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Senate endorses pilot to let select rural post offices provide state services
Summary
Senate sponsor said SB 65 would allow about 10 rural post offices to offer state services such as hunting and fishing licenses, using state systems alongside federal postal operations; the Senate passed the bill on third reading after questions about costs and staffing.
Senator Maine presented Senate Bill 65, which would authorize a pilot allowing select rural post offices to provide both federal postal services and specified state services (for example, fishing and trapping licenses) through a state computer interface. Maine said the measure is intended to help sparsely populated counties lacking reliable internet and that the department heads and the governor's office had been consulted when selecting about 10 candidate post offices for the initial program.
Questioners asked whether the federal postal service or the state would shoulder the program costs. The sponsor and other senators explained that a state fiscal note covers the expense of setting up state systems and training; postal employees would not be newly hired specifically for the program, though rural locations that expand services might require additional hours. Senators emphasized the goal of improving access in communities with poor Wi‑Fi and enabling local residents to complete transactions in person.
The sponsor moved the bill for third reading. A roll call followed and the clerk reported 'Senate Bill 65 have received 28 yay votes, 0 nay votes' in the transcript; the Senate advanced the bill as reported on the floor. The sponsor described the measure as a partnership between state and federal systems, framed it as a first‑in‑the‑nation initiative, and said it built on prior emergency‑service authorizations for postal employees.
The bill will proceed through final enrollment procedures and implementation details — including precise site selection, training requirements, and any needed IT integrations — will be managed by the relevant state agencies should the bill become law.
