AUGUSTA, Maine — EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above aired Dec. 6, 2022.
Former Maine Speaker of the House Ryan Fecteau has been appointed senior advisor for community development and strategic initiatives in the Governor's Office of Policy Innovation and the Future.
Gov. Janet Mills' office made the announcement in a release Tuesday, adding Fecteau "will work on developing innovative policy solutions in areas such as housing development and land use, as well as workforce, innovation, and economic opportunities."
Fecteau became speaker of the Maine House of Representatives in 2021 when he was just 28 years old—at the time, the youngest speaker in the country.
After reaching his term limit as House speaker, he was seen by a number of other Democrats as a rising star in the party and could have run for the open Senate seat in Biddeford and, if elected, return to the Legislature. He decided against it.
“From developing landmark legislation to alleviate Maine’s housing crunch to his efforts to strengthen the child-care sector that working families rely on, Ryan Fecteau has led the way on addressing the biggest challenges confronting Maine families and communities," Mills said in Tuesday's release. “I’m thrilled to welcome Ryan to my administration to strengthen our work to make Maine the best place to live, work, and raise a family.”
Fecteau, who has been the first openly gay legislator to serve as speaker, was also closely involved with efforts to block the use of “conversion therapy,” a controversial practice some have advocated to try to convert LGBTQ children to heterosexuality.
The Legislature passed Fecteau’s bill in 2019, which was signed into law by Mills, banning the use of conversion therapy.
