The Maine Legislature put in a couple long days this week with both the House and the Senate wrapping up the Legislative session with two evenings that went into the next morning. The full Legislature will likely be called back for “Veto Day.” Veto Day is when the House and Senate will vote to sustain or override all remaining bills that have been vetoed by the governor.
Governor Janet Mills has used her authority to veto bills, that have passed both the House and the Senate, sparingly during her first two years. However, this year could be different. There are many bills that legislators and business organization are hoping that Governor Mills may veto, with the public opposition to some. Floor votes during the last few days of sessions became less predictable because the parties have had less time to get organize their positions. The governor has been signing mostly minor bills into law this week and only issued 10 vetoes in the first two years of her tenure.
Hundreds of bills moved forward this week, among them there are some that Governor Mills has expressed concern with. Including measures to send a utility takeover to voters and enshrine a pioneering packaging stewardship program, plus others to allow farm workers to unionize, expand tribal gaming rights and ban pretextual traffic stops.
The Legislature left hundred of bills unattended to. Some of these bills have been approved to be carried over into the Second Regular Session of the 130th Maine Legislature, bills that were still in Committee or left on the table in either the Senate or the House will die upon final adjournment. Some still expect the Legislature to come back for a Bond Day as well.
This session has certainly been unlike any other with Legislators and business organizations only seeing each other in the person recently.
