Maine House refers package of bills to committees, adopts memorials and updates joint rule language

Augusta — The Maine House of Representatives on Jan. 8, 2025, referred a package of bills to standing committees, adopted several special sentiments honoring residents and passed a joint order to update the House’s joint rules language describing tribal representatives, the clerk announced.

The actions were routine floor business but shape which committees will consider a wide array of proposals this session. Representative Ryan Fecteau’s desk and the House clerk moved forward dozens of procedural referrals sent to committees including Education and Cultural Affairs; Energy, Utilities and Technology; Health and Human Services; Housing and Economic Development; Judiciary; Taxation; Transportation; and Veterans and Legal Affairs.

The House also adopted several legislative sentiments (memorials) honoring individuals from across the state, including a 75th‑anniversary recognition for Cianbro Corporation of Pittsfield and memorials for Kittredge A. Johnson of Winter Harbor, Lisa A. Boudelier of Rumford, Ed Dudera of Camden and Sergeant Jacob Walter Beak of Biddeford. Representative Collamore spoke to the chamber in support of the company recognition; Representative Folkingham, Representative Bridal, Representative Dudera and Representative Mallon offered remembrances for the individuals named in the sentiments.

In a separate motion, Representative Rachel Talbot Ross (via Representative Ben Chipman’s remarks in committee context) — the House Chair of the Joint Rules Committee in this session, Representative Ryan Fecteau and Representative Jared Golden were not named as movers on the floor record for the joint‑rules change — Representative Matt Moonen, the House chair of the Joint Rules Committee, introduced a joint order to amend Joint Rule 206 to modernize the chamber’s language for tribal representatives. Moonen told members the change was "a simple 2‑word change to fix that," and the House voted to send the joint order for concurrence.

Votes at a glance

- House paper 119, LD 186 (An Act to clarify the Public Utilities Commission authority to establish time‑of‑use pricing for standard offer service): referred to Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology — approved for referral on the floor.

- House paper 117, LD 184 (Resolve establishing the commission to study a foreclosure process): ordered printed and referred to the Committee on Judiciary — approved for referral on the floor.

- Supplement No. 2 (Senate papers): the House received and, by voice votes, referred the following Senate bills to committees in concurrence: Senate Paper 85 (LD 198) to Education and Cultural Affairs; Senate Papers 84 (LD 197) and 91 (LD 204) to Energy, Utilities and Technology; Senate Papers 79 (LD 143) and 89 (LD 202) to Health and Human Services; Senate Papers 78 (LD 142) and 88 (LD 201) to Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services; Senate Paper 95 (LD 195) to Housing and Economic Development; Senate Paper 92 (LD 205) to Inland Fisheries and Wildlife; Senate Paper 77 (LD 141) and 94 (LD 196) to Judiciary; Senate Paper 93 (LD 206) to Labor; Senate Paper 80 (LD 144) to Marine Resources; Senate Papers 76 (LD 140), 81 (LD 145), 82 (LD 146) and 90 (LD 203) to Taxation; Senate Paper 87 (LD 200) (a resolve to rename the Sebago Lake Road bridge in Standish) to Transportation; and Senate Papers 86 (LD 199) and 96 (LD 207) to Veterans and Legal Affairs — each referral was approved on the floor and sent for concurrence.

- Joint order to amend Joint Rule 206 (language describing tribal representatives): passed by the House and sent for concurrence.

- Special sentiments adopted (memorials/recognitions): House and Senate legislative sentiment recognizing Cianbro Corporation’s 75th anniversary (House Legislative & Senate Legislative Sentiment 1) and memorials for Kittredge A. Johnson (House Legislative Sentiment 16), Lisa A. Boudelier (House Legislative Sentiment 17), Ed Dudera (House Legislative Sentiment 7) and Sergeant Jacob Walter Beak were adopted and sent for concurrence.

What happened on the floor

Floor proceedings were dominated by procedural business: the clerk read supplements and Senate papers and members moved to suspend rules and refer grouped items to their respective committees. Multiple representatives moved that blocks of bills on the Special and Regular Calendars — identified on the floor by their item numbers and LD numbers — be referred to the committees named in the motion. The chair repeatedly confirmed those referrals by voice vote or unanimous consent and ordered the items sent for concurrence with the Senate where applicable.

Several members used the floor’s special‑sentiment calendar to deliver personal remarks recognizing the lives and community service of the individuals memorialized. Representative Collamore praised the long history and community contributions of Cianbro; Representative Folkingham told personal stories about Kittredge Johnson of Winter Harbor; Representative Bridal described Lisa Boudelier’s family and life and urged colleagues to remember people affected by substance use disorders as individuals; and Representative Dudera spoke at length about the late Ed Dudera’s community service and pro bono legal work. Representative Mallon offered remarks and recognition for Sergeant Jacob Walter Beak of Biddeford.

The House recessed briefly while awaiting a final supplement from the Senate and then completed the remaining referrals from that supplement before adjourning. The clerk recorded that the House will stand adjourned until Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, at 10 a.m., or until the call of the Speaker and President of the Senate, pursuant to the joint order and in honor of those memorialized.

Context and significance

Referrals determine which standing committees will review and hold public hearings on bills; the actions taken Jan. 8 set the early committee gatekeeping for a broad set of proposals, including bills on energy pricing, health coverage, taxation, marine resources, labor standards, and a resolve to study foreclosure processes. The joint‑rules change is procedural: updating rule language can affect how non‑voting tribal representatives are described in chamber rules and reflects a housekeeping change the Joint Rules Committee judged uncontroversial.

Quotes

"This is a simple 2‑word change to fix that," Representative Matt Moonen said while explaining the joint‑rules amendment.

"For 75 years, Cianbro has been a shining example of innovation, resilience, and community commitment," Representative Collamore said in presenting the legislative sentiment recognizing the company’s anniversary.

Ending

The session finished without contested roll‑call votes recorded in the public transcript for the individual referrals; most referrals were approved by voice vote or unanimous consent and sent for concurrence with the Senate. Committee assignments and any scheduled public hearings for these bills will appear on committee calendars in the days and weeks ahead.