Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
House debate on ‘concept drafts’ transparency; joint order sent to rules committee after 72-66 vote
Summary
A joint order from Representative Smith that would eliminate the Legislature’s use of “concept drafts” was debated on the House floor and referred to the joint rules committee after a 72-66 vote. Supporters said concept drafts undermine transparency; others urged the rules committee’s previously approved restrictions be given time to work.
The Maine House of Representatives on Jan. 21 debated a joint order from Representative Smith (Palermo) that would repeal the Legislature’s use of “concept drafts,” and the chamber voted 72-66 to refer the order to the Joint Select Committee on Joint Rules for further consideration.
Representative Smith said the public has reason to distrust the process when bills appear without language. “The people of Maine think we are hiding something,” she said, arguing that concept drafts “have taken this transparency away and allowed bills to appear under the cloak of darkness.” Smith asked the House to move to “completely rid the legislature…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
