Page 6 — The PORTLAND Daily Sun, Thursday, July 11, 2013
Legislative session ends with mixed reviews By David Carkhuff THE PORTLAND DAILY SUN
The end of a busy and often rancorous legislative session in Augusta prompted both applause and boos from observers as the dust settled. On Wednesday, the Senate completed its work for the first session of the 126th Legislature, the Senate Democrats noted. Republicans in the Senate called it “the legislative session that never seems to end,” as Democrats held a majority and Republican Gov. Paul LePage issued 83 vetoes, most of them to be upheld by legislators. Democrats said they fulfilled “commitments to strengthen Maine’s economy and public education system, pass a responsible, balanced budget, and stand up for Maine values.” “This session, legislators have proven that we can put politics aside and work together for our state,” said Senate President Justin Alfond of Portland in a press release. “From paying back our hospitals to passing a responsible bipartisan budget, we have stood up for Maine values and Maine people.” The National Federation of Independent Business on Wednesday reacted to the end of the 2013 legislation session “with a mix of disappointment and relief.” “Our members are very disappointed that the Legislature finished this year without producing significant progress on economic growth,” said NFIB State Director David Clough in a press release. “On the other hand, some of the more aggressive anti-business measures didn’t survive the session. If we were to give them a grade, it would be ‘I’ for Incomplete.” The Legislature “engaged in bruising fights with Governor LePage” over raising the minimum wage and the cost of workers compensation,” the federation reported, adding that both of these plans “would have hurt small businesses and hampered economic growth.” “The Governor vetoed those mea-
sures, but it is still unsettling for small businesses to see legislators fighting that hard to punish employers when they should be fighting hard for the economy and jobs,” said Clough. Maine’s economy has lagged the country and it competes with Rhode Island for worst in the region, the federation reported. Very little of what the Legislature did this year will improve the situation, said Clough. “We have high unemployment, high poverty rates and high numbers of people collecting government assistance,” said Clough. “Those problems aren’t improved by higher taxes and more burdens on businesses, but that was the Legislature’s focus this year.” The Natural Resources Council of Maine, however, listed several highlights in an assessment of the impact of this session on Maine’s environment. “Highlights include passage of bills to increase energy efficiency investments, open the St. Croix River for alewives, and create a new paint recycling program,” the group reported in a press release. “Disappointments include the failure to pass bills to protect the environment from mineral mining, extend the state’s energy building code, and to override a veto by the governor of a bill to address the impacts of climate change.” The Legislature unanimously approved new rules in LD 902 that will phase out toxic bisphenol-A, or BPA in infant formula and baby food packaging. These rules were initiated through a petition signed by 800 Maine moms and citizens concerned about the effects of BPA, the council stated. The governor allowed the rules to go into effect without his signature. Governor LePage vetoed a bill (LD 825) aimed at reducing the impacts of climate change on communities and economy, the council reported. The bill would have restarted a climate adaptation planning process that was stopped by the LePage Administration two years ago, but the House failed to override the veto by one vote, the council reported.
Maine Rep. Diane Russell, D-Portland, listens intently while Rep. Terry Hayes, D-Buckfield, a friend and peer in the Maine House of Representatives, gives a nomination speech for House Speaker during the early days of the legislative session. At the conclusion of the session, Democrats elected new leadership. (DAVID CARKHUFF FILE PHOTO)
“The Legislature rescinded $300,000 in public funds authorized last year to conduct a financial feasibility study for a possible 220-mile East-West highway and energy corridor across the middle of Maine, including through important wildlife habitat and conservation lands,” the council added. “Another big win for Maine’s environment came with passage of the omnibus energy bill (LD 1559), despite the governor’s veto. The House (121-11) and Senate (35-0) overrode the veto, although the governor did extract an additional concession regarding offshore wind power,” the council stated. The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, calling itself the “leading national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the public charter school movement,” cheered “a failed attempt by the Maine legislature to override vetoes on a package of bills aimed at weakening one of the nation’s best charter
school laws.” “The package of four bills included legislation that would make charter schools an easy target for future funding cuts and that would require charter schools to comply with more red tape. These bills were aimed at stopping Maine’s fledgling charter school community and all were vetoed by Governor Paul LePage,” the group reported. The Legislature attempted to override his vetoes, but was ultimately unsuccessful. Maine passed a law allowing charter schools to be created in that state in 2011. Democrats said they fulfilled their commitment to strengthen Maine’s public schools “by rejecting the governor’s proposals to siphon taxpayer dollars to fund private, for-profit, and religious schools, restoring funding to Head Start to improve early childhood education, and creating a path for the state to fund 55 percent of K-12 education per the will of the voters.” The second session of the 126th Legislature will begin in January.
MOFGA praises bill requiring GMO labeling Governor vows to sign legislation in January; caveat that other states must follow suit, pass similar laws Daily Sun Staff Report When Gov. Paul LePage signs a bill in January that identifies foods containing genetically modified organisms, Maine will become the second state in the country to adopt labeling requirements for foods derived from genetically modified crops and animals, according to Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, or MOFGA. LePage LD 718, An Act to Protect Maine Food Consumers’ Right to Know About Genetically Engineered Food and Seed Stock, was the focus of a rally in late April at the
State House. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Lance Harvell, R-Farmington, requires a label reading “Produced with Genetic Engineering” on foods consisting of or containing a genetically modified organism. MOFGA applauded LePage’s announcement that he supports LD 718, noting the bill won overwhelming support in both the House and Senate. Although the Legislature officially adjourned Wednesday, MOFGA reported that LePage has promised to sign the bill in January, when the Legislature convenes for the second session. In a letter sent on Tuesday afternoon to Harvell and Sen. Chris Johnson, D-Lincoln County, lead sponsors of the bill, LePage stated, “I deeply appreciate the strong public sentiment behind the bill and agree that consumers should have the right to know what is in their food. Additionally, my support for the bill is based in large part on the requirement in the bill that similar legislation be enacted and passed in other contiguous states.” One of the primary targets of GMO labeling legislation is Monsanto Company, which, according to its website (http://monsanto.mediaroom.com), “is
a leading global provider of technology-based solutions and agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food quality.” In a section devoted to the GMO issue, Monsanto reported on its website, “Hundreds of millions of meals containing food from GM crops have been consumed. There has not been a single substantiated instance of illness or harm associated with GM crops.” The company opposes labeling efforts, stating, “Within the United States, the government has established clear guidance with respect to labeling food products containing GM ingredients; we support this approach. We also support food companies’ choices to voluntarily label food products noting certain attributes (e.g., organic) based on their customers’ preferences and provided the labeling is truthful and not misleading. We oppose current initiatives to mandate labeling of ingredients developed from GM seeds in the absence of any demonstrated risks. Such mandatory labeling could imply that food products containing these ingredients are somehow inferior to their conventional or organic counterparts.”