue my effort to grow our economy while maintaining our quality of place. House members of the 123rd Legislature passed an income tax reform bill providing significant help to most Mainers. The bill failed in the Senate. I wish to help overcome the remaining obstacles so that Mainers get the income tax relief they desire and deserve.

LOAD-DATE: October 14, 2008

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Bangor Daily News (Maine)

August 24, 2007 Friday State Edition; Coastal Edition

Ellsworth hospital gets $5M from estate

BYLINE: ERIC RUSSELL OF THE NEWS STAFF

SECTION: Pg. B2

LENGTH: 344 words

DATELINE: ELLSWORTH

More than a year after his death, the philanthropy of Hancock County native Fitz Eugene Dixon Jr. is still being felt. Maine Coast Memorial Hospital in Ellsworth recently learned that it would be the beneficiary of a $5 million gift from Dixon's estate. Dixon, who died last August at the age of 82, donated the money without restrictions, and at least $1 million will be used toward construction of MCMH's new emergency center, expected to begin in 2008. "We were aware that something would happen," Richard Malaby, chairman of MCMH's Board of Trustees, said Thursday. "Several years ago at the dedication of the new operating room, he made a promise that he would give $1 million toward a new emergency department. He has always held Maine Coast dear to his heart." Page 152 Ellsworth hospital gets $5M from estate Bangor Daily News (Maine) August 24, 2007 Friday

The remaining $4 million will go into an account to be managed by the Maine Coast Healthcare Foundation, which invests and raises funds for the hospital. Malaby said whatever that money is used for in the future certainly will benefit MCMH. Dixon, who was born in Winter Harbor and spent summers there, was heir to a substantial fortune built primarily on investments in the expanding rail service in the United States. Although he spent most of his time in Philadelphia and for years owned the National Basketball Association's 76ers, Dixon had a soft spot for Maine that was manifested through his many donations. Over the years, Dixon and his wife, Edith, gave millions of dollars to Maine Coast Memorial Hospital, including $2 million toward the hospital's expansion in 2003. Dixon served on the MCMH's trustees for nearly 50 years, and his wife is still a member. The hospital's new emergency department will cost upward of $7 million, Malaby said, but it's still in the planning stages at this point. "The emergency department really has been undergoing a very thorough investigation, looking at our needs and potential needs," he said. "The most recent discussion was this week, but over time we'll be presented with renderings and the beginnings of a plan. Our hope is to maybe break ground next year."

LOAD-DATE: August 24, 2007

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

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Bangor Daily News (Maine)

May 9, 2006 Tuesday Coastal Edition

Hancock residents vote down pay-per-bag trash fee

BYLINE: ERIC RUSSELL OF THE NEWS STAFF

SECTION: Pg. B3

LENGTH: 378 words

DATELINE: HANCOCK

After several years of not having to pay for roadside trash pickup, residents in this Hancock County town decided Monday that they didn't want to start now. The town voted 42-16 against a warrant article that would have discontinued the issuance of free trash stickers and instead would have charged residents $1 per bag. Page 153 Hancock residents vote down pay-per-bag trash fee Bangor Daily News (Maine) May 9, 2006 Tuesday

It was the only semi-contentious issue at Hancock's annual town meeting, during which the town approved a budget of just over $3 million, swore in a handful of new municipal officers and moved a step closer to Pine Tree Zone designation. The meeting, held Monday at the Hancock Grammar School, was moderated by resident Linda King, who before the proceedings was honored as the town's 2006 citizen of the year. King began the meeting by announcing the election of returning selectman Peter Johnston, planning board members Ruth Franzius and G. Scott Hale and school committee member Richard Malaby. The warrant, consisting of 78 items, followed the municipal appointments, and King was cruising along until the issue of trash stickers came up at number 31. First selectman Dexter Bellows explained to residents that Hancock is one of the only towns left to offer free stickers and said other towns charged upward of $3 per bag. Additionally, the town issued more than 45,000 free trash stickers in 2005, which would have translated into $45,000 under the proposed plan. It cost the town nearly $65,000 to dispose of its waste last year, Bellows pointed out. "There obviously is a financial component here, but this also would cause people to keep a closer eye on what they throw away," he said, referring to increased recycling efforts. But residents disagreed and said the new fee would not boost recycling. "Realistically, a lot more people are going to be burning their trash or disposing of it in another manner," said one resident. In the end, residents voted the article down, meaning Hancock will remain one of the few towns in the area to offer free trash stickers. The remaining articles on the warrant dealt mostly with budget-related items, with a large portion appropriat- ed for education. The final item voted on moved the municipality closer to designation as a Pine Tree Development Zone, a business initiative started by Gov. John Baldacci in 2003.

LOAD-DATE: May 9, 2006

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper

76 of 76 DOCUMENTS

Bangor Daily News (Maine)

August 17, 2005 Wednesday All Editions

MDI road race to benefit ambulance service

BYLINE: JONI AVERILL

SECTION: Pg. B4 Page 154 MDI road race to benefit ambulance service Bangor Daily News (Maine) August 17, 2005 Wednesday

LENGTH: 717 words

Registration is now open for anyone who wants to run a beautiful 5-mile course on Mount Desert Island and support a worthy cause at the same time. Jennifer Marzolf of Northeast Harbor Ambulance Service has announced that organization is conducting its 27th annual 5-Mile Northeast Harbor Road Race beginning with registration at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 27, at Great Harbor Museum, Main Street in Northeast Harbor. The race begins at 9:30 a.m. on Sargeant Drive. Before that, a 5-Mile Fun Walk begins at 8:30 a.m. Your finish will be automatically computed in this event, which is sponsored by Bar Harbor Bank & Trust Co. There are several age categories for this race, which is open to men, women and children. Awards will be presented to the first and second overall male and female finishers, in each category, and to the oldest and youngest runner. The first 75 entrants receive T-shirts. For information about this event, call Carol Hamor at 276-3646. Rental tables are available for the Skowhegan-Madison Elks Lodge Veterans' Service Committee indoor yard sale 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 20, at the lodge, 21 Silver St., Skowhegan. Tables are $10 each or three for $25. The snack bar, where you can purchase hamburgers, hot dogs and cold drinks, will be open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mike Lange reports one table will sell "odds and ends donated by members," and that all proceeds benefit the Veterans Affairs hospital at Togus. For information, call Lange at 474-3111 or 938-3975, or e-mail [email protected]. As hard as it may be to believe, Jan Cox has announced the Brewer Hometown Band "will be performing its last evening concert of the season" at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18, if weather permits, at Doyle Field in Brewer. Otherwise, the concert will be inside Brewer Auditorium. This final musical event of the summer will feature young tuba soloist Candace Hart of Hampden, "who will play several tunes in memory of our well-known 'tuba 1,'" the late Sam Wyman, Cox wrote of the gentleman who was "an institution in the local music world." Among Hart's selections will be "Top Kick," by Gordon Bowie, who conducted the Bangor Band for many years and "wrote the march to feature Sam," Cox said. Making brief comments at the concert will be the Rev. Henry Wyman of Bangor, brother of the band's late "tuba 1." "We'll be playing lots of upbeat tunes for this performance," Cox wrote, "so bring a chair, and the neighbors, for a great evening of entertainment." On behalf of Milbridge Wyman Methodist Church, Alicia Woodward invites the public to a fish chowder supper at 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 19, at Pleiades Lodge on David Kennedy Memorial Highway in Milbridge. Proceeds will help with church maintenance, and you can call Beverly Beal at 546-2413 for information. The Woodlawn Museum second annual Summer Benefit Gala is 6-11 p.m. Friday, Aug. 19, at Woodlawn Museum in Ellsworth. Museum Executive Director Josh Torrance reports hors d'oeuvres and cocktails "will be served in the formal gardens" beginning at 6 p.m. The dinner will be catered by Crocker House owner-chef Rich Malaby. Brian Catell's Jump City Quintet will provide music for dancing and entertainment. Page 155 MDI road race to benefit ambulance service Bangor Daily News (Maine) August 17, 2005 Wednesday

For ticket information, call Torrance at 667-8671. Proceeds benefit the museum's Preservation Campaign. Dave Mandravelis, owner of Evad Images, invites the public to "a celebration of talent of local artists," he said of an open house his business is hosting from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 19, at Evad Images, 48 Main St. in Lincoln. "We'll have some acoustic music by Vicki Nesin and Carolyn Ferranti," he said, "and we'll be serving light refreshments." You will see works by local and other Maine artists in watercolor, oil, photography, pen and ink and wood sculpture. Evad Images is an art gallery where Mandravelis also does photo restoration and custom picture framing. Everyone is welcome to attend, enjoy the artwork, entertainment, and refreshments. One of the major fundraisers of the year for the Franklin Historical Society, according to Bill Robertson, is its all-you-can-eat blueberry pancake breakfast. That very special, very healthful and very delicious event, is 7-10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 20, at the Franklin Veterans Club on Route 182 in that Hancock County community. Joni Averill, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402; 990-8288.

LOAD-DATE: August 17, 2005

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

DOCUMENT-TYPE: Column

PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper