The new Maine Legislature is finally changing how it operates

By Billy Kobin, Bangor Daily News Staff

Democrats and Republicans said they are confident in the prospects of changing how the Maine Legislature operates in order to crack down on vague placeholder bills, prolonged meetings and other State House norms that have hindered public participation.

While members may not totally end “concept drafts” that initially have only vague titles and no other language, the most attention-grabbing change could require text of those proposals to be publicized at least one week before they receive an initial public hearing. 

That idea came before the Legislature’s Rules Committee in July after Maine Public found the number of concept drafts introduced in 2023 far outpaced the number filed in previous sessions. Newly elected leaders have already signed off on updates meant to boost transparency. Taken together, it looks set to be the biggest legislative rules overhaul in decades. 

“I would say there definitely will be some changes,” Senate President Mattie Daughtry, D-Brunswick said.

To give committees more time to meet and work on a flood of new bills, the Legislature will only hold floor sessions on Tuesdays rather than on multiple days for the first few weeks of next year, Daughtry said. Leaders also pushed the cloture date that typically requires members to submit bills in December to Jan. 10, 2025, to give legislators more time to flesh out ideas.

Daughtry and Sen. Rick Bennett, R-Oxford, a former Senate president who has long pushed for banning concept drafts, said it is too early to tell if additional ideas that arose over the summer, such as banning votes on bills between 10:30 p.m. and 7:30 a.m. to avoid late-night meetings that have resulted in tense and controversial outcomes, will come up for approval.

Tweaking the ways the Legislature operates in Augusta has proven difficult in an institution ruled by decades of precedent and 11th-hour decisions. The Rules Committee that must approve certain changes had not met since 2018 before meeting this past summer.

The Rules Committee could sign off on any changes when it meets again next month, and the 132nd Legislature reconvenes Jan. 10. Bennett noted that timing matters. Amending rules requires a two-thirds majority in each chamber if the vote comes after Jan. 17. Before then, only a simple majority is needed.

Right now, it does not look to be a partisan issue. Democrats saw their majorities in each chamber narrow following the November election, but Republicans have expressed support for the rule changes after complaining about a lack of transparency with certain bills and decisions.

Bennett said Daughtry has given him “some assurances” over improving the legislative process, as has newly-elected House Speaker Ryan Fecteau, D-Biddeford, who did not respond to a request for comment.

“She’s very much committed to modernizing the Legislature and opening up the doors, figuratively, and making sure there’s lots of sunlight,” Bennett said of Daughtry.

Powerful lobbying groups have signaled support for various rule changes, including limiting concept drafts to state budget bills and less-controversial matters. Maine State Chamber of Commerce CEO Patrick Woodcock said longer discussions are needed on limiting the number of bills so lawmakers “can efficiently focus on the right public policy issues.”

The chamber also said 177 State House candidates responded to its questionnaire earlier this year that found 95 percent support publicizing legislation and amendments at least 24 hours before a committee meeting and also believe in a “consistent and transparent” process.

Daughtry said she wants both sides of the aisle on board with any new rules and noted the slowness of changes comes with a citizen Legislature only meeting for part of each year.

“I’m really invested in making sure we have the best functioning Legislature,” Daughtry said. “But we always have to make sure we’re doing checks and balances.”