Prepare yourself for a super moon tonight, also known as the "Pink Moon." The timing of the super moon seems fitting, as today — Monday — will be one of our busiest days yet in the Maine Legislature. Two of our top priority bills, a corporate contribution ban and online voter registration, have their public hearing and work session today, respectively. So gear up for a super Monday.
NEWS:
Hello, it's Monday: Today, April 26, one of our top priority bills, LD 1417, has its public hearing. This bill is sponsored by Senator Louis Luchini and will ban corporate contributions to candidates and leadership PACs. Learn more and let your legislators know that you support the corporate contribution ban.
Also today, our #1 voting rights bill, online voter registration (LD 1126), has its work session. Take action by contacting your legislator and asking them to support this bill.
We’re following some two dozen bills in work sessions and public hearings this week. See the full Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee (VLA) schedule here or the full State and Local Government Committee (SLG) schedule here. The most important ones are these:
Upcoming Public Hearings on our Priority Bills:
- 1375 — This bill allows registered voters to cast absentee ballots by electronic means approved by the Secretary of State. LWVME opposes. VLA.
- 1417 — Bill banning corporate campaign contributions in Maine elections. MCCE Action supports. VLA.
- 1442 — Allows for limited supplemental distributions for Clean Election State House or Senate candidates in a contested primary. MCCE Action supports. VLA.
Upcoming Work sessions on our Priority Bills:
- LD 231 — Bill allows an unenrolled voter to vote in a primary for one party's primary election, including presidential, without having to enroll in the party. LWVME supports. VLA. (LD 231 is similar to LD 303.)
- LD 1126 — The online voter registration bill. LWVME supports. VLA.
- LD 1363 — The Secretary of State’s omnibus elections bill, including measures to solidify important innovations in providing ballot drop boxes and fixing problems on absentee ballots that were instituted during the COVID elections of 2020.
Session Days: The First Special Session of the 130th Maine State Legislature is on the legislative calendar for Wednesday, April 28, 2021. It’s likely to be a long day. See the full calendar here.
Check it Off: The deadline for Maine individual income tax payments was moved from April 15 to May 17, 2021. When you are filling out your tax forms, you can check a box to designate $3 to the Maine Clean Election Fund. This helps to finance the election campaigns of qualifying Clean Election candidates. The Clean Election check-off is on Line 1 of the Maine Income Tax form. It doesn't increase your tax bill, and it doesn't decrease your tax refund. For more information, click this link.
WHAT THE LEAGUE IS WORKING ON:
Register now for our upcoming biennial Convention: The schedule is filling up, and the swag is being ordered. Reserve your spot by April 30th, and you could win a nifty prize. If you don't win, no worries! All participants will receive a packet of goodies in the mail. Learn more and register for Convention here.