Legislature gearing up for second session
The second session of the Legislature will start Wednesday and is likely to be dominated by three issues: Medicaid expansion, budget adjustments and welfare reform.
The Portland Press Herald reported Democrats have staked out Medicaid expansion, previously vetoed by Gov. Paul LePage, as a top priority, while LePage and Republican leaders have announced multiple proposals for reforming state benefits programs.
Sen. Roger Katz, the assistant Republican leader, told the paper that partisan battles over those issues likely will be amplified by elections later this year.
On the budget, lawmakers are expecting to fill a gap of around $120 million. Of that amount, legislators last session agreed to seek out $40 million in tax breaks. If unable to drum up the full $40 million from tax exemptions, the money will be taken from state revenue-sharing with municipalities.
Most Recent
Most Recent
Comments