Update 2-28-19

One Hundred and Thirty-First Legislature

Second Regular Session

Advance Journal and Calendar

Troy D. Jackson
President of the Senate

http://legislature.maine.gov/senate

Darek M. Grant
Secretary of the Senate

43rd Legislative Day

In Senate Chamber, Friday, May 10, 2024.

Senate called to Order by President Troy D. Jackson of Aroostook County.

Prayer by Senator Craig V. Hickman of Kennebec County.

Pledge of Allegiance led by Senator Stacy Brenner of Cumberland County.

Reading of the Journal of Wednesday, April 17, 2024.

_________________________________

COMMUNICATIONS

(2-1) The Following Communication:

S.C. 1117

STATE OF MAINE

131st LEGISLATURE

OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

AUGUSTA, MAINE

April 17, 2024

Honorable Darek M. Grant

Secretary of the Senate

3 State House Station

Augusta, Maine 04333

Dear Secretary Grant:

Pursuant to my authority under Senate Rule 201.3, please be advised that I appoint the Senator from Kennebec, Senator Hickman, to serve as President Pro Tem for the Senate session the morning of Thursday, April 18, 2024.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

S/Troy D. Jackson

President of the Senate

_________________________________

(2-2) The Following Communication:

S.C. 1114

STATE OF MAINE

OFFICE OF THE STATE AUDITOR

March 28, 2024

Honorable Members of the Legislative Council, 131^st Legislature;

Honorable Janet T. Mills

Governor of the State of Maine

I am pleased to submit the Single Audit of the State of Maine for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023. The audit was conducted in accordance with Government Auditing Standards, issued by the Comptroller General of the United States; the requirements of the Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996; and Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance). Our audit complies with 5 MRSA §243 and is also a prerequisite for the receipt of Federal financial assistance. During fiscal year 2023, $5.7 billion in Federal financial assistance was expended by the State of Maine.

This document contains the following reports and schedules:

· Independent Auditor’s Report

· Basic Financial Statements, Management’s Discussion and Analysis, Notes to the Financial Statements, and Required Supplementary Information

· Independent Auditor’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting and on Compliance and Other Matters based on an Audit of Financial Statements performed in accordance with Government Auditing Standards

· Independent Auditor’s Report on Compliance for Each Major Program and on Internal Control over Compliance Required by the Uniform Guidance

· Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards

· Schedule of Findings and Questioned Costs

· Financial Statement Findings

· Federal Findings Indexes and Federal Award Identification Numbers

· Federal Findings and Questioned Costs

· Corrective Action Plan

· Summary Schedule of Prior Audit Findings

On behalf of the Office of the State Auditor, I thank employees throughout Maine Government who assisted us during the audit.

Please contact me if you have questions or comments about the 2023 Single Audit of the State of Maine.

Respectfully submitted,

S/Matthew Dunlap, CIA

State Auditor

_________________________________

(2-3) The Following Communication:

S.C. 1115

STATE OF MAINE

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

AUGUSTA, MAINE

April 26, 2024

The 131^st Legislature of the State of Maine

State House

Augusta, Maine

Dear Honorable Members of the 131^st Legislature:

By the authority vested in me by Article IV, Part Third, Section 2 of the Constitution of the State of Maine, I am hereby vetoing L.D. 373, An Act to Ensure Employer and Employee Harmony in Clean Energy Development Projects.

L.D. 373 requires a State entity responsible for granting a lease of state land for the use or construction of a facility to be used in the development of a clean energy development project to require that the lessee, as a condition of the lease, enter into an “employer and employee harmony agreement” with any labor organization seeking to represent the lessee's employees at the clean energy development project site.

First, the bill contains ambiguous language that does not provide adequate clarity as to what the bill requires, particularly on two fronts: 1) whether an employer and employee harmony agreement would apply to construction of (and not just permanent jobs at) a potential offshore wind port, and; 2) whether an employer and employee harmony agreement would be applicable to renewable energy projects involving state-owned land beyond the port.

On the first question, Section 2 of the bill expressly identifies “construction”, raising questions about whether the construction of the port, or any other renewable energy project that crosses state land, and not just the permanent jobs there, would be captured by this bill. My understanding is that the bill is not intended to do that, but the language does not make that clear. Moreover, the bill directs the Department of Labor to conduct routine technical rulemaking to define “temporary basis” related to the work, but the legislation fails to provide clarity around the types of work, financial caps, and duration of the job, for example – important considerations that the Department would need to produce an appropriate rule.

On the second question, the language of the bill – while appearing to be targeted specifically towards an offshore wind port – could apply to the operation of any clean energy project, including biomass, hydroelectric, solar, wind and geothermal, that touches state land, which is far more expansive than the apparent intent of the bill.

Last year I signed into law L.D. 1895, An Act Regarding the Procurement of Energy from Offshore Wind Resources. This law requires, through the “Maine emerging industry compensation threshold”, that a contractor or subcontractor involved in the construction of an offshore wind project receive compensation equal or greater to the amount established as a result of a mutual agreement between a labor organization and the contractor. The law also established community and workforce enhancement standards, standards that contractors, subcontractors and individuals performing construction work on offshore wind power projects must meet. These requirements were the result of engagement with key stakeholders and represent a fair and reasonable approach. L.D. 373 is not the product of such.

Because this bill is ambiguous, potentially more far-reaching than intended and raises a number of unanswered questions as to its intent and scope, I return L.D. 373 unsigned and vetoed and urge the Legislature to sustain this veto.

Sincerely,

S/Janet T. Mills

Governor

_________________________________

(2-4) The accompanying Bill "An Act to Improve Labor Conditions for Maine Workers"

S.P. 180 L.D. 373

_________________________________

(2-5) The Following Communication:

S.C. 1116

STATE OF MAINE

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

AUGUSTA, MAINE

April 29, 2024

The 131st Legislature of the State of Maine

State House

Augusta, Maine

Dear Honorable Members of the 131st Legislature:

By the authority vested in me by Article IV, Part Third, Section 2 of the Constitution of the State of Maine, I am hereby vetoing L.D. 2086, An Act to Amend the Law Governing Disposition of Forfeited Firearms.

L.D. 2086 as originally introduced addressed only the destruction of firearms forfeited after having been used in the commission of a crime. Current law requires the destruction of firearms used to commit an unlawful homicide, and L.D. 2086 would have amended the statute so any firearm required to be forfeited under the Maine Criminal Code would also be destroyed. In the Committee process, the bill was amended to address a very different, and very complex, issue - banning the sale and possession of so-called conversion devices that are used to turn a semi-automatic weapon into something that operates like a machine gun, as well as the weapons themselves.

The most well-known example of these conversion devices is a bump stock, although other devices are now being marketed that work differently but produce similar results to bump stocks. The Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) has adopted a regulation banning bump stocks, and, arguably, certain other conversion devices as well. The future of that regulation is unclear, as the U.S. Supreme Court is currently considering a challenge to its validity.

L.D. 2086, as amended, is apparently designed to act as a backstop in the event the ATF regulation is invalidated, but it also uses much broader language to define the machine guns, modified semiautomatic weapons that operate like machine guns, and conversion devices that would be banned. That language is not only far more expansive than the Federal standard, but it also differs from the statutes enacted in the small number of states that have attempted to address this issue in statute.

In an effort to expansively capture a category of prohibited devices - as opposed to specifically identified devices - the bill relies on broad and ambiguous language that is likely to create uncertainty within both the general public and law enforcement. For example, the bill would prohibit the sale or possession of any semi-automatic weapon that has been "modified in any way that materially increases the rate of fire." There are a variety of minor modifications that would meet this definition, such as adjusting the trigger weight or changing the buffer spring or bolt in order to increase speed. These kinds of alterations are common among those using firearms for sporting purposes. The result is that this bill may unintentionally ban a significant number of weapons used for hunting or target shooting by responsible gun owners in Maine.

I want to be clear: machine guns have rightly long been prohibited under both Maine and Federal law, and I strongly agree that devices whose sole purpose is to convert a lawful semi-automatic firearm into a weapon that is the functional equivalent of a machine gun should be restricted. But, despite the well-meaning nature of this bill, I am concerned that the novel language this bill contains, the manner in which it was developed, and the short time that was available during its review create the risk for unintended mistakes. Legislation putting those restrictions into law should only be developed in a deliberate, inclusive, and clear manner for both gun safety advocates and those concerned with protecting lawful access to firearms. Particularly when it comes to statutes that carry criminal penalties, the language must be clear and specific, providing fair warning to those who might fall under its provisions.

For these reasons, I return L.D. 2086 unsigned and vetoed, and I urge the Legislature to sustain this veto.

Sincerely,

S/Janet T. Mills

Governor

_________________________________

(2-6) The accompanying Bill "An Act to Amend the Law Governing the Disposition of Forfeited Firearms"

S.P. 879 L.D. 2086

_________________________________

ORDERS

Joint Orders

Expressions of Legislative Sentiment recognizing:

(4-1) Bea Martin, of Portland, who was named the 2024 Southern Maine Community College Student of the Year. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 1979

Sponsored by Senator CHIPMAN of Cumberland.

Cosponsored by Senator: DUSON of Cumberland, Representatives: BRENNAN of Portland, COLLINGS of Portland, CROCKETT of Portland, LOOKNER of Portland, MOONEN of Portland, SKOLD of Portland, Speaker TALBOT ROSS of Portland, ZAGER of Portland.

(4-2) Todd Frederick, of York, who has received a 2023 Citizen of the Year Award from the York Region Chamber of Commerce. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 1980

Sponsored by Senator LAWRENCE of York.

Cosponsored by Representatives: RUNTE of York, SARGENT of York.

(4-3) Dan Boyle, of South Berwick, who has received a 2023 Citizen of the Year Award from the York Region Chamber of Commerce. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 1981

Sponsored by Senator LAWRENCE of York.

Cosponsored by Representatives: MEYER of Eliot, ROBERTS of South Berwick.

(4-4) Gene Wypyski, of Eliot, who has received a 2023 Citizen of the Year Award from the York Region Chamber of Commerce. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 1982

Sponsored by Senator LAWRENCE of York.

Cosponsored by Representative: MEYER of Eliot.

(4-5) George Dow IV, of Kittery, who has received a 2023 Citizen of the Year Award from the York Region Chamber of Commerce. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 1983

Sponsored by Senator LAWRENCE of York.

Cosponsored by Representatives: MATHIESON of Kittery, MEYER of Eliot.

(4-6) Rich Goodenough, of York, who has received a 2023 Volunteer of the Year Award from the York Region Chamber of Commerce. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 1984

Sponsored by Senator LAWRENCE of York.

Cosponsored by Representatives: RUNTE of York, SARGENT of York.

(4-7) Davis Stansfield, of South Berwick, who has received a 2023 Volunteer of the Year Award from the York Region Chamber of Commerce. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 1985

Sponsored by Senator LAWRENCE of York.

Cosponsored by Representatives: MEYER of Eliot, ROBERTS of South Berwick.

(4-8) Nedra Sahr, of Eliot, who has received a 2023 Volunteer of the Year Award from the York Region Chamber of Commerce. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 1986

Sponsored by Senator LAWRENCE of York.

Cosponsored by Representative: MEYER of Eliot.

(4-9) Mainspring Collective Board, of Kittery, which has received a 2023 Volunteer of the Year Award from the York Region Chamber of Commerce. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 1987

Sponsored by Senator LAWRENCE of York.

Cosponsored by Representatives: MATHIESON of Kittery, MEYER of Eliot.

(4-10) ViewPoint Hotel, of York, which has received a 2023 York Region Business of the Year Award from the York Region Chamber of Commerce. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 1988

Sponsored by Senator LAWRENCE of York.

Cosponsored by Representatives: RUNTE of York, SARGENT of York.

(4-11) Aubrey's Coffee House and Bakery, of South Berwick, which has received a 2023 York Region Business of the Year Award from the York Region Chamber of Commerce. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 1989

Sponsored by Senator LAWRENCE of York.

Cosponsored by Representatives: MEYER of Eliot, ROBERTS of South Berwick.

(4-12) Maine Market, of Eliot, which has received a 2023 York Region Business of the Year Award from the York Region Chamber of Commerce. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 1990

Sponsored by Senator LAWRENCE of York.

Cosponsored by Representative: MEYER of Eliot.

(4-13) Maine Meat Butchery, of Kittery, which has received a 2023 York Region Business of the Year Award from the York Region Chamber of Commerce. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 1991

Sponsored by Senator LAWRENCE of York.

Cosponsored by Representatives: MATHIESON of Kittery, MEYER of Eliot.

(4-14) Alexis Ireland, of Presque Isle, a student at the University of Maine at Presque Isle and a player on the women's basketball team, who recently scored her 1,000th career point. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 1992

Sponsored by Senator STEWART of Aroostook.

Cosponsored by Representative: UNDERWOOD of Presque Isle.

(4-15) Tara Flanders, of Windham, a student at the University of Southern Maine and a member of the women's basketball team, who recently scored her 1,000th career point. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 1993

Sponsored by Senator NANGLE of Cumberland.

Cosponsored by Representatives: BAGSHAW of Windham, PRINGLE of Windham.

(4-16) the Casco Day Fair Association, of Casco, recipient of a Spirit of America Foundation Award. The Spirit of America Foundation was established to encourage and promote volunteerism, and the foundation presents awards to honor local individuals, organizations or projects in appreciation of community service. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 1994

Sponsored by Senator NANGLE of Cumberland.

Cosponsored by Representative: FAY of Raymond.

(4-17) Diane Dunton Bruni, of Windham, who has been named One of 20 Outstanding Women by the Portland Radio Group and Hannaford Supermarkets. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 1995

Sponsored by Senator NANGLE of Cumberland.

Cosponsored by Representatives: BAGSHAW of Windham, PRINGLE of Windham.

(4-18) Brooke Gerry, of Windham, who recently achieved 500 career strikeouts as a Windham High School varsity softball pitcher. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 1996

Sponsored by Senator NANGLE of Cumberland.

Cosponsored by Representatives: BAGSHAW of Windham, PRINGLE of Windham.

(4-19) Miles Burr, of Trenton, who won the 55-meter Dash Event at the Class B State Indoor Track and Field Championship. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 1997

Sponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Cosponsored by Representative: MILLIKEN of Blue Hill.

(4-20) Kiera Springer, of Ellsworth, who won the 1 Meter 6 Dives Event at the Class B State Diving Championship. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 1998

Sponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Cosponsored by Representative: WORTH of Ellsworth.

(4-21) Kaela Springer, of Ellsworth, who won the 1 Meter 11 Dives Event at the Class B State Diving Championship. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 1999

Sponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Cosponsored by Representative: WORTH of Ellsworth.

(4-22) Kadence Fogg, of Somerville, who received the Pine Tree League Outstanding Wrestler Award and won the 93-pound Weight Class at the Pine Tree League Championship. This is the second Pine Tree League championship Kadence has won. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2000

Sponsored by Senator RENY of Lincoln.

Cosponsored by Representative: SMITH of Palermo.

(4-23) Kristen Crowley, of Portland, who was named the 2024 Washington County Community College Student of the Year. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2001

Sponsored by Senator CHIPMAN of Cumberland.

(4-24) the Cheverus High School Girls Basketball Team, of Portland, which won the Class AA North Championship. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2002

Sponsored by Senator CHIPMAN of Cumberland.

(4-25) the Mount View High School Boys Basketball Team, of Thorndike, which won the Class C North Championship. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2003

Sponsored by Senator KEIM of Oxford.

Cosponsored by Representative: SCHMERSAL-BURGESS of Mexico.

(4-30) Beautify Rumford, which has received the Non-Profit/Leadership Award from the River Valley Chamber of Commerce. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2009

Sponsored by Senator KEIM of Oxford.

Cosponsored by Representative: HENDERSON of Rumford.

(4-31) Kevin and Heather Gallant, of Mexico, who have received the Volunteer of the Year Award from the River Valley Chamber of Commerce. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2010

Sponsored by Senator KEIM of Oxford.

Cosponsored by Representative: SCHMERSAL-BURGESS of Mexico.

(4-32) Carlos Monsalve, of Bethel, an employee of Franklin Savings Bank, who has received the Employee of the Year Award from the River Valley Chamber of Commerce. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2011

Sponsored by Senator KEIM of Oxford.

Cosponsored by Representative: HENDERSON of Rumford.

(4-33) Brookfield Renewable Partners, of Rumford, which has received the Business of the Year Award from the River Valley Chamber of Commerce. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2012

Sponsored by Senator KEIM of Oxford.

Cosponsored by Representative: HENDERSON of Rumford.

(4-34) Chantel DeJesus, of South Paris, a student at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School, who was named Citizen of the Year by the Molly Ockett Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2013

Sponsored by Senator BLACK of Franklin.

Cosponsored by Representative: LANDRY of Farmington.

(4-37) the Blue Knights International Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club, of Bangor, which is celebrating its 50th Anniversary. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2017

Sponsored by Senator BLACK of Franklin.

Cosponsored by Senator: BALDACCI of Penobscot, Representatives: PERRY of Bangor, RANA of Bangor, ROEDER of Bangor, SUPICA of Bangor.

(4-38) Scott Curry, of Caribou, on his retirement on June 1, 2024 after 29 years of public service with Maine's Department of Health and Human Services. Mr. Curry began his career with the Maine liquor stores in 1985. After 10 years, he went to the Department of Health and Human Services to work as an Office Assistant II. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2019

Sponsored by President JACKSON of Aroostook.

Cosponsored by Representative: GUERRETTE of Caribou.

(4-39) Leah Burgess, of Livermore, who has earned the distinction of being named Salutatorian of the 2024 graduating class of Spruce Mountain High School. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2020

Sponsored by Senator TIMBERLAKE of Androscoggin.

Cosponsored by Representatives: LYMAN of Livermore Falls, SCHMERSAL-BURGESS of Mexico.

(4-40) Sarah Rasmussen, of Windham, Head Coach of Deering-Portland Boys and Girls Swimming, who has been named the Maine Interscholastic Swim League Girls Swimming Coach of the Year. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2021

Sponsored by Senator DUSON of Cumberland.

Cosponsored by Senator: NANGLE of Cumberland, Representatives: BAGSHAW of Windham, PRINGLE of Windham.

(4-41) the Penobscot Valley Math Team, of Howland, which won the Eastern Maine Math League Class C Championship. This is the team's fourth straight Eastern Maine Math League title. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2022

Sponsored by Senator TIPPING of Penobscot.

Cosponsored by Representative: GIFFORD of Lincoln.

(4-42) the Piscataquis Team of Emergency Dispatchers, of Dover-Foxcroft, who have been recognized as Valley Grange's Community Citizens of the Year 2024 for their dedicated service connecting individuals in distress with the emergency services they need. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2023

Sponsored by Senator GUERIN of Penobscot.

Cosponsored by Representative: PERKINS of Dover-Foxcroft.

(4-43) Cassie Gonyer, of Hudson, who has earned the distinction of being named Salutatorian of the 2024 graduating class of Central High School. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2024

Sponsored by Senator GUERIN of Penobscot.

Cosponsored by Representative: DRINKWATER of Milford.

(4-44) Cally Gudroe, of Garland, who has earned the distinction of being named Valedictorian of the 2024 graduating class of Dexter Regional High School. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2025

Sponsored by Senator GUERIN of Penobscot.

Cosponsored by Representative: FOSTER of Dexter.

(4-45) William Spratt, of Dexter, who has earned the distinction of being named Salutatorian of the 2024 graduating class of Dexter Regional High School. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2026

Sponsored by Senator GUERIN of Penobscot.

Cosponsored by Representative: FOSTER of Dexter.

(4-46) Scott Joseph Chadbourne, of Sangerville, who has earned the distinction of being named Valedictorian of the 2024 graduating class of Piscataquis Community Secondary School. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2027

Sponsored by Senator GUERIN of Penobscot.

Cosponsored by Representative: WHITE of Guilford.

(4-47) Elyse Nutter, of Dover-Foxcroft, who has earned the distinction of being named Valedictorian of the 2024 graduating class of Foxcroft Academy. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2028

Sponsored by Senator GUERIN of Penobscot.

Cosponsored by Representative: PERKINS of Dover-Foxcroft.

(4-48) Zachariah Demmer, of Wellington, who has earned the distinction of being named Salutatorian of the 2024 graduating class of Piscataquis Community Secondary School. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2029

Sponsored by Senator GUERIN of Penobscot.

Cosponsored by Representative: WHITE of Guilford.

(4-49) Annabelle Holman, of Dover-Foxcroft, who has earned the distinction of being named Salutatorian of the 2024 graduating class of Foxcroft Academy. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2030

Sponsored by Senator GUERIN of Penobscot.

Cosponsored by Representative: PERKINS of Dover-Foxcroft.

(4-50) Makenzie Rushlow, of Corinth, who has earned the distinction of being named Valedictorian of the 2024 graduating class of Central High School. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2031

Sponsored by Senator GUERIN of Penobscot.

Cosponsored by Representative: DRINKWATER of Milford.

(4-51) Julia Wareham, of Gorham, who has earned the distinction of being named Salutatorian of the 2024 graduating class of Gorham High School. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2032

Sponsored by Senator BRENNER of Cumberland.

Cosponsored by Representatives: BOYLE of Gorham, TERRY of Gorham.

(4-52) Ella M. Downing, of Gorham, who has earned the distinction of being named Valedictorian of the 2024 graduating class of Gorham High School. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2033

Sponsored by Senator BRENNER of Cumberland.

Cosponsored by Representatives: BOYLE of Gorham, TERRY of Gorham.

(4-53) Logan Cloutier, of Scarborough, who has earned the distinction of being named Valedictorian of the 2024 graduating class of Scarborough High School. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2034

Sponsored by Senator BRENNER of Cumberland.

Cosponsored by Senator: CARNEY of Cumberland, Representatives: GATTINE of Westbrook, MURPHY of Scarborough, WARREN of Scarborough.

(4-54) Thomas Faries, of Scarborough, who has earned the distinction of being named Salutatorian of the 2024 graduating class of Scarborough High School. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2035

Sponsored by Senator BRENNER of Cumberland.

Cosponsored by Senator: CARNEY of Cumberland, Representatives: GATTINE of Westbrook, MURPHY of Scarborough, WARREN of Scarborough.

(4-55) Mackenzie Holmes, of Gorham, a star basketball player in Maine and at Indiana University, who was selected 26th overall in the Women's National Basketball Association draft by the Seattle Storm. She is the second Maine woman ever to have been selected in the draft. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2036

Sponsored by Senator BRENNER of Cumberland.

Cosponsored by Representatives: BOYLE of Gorham, TERRY of Gorham.

(4-56) Natalie Santiago, of Portland, a senior at Deering High School, who was named the Girls Basketball Class A/B South Player of the Year. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2037

Sponsored by Senator DUSON of Cumberland.

Cosponsored by Senator: CHIPMAN of Cumberland, Representatives: BRENNAN of Portland, COLLINGS of Portland, CROCKETT of Portland, LOOKNER of Portland, MOONEN of Portland, SKOLD of Portland, Speaker TALBOT ROSS of Portland, ZAGER of Portland.

(4-57) Leo McNabb, of Portland, a junior at Cheverus High School, who was named the Boys Basketball Class AA North Player of the Year. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2038

Sponsored by Senator DUSON of Cumberland.

(4-58) Eben Buck, of Augusta, who has earned the distinction of being named Salutatorian of the 2024 graduating class of Cony High School. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2040

Sponsored by Senator POULIOT of Kennebec.

Cosponsored by Representatives: BRIDGEO of Augusta, LaROCHELLE of Augusta.

(4-59) Aaralyn Gagnon, of Vassalboro, who has earned the distinction of being named Valedictorian of the 2024 graduating class of Erskine Academy. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2041

Sponsored by Senator POULIOT of Kennebec.

Cosponsored by Representative: BRADSTREET of Vassalboro.

(4-60) Sam Goldey, of Augusta, who has earned the distinction of being named Valedictorian of the 2024 graduating class of Cony High School. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2042

Sponsored by Senator POULIOT of Kennebec.

Cosponsored by Representatives: BRIDGEO of Augusta, LaROCHELLE of Augusta.

(4-61) Kayleigh Cates, of Bingham, who has earned the distinction of being named Valedictorian of the 2024 graduating class of Upper Kennebec Valley High School. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2043

Sponsored by Senator BLACK of Franklin.

Cosponsored by Representative: DUNPHY of Embden.

(4-62) Sam Goldey, of Augusta, a senior at Cony High School, who is a recipient of a 2024 Principal's Award for outstanding academic achievement and citizenship, sponsored by the Maine Principals' Association. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2044

Sponsored by Senator POULIOT of Kennebec.

Cosponsored by Representatives: BRIDGEO of Augusta, LaROCHELLE of Augusta.

(4-63) Carli Frigon, of Moose River, who has earned the distinction of being named Valedictorian of the 2024 graduating class of Forest Hills Consolidated School. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2045

Sponsored by Senator BLACK of Franklin.

Cosponsored by Representative: SOBOLESKI of Phillips.

(4-64) Garrison Godbout, of Bingham, who has earned the distinction of being named Salutatorian of the 2024 graduating class of Upper Kennebec Valley High School. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2046

Sponsored by Senator BLACK of Franklin.

Cosponsored by Representative: DUNPHY of Embden.

(4-65) Aurelie Poulin, of Jackman, who has earned the distinction of being named Salutatorian of the 2024 graduating class of Forest Hills Consolidated School. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2047

Sponsored by Senator BLACK of Franklin.

Cosponsored by Representative: SOBOLESKI of Phillips.

(4-66) Kara Bigelow, of Moscow, a senior at Upper Kennebec Valley High School, who is a recipient of a 2024 Principal's Award for outstanding academic achievement and citizenship, sponsored by the Maine Principals' Association. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2048

Sponsored by Senator BLACK of Franklin.

Cosponsored by Representative: DUNPHY of Embden.

(4-67) Gannan Inman, of Edgecomb, who placed first in the Grades 3 and 4 Category of the national Poetry Society of Virginia Youth Poetry Contest with the poem "A Wave in a Seashell." We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2049

Sponsored by Senator RENY of Lincoln.

Cosponsored by Representative: STOVER of Boothbay.

(4-68) Jackie Branch, of Edgecomb, who placed first in the Grades 5 and 6 Category of the national Poetry Society of Virginia Youth Poetry Contest with the poem "The Last Wedding Candle." We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2050

Sponsored by Senator RENY of Lincoln.

Cosponsored by Representative: STOVER of Boothbay.

(4-69) Octavia Aurora, of Edgecomb, who placed first in the Grades 7 and 8 Category of the national Poetry Society of Virginia Youth Poetry Contest with the poem "Her Place." We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2051

Sponsored by Senator RENY of Lincoln.

Cosponsored by Representative: STOVER of Boothbay.

(4-70) Maddie Fitzpatrick, of Cumberland Center, a student at Cheverus High School and a member of the girls basketball team, who has been named Maine's Gatorade Player of the Year. This is the second straight year Maddie has been named the Gatorade Player of the Year. She also recently scored her 1,000th career point. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2052

Sponsored by Senator PIERCE of Cumberland.

Cosponsored by Representative: MORIARTY of Cumberland.

(4-71) the WaCo Diner, of Eastport, the oldest diner in Maine, on its Centennial. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2058

Sponsored by Senator MOORE of Washington.

Cosponsored by Representative: PERRY of Calais.

(4-72) Corinne LaPlant, of Princeton, Executive Director of the St. Croix Regional Family Health Center, on her retirement after 21 years of service. Ms. LaPlant started at the center as a receptionist. She then became a billing specialist and then the billing manager before her appointment as the executive director, in which capacity she has served the past 13 years. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2059

Sponsored by Senator MOORE of Washington.

Cosponsored by Representative: DAVIS of East Machias.

(4-73) J.R. Tibbetts, of Poland, who has earned the distinction of being named Salutatorian of the 2024 graduating class of Poland Regional High School. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2060

Sponsored by Senator BRAKEY of Androscoggin.

Cosponsored by Representatives: BOYER of Poland, FAY of Raymond.

(4-74) Audrey Fryda, of New Gloucester, who has earned the distinction of being named Valedictorian of the 2024 graduating class of Poland Regional High School. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2061

Sponsored by Senator BRAKEY of Androscoggin.

Cosponsored by Representative: ARATA of New Gloucester.

(4-75) Hope Nadeau, of Madison, who has earned the distinction of being named Salutatorian of the 2024 graduating class of Madison Area Memorial High School. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2062

Sponsored by Senator FARRIN of Somerset.

Cosponsored by Representative: DUCHARME of Madison.

(4-76) Alison Griffeth, of Madison, who has earned the distinction of being named Valedictorian of the 2024 graduating class of Madison Area Memorial High School. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2063

Sponsored by Senator FARRIN of Somerset.

Cosponsored by Representative: DUCHARME of Madison.

(4-77) Jeffrey Neil Young, of Cumberland Foreside, who is retiring from the Friends of the Maine State Museum Board after 8 years of public service, during which he was instrumental in governing the board and raising funds to expand museum collections. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2064

Sponsored by Senator PIERCE of Cumberland.

Cosponsored by Representative: MORIARTY of Cumberland.

(4-78) Howard Rice, of Falmouth, Chief of the Falmouth Fire-EMS Department, who received the Deputy Chief Marc Bellefeuille Instructor of the Year Award from the Maine Fire Service Institute. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2065

Sponsored by Senator PIERCE of Cumberland.

Cosponsored by Representatives: CROCKETT of Portland, KUHN of Falmouth.

(4-79) Myron "Sonny" Sprague, Jr., of Swan's Island, on his retirement from the Swan's Island Select Board after 49 years of public service. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2066

Sponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Cosponsored by Representative: EATON of Deer Isle.

(4-80) Mark Kelley, of Saco, on his retirement as a Firefighter EMT-1 after 30 years of public service with the Saco Fire Department. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2067

Sponsored by Senator BAILEY of York.

Cosponsored by Representatives: COPELAND of Saco, GATTINE of Westbrook, O'NEIL of Saco.

(4-81) Fiona Johnson, of Portland, a student at Casco Bay High School, who is the recipient of the Association for Women Geoscientists Award at the Maine State Science Fair. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2068

Sponsored by Senator DUSON of Cumberland.

(4-82) Dorothy Renault, of Northeast Harbor, who is celebrating her 100th birthday on April 30, 2024. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2069

Sponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Cosponsored by Representative: EATON of Deer Isle.

(4-83) Olivia Chong, of Portland, a student at Casco Bay High School, who is the recipient of the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance Reach Award at the Maine State Science Fair. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2070

Sponsored by Senator DUSON of Cumberland.

(4-84) Iainn Parker, of Biddeford, who has earned the distinction of being named Valedictorian of the 2024 graduating class of Biddeford High School. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2071

Sponsored by Senator INGWERSEN of York.

Cosponsored by Representatives: GERE of Kennebunkport, MALON of Biddeford, SHEEHAN of Biddeford.

(4-85) Kylie Parent, of Biddeford, who has earned the distinction of being named Salutatorian of the 2024 graduating class of Biddeford High School. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2072

Sponsored by Senator INGWERSEN of York.

Cosponsored by Representatives: GERE of Kennebunkport, MALON of Biddeford, SHEEHAN of Biddeford.

(4-86) Armand Martin, of Madawaska, who is the recipient of a Certificate of Lifetime Achievement Award from the Maine Health Care Association's Remember ME project, which honors pioneering, innovative and interesting residents living in Maine's long-term care facilities. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2073

Sponsored by President JACKSON of Aroostook.

Cosponsored by Representative: ALBERT of Madawaska.

(4-87) Emery "Legs" Labbe, of Fort Kent, who is the recipient of a Certificate of Lifetime Achievement Award from the Maine Health Care Association's Remember ME project, which honors pioneering, innovative and interesting residents living in Maine's long-term care facilities. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2074

Sponsored by President JACKSON of Aroostook.

Cosponsored by Representative: THERIAULT of Fort Kent.

(4-88) Naomi Cabana, of Westbrook, a student at Westbrook High School, who placed first in the Westbrook Woman's Club Art Contest. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2075

Sponsored by Senator DUSON of Cumberland.

Cosponsored by Senator: NANGLE of Cumberland, Representatives: GATTINE of Westbrook, RIELLY of Westbrook, SALISBURY of Westbrook.

(4-89) Don Flannery, of Glenburn, on his retirement as Executive Director of the Maine Potato Board after 27 years of service working to promote the interests and sustainability of the State's potato industry. Working in the potato industry all his life, Mr. Flannery was a grower and worked in economic and business development. He started with the Maine Potato Board in 1997 as Assistant Executive Director and was promoted to Executive Director in 2002. Since then, he has been directly involved in development and research activities and has been active in securing federal and state funding for many projects, including the construction of a potato research facility, infrastructure development for two processing plants and funding to support the State's seed production facility. We extend our appreciation and best wishes;

SLS 2076

Sponsored by Senator GUERIN of Penobscot.

Cosponsored by Representative: GRIFFIN of Levant.

(4-90) Chloe Hoyt, of Baileyville, who has earned the distinction of being named Salutatorian of the 2024 graduating class of Woodland Junior-Senior High School. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2079

Sponsored by Senator MOORE of Washington.

Cosponsored by Representative: PERRY of Calais.

(4-91) Hudson DePriest, of Baileyville, who has earned the distinction of being named Valedictorian of the 2024 graduating class of Woodland Junior-Senior High School. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2080

Sponsored by Senator MOORE of Washington.

Cosponsored by Representative: PERRY of Calais.

(4-92) Jaiden Wormell, of Baileyville, a senior at Woodland Junior-Senior High School, who is a recipient of a 2024 Principal's Award for outstanding academic achievement and citizenship, sponsored by the Maine Principals' Association. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2081

Sponsored by Senator MOORE of Washington.

Cosponsored by Representative: PERRY of Calais.

(4-93) Robert McShane, of Calais, on his induction into the Maine Basketball Hall of Fame. In 23 seasons as the Calais High School girls basketball coach, he won 383 games, 9 Eastern Maine regional titles and 5 state championships. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2082

Sponsored by Senator MOORE of Washington.

Cosponsored by Representative: PERRY of Calais.

(4-94) Christopher Crowley, of Beals, on his receiving the Norman W. Duzen Community Service Award from the Washington County Extension Association for his contributions as a volunteer to the lives of Washington County citizens. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2083

Sponsored by Senator MOORE of Washington.

Cosponsored by Representative: STROUT of Harrington.

(4-95) Austin Jean, of Fort Kent, who is both graduating from Fort Kent Community High School and receiving an associate degree in business from the University of Maine at Fort Kent. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2084

Sponsored by President JACKSON of Aroostook.

Cosponsored by Representative: THERIAULT of Fort Kent.

(4-96) Kaitlyn Farrin, of Windham, who has earned the distinction of being named Salutatorian of the 2024 graduating class of Windham High School. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2085

Sponsored by Senator NANGLE of Cumberland.

Cosponsored by Representatives: BAGSHAW of Windham, PRINGLE of Windham.

(4-97) Sophia Gugliuzza, of Windham, who has earned the distinction of being named Valedictorian of the 2024 graduating class of Windham High School. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2086

Sponsored by Senator NANGLE of Cumberland.

Cosponsored by Representatives: BAGSHAW of Windham, PRINGLE of Windham.

(4-98) Graze, LLC, of Northport, owned by Kate Hall, which was named the 2024 Maine Microenterprise of the Year by the United States Small Business Administration. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2087

Sponsored by Senator BAILEY of York.

Cosponsored by Representatives: COPELAND of Saco, GATTINE of Westbrook, O'NEIL of Saco.

(4-125) Bos Lisy, of Southwest Harbor, who won the Silver Medal in the Television Video Production Competition at the 2024 Maine SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2118

Sponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Cosponsored by Representative: EATON of Deer Isle.

(4-126) Nevaeh Becker, of Ellsworth, who won the Silver Medal in the Extemporaneous Speaking Competition at the 2024 Maine SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2119

Sponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Cosponsored by Representative: WORTH of Ellsworth.

(4-127) Kaylee Roberts, of Ellsworth, who won the Silver Medal in the Bio-Medical Quiz Bowl at the 2024 Maine SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2120

Sponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Cosponsored by Representative: WORTH of Ellsworth.

(4-128) Zoie Brown, of Surry, who won the Silver Medal in the Bio-Medical Quiz Bowl at the 2024 Maine SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2121

Sponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Cosponsored by Representative: MILLIKEN of Blue Hill.

(4-129) Per Lisy, of Southwest Harbor, who won the Silver Medal in the Bio-Medical Quiz Bowl at the 2024 Maine SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2122

Sponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Cosponsored by Representative: EATON of Deer Isle.

(4-130) Makayla Cole, of Trenton, who won the Silver Medal in the Bio-Medical Quiz Bowl at the 2024 Maine SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2123

Sponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Cosponsored by Representative: MILLIKEN of Blue Hill.

(4-131) Brynn Stephenson, of Ellsworth, who won the Gold Medal in the Action Skills Competition at the 2024 Maine SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2124

Sponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Cosponsored by Representative: WORTH of Ellsworth.

(4-132) Kaitlynn Flannery, of Penobscot, who won the Silver Medal in the First Aid/CPR Competition at the 2024 Maine SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2125

Sponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Cosponsored by Representative: RUSSELL of Verona Island.

(4-133) Hunter Allen, of Brooksville, who won the Gold Medal in the Career Pathways - Industrial Competition at the 2024 Maine SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2126

Sponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Cosponsored by Representative: MILLIKEN of Blue Hill.

(4-134) Brody Robinson, of Southwest Harbor, who won the Gold Medal in the Career Pathways - Industrial Competition at the 2024 Maine SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2127

Sponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Cosponsored by Representative: EATON of Deer Isle.

(4-135) Olivia Leighton, of Ellsworth, who won the Gold Medal in the Nursing Assisting Competition at the 2024 Maine SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2128

Sponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Cosponsored by Representative: WORTH of Ellsworth.

(4-136) Liam Goodrich, of Ellsworth, who won the Gold Medal in the Criminal Justice Quiz Bowl at the 2024 Maine SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2129

Sponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Cosponsored by Representative: WORTH of Ellsworth.

(4-137) Heath Colley, of Orland, who won the Gold Medal in the Criminal Justice Quiz Bowl at the 2024 Maine SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2130

Sponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Cosponsored by Representative: RUSSELL of Verona Island.

(4-138) Zoe McGinty, of Orland, who won the Gold Medal in the Career Pathways - Health Science Competition at the 2024 Maine SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2131

Sponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Cosponsored by Representative: RUSSELL of Verona Island.

(4-139) Addison Engelhard, of Lamoine, who won the Silver Medal in the State T-shirt Design Competition at the 2024 Maine SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2132

Sponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Cosponsored by Representative: EATON of Deer Isle.

(4-140) Ethan Engelhard, of Lamoine, who won the Silver Medal in the 3D Printing Competition at the 2024 Maine SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2133

Sponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Cosponsored by Representative: EATON of Deer Isle.

(4-141) Asher Phillips, of Lamoine, who won the Silver Medal in the Middle School Only Team Engineering Challenge at the 2024 Maine SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2134

Sponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Cosponsored by Representative: EATON of Deer Isle.

(4-142) Jace Chan, of Lamoine, who won the Silver Medal in the Middle School Only Team Engineering Challenge at the 2024 Maine SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2135

Sponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Cosponsored by Representative: EATON of Deer Isle.

(4-143) Ryder Montgomery, of Lamoine, who won the Silver Medal in the Middle School Only Team Engineering Challenge at the 2024 Maine SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2136

Sponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Cosponsored by Representative: EATON of Deer Isle.

(4-144) Jordan Chan, of Lamoine, who won the Gold Medal in the Middle School Only Team Engineering Challenge at the 2024 Maine SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2137

Sponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Cosponsored by Representative: EATON of Deer Isle.

(4-145) Violet Rideout, of Lamoine, who won the Silver Medal in the State Pin Design Competition at the 2024 Maine SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2138

Sponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Cosponsored by Representative: EATON of Deer Isle.

(4-146) Natalia Briggs, of Lamoine, who won the Gold Medal in the State Pin Design Competition at the 2024 Maine SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2139

Sponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Cosponsored by Representative: EATON of Deer Isle.

(4-147) Benjamin Baldridge, of Lamoine, who won the Gold Medal in the Middle School Only Team Engineering Challenge at the 2024 Maine SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2140

Sponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Cosponsored by Representative: EATON of Deer Isle.

(4-148) Ian Frost, of Lamoine, who won the Gold Medal in the Middle School Only Team Engineering Challenge at the 2024 Maine SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2141

Sponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Cosponsored by Representative: EATON of Deer Isle.

(4-149) Kristina Fleming, of Lamoine, who won the Gold Medal in the Job Interview Competition at the 2024 Maine SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2142

Sponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Cosponsored by Representative: EATON of Deer Isle.

(4-150) Alexander Oehmke, of Mount Desert, who won the Silver Medal in the Computer Programming Competition at the 2024 Maine SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2143

Sponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Cosponsored by Representative: EATON of Deer Isle.

(4-151) Kaia Tulloss, of Lamoine, who won the Gold Medal in the Promotional Billboard Competition at the 2024 Maine SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2144

Sponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Cosponsored by Representative: EATON of Deer Isle.

(4-152) Elza Cahn, of Lamoine, who won the Gold Medal in the Promotional Billboard Competition at the 2024 Maine SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2145

Sponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Cosponsored by Representative: EATON of Deer Isle.

(4-153) Piper Smith, of Lamoine, who won the Gold Medal in the Promotional Billboard Competition at the 2024 Maine SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2146

Sponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Cosponsored by Representative: EATON of Deer Isle.

(4-154) Jeffrey Fahey, of Bangor, on his induction into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame. Mr. Fahey has been the bridge between multiple generations of Bangor High School baseball teams, winning the 1982 Class A state championship as the team's center fielder and later coaching the team to four more state titles in 2006, 2014, 2015 and 2016. He retired with an all-time managerial record of 246-50. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2147

Sponsored by Senator BALDACCI of Penobscot.

Cosponsored by Representatives: PERRY of Bangor, RANA of Bangor, ROEDER of Bangor, SUPICA of Bangor.

(4-155) David Mansfield, of Bangor, on his induction into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame. Mr. Mansfield helped coach the 1989 Bangor West 11-12-year-old all-star team, which went on to win the state championship and qualify for regionals in Bristol, Connecticut. That team inspired Stephen and Tabitha King to build Shawn T. Mansfield Stadium, dedicated to Mr. Mansfield's late son. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2148

Sponsored by Senator BALDACCI of Penobscot.

Cosponsored by Representatives: PERRY of Bangor, RANA of Bangor, ROEDER of Bangor, SUPICA of Bangor.

(4-156) Andrew Hanson, of Cumberland, on his induction into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame. Mr. Hanson was an All-State selection at Greely High School, where he led the baseball team to its first-ever state championship in 1997 as a senior. He went on to star at Princeton University, where he earned All-Ivy League honors as an outfielder, and later played three years of semi-professional baseball. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2149

Sponsored by Senator PIERCE of Cumberland.

Cosponsored by Representative: MORIARTY of Cumberland.

(4-157) Ronald St. Pierre, of Falmouth, on his induction into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame. Mr. St. Pierre helped coach the 1989 Bangor West 11-12-year-old all-star team, which went on to win the state championship and qualify for regionals in Bristol, Connecticut. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2150

Sponsored by Senator PIERCE of Cumberland.

Cosponsored by Representatives: CROCKETT of Portland, KUHN of Falmouth.

(4-158) the late Gil Perry, of Waterville, on his posthumous induction into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame. Mr. Perry was a semiprofessional baseball player in central Maine from the late 1920's to the late 1940's. A pitcher for the Waterville All-Stars, Winslow Taconnets, Fairfield All-Stars and Keyes Fiber Nine, among several other teams, he threw two no-hitters in his career and was offered a contract from the Washington Senators, now the Minnesota Twins, of Major League Baseball. He served as a player-manager toward the end of his tenure, guiding the Keyes Fiber Nine to a Triangle Baseball League Championship. After his playing career, he continued serving as president of the Triangle Baseball League, manager of the Fairfield Fire Department softball team and umpire-in-chief for a local Little League;

SLS 2151

Sponsored by Senator LaFOUNTAIN of Kennebec.

Cosponsored by Representatives: MADIGAN of Waterville, WHITE of Waterville.

(4-159) Harrison Garcia, of Camden, who has attained the high rank and distinction of Eagle Scout. This is the highest award in Scouting and is given for excellence in skills development, leadership, personal growth and community service. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2152

Sponsored by Senator BEEBE-CENTER of Knox.

Cosponsored by Representative: DOUDERA of Camden.

(4-160) Charles Swan, of Dixfield, Principal of Dirigo Elementary School, who was named National Distinguished Principal for 2024 by Maine's National Association of Elementary Principals. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2153

Sponsored by Senator KEIM of Oxford.

Cosponsored by Representative: SCHMERSAL-BURGESS of Mexico.

(4-161) Zoe Sikkel, of Bucksport, who has earned the distinction of being named Valedictorian of the 2024 graduating class of Bucksport High School. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2154

Sponsored by Senator LYFORD of Penobscot.

Cosponsored by Representative: RUSSELL of Verona Island.

(4-162) Cayen Philbrick, of Brewer, who has earned the distinction of being named Valedictorian of the 2024 graduating class of Brewer High School. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2155

Sponsored by Senator LYFORD of Penobscot.

Cosponsored by Representatives: O'CONNELL of Brewer, PERRY of Bangor.

(4-163) Jack Stuber, of Brewer, who has earned the distinction of being named Salutatorian of the 2024 graduating class of Brewer High School. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2156

Sponsored by Senator LYFORD of Penobscot.

Cosponsored by Representatives: O'CONNELL of Brewer, PERRY of Bangor.

(4-164) Rance Laplant, of Bucksport, who has earned the distinction of being named Salutatorian of the 2024 graduating class of Bucksport High School. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2157

Sponsored by Senator LYFORD of Penobscot.

Cosponsored by Representative: RUSSELL of Verona Island.

(4-165) Jared Lemieux, of Brunswick, on his induction into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame. Mr. Lemieux was a two-time state champion at Maranacook and four-time All-NESCAC first-teamer at Bowdoin, holding the Polar Bear records for hits, 184, and runs, 148. After graduating from Bowdoin in 2006, he played professionally for 5 years in the Canadian American Association as an outfielder. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2158

Sponsored by Senator DAUGHTRY of Cumberland.

Cosponsored by Representatives: ANKELES of Brunswick, ARFORD of Brunswick, GOLEK of Harpswell.

(4-166) Sherry Sullivan, of Presque Isle, who has been named Maine's 2024 Mother of the Year by the national nonprofit American Mothers, Inc. Sherry and her husband Tony have four children and eight grandchildren. She also co-owns and operates Governor's and Ferris BBQ restaurants in Presque Isle. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2159

Sponsored by Senator STEWART of Aroostook.

Cosponsored by Representative: UNDERWOOD of Presque Isle.

(4-167) Louise London, of New Limerick, who is celebrating her 100th birthday this July and who recently received a Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian award of the United States Congress, for representing the nearly six million Rosie the Riveters who answered the government's call for service during World War II. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2160

Sponsored by Senator STEWART of Aroostook.

Cosponsored by Representative: SWALLOW of Houlton.

(4-168) Brigette Levesque, of Hampden, who has earned the distinction of being named Salutatorian of the 2024 graduating class of Hampden Academy. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2161

Sponsored by Senator LYFORD of Penobscot.

Cosponsored by Representative: HAGGAN of Hampden.

(4-169) Sophia Robinson, of Otis, who has earned the distinction of being named Valedictorian of the 2024 graduating class of Hampden Academy. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2162

Sponsored by Senator LYFORD of Penobscot.

Cosponsored by Representative: CARMICHAEL of Greenbush.

(4-170) Emma Murphy, of Portland, who has earned the distinction of being named Valedictorian of the 2024 graduating class of Deering High School. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2163

Sponsored by Senator DUSON of Cumberland.

(4-171) Timothy Callaghan, of Portland, who has earned the distinction of being named Salutatorian of the 2024 graduating class of Deering High School. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2164

Sponsored by Senator DUSON of Cumberland.

(4-172) the Rowe Elementary School Odyssey of the Mind Club Technical Team, of Portland, which placed first, receiving a perfect score, at the 2024 Maine State Odyssey of the Mind State Finals Tournament. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2165

Sponsored by Senator DUSON of Cumberland.

(4-173) the Biddeford Middle School Odyssey of the Mind Club Performance Team, of Biddeford, which placed second at the 2024 Maine State Odyssey of the Mind State Finals Tournament. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2166

Sponsored by Senator INGWERSEN of York.

Cosponsored by Representatives: GERE of Kennebunkport, MALON of Biddeford, SHEEHAN of Biddeford.

(4-174) the Lyseth Elementary School Odyssey of the Mind Club Technical Team, of Portland, which placed second at the 2024 Maine State Odyssey of the Mind State Finals Tournament. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2167

Sponsored by Senator DUSON of Cumberland.

(4-175) the Biddeford High School Odyssey of the Mind Club Technical Team, of Biddeford, which placed first at the 2024 Maine State Odyssey of the Mind State Finals Tournament. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2168

Sponsored by Senator INGWERSEN of York.

Cosponsored by Representatives: GERE of Kennebunkport, MALON of Biddeford, SHEEHAN of Biddeford.

(4-176) the Biddeford Intermediate School Odyssey of the Mind Club Performance Team, of Biddeford, which placed second at the 2024 Maine State Odyssey of the Mind State Finals Tournament. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2169

Sponsored by Senator INGWERSEN of York.

Cosponsored by Representatives: GERE of Kennebunkport, MALON of Biddeford, SHEEHAN of Biddeford.

(4-177) Cape Elizabeth Schools, which has been named Best Buddies Maine - Chapter of the Year. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2170

Sponsored by Senator CARNEY of Cumberland.

Cosponsored by Representatives: KESSLER of South Portland, MILLETT of Cape Elizabeth.

(4-178) Gregory Norton, of South Portland, on his induction into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame. The 2002 Mr. Maine Baseball, Mr. Norton was a right-handed pitcher who holds the University of Maine's record for most career starts at 50 and is tied for most career wins at 27. He had a 2.97 ERA as a freshman in college and pitched eight career complete games for the Black Bears. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2171

Sponsored by Senator CARNEY of Cumberland.

Cosponsored by Representatives: BECK of South Portland, DHALAC of South Portland, KESSLER of South Portland.

(4-179) Pat Ladd, of Winthrop, recipient of a Spirit of America Foundation Award. The Spirit of America Foundation was established to encourage and promote volunteerism, and the foundation presents awards to honor local individuals, organizations or projects in appreciation of community service. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2172

Sponsored by Senator HICKMAN of Kennebec.

Cosponsored by Representative: HASENFUS of Readfield.

(4-180) Steven McDermott, of Winthrop, recipient of a Spirit of America Foundation Award. The Spirit of America Foundation was established to encourage and promote volunteerism, and the foundation presents awards to honor local individuals, organizations or projects in appreciation of community service. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2173

Sponsored by Senator HICKMAN of Kennebec.

Cosponsored by Representative: HASENFUS of Readfield.

(4-181) the Honorable Lydia Crafts, of Newcastle, a member of the Maine House of Representatives representing House District 46. Representative Crafts received the 2024 Social Worker of the Year Award from the Maine Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2174

Sponsored by Senator RENY of Lincoln.

Cosponsored by Representative: STOVER of Boothbay.

_________________________________

Joint Resolutions

(4-182) On motion by Senator TIPPING of Penobscot, the following Joint Resolution:

S.P. 1008

JOINT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING APRIL 18, 2024

AS WORLD AMATEUR RADIO DAY

WHEREAS, amateur radio provides a bridge between people, societies and countries by creating friendships and sharing ideas; and

WHEREAS, on April 18, 1925, the International Amateur Radio Union was founded, which illustrates how international cooperation and communication are hallmarks of amateur radio; and

WHEREAS, there are more than 2,500,000 amateur radio operators worldwide, with nearly 780,000 in the United States and approximately 4,500 in the State of Maine; and

WHEREAS, amateur radio provides an excellent opportunity for leadership development, technical innovation and scientific exploration; and

WHEREAS, showing that there is no age barrier in amateur radio, at 9 years of age Simon Golob of Sabattus earned his amateur radio license in 2023 and in the last year has been learning Morse code, has served as a Net Control Station for a public service radio net in the State, participated in a disaster communications exercise and made contacts with amateur radio operators in Europe, Oceania and South America; and

WHEREAS, amateur radio is a licensed service for noncommercial use and, during emergencies or natural disasters, such as the ice storm of 1998, Hurricane Katrina, the Boston Marathon bombing and countless other emergency situations, is often the only dependable way to communicate locally or internationally; and

WHEREAS, many Maine amateur radio operators serve their local and county emergency management agencies by training and holding exercises to prepare for when their skills are needed during times of emergency; and

WHEREAS, during Tropical Storm Lee in September 2023, amateur radio was used to transmit messages from the Emergency Operations Center in Machias to the Maine Emergency Management Agency in Augusta; and

WHEREAS, Maine amateur radio operators routinely volunteer their equipment and time to provide public service communications for such events as the Dempsey Challenge, the Trek Across Maine, the TD Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race, the New England Forest Rally, the Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race, the Can Am Crown International Sled Dog Race, the Loon Echo Bike Trek, the Mount Desert Island Marathon, BikeMaine, the Sugarloaf Marathon and the Northwoods Gravel Grind; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED: That We, the Members of the One Hundred and Thirty-first Legislature now assembled in the Second Regular Session, on behalf of the people we represent, take this opportunity to recognize and acknowledge the accomplishments and public service provided by amateur radio operators as they celebrate World Amateur Radio Day on the 99th anniversary of the founding of the International Amateur Radio Union; and be it further

RESOLVED: That suitable copies of this resolution, duly authenticated by the Secretary of State, be transmitted to the American Radio Relay League and the International Amateur Radio Union.

_________________________________

Joint Resolutions in Memoriam:

WHEREAS, the Legislature has learned with deep regret of the death of:

(4-183) Judith A. Soule, of Casco. Mrs. Soule worked as a special education technician for School Administrative District 61, served with Naples Rescue and worked as a caregiver for disabled adults. Mrs. Soule will be long remembered and sadly missed by her family and friends and all those whose lives she touched;

SLS 2005

Sponsored by Senator NANGLE of Cumberland.

Cosponsored by Senator: BRENNER of Cumberland, Representative: FAY of Raymond.

WHEREAS, the Legislature has learned with deep regret of the death of:

(4-184) Raymond Parent, of Sanford. Mr. Parent was a veteran of the United States Navy, serving for four years as a communications specialist in Key West. In 1964, he began a career with the Biddeford Fire Department. He started as a firefighter and ambulance attendant. He went on to serve as a captain and deputy chief and eventually as chief of the department. He retired in 1994 after 30 years of service. In 1996, he became chief of the Sanford Fire Department before retiring again in 2011. He also served as director of Sanford Regional Communications and for a time as Sanford's interim town manager. Later, he served as interim fire and rescue chief in Lebanon. He chaired the Veterans Memorial Cemetery Association, dedicating a decade to establishing the Southern Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Springvale. He also served as president of the Maine Fire Chiefs' Association and as president of the York County Chiefs' Association. He received a number of recognitions, including a lifetime achievement award, and he was named the Maine Fire Chief of the Year in 2005 and the Kiwanis Citizen of the Year. Mr. Parent will be long remembered and sadly missed by his family and friends and all those whose lives he touched;

SLS 2015

Sponsored by Senator HARRINGTON of York.

Cosponsored by Representatives: FREDERICKS of Sanford, LANIGAN of Sanford, MASTRACCIO of Sanford.

WHEREAS, the Legislature has learned with deep regret of the death of:

(4-185) Reid Alan Durost, of Augusta. Mr. Durost had an announcing career with Husson University working as the "Voice of the Eagles" in many sports. In addition to his work for Husson, he served as an announcer for several University of Maine athletic events. He also worked at the Maine Principals' Association Invitational Basketball Tournament as well as lacrosse and other state championships. He previously had a thriving DJ business for weddings and other events under the name DJ Reid. He recently worked for the State of Maine Department of Transportation as a Transportation Management Specialist 1. Mr. Durost will be long remembered and sadly missed by his family and friends and all those whose lives he touched;

SLS 2018

Sponsored by Senator POULIOT of Kennebec.

Cosponsored by Representatives: BRIDGEO of Augusta, LaROCHELLE of Augusta.

WHEREAS, the Legislature has learned with deep regret of the death of:

(4-186) Meghan Mellor Trulaske Miers, of Portland. Having a philanthropic spirit, Mrs. Miers served on nonprofit boards, gave generously to local organizations and worked as a volunteer. Mrs. Miers will be long remembered and sadly missed by her family and friends and all those whose lives she touched;

SLS 2039

Sponsored by Senator DUSON of Cumberland.

WHEREAS, the Legislature has learned with deep regret of the death of:

(4-187) Patricia Louise (Raymond) Plummer, of Winthrop. Mrs. Plummer was for many years a primary, at-home caregiver. Consecutively and back-to-back, she cared for her mother, brother and companion. At one time, she and her husband Frank owned a cemetery stone cleaning business. Mrs. Plummer will be long remembered and sadly missed by her family and friends;

SLS 2053

Sponsored by Senator HICKMAN of Kennebec.

Cosponsored by Representative: HASENFUS of Readfield.

WHEREAS, the Legislature has learned with deep regret of the death of:

(4-188) Kathy E. (Whittaker) Dauphin, of Whitefield. Mrs. Dauphin worked as an operating room nurse at Bath Memorial Hospital before she became a massage therapist with her own practice. In addition to her regular practice, she combined her skill as a massage therapist and love of horses to offer equine massage. Mrs. Dauphin will be long remembered and sadly missed by her family and friends and all those whose lives she touched;

SLS 2054

Sponsored by Senator RENY of Lincoln.

Cosponsored by Representative: POLEWARCZYK of Wiscasset.

WHEREAS, the Legislature has learned with deep regret of the death of:

(4-189) Jeffrey Scott Cusumano, Sr., of Nobleboro. Mr. Cusumano worked a variety of different jobs, including jobs in shipbuilding, carpentry and landscaping, before he found his passion in fixing cars. He became very skilled in his craft and worked diligently to make a name for himself in the industry. Mr. Cusumano will be long remembered and sadly missed by his wife of 42 years, Linda, his family and his friends;

SLS 2055

Sponsored by Senator RENY of Lincoln.

Cosponsored by Representative: CRAFTS of Newcastle.

WHEREAS, the Legislature has learned with deep regret of the death of:

(4-190) Fern Ederie Stearns, of Hallowell. Mrs. Stearns was a member of the math faculty at the University of Maine from the 1950s to her retirement in 1997. She also taught at many other schools, including Mexico High School, Beals College and Husson College. A lifelong leader in Maine's paddling and river advocacy communities, she fought for free-flowing and wild rivers and championed the sports of wilderness canoeing and whitewater canoe racing. She raced in the second Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race in 1968 and every year thereafter for decades and was formally recognized as a Legend of Paddling by the organizers of that race. She and her husband Bill were principal founders of Penobscot Paddle & Chowder Society, which today gives an annual award in her name. She was instrumental in expanding whitewater racing, frequently winning the national crown in her class. The Maine Canoe and Kayak Racing Organization honored her with The Muir the Merrier award for drawing people into canoeing. In 1974, she and Bill guided a team of canoeists from federal and state agencies in a study of the Penobscot River's eligibility for designation as a Wild and Scenic River. She tenaciously opposed dams on wild rivers, organizing paddlers to oppose the Dickey-Lincoln and Big Ambejackmockamus proposals. She authored scores of articles and columns on canoeing and river advocacy, and she and Bill authored "The Canoeist's Catalog" in 1978. Her writing and activism went far beyond paddling. Along with her siblings, she coauthored two volumes of books titled "Once Upon A Farm." Mrs. Stearns will be long remembered and sadly missed by her family and friends and community;

SLS 2056

Sponsored by Senator HICKMAN of Kennebec.

Cosponsored by Representative: SHAGOURY of Hallowell.

WHEREAS, the Legislature has learned with deep regret of the death of:

(4-191) Eleanor Brooks Leech, of Wells. Mrs. Leech and her husband Richard opened Richard's Seafood Restaurant in Wells in 1962. The restaurant was sold in 1965 when they took over management of Congdon's Doughnuts. She ran the front of the house of Congdon's for many years before they sold the bakery in 1984. She worked as hostess for several years. She also sold cosmetics for Mary Kay Cosmetics, starting in 1979. She was soon promoted to sales director, and she earned her first pink Mary Kay car in 1982. She was a multi-time member of the National Court of Sales and Recruiting, receiving several diamond rings and the coveted diamond bumble bee from Mary Kay. In 2010, she was voted "Miss Go-Give," the greatest award one can achieve in Mary Kay. She was also an active member of the Kennebunk Alumni Association. Mrs. Leech will be long remembered and sadly missed by her family and friends and all those whose lives she touched;

SLS 2057

Sponsored by Senator INGWERSEN of York.

Cosponsored by Representatives: GERE of Kennebunkport, MALON of Biddeford, SHEEHAN of Biddeford.

WHEREAS, the Legislature has learned with deep regret of the death of:

(4-193) John G. Ladakakos, of Saco. Mr. Ladakakos pursued a variety of career paths, including employment with Tito Brothers and General Dynamics and selling cars, before he owned and operated George's Italian Sandwich Shop in Biddeford, a beloved establishment within the community. He was a respected member of the Association of Lacones and the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association, serving as past president of both organizations. He was also a member of the Biddeford-Saco Elks Lodge 1597. Mr. Ladakakos will be long remembered and sadly missed by his wife of 27 years, Joan, his family and friends and all those whose lives he touched;

SLS 2078

Sponsored by Senator BAILEY of York.

Cosponsored by Representatives: COPELAND of Saco, GATTINE of Westbrook, O'NEIL of Saco.

WHEREAS, the Legislature has learned with deep regret of the death of:

(4-194) Penelope Ann Rice, of Scarborough. Ms. Rice devoted her life and career to the care and education of others as a registered nurse, nurse practitioner and nursing professor. She began her career as a nurse at the Veteran's Hospital in Long Beach, California. She went on to become a professor of nursing at California State University Long Beach and then at Southern Maine Community College. She also worked as a nurse in various capacities at Maine Medical Center for over 20 years. Ms. Rice will be long remembered and sadly missed by her family and friends and all those whose lives she touched;

SLS 2096

Sponsored by Senator BRENNER of Cumberland.

Cosponsored by Senator: CARNEY of Cumberland, Representatives: GATTINE of Westbrook, MURPHY of Scarborough, WARREN of Scarborough.

WHEREAS, the Legislature has learned with deep regret of the death of:

(4-195) Judith A. Francoeur, of Westbrook. Mrs. Francoeur had various jobs throughout her working life, including a job working in the cafeteria at the Westbrook school department. Mrs. Francoeur will be long remembered and sadly missed by her family and friends and all those whose lives she touched;

SLS 2097

Sponsored by Senator DUSON of Cumberland.

Cosponsored by Senator: NANGLE of Cumberland, Representatives: GATTINE of Westbrook, RIELLY of Westbrook, SALISBURY of Westbrook.

WHEREAS, the Legislature has learned with deep regret of the death of:

(4-196) Steven Townsend, of Buxton. Officer Townsend served as a member of the Kennebunkport Police Department since 2020. Previously, he worked many years with the Falmouth Police Department, as well as with the Rangeley Police Department, the Buxton Police Department and the York County Sheriff's Office. Officer Townsend will be long remembered and sadly missed by his family and friends and all those whose lives he touched;

SLS 2109

Sponsored by Senator BAILEY of York.

Cosponsored by Representatives: BLIER of Buxton, CARLOW of Buxton.

WHEREAS, the Legislature has learned with deep regret of the death of:

(4-197) Madeleine Jean Gatchall Corson, of Littlejohn Island. In 1985, Mrs. Corson became involved in her family's business, which later became Guy Gannett Communications. She was active with the Boys' and Girls' Club of Maine, volunteering, serving as a board member and eventually becoming a lifetime member. She served on the boards of the MS Society and the Portland Concert Association, which has become Ovations. She also worked with Frannie Peabody to plan a massive fundraiser in response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Mrs. Corson will be long remembered and sadly missed by her family and friends and all those whose lives she touched;

SLS 2110

Sponsored by Senator DAUGHTRY of Cumberland.

Cosponsored by Senator: PIERCE of Cumberland, Representative: BELL of Yarmouth.

WHEREAS, the Legislature has learned with deep regret of the death of:

(4-198) Jenness L. Robbins, of Searsmont. Ms. Robbins will be long remembered and sadly missed by her family and friends;

SLS 2175

Sponsored by Senator KEIM of Oxford.

Cosponsored by Representative: HENDERSON of Rumford.

_________________________________

ENACTORS

The Committee on Engrossed Bills reported as truly and strictly engrossed the following:

Act

(7-1) An Act to Support Nonprofit Organizations and Federally Recognized Indian Tribes by Authorizing the Operation of Electronic Lucky Seven or Similar Sealed Ticket Devices and Updating the High-stakes Beano Law

S.P. 947 L.D. 2213
(S "A" S-714; S "B" S-727 to C "A" S-707)

_________________________________

HELD MATTER

Bill "An Act to Establish the Maine Buy American and Build Maine Act"

S.P. 812 L.D. 1983

(In Senate, April 18, 2024, the Senate INSISTED on its former action whereby the Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" (S-677) AS AMENDED BY SENATE AMENDMENT "A" (S-697) thereto in NON-CONCURRENCE.)

(In House, House INSISTED on its former action whereby Minority OUGHT NOT TO PASS Report was READ and ACCEPTED.)

_________________________________

ORDERS OF THE DAY

Unfinished Business

The following matters in the consideration of which the Senate was engaged at the time of Adjournment have preference in the Orders of the Day and continue with such preference until disposed of as provided by Senate Rule 516.

Tabled and Later Assigned

SENATE REPORTS - from the Committee on TAXATION on Bill "An Act to Amend Maine's Tax Laws"

S.P. 211 L.D. 457

Report "A" - Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-643) (7 members)

Report "B" - Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee Amendment "B" (S-644) (3 members)

Report "C" - Ought Not to Pass (1 member)

Tabled - April 3, 2024 by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock

Pending - ACCEPTANCE OF ANY REPORT

_________________________________

Tabled and Later Assigned

An Act Regarding Quality of Care and the Board of Trustees at the Maine Veterans' Homes

H.P. 1418 L.D. 2211
(C "A" H-882)

Tabled - April 9, 2024 by Senator HICKMAN of Kennebec

Pending - ENACTMENT in concurrence

(In House, PASSED TO BE ENACTED.)

_________________________________

Tabled and Later Assigned

An Act to Improve Women's Health and Economic Security by Funding Family Planning Services

S.P. 598 L.D. 1478
(C "A" S-122)

Tabled - April 18, 2024 by Senator ROTUNDO of Androscoggin

Pending - ENACTMENT in concurrence

(In Senate, April 18, 2024, taken from the SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS TABLE.)

(In House, PASSED TO BE ENACTED.)

_________________________________

Tabled and Later Assigned

SENATE REPORTS - from the Committee on TAXATION on Bill "An Act to Promote Equity in the Forest Products Industry by Allowing Commercial Wood Haulers to Be Eligible for Certain Sales Tax Exemptions and Refunds"

S.P. 994 L.D. 2279

Report "A" - Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-715) (8 members)

Report "B" - Ought Not to Pass (4 members)

Report "C" - Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee Amendment "B" (S-716) (1 member)

Tabled - April 18, 2024 by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock

Pending - ACCEPTANCE OF ANY REPORT

_________________________________

Tabled and Later Assigned

Bill "An Act to Provide Funding to Rebuild Infrastructure Affected by Extreme Inland and Coastal Weather Events" (EMERGENCY)

H.P. 1426 L.D. 2225

Tabled - April 18, 2024 by Senator VITELLI of Sagadahoc

Pending - FURTHER CONSIDERATION

(In Senate, April 15, 2024, PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" (H-894) AS AMENDED BY SENATE AMENDMENT "B" (S-710) thereto in NON-CONCURRENCE.)

(In House, PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" (H-894) AS AMENDED BY HOUSE AMENDMENT "A" (H-980) thereto in NON-CONCURRENCE.)

_________________________________

Tabled and Later Assigned

An Act to Prohibit Certain Training Repayment Agreements by Employers

S.P. 299 L.D. 741
(C "A" S-200)

Tabled - April 18, 2024 by Senator ROTUNDO of Androscoggin

Pending - ENACTMENT in concurrence

(In Senate, April 18, 2024, taken from the SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS TABLE.)

(In House, PASSED TO BE ENACTED.)

_________________________________

Tabled and Later Assigned

An Act to Allow Employees to Request Flexible Work Schedules

H.P. 516 L.D. 827
(C "A" H-322)

Tabled - April 18, 2024 by Senator ROTUNDO of Androscoggin

Pending - ENACTMENT in concurrence

(In Senate, April 18, 2024, taken from the SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS TABLE.)

(In House, PASSED TO BE ENACTED.)

_________________________________

Tabled and Later Assigned

An Act to Require Employers to Disclose Pay Ranges and Maintain Records of Employees' Pay History

H.P. 583 L.D. 936
(C "A" H-255)

Tabled - April 18, 2024 by Senator ROTUNDO of Androscoggin

Pending - ENACTMENT in concurrence

(In Senate, April 18, 2024, taken from the SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS TABLE.)

(In House, PASSED TO BE ENACTED.)

_________________________________

Tabled and Later Assigned

An Act to Protect Workers from Employer Surveillance

H.P. 596 L.D. 949
(C "A" H-173; H "A" H-575 to C "A" H-173)

Tabled - April 18, 2024 by Senator ROTUNDO of Androscoggin

Pending - ENACTMENT in concurrence

(In Senate, April 18, 2024, taken from the SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS TABLE.)

(In House, PASSED TO BE ENACTED.)

_________________________________

10.

Tabled and Later Assigned

An Act to Require Minimum Pay for Reporting to Work

S.P. 486 L.D. 1190
(C "A" S-377)

Tabled - April 18, 2024 by Senator ROTUNDO of Androscoggin

Pending - ENACTMENT in concurrence

(In Senate, April 18, 2024, taken from the SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS TABLE.)

(In House, PASSED TO BE ENACTED.)

_________________________________

11.

Tabled and Later Assigned

An Act to Increase Affordable Housing by Expanding Tax Increment Financing

H.P. 948 L.D. 1493
(C "A" H-646)

Tabled - April 18, 2024 by Senator ROTUNDO of Androscoggin

Pending - ENACTMENT in concurrence

(In Senate, April 18, 2024, taken from the SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS TABLE.)

(In House, PASSED TO BE ENACTED.)

_________________________________

12.

Tabled and Later Assigned

An Act to Provide Relief to Federal or State Employees Affected by a Federal Government or State Government Shutdown

S.P. 906 L.D. 2113
(C "A" S-647; H "A" H-970 to C "A" S-647)

Tabled - April 18, 2024 by Senator ROTUNDO of Androscoggin

Pending - ENACTMENT in concurrence

(In House, PASSED TO BE ENACTED.)

_________________________________

SPECIAL STUDY TABLE

Emergency

Resolve, to Establish the Task Force to Study Barriers to Achieving Behavioral Health Integration and Parity

H.P. 829 L.D. 1304
(C "A" H-220)

Tabled - June 6, 2023 by Senator DAUGHTRY of Cumberland

Pending - FINAL PASSAGE in NON-CONCURRENCE

(CARRIED OVER, pursuant to Joint Order SP 847.)

_________________________________

Emergency

Resolve, to Establish the Blue Ribbon Commission to Make Recommendations on the Continuum of Long-term Care Options

S.P. 743 L.D. 1827
(C "A" S-521)

Tabled - February 27, 2024 by Senator VITELLI of Sagadahoc

Pending - FINAL PASSAGE in concurrence

_________________________________

Emergency

Resolve, to Establish a Task Force to Study Sharing the Costs of Training First Responders Among Governmental Entities

H.P. 905 L.D. 1409
(C "A" H-814)

Tabled - March 20, 2024 by Senator VITELLI of Sagadahoc

Pending - FINAL PASSAGE in concurrence

_________________________________

Resolve, to Establish the Commission to Improve Tenant-Landlord Relationships and Maximize the Use of Housing Vouchers

H.P. 1099 L.D. 1710
(C "A" H-821)

Tabled - March 20, 2024 by Senator VITELLI of Sagadahoc

Pending - FINAL PASSAGE in concurrence

_________________________________

Resolve, to Establish the Commission to Evaluate the Requirements for Licensing of Social Workers

H.P. 1273 L.D. 1990
(C "A" H-822)

Tabled - March 26, 2024 by Senator DAUGHTRY of Cumberland

Pending - FINAL PASSAGE in concurrence

_________________________________

Emergency

Resolve, to Reestablish the Task Force on Accessibility to Appropriate Communication Methods for Deaf and Hard-of-hearing Patients

H.P. 1446 L.D. 2255
(C "A" H-886)

Tabled - April 3, 2024 by Senator DAUGHTRY of Cumberland

Pending - FINAL PASSAGE in concurrence

_________________________________

Resolve, to Establish the Commission to Study Pathways for Creating a Psilocybin Services Program in Maine

S.P. 774 L.D. 1914
(C "A" S-658)

Tabled - April 10, 2024 by Senator DAUGHTRY of Cumberland

Pending - FINAL PASSAGE in concurrence

_________________________________

Resolve, to Study the Role of Natural Gas in an Equitable Clean Energy Transition for Maine

H.P. 1336 L.D. 2077
(C "A" H-890)

Tabled - April 10, 2024 by Senator DAUGHTRY of Cumberland

Pending - FINAL PASSAGE in concurrence

_________________________________

Emergency

Resolve, to Establish the Task Force to Study Changes to the Legal Status of Scheduled Drugs

H.P. 1266 L.D. 1975
(C "A" H-931)

Tabled - April 11, 2024 by Senator DAUGHTRY of Cumberland

Pending - FINAL PASSAGE in concurrence

_________________________________

10.

Emergency

Resolve, to Establish the Commission to Recommend Methods for Preventing Deed Fraud in the State

S.P. 960 L.D. 2240
(C "A" S-672)

Tabled - April 11, 2024 by Senator DAUGHTRY of Cumberland

Pending - FINAL PASSAGE in concurrence

_________________________________

11.

Emergency

Resolve, Directing the Department of Education to Establish the Commission to Study School Construction Policy and Funding

H.P. 1476 L.D. 2285

Tabled - April 11, 2024 by Senator DAUGHTRY of Cumberland

Pending - FINAL PASSAGE in NON-CONCURRENCE

_________________________________

12.

Resolve, to Establish the Commission on Predictability of Mandated Overtime for Pulp or Paper Manufacturing Facility Employees

S.P. 719 L.D. 1794
(C "A" S-670)

Tabled - April 12, 2024 by Senator DAUGHTRY of Cumberland

Pending - FINAL PASSAGE in concurrence

_________________________________

13.

Emergency

An Act to Implement the Recommendations of the Gagetown Harmful Chemical Study Commission and to Reestablish the Gagetown Harmful Chemical Study Commission

S.P. 990 L.D. 2274
(C "A" S-660)

Tabled - April 12, 2024 by Senator DAUGHTRY of Cumberland

Pending - ENACTMENT in concurrence

_________________________________

14.

Resolve, to Establish the Task Force to Study the Creation of a System to Allow for the Voluntary Waiver of Firearm Rights

H.P. 1343 L.D. 2119

Tabled - April 15, 2024 by Senator DAUGHTRY of Cumberland

Pending - FINAL PASSAGE in concurrence

_________________________________

SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS TABLE

_________________________________ STATE OF MAINE

ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE

SECOND REGULAR SESSION

SENATE ADVANCED JOURNAL AND CALENDAR

Friday, May 10, 2024

SUPPLEMENT NO. 1

ORDERS

Joint Resolution

(4-1) On motion by President JACKSON of Aroostook (Cosponsored by Senators: BAILEY of York, BALDACCI of Penobscot, BEEBE-CENTER of Knox, BENNETT of Oxford, BLACK of Franklin, BRAKEY of Androscoggin, BRENNER of Cumberland, CARNEY of Cumberland, CHIPMAN of Cumberland, CURRY of Waldo, DAUGHTRY of Cumberland, DUSON of Cumberland, FARRIN of Somerset, GROHOSKI of Hancock, GUERIN of Penobscot, HARRINGTON of York, HICKMAN of Kennebec, INGWERSEN of York, KEIM of Oxford, LaFOUNTAIN of Kennebec, LAWRENCE of York, LIBBY of Cumberland, LYFORD of Penobscot, MOORE of Washington, NANGLE of Cumberland, PIERCE of Cumberland, POULIOT of Kennebec, RAFFERTY of York, RENY of Lincoln, ROTUNDO of Androscoggin, STEWART of Aroostook, TIMBERLAKE of Androscoggin, TIPPING of Penobscot, VITELLI of Sagadahoc, Representatives: ABDI of Lewiston, ADAMS of Lebanon, ALBERT of Madawaska, ANKELES of Brunswick, ARATA of New Gloucester, ARDELL of Monticello, ARFORD of Brunswick, BABIN of Fort Fairfield, BAGSHAW of Windham, BECK of South Portland, BELL of Yarmouth, BLIER of Buxton, BOYER of Poland, BOYLE of Gorham, BRADSTREET of Vassalboro, BRENNAN of Portland, BRIDGEO of Augusta, CAMPBELL of Orrington, CARLOW of Buxton, CARMICHAEL of Greenbush, CLOUTIER of Lewiston, CLUCHEY of Bowdoinham, COLLAMORE of Pittsfield, COLLINGS of Portland, COPELAND of Saco, COSTAIN of Plymouth, CRAFTS of Newcastle, CRAVEN of Lewiston, CRAY of Palmyra, CROCKETT of Portland, CYRWAY of Albion, DANA of the Passamaquoddy Tribe, DAVIS of East Machias, DHALAC of South Portland, DILL of Old Town, DODGE of Belfast, DOUDERA of Camden, DRINKWATER of Milford, DUCHARME of Madison, DUNPHY of Embden, EATON of Deer Isle, FAULKINGHAM of Winter Harbor, FAY of Raymond, FOSTER of Dexter, FREDERICKS of Sanford, GALLETTA of Durham, GATTINE of Westbrook, GEIGER of Rockland, GERE of Kennebunkport, GIFFORD of Lincoln, GOLEK of Harpswell, GRAHAM of North Yarmouth, GRAMLICH of Old Orchard Beach, GREENWOOD of Wales, GUERRETTE of Caribou, HAGGAN of Hampden, HALL of Wilton, HASENFUS of Readfield, HEPLER of Woolwich, HOBBS of Wells, HYMES of Waldo, JACKSON of Oxford, JAVNER of Chester, KESSLER of South Portland, KUHN of Falmouth, LAJOIE of Lewiston, LANDRY of Farmington, LANIGAN of Sanford, LaROCHELLE of Augusta, LAVIGNE of Berwick, LEE of Auburn, LEMELIN of Chelsea, LOOKNER of Portland, LYMAN of Livermore Falls, MADIGAN of Waterville, MALON of Biddeford, MASTRACCIO of Sanford, MATHIESON of Kittery, MATLACK of St. George, MEYER of Eliot, MILLETT of Waterford, MILLETT of Cape Elizabeth, MILLIKEN of Blue Hill, MONTELL of Gardiner, MOONEN of Portland, MORIARTY of Cumberland, MORRIS of Turner, MURPHY of Scarborough, NESS of Fryeburg, NEWMAN of Belgrade, NUTTING of Oakland, O'CONNELL of Brewer, O'NEIL of Saco, OSHER of Orono, PARRY of Arundel, PAUL of Winterport, PERKINS of Dover-Foxcroft, PERRY of Calais, PERRY of Bangor, PLUECKER of Warren, POLEWARCZYK of Wiscasset, POMERLEAU of Standish, PRINGLE of Windham, QUINT of Hodgdon, RANA of Bangor, RIELLY of Westbrook, RISEMAN of Harrison, ROBERTS of South Berwick, ROEDER of Bangor, RUDNICKI of Fairfield, RUNTE of York, RUSSELL of Verona Island, SACHS of Freeport, SALISBURY of Westbrook, SAMPSON of Alfred, SARGENT of York, SAYRE of Kennebunk, SCHMERSAL-BURGESS of Mexico, SHAGOURY of Hallowell, SHAW of Auburn, SHEEHAN of Biddeford, SIMMONS of Waldoboro, SINCLAIR of Bath, SKOLD of Portland, SMITH of Palermo, SOBOLESKI of Phillips, STOVER of Boothbay, STROUT of Harrington, SUPICA of Bangor, SWALLOW of Houlton, Speaker TALBOT ROSS of Portland, TERRY of Gorham, THERIAULT of Fort Kent, THORNE of Carmel, WALKER of Naples, WARREN of Scarborough, WHITE of Waterville, WHITE of Guilford, WOOD of Greene, WOODSOME of Waterboro, WORTH of Ellsworth, ZAGER of Portland, ZEIGLER of Montville),

the following Joint Resolution:

S.P. 1009

JOINT RESOLUTION TO REAFFIRM THE FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN MAINE

AND TAIWAN, ENHANCE BILATERAL TRADE RELATIONS WITH TAIWAN

AND SUPPORT TAIWAN'S INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPATION

WHEREAS, the United States and the Republic of China (Taiwan) share a robust bilateral relationship marked by a mutually beneficial partnership, supported by our common values of freedom, democracy, rule of law and a free market economy, and our countries now enjoy the strongest relations ever, and we congratulate Taiwan on its presidential election held on January 13, 2024 and the election of Dr. Lai Ching-te, whose presidential inauguration is to be held on May 20, 2024; and

WHEREAS, the United States ranks as Taiwan's 2nd largest trading partner, and Taiwan is the 8th largest trading partner of the United States, with United States trade in goods with Taiwan totaling an estimated $127.4 billion in 2023, and Taiwan was the 7th largest consumer of agricultural goods in 2023, totaling $3.7 billion; and

WHEREAS, 2024 marks the 45th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), Public Law 96-8, which has acted as the cornerstone of United States-Taiwan relations to help maintain peace, security and stability in the Western Pacific and to promote the foreign policy of the United States by authorizing the continuation of commercial, cultural and other relations between the people of the United States and the people of Taiwan, and for other purposes; and

WHEREAS, Taiwan-Maine bilateral trade totaled $50.3 million in 2023, and Maine exported to Taiwan $31.1 million in integrated circuits, wafers, printed circuit boards, crustaceans, paper products and other goods, making Taiwan Maine's 17th largest export market in the world and 8th largest export market in Asia, and a formal bilateral trade agreement between Taiwan and the United States would result in even greater Maine exports to Taiwan and create more jobs for the people of Maine; and

WHEREAS, Maine and Taiwan have mutually agreed to enhancing K-12 education exchange, and we welcome all opportunities for even closer educational cooperation with Taiwan, such as the signing of a memorandum of understanding regarding higher education cooperation and a driver's license reciprocity agreement for those who live and work in Maine and Taiwan; and

WHEREAS, Maine recognizes Taiwan's contribution to a broad range of global issues, and therefore Taiwan's inclusion in international organizations such as the World Health Organization, the International Criminal Police Organization, the International Civil Aviation Organization and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is imperative for the best interests and safety of the international community; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED: That We, the Members of the One Hundred and Thirty-first Legislature now assembled in the Second Regular Session, on behalf of the people we represent, support a stronger United States-Taiwan relationship under the Biden administration, including the signing of a bilateral trade agreement and an income tax agreement, and encourage the further exploration of ways to strengthen and promote bilateral exchange between Maine and Taiwan, including signing a driver's license reciprocity agreement and a memorandum of understanding regarding higher education cooperation with Taiwan in the near future, and support pursuing ways to further increase trade and people-to-people exchanges; and be it further

RESOLVED: That we support Taiwan's legitimate right to participate in international organizations, agreements and mechanisms; and be it further

RESOLVED: That suitable copies of this resolution, duly authenticated by the Secretary of State, be transmitted to the Honorable Joseph R. Biden, President of the United States, the members of the Maine Congressional Delegation, the Honorable Janet Mills, Governor of Maine, the Honorable Tsai Ing-wen, President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the Honorable Charles Liao, Director-General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Boston, Massachusetts.

_________________________________

STATE OF MAINE

ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE

SECOND REGULAR SESSION

SENATE ADVANCED JOURNAL AND CALENDAR

Friday, May 10, 2024

SUPPLEMENT NO. 2

ORDERS

Joint Orders

Expressions of Legislative Sentiment recognizing:

(4-1) Jordan Allen, of Turner, who was named the 2023 Firefighter of the Year by the Town of Turner. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2178

Sponsored by Senator TIMBERLAKE of Androscoggin.

Cosponsored by Representative: MORRIS of Turner.

(4-2) Kenneth O'Leary, of Turner, who was named the 2023 Rescue Employee of the Year by the Town of Turner. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

SLS 2179

Sponsored by Senator TIMBERLAKE of Androscoggin.

Cosponsored by Representative: MORRIS of Turner.

_________________________________

STATE OF MAINE

ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE

SECOND REGULAR SESSION

SENATE ADVANCED JOURNAL AND CALENDAR

Friday, May 10, 2024

SUPPLEMENT NO. 3

ORDERS

Joint Resolution

(4-1) On motion by President JACKSON of Aroostook (Cosponsored by Senators: BAILEY of York, BALDACCI of Penobscot, BEEBE-CENTER of Knox, BENNETT of Oxford, BLACK of Franklin, BRAKEY of Androscoggin, BRENNER of Cumberland, CARNEY of Cumberland, CHIPMAN of Cumberland, CURRY of Waldo, DAUGHTRY of Cumberland, DUSON of Cumberland, FARRIN of Somerset, GROHOSKI of Hancock, GUERIN of Penobscot, HARRINGTON of York, HICKMAN of Kennebec, INGWERSEN of York, KEIM of Oxford, LaFOUNTAIN of Kennebec, LAWRENCE of York, LIBBY of Cumberland, LYFORD of Penobscot, MOORE of Washington, NANGLE of Cumberland, PIERCE of Cumberland, POULIOT of Kennebec, RAFFERTY of York, RENY of Lincoln, ROTUNDO of Androscoggin, STEWART of Aroostook, TIMBERLAKE of Androscoggin, TIPPING of Penobscot, VITELLI of Sagadahoc, Representatives: ABDI of Lewiston, ADAMS of Lebanon, ALBERT of Madawaska, ANDREWS of Paris, ANKELES of Brunswick, ARATA of New Gloucester, ARDELL of Monticello, ARFORD of Brunswick, BABIN of Fort Fairfield, BAGSHAW of Windham, BECK of South Portland, BELL of Yarmouth, BLIER of Buxton, BOYER of Poland, BOYLE of Gorham, BRADSTREET of Vassalboro, BRENNAN of Portland, BRIDGEO of Augusta, CAMPBELL of Orrington, CARLOW of Buxton, CARMICHAEL of Greenbush, CLOUTIER of Lewiston, CLUCHEY of Bowdoinham, COLLAMORE of Pittsfield, COLLINGS of Portland, COPELAND of Saco, COSTAIN of Plymouth, CRAFTS of Newcastle, CRAVEN of Lewiston, CRAY of Palmyra, CROCKETT of Portland, CYRWAY of Albion, DANA of the Passamaquoddy Tribe, DAVIS of East Machias, DHALAC of South Portland, DILL of Old Town, DODGE of Belfast, DOUDERA of Camden, DRINKWATER of Milford, DUCHARME of Madison, DUNPHY of Embden, EATON of Deer Isle, FAULKINGHAM of Winter Harbor, FAY of Raymond, FOSTER of Dexter, FREDERICKS of Sanford, GALLETTA of Durham, GATTINE of Westbrook, GEIGER of Rockland, GERE of Kennebunkport, GIFFORD of Lincoln, GOLEK of Harpswell, GRAHAM of North Yarmouth, GRAMLICH of Old Orchard Beach, GREENWOOD of Wales, GRIFFIN of Levant, GUERRETTE of Caribou, HAGGAN of Hampden, HALL of Wilton, HASENFUS of Readfield, HENDERSON of Rumford, HEPLER of Woolwich, HOBBS of Wells, HYMES of Waldo, JACKSON of Oxford, JAVNER of Chester, KESSLER of South Portland, KUHN of Falmouth, LAJOIE of Lewiston, LANDRY of Farmington, LANIGAN of Sanford, LaROCHELLE of Augusta, LAVIGNE of Berwick, LEE of Auburn, LEMELIN of Chelsea, LIBBY of Auburn, LOOKNER of Portland, LYMAN of Livermore Falls, MADIGAN of Waterville, MALON of Biddeford, MASTRACCIO of Sanford, MATHIESON of Kittery, MATLACK of St. George, MEYER of Eliot, MILLETT of Waterford, MILLETT of Cape Elizabeth, MILLIKEN of Blue Hill, MONTELL of Gardiner, MOONEN of Portland, MORIARTY of Cumberland, MORRIS of Turner, MURPHY of Scarborough, NESS of Fryeburg, NEWMAN of Belgrade, NUTTING of Oakland, O'CONNELL of Brewer, O'NEIL of Saco, OSHER of Orono, PARRY of Arundel, PAUL of Winterport, PERKINS of Dover-Foxcroft, PERRY of Calais, PERRY of Bangor, PLUECKER of Warren, POIRIER of Skowhegan, POLEWARCZYK of Wiscasset, POMERLEAU of Standish, PRINGLE of Windham, QUINT of Hodgdon, RANA of Bangor, RIELLY of Westbrook, RISEMAN of Harrison, ROBERTS of South Berwick, ROEDER of Bangor, RUDNICKI of Fairfield, RUNTE of York, RUSSELL of Verona Island, SACHS of Freeport, SALISBURY of Westbrook, SAMPSON of Alfred, SARGENT of York, SAYRE of Kennebunk, SCHMERSAL-BURGESS of Mexico, SHAGOURY of Hallowell, SHAW of Auburn, SHEEHAN of Biddeford, SIMMONS of Waldoboro, SINCLAIR of Bath, SKOLD of Portland, SMITH of Palermo, SOBOLESKI of Phillips, STOVER of Boothbay, STROUT of Harrington, SUPICA of Bangor, SWALLOW of Houlton, Speaker TALBOT ROSS of Portland, TERRY of Gorham, THERIAULT of Fort Kent, THORNE of Carmel, UNDERWOOD of Presque Isle, WALKER of Naples, WARREN of Scarborough, WHITE of Waterville, WHITE of Guilford, WOOD of Greene, WOODSOME of Waterboro, WORTH of Ellsworth, ZAGER of Portland, ZEIGLER of Montville),

the following Joint Resolution:

S.P. 1010

JOINT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING

JUNE 28, 2024 AS MAINE ACADIAN DAY

WHEREAS, in 1604, French settlers established the first European settlement in Maine on Saint Croix Island, and these settlers, known as Acadians, were adaptable and resilient, turning hardy wilderness into fertile farmland using nutrients from the sea; and

WHEREAS, Acadians endured great hardships during their settling in the Acadian region, including their expulsion between 1755 and 1764, when more than 10,000 men, women and children were forcefully deported from the region at the hands of the British governors of Nova Scotia and Massachusetts to southern colonies and British prisons, with some escaping and becoming refugees; and

WHEREAS, in 2003, a Royal Proclamation was signed in Canada that acknowledged the wrongdoings committed in the name of the English Crown during the Acadian deportation between 1755 and 1764 and established June 28th of every year as "a day of commemoration of the Great Upheaval"; and

WHEREAS, Acadians settled in the Madawaska region decades before Maine achieved statehood; and

WHEREAS, today more than 1/3 of the population of the State is of French descent, mostly of Quebecois and Acadian origin; and

WHEREAS, Franco-Americans and those of Acadian heritage have contributed greatly to the history and cultural heritage of the State; and

WHEREAS, French, and by extension Acadian, culture is celebrated throughout the State with events such as Franco-American Day; and

WHEREAS, residents who are fluent in both French and English are of great cultural and economic importance to the State; and

WHEREAS, French is the primary language for thousands of Maine residents, and a 2nd language for thousands more; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED: That We, the Members of the One Hundred and Thirty-first Legislature now assembled in the Second Regular Session, on behalf of the people we represent, take this opportunity to recognize June 28, 2024 as Maine Acadian Day in honor of the Acadian culture that holds great significance in the Saint John Valley and throughout the State.

_________________________________

STATE OF MAINE

ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE

SECOND REGULAR SESSION

SENATE ADVANCED JOURNAL AND CALENDAR

Friday, May 10, 2024

SUPPLEMENT NO. 5

PAPERS FROM THE HOUSE

Joint Resolutions

(1-1) The following Joint Resolution:

H.P. 1484

JOINT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MAINE ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THE UNITED STATES COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS REPORT ON FEDERAL AND STATE SERVICES AND THE MAINE INDIAN

WHEREAS, in December 1974, the Maine Advisory Committee to the United States Commission on Civil Rights published a report entitled “Federal and State Services and the Maine Indian”; and

WHEREAS, in the report, the committee found that Maine Indians were being denied services provided to other Indians by various federal agencies, that Indians in the State were entitled to these services and that their continued denial constituted invidious discrimination against Indians in the State; and

WHEREAS, the committee also found that 1/2 of the Indians in the State were not receiving state services because they lived off-reservation and recommended that the State develop an integrated program of services for members of the Passamaquoddy Tribe, Penobscot Nation, Mi’kmaq Nation and Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians regardless of their residency on-reservation or off-reservation; and

WHEREAS, the committee found that both state and federal services had been withheld from a people whose need for assistance was tragically evident, and that withholding was the result of long-standing assumptions, policies and practices of discrimination against the Indian population of the State; and

WHEREAS, in addition to its investigation of the denial of specific Indian services, the committee reviewed the various state and federal programs for which Maine Indians were generally eligible as citizens and found that Indians had seldom been included in the planning or decision-making processes that affected their lives; and

WHEREAS, the committee expressed the overriding concern that every state and federal entity that may possibly have an impact on Indian people in the State should have Indian representation and structural input in the development and provision of services and that there should be expansion of social services from both state and federal levels to allow Maine Indians to enjoy full and equal citizenship under the Constitution of Maine and the United States Constitution; and

WHEREAS, among many policy recommendations, the committee recommended that, as a matter of basic principle, both State and Federal Governments reexamine their policies toward Indians in the State and elsewhere and affirm the inherent right of Indian self-determination and tribal sovereignty; and

WHEREAS, the committee pledged to work diligently at the federal, state and local levels to further the recommendations of the report and called upon all citizens of the State to join them; and

WHEREAS, then-Governor of Maine Kenneth Curtis wrote as a foreword to the report that it was the intention of his administration to “continue to work to guarantee that the Indians of Maine have equal access to the quality of life to which all Maine people aspire, but until that access is fully opened and free of obstructions, there is no question that the ‘trail of tears’ will go on and its specter will haunt us, and Maine and the nation will have failed to fulfill their just obligations to the Indians of this state”; and

WHEREAS, this report joins a legacy of advancement of the sovereignty and self-determination of Wabanaki Indian nations, tribes and bands in the State, who have endured systemic discrimination and racism by this State and other governmental entities, by recognizing present inequities in light of their historical roots and by issuing recommendations to repair these inequities in future policy and legislation; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED: That We, the Members of the One Hundred and Thirty-first Legislature now assembled in the Second Regular Session, on behalf of the people we represent, take this opportunity to recognize the accomplishment of the Maine Advisory Committee to the United States Commission on Civil Rights report entitled “Federal and State Services and the Maine Indian,” honor the commission’s commitment to long-standing principles of equity and justice in the State and recognize that there is still much work to do to accomplish the committee’s recommendations and create a fair and just partnership with the Wabanaki Indian nations, tribes and bands who live in the State and have existed in the State since time immemorial.

Comes from the House, READ and ADOPTED.

_________________________________

(1-2) The following Joint Resolution:

H.P. 1488

JOINT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE HONORABLE H. SAWIN MILLETT, JR. FOR HIS PUBLIC SERVICE TO THE STATE

WHEREAS, the Honorable H. Sawin Millett, Jr., who represents House District 81, which includes Norway, Sweden, Waterford, Albany Township, Greenwood, South Oxford, Stoneham, Stow, Mason Township and Locke Mills, is retiring from his service to the Maine State Legislature; and

WHEREAS, Representative Millett is currently serving his 9th term in Maine’s House of Representatives and has served as the Republican lead on both the Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs and the Government Oversight Committee and has also served on the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs; and

WHEREAS, Representative Millett was first elected to the Maine House of Representatives in 1968, serving in the 104th and 105th Legislatures, and went on to serve from the 121st Legislature to the 124th Legislature as well as from the 129th Legislature to the 131st Legislature; and

WHEREAS, his varied career includes service as a teacher, coach, principal, assistant school superintendent, farmer, municipal officer and state commissioner, including service as Commissioner of Education; Associate Commissioner of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services; and Commissioner of Administrative and Financial Services. He has served under Governors Longley, Brennan, McKernan, King and LePage; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED: That We, the Members of the One Hundred and Thirty-first Legislature now assembled in the Second Regular Session, on behalf of the people we represent, take this opportunity to recognize the Honorable H. Sawin Millett, Jr. for his decades of public service to the State and extend to him our appreciation for his dedication, expertise and judgment and congratulate him on his retirement from the Maine State Legislature.

Comes from the House, READ and ADOPTED.

_________________________________

STATE OF MAINE

ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE

SECOND REGULAR SESSION

SENATE ADVANCED JOURNAL AND CALENDAR

Friday, May 10, 2024

SUPPLEMENT NO. 6

PAPERS FROM THE HOUSE

Joint Orders

Expressions of Legislative Sentiment recognizing:

(1-1) Karen Kelley-Grenier, of Fairfield, who works at the Waterville Elks Banquet Center, and who has received the Customer Service Stardom Award from the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

HLS 1059

(1-2) Dominic Hau, of Falmouth, a member of Troop No. 93, who has attained the high rank and distinction of Eagle Scout. This is the highest award in Scouting and is given for excellence in skills development, leadership, personal growth and community service. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

HLS 1061

(1-3) Logan Peters, of Falmouth, a member of Troop No. 93, who has attained the high rank and distinction of Eagle Scout. This is the highest award in Scouting and is given for excellence in skills development, leadership, personal growth and community service. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

HLS 1062

(1-4) Yana Montell, of Gardiner, who has been named the Boys and Girls Clubs of Kennebec Valley Youth of the Year. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

HLS 1065

(1-5) Hamblin "Ham" Parsons Allen, of Jay, who has received the Boston Post Cane, an honor given to the oldest citizen of a municipality, and who celebrated his 102nd birthday on September 23, 2023. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

HLS 1066

(1-6) Tyler Tenney, of Harrington, coach of the Narraguagus Jr./Sr. High School varsity soccer team, who has been named the 2023 Downeast Conference Soccer Coach of the Year. Mr. Tenney has won three Downeast Athletic Conference Championships and has been named Coach of the Year three times. He was also named Penobscot Valley Conference Coach of the Year. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

HLS 1069

(1-7) David Duguay, of Byron, Oxford County Commissioner for District 2, for his 20 years of public service. We extend our appreciation and best wishes;

HLS 1070

(1-8) Jalen Lucas, of Presque Isle, who was named the 2024 Northern Maine Community College Student of the Year. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

HLS 1072

(1-9) Robert "Bob" Brainerd, of Lewiston, who received the Auburn Business Association Citizen of the Year Award. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

HLS 1074

(1-10) Charles Shay, of Bretteville-l'Orgueilleuse, France, on the celebration of his 100th birthday on June 27, 2024. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

HLS 1075

(1-11) Malcolm "Pete" Carter, of Sedgwick, who has received the Boston Post Cane, an honor given to the oldest citizen of a municipality, and who recently celebrated his 100th birthday. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

HLS 1076

(1-12) Malcolm "Pete" and Wahneeta Carter, of Sedgwick, on the celebration of their 78th Wedding Anniversary. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

HLS 1077

(1-13) the Lewiston High School Cheerleading Team, which won the Class A State Championship. This is the team's first Class A title since 2022 and the 12th state championship in program history, the most of any Class A cheering program. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

HLS 1078

(1-14) Leanne Robbin, of Brunswick, an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Maine, for her service to the people of Maine and for receiving the 2023 Thomas Delahanty Award. Working in the Attorney General's office for over 40 years, Ms. Robbin is the office's longest serving member. She has spent the majority of her career protecting those who have been financially victimized but has also taken on difficult homicide cases, civil rights cases and deadly force cases, among others, and she has argued cases before Maine's Supreme Judicial Court sitting as the Law Court. She has worked to protect children, people of color, immigrants, both abortion protesters and abortion supporters, district attorneys, law enforcement officers and the environment. Over her career, Ms. Robbin has accumulated a wealth of experience that she generously shares as a mentor. She has demonstrated the highest level of professionalism, integrity and ethical standards as well as compassion and a fervor for justice. We extend our appreciation and best wishes;

HLS 1079

(1-15) Lynn Ellis, of Brunswick, a gun safety and violence prevention advocate and the Legislative Administrator and a board member of the Maine Gun Safety Coalition, who received the 2023 Fitzgerald Award for championing the cause of gun safety in Maine and who was named Advocate of the Year by the Maine Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

HLS 1080

(1-16) Keith A. Emery, of Buxton, for his 30 years of service on Buxton's Planning Board. We extend our appreciation and best wishes;

HLS 1081

(1-17) Josh Smith, of Hartford, a Game Warden Investigator with the Maine Warden Service serving in Division A in Gray, who was named the 2023 Maine Game Warden of the Year. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

HLS 1082

(1-18) Bangor Christian Schools on the celebration of their 50th Anniversary. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

HLS 1083

(1-19) Julia Gagnon, of Cumberland. Ms. Gagnon is a college senior at the University of Southern Maine and has recently been a contestant on the popular "American Idol" television show. Her extraordinary singing has captivated viewers across Maine and the nation, and following elimination rounds she qualified to compete among the top 7 remaining artists from around the country. No other performer from Maine has advanced so far in the 22-year history of the program. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

HLS 1085

(1-20) Edward Rankin, Sr., of Orland, on his retirement after 27 years of service with both the Town of Bucksport, for which he served 11 years on the Town Council, and the Town of Orland, for which he has served 16 years as a Selectman, including years of service as Chair of the Board of Selectmen. Mr. Rankin has helped lead the Town of Orland through many changes, including the development of the Regional School Unit 25 school, redevelopment of the Orland Consolidated School into the Orland Community Center, the transferal of ownership of the Orland Village Dam to the town, the transition to the Orland Transfer Station, including the construction of a new facility, the closure of the Verso Paper Mill and development of a new fire station. We extend our appreciation and best wishes;

HLS 1091

(1-21) the Town of Albion on its 200th Anniversary. Albion, a rural community located on the northeast side of Kennebec County, was settled in 1790 as Freetown Plantation by Congregational minister Daniel Lovejoy, father of Presbyterian minister Elijah Parish Lovejoy. It was incorporated as the Town of Fairfax on March 9, 1804. The town annexed land from Winslow in 1810 and gave up segments of land in 1813, 1816 and 1818 that would eventually become China. It annexed part of Unity Plantation in 1852, gave up part of its territory to Benton in 1853 and annexed part of Benton in 1989. The town's name was changed to Ligonia on March 10, 1821 and then to Albion on February 25, 1824. Albion currently is home to just over 2,000 people in approximately 916 households. We extend to them our congratulations and best wishes on this anniversary;

HLS 1092

(1-22) Dot Baker, of Orland, who is retiring after 28 years of public service to the town. During her career, Ms. Baker oversaw numerous financial and loan accounts and transition processes and organized and supported the resale shop at the Orland Transfer Station. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

HLS 1093

(1-23) Alec Smith, of Hermon, who received the 2024 Presidential Award from Hermon High School. We extend our congratulations and best wishes;

HLS 1094

Come from the House, READ and PASSED.

_________________________________

Joint Resolutions

Joint Resolutions in Memoriam:

WHEREAS, the Legislature has learned with deep regret of the death of:

(1-24) Erlene Sherry Frost, of Pittsfield. Mrs. Frost was a housewife and worked in the Pittsfield school district cafeteria for several years. Mrs. Frost will be long remembered and sadly missed by her family and friends and all those whose lives she touched;

HLS 1060

WHEREAS, the Legislature has learned with deep regret of the death of:

(1-25) Eugene Reynolds, of Georgetown. As a young man, Mr. Reynolds worked for Sears and Senters and as a traffic manager for Hyde Windlass. He went on to start his own business, Reynolds Construction/Paving, which he operated with his sons and grandsons for 60 years. A lifelong sports enthusiast, he sponsored Bath Little League teams and coached basketball teams, and he drove the bus for the children playing basketball at the Bath Armory and taking swim lessons at the YMCA. He played for and coached a men's softball team for many years and served as an ASA umpire. A local historian, he gave talks on a variety of subjects and he wrote "Images of America: Georgetown." He donated the proceeds from the sale of the book to the Georgetown Historical Society, and he was instrumental in the fundraising for the society's building. He was very active in his community as a school board member for over 20 years and as a recreation committee chairman, town constable, fire department captain and road commissioner. Mr. Reynolds will be long remembered and sadly missed by his family and friends and all those whose lives he touched;

HLS 1063

WHEREAS, the Legislature has learned with deep regret of the death of:

(1-26) Dennison "Denny" Attle Smith, of Hampden. Mr. Smith was a veteran of the United States Navy. Among various pursuits, he worked as a truck driver and a home builder. He was a member of Mystic Lodge in Hampden and of Anah Temple Shrine, where he was a member of several units, including the Flag Unit, and was cofounder of the Funsters, participating as Tigger in countless parades and other activities. He was also in the Aide Unit, for which he was Chief Aide. Mr. Smith will be long remembered and sadly missed by his wife of 50 years, Marjorie, his family and friends and all those whose lives he touched;

HLS 1064

WHEREAS, the Legislature has learned with deep regret of the death of:

(1-27) Neil Lester Flood, of Burnham. Mr. Flood worked for over 20 years as a supervisor at the Irving Tannery until he retired for medical reasons. He was a deacon at the Winnecook Christian Church, where he also facilitated the 12-step meetings for many years. Mr. Flood will be long remembered and sadly missed by his wife of 60 years, Hilda, his family and friends and all those whose lives he touched;

HLS 1067

WHEREAS, the Legislature has learned with deep regret of the death of:

(1-28) George M. Taylor, of Calais. Dr. Taylor was an optometrist who practiced in Augusta and Dover, New Hampshire before he opened York Family Eyecare, which he operated from 1987 to 1996. In 1994, he opened Calais Family Eyecare, where he worked until his retirement in 2016. Dr. Taylor will be long remembered and sadly missed by his wife of 42 years, Regina, his family and friends and all those whose lives he touched;

HLS 1068

WHEREAS, the Legislature has learned with deep regret of the death of:

(1-29) Francis "Frank" H. Caverly, of Clinton. A farmer, Mr. Caverly expanded his family's small farming operation and eventually owned the farm with his two younger brothers Brainard "Pudge" and Edgar Charles "E.C." Together they grew and expanded their dairy farm, becoming nationally recognized breeders of Ayrshire cows. He and his brother E.C. were corecipients of the prestigious Skowhegan Fair Agricultural Person of the Year Award. He was also a past president of the Ayrshire Breeders Association and a member of the Benton Grange for over 50 years. Mr. Caverly will be long remembered and sadly missed by his wife of over 55 years, Suzanne, his family and friends and all those whose lives he touched;

HLS 1071

WHEREAS, the Legislature has learned with deep regret of the death of:

(1-30) Richard Parker Start, of Five Islands, Georgetown. Mr. Start was a veteran of the National Guard. He had a long career in the computer industry, starting as a programmer at Volkswagen before eventually working as a program manager with Wang Laboratories. He also worked with Senior Systems, for which he traveled the country to different schools teaching educators about new computer systems. After moving to Georgetown, he established a computer consulting business, Beacon Information Services. He also worked as a carpenter with his friend Mal Estell. They formed a two-man construction company, building additions, decks and garages. Mr. Start and his wife Carol started their own business, Gotts Cove Property Management. He volunteered, lectured and served on the board of the Georgetown Historical Society for a number of years. He worked as a volunteer and served as a deacon with the Pelham First Congregational Church, where he sang in the church choir. Mr. Start will be long remembered and sadly missed by his wife of 58 years, Carol, his family and friends and all those whose lives he touched;

HLS 1073

WHEREAS, the Legislature has learned with deep regret of the death of:

(1-31) Dawn Holt, of Plymouth. Mrs. Holt, a mother and grandmother, was known for her love of friends and family, for whom she orchestrated and hosted many memorable family, birthday and holiday celebrations. Mrs. Holt will be long remembered and sadly missed by her family and friends and all those whose lives she touched;

HLS 1084

WHEREAS, the Legislature has learned with deep regret of the death of:

(1-32) W. Richard Powers, Sr., of Brunswick. Raised on the family farm, Mr. Powers went on to work for Marriner Lumber and then Pejepscot Paper Company. In the early 1960's, he raced at Beech Ridge Speedway. He and his wife, Jean, became full-time farmers with 30,000 laying hens and 100 beef cattle, which were sold directly to local consumers as freezer beef. In 1983, he went to work at The Brunswick Naval Air Station in the public works department while also keeping the farm in operation. He filled many positions, from truck driver to the crew leader spearheading snow removal efforts on the airfield. He assisted in support operations for President George H.W. Bush and made many trips to Walker's Point in Kennebunkport to deliver equipment for the Secret Service. He retired from the Brunswick Naval Air Station in 2002. Mr. Powers will be long remembered and sadly missed by his wife of 57 years, Jean, his family and friends and all those whose lives he touched;

HLS 1086

WHEREAS, the Legislature has learned with deep regret of the death of:

(1-33) the Honorable Windol C. Weaver, of York. A 23-year veteran of the United States Air Force who held the rank of Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.), Mr. Weaver was a pilot who flew B-52 bombers and FB-111s. During his 3 tours in the Vietnam War, he flew over 500 missions and earned numerous commendations and medals including the Distinguished Flying Cross, which is awarded for heroism or extraordinary achievement during aerial flight. After retirement he began a public service career when he was elected to the York Budget Committee and then served 4 terms in the Maine House of Representatives from 2006-2014, where he had a perfect attendance and voting record. Mr. Weaver will be long remembered and sadly missed by his family and friends and all those whose lives he touched;

HLS 1087

WHEREAS, the Legislature has learned with deep regret of the death of:

(1-34) James Strohn Woodard, of Boothbay. Mr. Woodard taught at Bristol High School and Coburn Academy in the 1960s and at Boothbay Region High School in the 1980s and was the longest continuously serving adjunct professor in the history of the University of Maine at Augusta, where he taught English literature and composition from 1990 until his retirement in 2019. Mr. Woodard will be long remembered and sadly missed by his family and friends and all those whose lives he touched;

HLS 1088

WHEREAS, the Legislature has learned with deep regret of the death of:

(1-35) the Honorable Russell P. Treadwell, of Carmel. Mr. Treadwell was a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. He had a 22-year career, serving as a pilot and receiving many recognitions, including the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medals for heroic action against the Viet Cong in Vietnam. He also served as Executive Officer for the Marine All Weather Attack Squadron 324, Marine Air Group 32, and the Marine Corps Air Station in Beaufort, South Carolina. He dedicated many years of service and held leadership roles supporting the citizens of Carmel and the broader region and State. He was instrumental in the growth of Carmel Days and community pride. He served as the chair of the Carmel Republican Committee from 1984 to 2002, the chair of the Town of Carmel Board of Selectmen from 1992 to 1997, the chair of the Carmel Recreation Committee from 1978 to 1982, a member of the School Administrative District 23 School Board from 1983 to 1992 and an elected State Representative for District No. 103 from 1996 to 2004. He also was President, Chief Pilot and Flight Instructor of C&M Aircraft Enterprise and served as a Federal Aviation Examiner and a pilot supporting research across the State for fish, game and agriculture. He contributed countless volunteer hours to many civic organizations throughout his life, including the Scottish Rite and Shrine, American Legion Post 107, Past Master Masons, Benevolent Lodge Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Retired Officer Association and Marine Corps Aviation Association. Mr. Treadwell will be long remembered and sadly missed by his wife of more than 70 years, Christine, his family and friends and all those whose lives he touched;

HLS 1089

WHEREAS, the Legislature has learned with deep regret of the death of:

(1-36) Gloria J. Cascio, of Albion. Mrs. Cascio was employed for many years at Johnny's Seeds, working as their lead shipper and receiver. Mrs. Cascio will be long remembered and sadly missed by her family and friends;

HLS 1090

Come from the House READ and ADOPTED.

_________________________________

STATE OF MAINE

ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE

SECOND REGULAR SESSION

SENATE ADVANCED JOURNAL AND CALENDAR

Friday, May 10, 2024

SUPPLEMENT NO. 7

COMMUNICATIONS

(2-1) The Following Communication:

H.C. 503

STATE OF MAINE

CLERK'S OFFICE

2 STATE HOUSE STATION

AUGUSTA, MAINE 04333-0002

May 10, 2024

Honorable Darek M. Grant

Secretary of the Senate

131st Maine Legislature

Augusta, Maine 04333

Dear Secretary Grant:

House Paper 330, Legislative Document 525, "An Act to Enact the Agricultural Employees Concerted Activity Protection Act," having been returned by the Governor, together with objections to the same, pursuant to Article IV, Part Third, Section 2 of the Constitution of the State of Maine, after reconsideration, the House proceeded to vote on the question: "Shall this Bill become a law notwithstanding the objections of the Governor?"

53 voted in favor and 67 against, and accordingly it was the vote of the House that the Bill not become a law and the veto was sustained.

Sincerely,

S/Robert B. Hunt

Clerk of the House

_________________________________

(2-2) The Following Communication:

H.C. 504

STATE OF MAINE

CLERK'S OFFICE

2 STATE HOUSE STATION

AUGUSTA, MAINE 04333-0002

May 10, 2024

Honorable Darek M. Grant

Secretary of the Senate

131st Maine Legislature

Augusta, Maine 04333

Dear Secretary Grant:

House Paper 1462, Legislative Document 2273, "An Act to Establish a State Minimum Hourly Wage for Agricultural Workers," having been returned by the Governor, together with objections to the same, pursuant to Article IV, Part Third, Section 2 of the Constitution of the State of Maine, after reconsideration, the House proceeded to vote on the question: "Shall this Bill become a law notwithstanding the objections of the Governor?"

54 voted in favor and 69 against, and accordingly it was the vote of the House that the Bill not become a law and the veto was sustained.

Sincerely,

S/Robert B. Hunt

Clerk of the House

_________________________________

(2-3) The Following Communication:

H.C. 505

STATE OF MAINE

CLERK'S OFFICE

2 STATE HOUSE STATION

AUGUSTA, MAINE 04333-0002

May 10, 2024

Honorable Darek M. Grant

Secretary of the Senate

131st Maine Legislature

Augusta, Maine 04333

Dear Secretary Grant:

House Paper 1359, Legislative Document 2135, "Resolve, Regarding the Operation and Future Capacity of State-owned Landfills," having been returned by the Governor, together with objections to the same, pursuant to Article IV, Part Third, Section 2 of the Constitution of the State of Maine, after reconsideration, the House proceeded to vote on the question: "Shall this Bill become a law notwithstanding the objections of the Governor?"

51 voted in favor and 72 against, and accordingly it was the vote of the House that the Bill not become a law and the veto was sustained.

Sincerely,

S/Robert B. Hunt

Clerk of the House

_________________________________

(2-4) The Following Communication:

H.C. 506

STATE OF MAINE

CLERK'S OFFICE

2 STATE HOUSE STATION

AUGUSTA, MAINE 04333-0002

May 10, 2024

Honorable Darek M. Grant

Secretary of the Senate

131st Maine Legislature

Augusta, Maine 04333

Dear Secretary Grant:

House Paper 779, Legislative Document 1231, "An Act to Bring Fairness in Income Taxes to Maine Families by Adjusting the Tax Brackets," having been returned by the Governor, together with objections to the same, pursuant to Article IV, Part Third, Section 2 of the Constitution of the State of Maine, after reconsideration, the House proceeded to vote on the question: "Shall this Bill become a law notwithstanding the objections of the Governor?"

57 voted in favor and 65 against, and accordingly it was the vote of the House that the Bill not become a law and the veto was sustained.

Sincerely,

S/Robert B. Hunt

Clerk of the House

_________________________________

STATE OF MAINE

ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE

SECOND REGULAR SESSION

SENATE ADVANCED JOURNAL AND CALENDAR

Friday, May 10, 2024

SUPPLEMENT NO. 8

ORDERS

Joint Order

(4-1) On motion by Senator STEWART of Aroostook, the following Joint Order:

S.P. 1011

ORDERED, the House concurring, that when the Senate and House adjourn, they Adjourn Without Day.

_________________________________

STATE OF MAINE

ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE

SECOND REGULAR SESSION

SENATE ADVANCED JOURNAL AND CALENDAR

Friday, May 10, 2024

SUPPLEMENT NO. 9

ORDERS

Senate Order

(4-1) On motion by Senator VITELLI of Sagadahoc, the following Senate Order:

S.O. 27

ORDERED, that a message be sent to Governor Janet T. Mills informing her that the Senate is ready to Adjourn Without Day.

_________________________________

(4-2) On motion by Senator DAUGHTRY of Cumberland, the following Senate Order:

S.O. 28

ORDERED, that a message be sent to the House of Representatives informing that Body that the Senate is ready to Adjourn Without Day.

_________________________________

STATE OF MAINE

ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE

SECOND REGULAR SESSION

SENATE ADVANCED JOURNAL AND CALENDAR

Friday, May 10, 2024

SUPPLEMENT NO. 10

PAPERS FROM THE HOUSE

Joint Resolutions

(1-1) The following Joint Resolution:

H.P. 1483

JOINT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING MAY 6 TO MAY 12, 2024

AS NATIONAL NURSES WEEK

WHEREAS, the nearly 5,200,000 registered nurses in the United States constitute our nation’s largest health care profession; and

WHEREAS, the depth and breadth of the registered nursing profession meet the different and emerging health care needs of our nation’s population in a wide range of settings; and

WHEREAS, the American Nurses Association, as the voice for the registered nurses of our nation, is working to chart a new course for a healthy nation that relies on increasing delivery of primary and preventive health care; and

WHEREAS, a renewed emphasis on primary and preventive health care will require better utilization of all of our nation’s registered nursing resources; and

WHEREAS, professional nursing has been demonstrated to be an indispensable component of the safety and quality of care of hospitalized patients; and

WHEREAS, the demand for registered nursing services will be greater than ever as our nation continues to grapple with the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, an aging population, the continuing expansion of life-sustaining technologies and the explosive growth of home health care services; and

WHEREAS, more qualified registered nurses will be needed in the future to meet the increasingly complex needs of health care consumers in the State; and

WHEREAS, the cost-effective, safe and high-quality health care services provided by registered nurses will be an increasingly important component of the national health care delivery system in the future; and

WHEREAS, along with the American Nurses Association, the American Nurses Association – Maine has declared May 6 to May 12, 2024 as National Nurses Week, with the theme “Nurses Make the Difference” to honor the variety of roles that nurses play in the lives of their patients. Registered nurses make a difference as trusted advocates to ensure that patients, their families and their communities receive safe and high-quality care; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED: That We, the Members of the One Hundred and Thirty-first Legislature now assembled in the Second Regular Session, recognize May 6 to May 12, 2024 as National Nurses Week to celebrate registered nurses’ accomplishments and efforts to improve our health care system and show our appreciation for the nation’s registered nurses not just during this week but at every opportunity throughout the year and ask that all residents of this State join in honoring the registered nurses who care for all of us.

Comes from the House, READ and ADOPTED.

_________________________________

(1-2) The following Joint Resolution:

H.P. 1485

JOINT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING JUNE 17, 2024

AS JAMES WELDON JOHNSON DAY

WHEREAS, James Weldon Johnson was a novelist and poet, songwriter, educator, attorney, journalist, diplomat and civil rights leader; and

WHEREAS, Johnson began his career as an educator in rural Georgia, where he taught the descendants of former slaves and eventually became principal of Stanton, a school for African American students, where he was paid half of what white colleagues were paid; and

WHEREAS, while working as a teacher, he studied law, becoming the first African American to be admitted to the Florida Bar since Reconstruction; and

WHEREAS, Johnson’s gifts in poetry and music led him to join his younger brother’s popular music trio in New York City in 1901, where he helped to write many of their songs; and

WHEREAS, Johnson entered the United States Consular Service in 1906 and served for 7 years as a diplomat, beginning in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, and then in 1909 taking a post in Corinto, Nicaragua, where he successfully navigated an attempt to overthrow the Nicaraguan government through skilled negotiation; and

WHEREAS, Johnson became the first African American professor to be hired at New York University in 1934, and he later served as a professor of creative literature and writing at Fisk University, a historically Black university; and

WHEREAS, Johnson was involved with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, NAACP, from 1916 through the end of his life, serving as field secretary, executive secretary and as a vice president, helping to lead the fight against racial discrimination, segregation, violence and lynching; and

WHEREAS, Johnson became a key artistic figure in the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s, continuing to publish notable collections of poems and spirituals, and is known in particular for writing the lyrics to “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” which he wrote to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation and which became known as the Black National Anthem due to its enormous importance to African Americans; and

WHEREAS, in 1938, Johnson’s life was cut short when he and his wife, Grace Nail Johnson, were returning from visiting a friend on Islesboro to their home in Florida and their car was struck by a train in Wiscasset, killing him and grievously injuring his wife; and

WHEREAS, following his death, his wife donated her husband’s papers to the Yale University Library and helped to establish the James Weldon Johnson Memorial Collection of African American Arts and Letters in the Yale Collection of American Literature, which joins other national commemorative landmarks and institutes; and

WHEREAS, in the 130th Legislature, June 17th was designated as James Weldon Johnson Day, a result of a joint effort of those in his home state of Florida and the State of Maine; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED: That We, the Members of the One Hundred and Thirty-first Legislature now assembled in the Second Regular Session, on behalf of the people we represent, take this opportunity to recognize June 17, 2024 as James Weldon Johnson Day and to honor his remarkable achievements and his ongoing commitment to racial equity and progress.

Comes from the House, READ and ADOPTED.

_________________________________

(1-3) The following Joint Resolution:

H.P. 1486

JOINT RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE THE OBSERVANCE

OF JUNETEENTH ON JUNE 19, 2024

WHEREAS, for 157 years, Juneteenth National Freedom Day, also known as Emancipation Day, Emancipation Celebration, Freedom Day, Juneteenth Independence Day and Juneteenth, has been one of the most recognized African-American holiday observances in the United States; and

WHEREAS, Juneteenth commemorates the day freedom was proclaimed to all slaves in the South by Union General Gordon Granger, on June 19, 1865 in Galveston, Texas, more than 2 1/2 years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln; and

WHEREAS, Juneteenth commemorates the determination of the first people from Africa, approximately 11,500,000 of whom survived the awful voyages across the Atlantic and who were brought to this country and enslaved in chattel slavery and whose descendants served as slaves for 200 years before the horrific institution of chattel slavery was abolished; and

WHEREAS, Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the end of chattel slavery in the United States; and

WHEREAS, over 130 years after the Emancipation Proclamation and after years of informal annual celebration, Juneteenth was declared a federal holiday in 2021 by the President of the United States and the United States Congress; and

WHEREAS, “Until All are Free, None are Free” is an oft-repeated maxim that can be used to highlight the significance of the end of the era of chattel slavery in the United States; and

WHEREAS, Juneteenth became an official state holiday in Maine in 2022; and

WHEREAS, it is important to recognize the historical significance of Juneteenth in order to advance racial equity, human dignity and justice; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED: That We, the Members of the One Hundred and Thirty-first Legislature now assembled in the Second Regular Session, on behalf of the people we represent, recognize the observance of Juneteenth on June 19, 2024, and encourage people in our State to participate in Juneteenth observances.

Comes from the House, READ and ADOPTED.

_________________________________

(1-4) The following Joint Resolution:

H.P. 1489

JOINT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING MAY 2024

AS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH

WHEREAS, the mental health and well-being of all children, youth, adults and families in the State are of fundamental importance to the Legislature; and

WHEREAS, since 1999, the national suicide rate has increased more than 36%, with more than 13.2 million individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts and 1.6 million individuals attempting suicide annually in the United States; and

WHEREAS, over 49,000 people died by suicide in 2022, which is about one death every 11 minutes; and

WHEREAS, suicide, opioid misuse and addiction and children’s mental health issues are areas of concern in the State; and

WHEREAS, there are approximately 61,000 adults in the State who are living with a serious mental illness, including, but not limited to, bipolar disorder, severe depression and schizophrenia, and 14,000 children 12 to 17 years of age in the State have depression; and

WHEREAS, over 260,000 people in the State live in a community that does not have enough mental health professionals; and

WHEREAS, the effective treatment of mental health conditions is critical to reducing the number of individuals and families who find themselves in mental health crises, to breaking individual and generational cycles of mental illness and to promoting healing; and

WHEREAS, recovery from a mental illness requires access to professional services and involves families and caregivers as allies in recovery and as critical members of the care delivery team; and

WHEREAS, maintaining an open dialogue regarding mental health conditions encourages individuals struggling with mental illness to seek help and is an essential component to fighting the stigma associated with mental illness; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED: That We, the Members of the One Hundred and Thirty-first Legislature now assembled in the Second Regular Session, on behalf of the people we represent, take this opportunity to recognize May 2024 as Mental Health Awareness Month in order to raise awareness of mental health conditions and services and to break the stigma surrounding mental illness in the State.

Comes from the House, READ and ADOPTED.

_________________________________

(1-5) The following Joint Resolution:

H.P. 1490

JOINT RESOLUTION DESIGNATING MAY 2024

AS AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS AWARENESS MONTH

WHEREAS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord; and

WHEREAS, the life expectancy for an individual with ALS is between 2 and 5 years after the date on which the individual receives an ALS diagnosis; and

WHEREAS, ALS occurs throughout the world with no racial, ethnic, gender or socioeconomic boundaries; and

WHEREAS, the 2 different types of ALS are sporadic ALS and familial ALS; and

WHEREAS, sporadic ALS is the most common form of motor neuron disease in the United States, accounts for between 90% and 95% of all cases of ALS in the United States and may affect any individual in any location; and

WHEREAS, familial ALS, also known as FALS, is inherited and accounts for between 5% and 10% of all cases of ALS in the United States; and

WHEREAS, there is a 50% chance that each of the offspring of an individual with familial ALS will inherit the gene mutation for familial ALS and develop the disease; and

WHEREAS, the onset of ALS often involves muscle weakness or stiffness, and the progression of ALS results in the further weakening, wasting and paralysis of the muscles of the limbs and trunk and the muscles that control vital functions, including speech, swallowing and breathing; and

WHEREAS, on average, the period between the date on which an individual first experiences symptoms of ALS and the date on which the individual is diagnosed with ALS is about one year; and

WHEREAS, ALS can strike individuals of any age but predominantly strikes adults, and it is estimated that tens of thousands of individuals in the United States have ALS at any given time; and

WHEREAS, based on studies of the population of the United States, slightly more than 5,600 individuals in the United States are diagnosed with ALS each year, and 15 individuals in the United States are diagnosed with ALS each day; and

WHEREAS, the majority of individuals with ALS die of respiratory failure; and

WHEREAS, a military veteran is approximately twice as likely to be diagnosed with ALS as is a member of the general public in the United States; and

WHEREAS, as of the date of introduction of this resolution, there is no cure for ALS; and

WHEREAS, the spouses, children and other family members of individuals living with ALS provide support to those individuals with love, day-to-day care and more; and

WHEREAS, an individual with ALS, and the caregivers of such an individual, can be required to bear significant costs for medical care, equipment and home health care services for the individual as the disease progresses; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED: That We, the Members of the One Hundred and Thirty-first Legislature now assembled in the Second Regular Session, on behalf of the people we represent, take this opportunity to recognize May 2024 as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month. We affirm the dedication of the Legislature to helping to work toward securing cures and better treatments for ALS, recognize the challenges that individuals with ALS face on a daily basis and commend the dedication of the family members, friends, organizations, volunteers, researchers and caregivers across the United States who are working to improve the quality and length of life of persons with ALS.

Comes from the House, READ and ADOPTED.

_________________________________