Maine House speaker will reappoint lawmakers if they wear masks

The speaker of the Maine House has informed a group of Republican legislators that he is willing to consider reappointing them to committee assignments if they comply with mask rules at the Maine State House.

The legislators were removed from committee assignments last week after they flouted rules enacted by legislative leaders by entering the State House without masks. The lawmakers argued that they shouldn’t be subjected to different rules than the general public.

Democratic House Speaker Ryan Fecteau sent letters to the legislators on Tuesday that said he’s open to reappointing them if they follow the mask rules and other rules of the House. He added that he would “not hesitate to sustain my decision regarding your removal from committee or consider other consequences if the policies and rules of the legislature are not followed.”

The Maine Legislature met at the Maine State House on Wednesday, June 2, 2021 for the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

Megan Diver

Megan has worked in Maine politics for more than ten years and all of her professional career, having served in many roles for elected officials (including former Secretary of State Charlie Summers), in-house with the Maine Association of REALTORS®, legislative specialist at Pierce Atwood LLP providing lobbying services and support to Pierce Atwood’s government relations clients and most recently senior government relations specialist at the Maine State Chamber of Commerce. Megan currently is the Vice President at the Maine Energy Marketers Association, utilizing her vast knowledge and legislative experience at the State House to represent MEMA on policies relating to the Association and its members.