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Votes at a glance: House refers multiple bills and resolutions to committees (Jan. 21, 2025)
Summary
On Jan. 21 the Maine House formally referred a series of bills and joint resolutions to standing committees and ordered several measures printed and sent for concurrence. The items include bills on terrorism definitions, venue liability, historic resources, the National Popular Vote Compact, and multiple Senate-origin bills.
The Maine House of Representatives on Jan. 21 conducted recorded and voice votes to refer a number of bills and resolutions to standing committees for public hearing, printing, and concurrence. Many measures were ordered printed and sent for concurrence or referred to the committees named on the floor. The House also approved sending several matters "forthwith." Below are the items the House acted on during the session (LD numbers and committee assignments are as read on the floor).
- LD 224 (House Paper 47): An act to expand the definition of terrorism and laws governing the Maine Emergency Management Act — referred to the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety; printing ordered.
- LD 227 (House Paper 150): An act regarding liability for acts of violence occurring in the State House or legislative space in the Burton M. Cross Building — referred to the Committee on Judiciary; printing ordered.
- LD 188 (House Paper 121): Bill concerning permitting the sale of motor vehicles on Sunday — referred to the Committee on Housing and Economic Development in the House; noted as coming from the Senate and referred to the Committee on Transportation (nonconcurrence noted in the reading).
- A joint resolution commemorating Martin Luther King Jr. (Senate paper — joint resolution): Read and presented; House members spoke in support and the resolution was ordered sent forthwith on behalf of the Legislature.
- Multiple Senate-origin bills (as read near the close of the session) were referred to the committees shown on the floor and ordered printed. Examples read by the clerk included: - Senate Paper 110, LD 244 — referred to the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety. - Senate Paper 104, LD 238 — referred to the Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services. - Senate Paper 112, LD 246 — referred to the Committee on Judiciary. - Senate Paper 113, LD 247 — referred to the Committee on State and Local Government. - Senate Papers 115–118, LDs 248–251 — referred to the Committee on Judiciary. - Senate Paper 120, LD 254 — an act designating November as Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month — referred to the Committee on State and Local Government.
Clerk announcements on the floor indicated that, where there was no objection, many of the items were "ordered sent forthwith," meaning they were transmitted for further processing and concurrence as appropriate.
Why it matters: Referral to committee is the next formal step in the legislative process; committee assignment determines where hearings, public testimony, and drafting will occur. Several of these measures — including emergency management, liability for acts in the State House, and changes tied to the National Popular Vote Compact — could lead to public hearings and subsequent floor action in coming weeks.
Votes and procedural notes were recorded on the floor; where a roll call or recorded tally was announced it was noted in the session’s record. The House adjourned to reconvene Jan. 28, 2025.
