Testimony on LD 61 An Act to Regulate Employer Surveillance to Protect Workers

LD 61   THE BILL AND THE TESTIMONY FOR AND AGAINST  IT.

LD 61, HP0025An Act to Regulate Employer Surveillance to Protect Workers - Rep. Amy Roeder of Bangor

Presented: February 5th, 2025

 Nate Cloutier

HospitalityMaine

 Jake Lachance

Maine State Chamber of Commerce

 Dillon Murray

Department of Labor

 Curtis Picard

Maine Grocers and Food Producers Association

 Dan Riley

Retail Lumber Dealers Association of Maine

 Rep. Amy Roeder

Maine State Legislature

 Krista Simonis

Maine Credit Union League

Presented: February 5th, 2025

Amanda Campbell

Maine Municipal Association

Michael Dunn

DAFS/BHR

Brian Parke

MMTA

Ann Robinson

Unum

Joshua Steirman

Maine Bankers Association

Sara Vanderwood

Oxford

Me Legislature's Judiciary Committee April 19, 2023

On 4/19/23 the Judiciary Committee held a worksession on LD 1425 and hearings on LD 609 and LD 1603. Below is audio  of  the participants 

LD 1425 "An Act to Strengthen Freedom of Access Protections by Allowing Remote Meetings to Be Recorded"   

*LD 1425 worksession 22min 43sec OTPA

LD 609 "An Act to Ensure an Incarcerated Individual's Right to Make Free Telephone Calls Protected by Attorney-Client Privilege"  Sponsor Representative Tavis Hasenfus

* 1.  Intro by sponsor Tavis Hasenfus 6min 

* 2. Jan Collins, MPAC  3min53sec

* 3 Ken Mason, Me Sheriffs Assn NFNA  4min38sec

LD 1603 An Act to Implement the Recommendations of the Committee To Ensure Constitutionally Adequate Contact with Counsel

* 1. Intro Sen Carney  & Q&A  24min 30sec

* 2. Megan Sway MCLU & QA 8min56sec

* 3. Jan Collins MPAC 5 min 57sec

* 4. Ken Mason ME Sheriffs Assn 4mibn 14sec 

* 5. Ken Mason Q&A 15min 28sec

* 6. Lisa Marchese  AG office crim div 8min 38sec

END

Me Legislature's EUT Committee hears 5G foes and friends re LD 697

Complete audio of the 3/7/23  EUT committee 73 minute public hearing on LD 697 a bill requiring UME to undertake study  of 5G health issues 

From bill  introduction by its sponsor Representative Tracy Quint to close of the hearing. 73min 

Copy of LD 697 

Maine towns OK with 1st-2hrs-free FOAA rule. NOT okay with "weaponized" FOAA requests

The November 17, 2022 meeting of the Right To Know Advisory Committee featured a presentation by Neal Goldberg of Maine Municipal Association on his survey of Maine towns' experience with FOAA requests, and their ability to fulfill them in a timely fashion - without sacrificing other municipal governance priorities. 

Listen to 3min mtg intro and Goldberg's presentation, 11min, followed by his responses to many questions from the committee, total 23min

 

Goldberg told the committee that overall, the FOAA request and response process is functioning smoothly at the municipal level. 99% of FOAA requests take less than two hours to respond to,  he said.   Many municipalities have even waived fees for searches that exceeded that two free hours limit when a  requestor had a reasonable request.  The simplicity of most requests, Goldberg said,  made them easy to fold into existing labors.

Not all was well.
MMA discovered a sharp rise in in towns experiencing disruptive FOAA requests. These are  intentionally extensive or onerous, or sometimes troubling to personal safety. A municipal town manager stated, “[people] are weaponizing the FOAA process.”

Most of these disruptive angry FOAAs come from individuals rather than commercial parties or NGOs,  Goldberg told the committee.    As an example, a Lincoln county  town official told MMA:

"I've received close to 30 FOAA requests from the same person since August 17th (2022), all with demands to have them completed within days, and threats to take me to court and explain my unreasonable response times to the judge, and all designed to avoid exceeding the 2 hours per request free of charge... I've put in more time on this one man's harassment than I have for a whole budget season."

Throughout the survey period, MMA staff was struck by how distraught respondents are when discussing FOAA requests.

Goldberg said another form of nuisance request: copycat requests. Maine's Secretary of State Shenna Bellows has warned municipalities to be watching for requests that appear to be out of context or uninformed on Maine laws.    

 Bellows said  such requests are instigated by sources outside of Maine to subvert the daily performance of municipal responsibilities. Frequently these copycat requests pertain to elections.

Sigh...

Legislature's ENR committee 10/3/22 got updates on new ME law from LD 1639 passage ending imports of demolition & construction debris. Audio MP3s

On October 3, 2022  the  Maine Legislature's Environment & Natural Resources Committee (ENR)  questioned and got updates by  Maine DEP chief of  Waste Management Suzanne Miller,  NRCM's Sarah Nichols,  Resource Lewiston's Greg Leahy, and Burnstein Shur atty James Codys  (audio mp3) regarding implementation of  LD 1639  An Act To Protect the Health and Welfare of Maine Communities and Reduce Harmful Solid Waste   The bill was approved by Governor Mills  and is now Public Law 1639 .  

AUDIO of the October 3, 2022 briefing .

Introduction 1. Committee members and staff    2min21sec 

Introduction 2. Committee cochair  Ralph Tucker's plan for this as a briefing, not a public hearing 4min23sec.

GOVT

DEP Susanne Miller, chief, Bureau of Remediation & Waste Mgmt  29min30sec

INDUSTRY

James Cody, Bernstein Shur & Greg Leahy, Resources Lewiston. 6min17sec 

Cody & Leahy QA1 25min

Cody & Leahy QA2  13min12sec

CONSERVATION

Sarah Nichols NRCM present and QA_43min

Backstory Maine's publicly owned Juniper Ridge Landfill  was acquired by the state as a public resource for the exclusive deposition of Maine-generated waste.  But a loophole was sneaked onto the enabling bill that allowed out of state waste to continue to be dumped on JRL, provided it has been minimally  "processed" by a Maine recycling facility.  The new public law corrects this.

Marine Resources Committee considers, rejects LD 1844 Audio from worksession

 On Feb 15th the Marine Resources Committee held an interesting worksession on LD 1844.  An Act To Provide for Special Fees for Certain Aquaculture Lease Applications and To Amend Other Provisions in the Laws Governing Aquaculture Leases  Listen to the vario9us speakers and the decision "Ought not to pass".. A heated discussion followed

1 ,Intro 23sec

2. Analyst reviews bill 6min47sec

3.DEP Livesay 1. 5min

4. Livesay Q & A 9min51sec

5. Discuss amendment to bill 6min

6. Sebastian Bell, Me Aqua Asssoc 1min24sec

7. DMR responds to Bell 1min10sec

8. Vote Ought Not to Pass_discussion to end 6min19sec

Legislature's ENR Committee held hearing to require PFAS pre-testing of Juniper Ridge landfill leachate. Have a listen.

Listen below to mp3s of each speaker at the Jan 24thmeeting of the ENR Committee as it took testimony on LD 1875 "Act To Address Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Pollution from State-owned Solid Waste Disposal Facilities. " Bill would require PFAS  pretreatment of state landfill's leachate  before sending it to a wastewater plant. 

1 Committee Introductions 3min35sec 3min 

2 Bill Intro by Sponsor, Rep Bill Ziegler 5min39sec

3 DEP  Brian  Kavanaugh Dir  Bureau of Water Quality  6min15sec

4 DEP _Kavanaugh Q&A 21minutes

5 Johanna Davis and Adam Nordell 5min9sec

6  Davis & Nordell Q&A 13min22sec

7 Sarah Woodbury Defend our Health 4min

Leachate  from Juniper Ridge Landfill gushing into Penobscot River  

8 Woodbury QA 3min3sec

9 Sharon Treat  IATP 3min  

10 Nathan Saunders Maine Drinking Water Program  6 min 30sec

11 Saunders QA 4min 24sec

12 Dan Kusnierz Penobcot Nation_and QA_9min13sec

13 Kate Manahan 2min 51sec

14 Bill Lippincott Don't Waste Maine 3min 8sec

15 Peter_Blair Conservation Law Foundation and_QA_7min

16 Heather Spalding MOFGA 2min2min

17 _Luke Sekera Flanders 3min45se

18  Mark Hyland_ret DEP 8min 45sec

19 Shelby Wright Casella 8min49sec

20 Ed Spencer 3min 39sec

21 Dawn Neptune to end 2min 57sec

Full hearing  2hr 18min

Maine Board of Pesticides Control_PFAS_and_Pesticides

Maine's Board of Pesticides Control held an online meeting January 14th at 9am to discuss the ever worse PFAS issue. Agenda

0  Meeting introduction 4min33sec

CHAPTER 20

1. Rupert Mason Sierra Club 1

1_Karen Reardon RISE 2min18sec 

 2 Sarah Woodbury Defend Our Health & QA 8min

3 Sharon Treat Institute for Agriculture & Trade Policy_7min48sec

4.Heather Spaulding MOFGA 6min4sec

5. Representative Grohoski 9min22sec  ++

7. Anya Fletcher Environment Maine 10min 36sec 

6.Heather Spaulding MOFGA 6min 4sec

7., Patricia Rupert Mason2 Sierra Club & QA 9min23sec

8. Jesse Obrien 3min55sec

At Legislature's 1/4/22 EUT Committee hearing, nominee Andrew Butcher gets nod as 1st prez of new Maine Connectivity Authority - after 32 minutes of questioning. and after the People put in Their 33 minutes,

Below are audio links of the  Legislature's Energy, Utilities and Techology Committee  meeting Jan 4, 2022 ,  to consider  and approve nominee Andrew Butcher of Portland for  President of the  Maine Connectivity Authority 

Part 1  EUT  Committee introductions 3min21sec 

Part 2  Hearing rules considered. 3min 41sec

Part 3 Maine OECD dir Heather Johnson speaks on nominee Andrew Butcher 4min2sec 

Part 4 Andrew Butcher  3min 58sec 

Part 5  Q&A  Committee and Butcher 32min 

Part 6  Chair Seth Berry summarizes the questions Butcher had been asked.  1min 23sec

Part 7  Public speakers hold forth  33min20sec

Part 8  Explains requirement for break before voting 37sec

Part 9 Committee returns and votes in support of Nominee

The committee approved the nominations by all 11 legislators present (two were absent) 

The  Committee Approval next goes before the full Maine Legislature 

PFOS Maine Legislature takes it up again in LD 1600. Public hearing 5/7/21

 LD 1600 An Act To Investigate Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance Contamination of Land and Groundwater - Rep. Lori Gramlich of Old Orchard Beach

* Full hearing on LD 1600  1hr 12min

* Bill Lippincott  3min 26sec  ***  * Dawn Neptune Adams 5min35sec

BILL SUMMARY  " This bill creates the Land Application Contaminant Monitoring Fund to be used by the  Department of Environmental Protection to test and monitor soil and groundwater for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances and other contaminants and for other related  activities." 

"The fund is funded by a $10 per ton fee assessed on any disposal of septage,  industrial sludge, municipal sludge, bioash, wood ash or other residual, which is material generated as a by-product of a nonagricultural production or treatment process that has  value as a source of crop nutrients or soil amendment."

"This bill also requires the department  to test land that has received residuals for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances and other contaminants and to notify the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry of the findings of any contamination of land currently being used for the  production of agricultural products."

ME Legislature's Marine Resources Committee briefed 1/26/21 by tribes, seaweeders, coastal program & academics.

On January 26, 2021  the Legislature's Marine Resources Committee  was briefed by coastal program head Kathleen Leyden, Darling Center leader Heather Leslie,  Jake Ward of Maine Aquaventus, Tribal Chiefs  of the Maliseet, Penobscot &  Passamaquoddy Tribes,  & saltwater-focused academics.  A great number of questions from the committee members on everything from  offshore windmills to seaweed to elvers.

1 Introduction 38 seconds  

2 Kathleen Leyden, Maine Coastal Program 3min 43sec

3  Heather Leslie, Darling Center for Marine Science3min 49sec 

4 Leyden 2  2min 22sec

5 Leslie and Leyden  6min13sec

6 Leyden and  Leslie Q&A 10min

7  Gail Zydlewski  9min 45 sec

8  Dr. Josh Stolle, UME Marine Policy 6min 30sec 

9  Rick Wahle  UMe Lobster Institute 13min 454sec

10 Jake Ward UME Aquaventus & QA 30min

11. Tolloff & Seaver   Seaweed 18min 10sec 

12. Maliseet, Penobscot &  Passamaquoddy Tribes to END 38min 15sec

ME DEP 1/25/21 presentation to Legislature's Environment & Natural Resources Committee

At Maine Legislature's new session on January 25, 2021, the Environment and Natural Resources Committee introduces itself and its committee staff,  then gets  its first agency orientation briefing from a number of  Maine Dept of Environmental Protection officials, along with lively questions from legislators, particularly Representative Vicky Doudera  & Representative Stan  Ziegler.

Introduction of ENR committee members13min

Michael Russo Office of Fiscal&  Program Review 5min 33sec

Dan Tartakoff presents. 18min 8sec

DEP PRESENTATIONS

Melani Loyzim 10min 48sec

Jeff Crawford  Air Bureau    5min 40sec

Nick Livesay Land Bureau  6min52sec

Brian Kavanah  Water Bureau  14min.                          * plus: Kavanah on Searsport Plastic Spill Q&A with Rep Ziegler, then Rep Doudera  3min. )  

Bill Hinkel  4min40sec on Board of Environmental Protection 

David Burns  Waste Mgmt 11min ( Loyzim fills in, Burns does QA,)  

End of DEP  introductions 1min 15sec

Close of meeting 1min 15sec

Maine Legislature 2/18/20 hearing on Aquaculture reform LD 1920 AUDIO MP3s

On February 18, 2020 the Maine Legislature's Marine Resources  Committee heard testimony on  LD 1930 An Act To Amend Maine's Aquaculture Leasing and Licensing Statutes The bill makes  12 major changes to state aquaculture laws. (See bill summary below audio list)

1. Committee Introduction  2min 15sec

2. Bill Introduction Senator McCreight 2min 30sec

3. LD 1920 review  Dierdre Gilbert  8min 41sec

4  Dierdre Gilbert Q&A  23min

5.Samantha Jane Ames 2min 15sec 

6. Senator Catherine Breen 3min 30sec  . 

7. Nick Battista, Island Institute to end 1min 19sec

BILL SUMMARY This bill amends the aquaculture leasing and licensing statutes to:

1. Provide that the Department of Environmental Protection receives notices only of those lease applications that involve activities that have a discharge;

2. Expand the reasons under which the Commissioner of Marine Resources may initiate lease revocation proceedings to include operating in a manner substantially injurious to public health or violating minimum lease standards;

3. Reduce the number of days in advance of which an individual must apply for the renewal of a lease from 90 days prior to the expiration to 30 days prior to the expiration;

4. Clarify notice requirements when a standard lease is proposed for renewal;

5. Require the fee for a lease transfer to be paid upon application for the transfer instead of at the execution of the lease;

6. Specify that a person may not apply for an expansion of a lease until the person has held that lease for a minimum of 2 years;

7. Move the responsibility for notifying riparian landowners of an application for a lease expansion from the applicant to the Department of Marine Resources and move the responsibility for providing public notice in the newspaper from the department to the applicant;

8. Establish the rule-making authority for the commissioner to establish fees for services provided by the department to lease holders if they request testing or studies to ensure their products are safe for human consumption;

9. Broaden the language allowing changes to leases and require the commissioner to establish a fee for making changes to a lease;

10. Remove the commissioner's rule-making authority regarding changes to limited-purpose leases;

11. Limit the ability of the holder of a limited-purpose aquaculture license to have unlicensed individuals participate in the licensed activities by requiring their direct supervision by the license holder; and

12. Raise the fee for a limited-purpose aquaculture license from $50 to $100 for a resident and from $300 to $400 for a nonresident.

Maine bill to " Help Municipalities Prepare for Sea Level Rise". What the interests & public testified

LD 563 An Act To Help Municipalities Prepare for Sea Level Rise  

Public hearing held Feb 27, 2019 Work session was held March 6th
Sponsor Blume of York. Cosponsored By Senator Breen of Cumberland And Representatives: Bailey of Saco, Bryantof Windham, Denk of Kennebunk, Hobbs of Wells, Hymanson of York, Jorgensen of Portland, Mccreight of Harpswell, Rykerson of Kittery
Bill's fiscal note says minimal expense

LD 5678 Public Hearing Testimony,

Battista, Nick	Island Institute	(132 KB)
Bell, Jeremy	The Nature Conservancy	(121 KB)
Belle, Sebastian	Maine Aquaculture Association	(64 KB)
Blume, Lydia	Maine State Legislature	(101 KB)
Corbin, Garrett	Maine Municipal Association	(35 KB)
Faunce, Robert	Lincoln County Planning Commission	(71 KB)
Feldman, Lee	Maine Association of Planners	(119 KB)
Marvinney, Robert	Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry	(181 KB)
Romano, Jeff	Maine Coast Heritage Trust	(60 KB)
Smith, Nancy	GrowSmartb Maine	(71 KB)

RELATED Rockland's 1/24/19 Sealevel Rise Prep Briefing by Musson Group 17min mp3

Legislature hears testimony on LD 620 Land Based salmon farm reform bill

On February 28, 2019, the Maine Legislature's Agriculture Conservation & Forestry Committee heard the following testimony on LD 620 "An Act Regarding Licensing of Land-based Aquaculture Facilities". Audio quality is ..so so.

Representative Jan Dodge introduces LD 620. 2/28/19

1 LD 620 Introduction by Sponsor Rep Jan Dodge 

2 Opponent-legislator Rep Richard Campbell, Bucksport  7min

3. Supporters 20 min
Ron Huber
Linda Buckmaster
John Kruger
Connie Hatch
Bethany Allgrove
Lawrence Reichert

4 Opponents of the bill. 21min

Marianne Naess, Nordic. 3min30sec  
Dierdre Gilbert DMR 7min30sec
Sebastian Belle Maine Aquaculture Assn
Thomas Kittredge Belfast Economic Devel Dir & QA 4min19sec

Maine legislature hears testimony of bill to restrict teachers' speech in classrooms. Audio mp3s!

LD 589  came before the Maine legislature's Education and Cultural Affairs Committee today. \
(Listen to testimony below) The bill calls for
  "prohibiting teachers in public schools from engaging in political, religious or ideological advocacy in the classroom or from introducing any controversial subject matter that is not germane to the topic of the course being taught,..."\
This is LD 589.Resolve, Directing the State Board of Education To Adopt Rules Prohibiting Teachers in Public Schools from Engaging in Political, Ideological or Religious Advocacy in the Classroom

AUDIO OF TESTIMONY
SPONSOR
Larry Lockman introduces  LD 589  9min

SPONSOR READS LETTER
Lockman reads letter from Karen Gerrish 5min26sec
Lockman questioned 72sec

SUPPORTERS OF LD 589
James Mosier 4min14sec
Kathy Nichols 4min 2sec

OPPONENTS  
Isabelle Weil 7min
Rachel Nadeau 6min
Unidentified  woman 5min
Rep Alison Hepler
Oamshri Amarasingham  MCLUFiona Hopper 6min30sec
Grace Leavitt  pres me edu assn. 7min
Crystal Ward 7min
Genovan Dell 6min
Solomon Haifetz 4min
Timothy P. Wilson teacher since 1966  12min
Steve Bailey Maine School Mgmt Assoc 5min

Incoming Maine legislators briefed by Dept of Island Fish & Wildlife AUDIO

Judy Camuso

Listen to an array of the Maine Dept of Inland Fish and Wildlife's leaders briefing the legislature's Inland Fish and Wild Committee, Jan 14, 2019. Audio MP3s

They described their roles conserving our state's freshwater fishes, our bears, deer, porcupines - all fresh water breathers amphibians and upland wildlife actually, in addition to running Maine's eight hatcheries  In addition, IFW licenses/oversees thousands of recreational hunters and fishers throughout the state. 

Committee members had plenty of questions too.

Joel Wilkinson

Judy Camuso acting Commissioner of Inland Fish and Wildlife 11min 45sec

Tim Peabody, acting Dep Commissioner 1min 45sec

Christl Theriault. Legislative Liaison 3min

Joel Wilkinson, Chief Game Warden. 11min

Jim Connolly, Bureau of Resource Management.12min 30sec

Joe Overlock, supervisor Fisheries Management. 6min 30sec

Emily Maccabe, IFW media

Emily Mccabe Graphics and media supervisor. 4min 14sec

Bill Swann, director Licensing and Registration. 13min 278sec