AUBURN, Maine — As lawmakers return back to their corners of the state after the end of the legislative session in Augusta, representatives of the Lewiston and Auburn area reflected on bills that did and didn't make it to the governor's desk.
While many wanted to see bigger changes to prevent another mass shooting like the one that happened in October, some believe the bills brought forth should be celebrated.
"I think we're all a little exhausted with the amount of work that had to happen in the last three or four days," Representative Kathy Shaw said, who represents Auburn.
Despite the last-minute changes, she like many others is applauding the work done to address gun violence in Maine. Representative Kristen Cloutier points to both the ban on bump stocks, the introduction of a 72-hour waiting period and the changes brought forward to Maine's yellow flag law as a move to address gun violence in Maine.
"I'm really proud of that. I think that we [again] were able to sort of come at the issue from various perspectives and I think it's that total package that really is going to matter to folks in this community and also throughout the state of Maine," Cloutier said.
Many lawmakers say improving access to mental health services was a priority, and as a result, funding will now be used to create a 24/7 behavioral health crisis receiving center in Lewiston.
"I received outreach from the shooter's sister, who was in strong support of the bill I had submitted," Auburn Representative Laurel Libby said, who introduced a bill that would have cut red tape to increase the availability of mental healthcare facilities in Maine. "She had seen her brother fall through the cracks."
While Libby says she is thankful for the expansions for mental health resources, she says her constituents did not want to see additional gun legislation to address gun violence in Maine, but instead to address the mental health crisis.
"We are not addressing the crux of the issue, and that is a shame to me," Libby said.
Sen. Peggy Rotundo, R-Androscoggin, told NEWS CENTER Maine she was proud of the progress lawmakers made toward furthering mental health resources in the state.
"In the supplemental we dealt with emergencies that have resulted from the ongoing crisis in affordable housing and of homelessness many Mainers are experiencing, as well as needs that arose out of the mass shootings in Lewiston," Rotundo said in a statement. "I am particularly proud of the Legislature's willingness to address the need for better and more extensive mental health services within our Maine communities. We have also attempted to meet the needs of the survivors and the families of victims of the mass shootings in Lewiston, as well as the physical and mental health needs of first responders. I am proud of the gun safety legislation that passed that will provide greater protection against gun violence in our community. It is my hope that the areas we addressed will keep our communities healthier and safer in the future."
While no lawmaker is completely satisfied at the end of any session, fighting for the issues Mainers hold dear is what many feel was done in this session.
"We're really lucky in this state to have folks that will stand up and try to do the right thing," Shaw said.