LEGISLATIVE RECORD - SENATE, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31, 2010 STATE OF MAINE Comes from the House, PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE AMENDED BY COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" (S-386) AS SECOND REGULAR SESSION AMENDED BY HOUSE AMENDMENT "A" (H-801) thereto, in JOURNAL OF THE SENATE NON-CONCURRENCE. In Senate Chamber On motion by Senator GOODALL of Sagadahoc, TABLED until Wednesday Later in Today’s Session, pending FURTHER CONSIDERATION. March 31, 2010 _________________________________ Senate called to order by President Elizabeth H. Mitchell of Kennebec County. Non-Concurrent Matter _________________________________ Bill "An Act To Promote the Establishment of Innovative Schools" (EMERGENCY) Prayer by Pastor Mark Wilson, Phippsburg Congregational S.P. 706 L.D. 1801 Church, UCC. (C "A" S-455) PASTOR WILSON: Good morning, folks. I drove an hour up In Senate, March 25, 2010, PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS here this morning first of all to say thank you. We all are in AMENDED BY COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" (S-455). positions, I think, where we hear a lot of bad news, so I just want to say thank you for all the work that you do. Thank you very Comes from the House, PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS much. Let us pray together please. AMENDED BY COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" (S-455) AS God of all nations and all peoples, You have said to us how AMENDED BY HOUSE AMENDMENT "A" (H-800) thereto, in good and pleasant it is when we dwell in unity and You have said NON-CONCURRENCE. to us, 'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called your children.' When we give credence to voices that would rile us in Senator ALFOND of Cumberland moved the Senate RECEDE anger and divisiveness we do nothing but feed our great and CONCUR. adversary. We thank You, God of peace, that this week our leaders have chosen a path of listening to each other and have On motion by Senator RAYE of Washington, TABLED until Later shared in the peace that a sense of common purpose brings. Let in Today’s Session, pending the motion by Senator ALFOND of us learn from these moments and move faithfully together into the Cumberland to RECEDE and CONCUR. future that You have prepared for us all. Amen. _________________________________ _________________________________ ORDERS Reading of the Journal of Tuesday, March 30, 2010. Joint Order _________________________________ Expressions of Legislative Sentiment recognizing: Doctor of the day, Dr. Heather Sharkey, DO of Freeport. The 95th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. On April 24, _________________________________ 1915, a campaign was launched by the Turkish regime of the Ottoman Empire against the Armenian people, resulting in the Off Record Remarks death of more than 1.5 million Armenians. Some of the survivors settled in the State of Maine, and their heirs have made _________________________________ significant contributions to the State. We join our citizens of Armenian heritage on April 24th in remembering this event, and PAPERS FROM THE HOUSE we express our deepest sympathy for the families of those who perished; Non-Concurrent Matter SLS 434 Bill "An Act To Amend the Site Location of Development Laws To Sponsored by Senator BRANNIGAN of Cumberland. Include Consideration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions" Cosponsored by Senator: President MITCHELL of Kennebec, S.P. 341 L.D. 891 Representative: Speaker PINGREE of North Haven. (S "C" S-489 to C "A" S-386) READ. In Senate, March 29, 2010, PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" (S-386) AS THE PRESIDENT: The Chair recognizes the Senator from AMENDED BY SENATE AMENDMENT "C" (S-489) thereto. Cumberland, Senator Brannigan. S-1700 LEGISLATIVE RECORD - SENATE, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31, 2010 Senator BRANNIGAN: Thank you, Madame President. Men and women of the Senate, we are reminded today of man's Ought to Pass As Amended inhumanity to man. The Armenian Genocide is also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacre, and as the Great The Committee on UTILITIES AND ENERGY on Bill "An Act Calamity of the Armenians. I'm also reading a book by someone Concerning the Allocation of Power Generated by GNE, LLC" who went through this terrible ordeal and survived, Armenian H.P. 388 L.D. 543 Golgotha. The Armenian Genocide was a massacre of over a million Armenians by the Ottoman Empire during and just after Reported that the same Ought to Pass as Amended by World War I. It is just one of the examples of a modern genocide. Committee Amendment "A" (H-803). In the paper last September there was a headline Armenia and Turkey Will Start Talks To Establish Diplomatic Relations. The Comes from the House with the Report READ and ACCEPTED reason they don't have diplomatic relations is that Turkey believes and the Bill PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY it never happened. There wasn't a genocide. It was much less COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" (H-803). than that. They used tactics such as mass burning, poisoning, drowning, deportation, extermination camps, and death marches Report READ and ACCEPTED, in concurrence. to destroy the Armenian population. Villagers were gathered and burned together. Women and children were loaded on a boat READ ONCE. which subsequently capsized and they were drowned. They were exposed to toxic gas and poison, often in deadly quantities. Many Committee Amendment "A" (H-803) READ and ADOPTED, in were deported and their land and possessions stolen. Experts concurrence. also believe that 25 extermination camps existed. People lived in them a very short time. Finally innocent women, men, and ASSIGNED FOR SECOND READING NEXT LEGISLATIVE children were marched out of their towns and into the desert with DAY. no facilities or food, with no water, just to be left there to die. In August 1915 a New York Times, our own newspaper in New _________________________________ York, printed a report stating the roads in Euphrates were strewn with corpses of exiles and those who survived were doomed to Senate certain death. It's gruesome. We have to feel sympathy for even the people who were so lucky to have been able to survive. Their Divided Report relatives were able to survive. A great deal of culture was lost in the genocide. People have recovered with the help and The Majority of the Committee on LABOR on Bill "An Act To recognition of other nations. Now there are over 135 memorials Protect Maine Workers" in 25 countries that commemorate this genocide. We do it every S.P. 593 L.D. 1545 year. I'm pleased to do it, as was Senator Brennan before me, because of these folks who live in our area. I urge you, as much Reported that the same Ought to Pass as Amended by as you might not want to do this, next year when you are reading Committee Amendment "A" (S-495). in the newspaper or listening, note the genocides that are going on right now. Just take a count. Some of us, when we get back Signed: here next year, will talk about it again. Thank you very much. Senators: THE PRESIDENT: The Chair recognizes the Senator from JACKSON of Aroostook Cumberland, Senator Davis. GERZOFSKY of Cumberland Senator DAVIS: Thank you, Madame President. Men and Representatives: women of the Senate, as a teacher at Portland High School and a CLARK of Millinocket coach I had several Armenians in class. Some of the finest BLODGETT of Augusta people I've ever had the pleasure to know. I had Bob Laconian TUTTLE of Sanford on my football team. He was in the United States Marines. He BUTTERFIELD of Bangor still lives in Portland. I had his sister in class. They are very fine GILBERT of Jay people. Also had shish kebab. They are very fine people and I'm DRISCOLL of Westbrook very proud to have known them and been associated with them. Thank you, Madame President. The Minority of the same Committee on the same subject reported that the same Ought To Pass as Amended by PASSED. Committee Amendment "B" (S-496). Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrence. Signed: _________________________________ Senator: MILLS of Somerset REPORTS OF COMMITTEES House S-1701 LEGISLATIVE RECORD - SENATE, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31, 2010 Representatives: PASSED TO BE ENACTED and having been signed by the THIBODEAU of Winterport President were presented by the Secretary to the Governor for his HAMPER of Oxford approval. CUSHING of Hampden BICKFORD of Auburn _________________________________ Reports READ. An Act To Amend the Laws Regarding Authority over and Oversight of Certified Nursing Assistant Educational Programs Senator JACKSON of Aroostook moved the Senate ACCEPT the H.P. 1205 L.D. 1704 Majority OUGHT TO PASS AS AMENDED BY COMMITTEE (H "A" H-781 to C "A" H-736) AMENDMENT "A" (S-495) Report. On motion by Senator DIAMOND of Cumberland, placed on the On further motion by same Senator, TABLED until Later in SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS TABLE, pending ENACTMENT, Today’s Session, pending the motion by same Senator to in concurrence. ACCEPT the Majority OUGHT TO PASS AS AMENDED BY COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" (S-495) Report. _________________________________ _________________________________ An Act To Strengthen the Ballot Initiative Process S.P. 662 L.D. 1730 ENACTORS (S "B" S-481; S "C" S-487 to C "A" S-443) The Committee on Engrossed Bills reported as truly and strictly engrossed the following: Senator RAYE of Washington requested a Roll Call. Emergency Measure On motion by same Senator, TABLED until Later in Today’s Session, pending ENACTMENT, in concurrence. (Roll Call An Act To Ensure Fairness in Penalties for Administrative Errors Requested) in the Long-term Care Assessment Process H.P. 1056 L.D. 1507 _________________________________ (C "A" H-782) Senate at Ease.