By Sen. Scott Cyrway

This past Thursday marked the beginning of 2026. It will be a New Year for America and for the world. For many, it also marks a chance at a fresh start. A new opportunity to reach for goals and dreams.

Hello, this is Senator Scott Cyrway of Kennebec County. Thank you for tuning in to the first Republican Radio Address of the new year. As we celebrate the new year, reflecting on our accomplishments and setting goals for the year to come, I look forward to continuing to fight for all Mainers during the upcoming legislative session.

The Second Regular Session of the 132^nd Legislature will convene on Wednesday, January 7, 2026. With 415 bills carried over, 90 bills submitted by executive departments and 101 second session bills accepted for consideration by the Legislative Council, it is sure to be a busy session.

The beginning of the second session also means the Governor will have to act on the 61 bills she’s been holding from the First Special Session. Among these bills is LD 1971, a radical sanctuary state bill she’s stated she will allow to go into law. LD 1971 is a truly dangerous piece of legislation that will prevent our law enforcement officers from cooperating with federal authorities to take dangerous criminals off our streets. Despite this setback, Maine’s legislative Republicans will continue to pursue policies that put the safety of Mainers first.

Legislative Republicans will also advocate for policies to provide substantive relief for Maine’s taxpayers. We will work to enable Maine taxpayers to benefit from the tax reforms enacted federally in the Working Families Tax Cut Act. Since Gov. Mills rejected most tax conformity measures, Mainers won’t be able to take full advantage of the federal tax cuts unless the Legislature acts.

That means working Mainers will still have to pay state taxes on tips and overtime and won’t get a state deduction for car loan interest. Additionally, Maine seniors won’t reap the full benefits of the increased $6,000 standard deduction for those age 65 and older. With the revenue projection up by $248 million for this biennium, legislative Republicans will continue to advocate for lowering the tax burden on Mainers instead of funding new, unnecessary government programs.

My Republican colleagues and I will also continue fighting for lower energy costs. While the Legislature has made some progress on reining in these costs by scaling back Net Energy Billing (NEB), ratepayers are still on the hook for $450 million in solar subsidies that primarily benefit out-of-state developers. I’m optimistic that more work can be done, and legislative Republicans will continue to support policies to lower Mainers’ energy costs.

Additionally, with growing claims of serious MaineCare fraud, it is important for the legislature to ensure this program is available for the families and seniors who need it most. We must get to the bottom of this fraud and add safeguards to MaineCare to prevent this type of wrongdoing from occurring again. 

These are just some of our goals heading into the new year. Again, this is Senator Scott Cyrway of Kennebec County. Thank you for listening and have a very happy new year.

Sen. Scott Cyrway represents Senate District 16, which consists of Albion, Oakland, Fairfield, Waterville and Winslow. He serves as the Senate Republican Lead on the Legislature’s Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee.

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