AUGUSTA, Maine — On March 17, the Maine Legislature unanimously voted to adjourn sine die—which means the legislative session was ended “without day”—in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Legislative leaders in both the House and Senate agreed to carry over all unresolved bills to a special session for consideration. Presiding Officers of the Maine Legislature are now proposing that special session be held in August, if the majority of lawmakers agree.
Senate President Troy Jackson and House Speaker Sara Gideon on Tuesday instructed officers of each chamber to send out a poll to members of the 129th Maine Legislature to ask whether they favor reconvening. Lawmakers have 48 hours to respond to the poll.
“The time is now for the Legislature to return to Augusta and finish the job,” Jackson said in a statement. “With Maine seeing fewer cases of COVID-19, hospitalizations and deaths, Maine lawmakers are in a good position to finish our work and deliver for Maine people.”
Before ending the session three weeks ahead of schedule in March, the Legislature passed a compromise supplemental budget of $73 million, as well as other bills and emergency measures aimed at fighting the coronavirus in Maine. But many of the other issues discussed earlier in the session were set aside to allow for quick votes and adjournment.
“For months, we’ve been working in our communities to address inexcusable flaws in our unemployment system, advocate for small businesses so they can remain open and help people access health care, rental relief, and food,” Jackson said Tuesday. “Mainers are counting on us. I know given the economic circumstances and public health crisis, I’ll be making prudent decisions with my votes focusing on measures that support the health and well-being of Maine families, small businesses, seniors, and communities. By reconvening, we have the opportunity to deliver when people need it most.”
Gideon said the potential Legislative session will address some of the top priorities that address the needs of Mainers as the State works to bolster the economic recovery from the pandemic.
“This will include public school readiness, help with housing and nutrition needs, aid to small businesses and the tourism economy, adequate childcare, access to rural healthcare, utilizing federal funding, and more,” Gideon said.
The proposed special session would follow new health and safety policies unanimously adopted last week by Legislative Council, a 10-member bipartisan council made up of legislative leaders from each of the four caucuses.
Read the new health and safety policies here:
Under the Maine Constitution, Presiding Officers have the authority to reconvene the Legislature for a special session if they have the consent of a majority of Democratic and Republican lawmakers. Gov. Janet Mills also has the authority to call the Legislature back into session at any time.
In a statement to NEWS CENTER Maine, the Governor's Office said Mills believes the Legislature should return at some point and that she plans to work with the Presiding Officers in a collaborative manner on it.
The Governor's Office said, "The Governor is particularly interested in working with Legislature to determine the most effective use of CARES Act funding to mitigate the economic impacts of the pandemic on the State of Maine," which has begun through the Appropriations Committee.
“Our people and our businesses have adapted with incredible patience and faced an unprecedented challenge. As a Legislature, we should prepare ourselves to take every action available to continue providing much-needed assistance during this time,” Gideon said.
RELATED: Maine group urges Sens. Collins and King to vote to extend $600 weekly unemployment benefits
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At NEWS CENTER Maine, we’re focusing our news coverage on the facts and not the fear around the illness. To see our full coverage, visit our coronavirus section, here: /coronavirus
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