Staff Report

Augusta- In a shocking move, Democrats in the Maine Senate voted to adjourn Sine Die, or without day, ending the Second Regular Session of the 132^nd Legislature before 5 p.m. on Wednesday. The stunning procedural maneuver effectively killed bipartisan legislation aimed at allowing increased oversight capabilities of the Legislature’s Government Oversight Committee (GOC).

LD 127, “An Act to Strengthen Legislative Oversight of Government Agencies and Programs by Reaffirming the Legislature’s Access to Confidential Records,” received bipartisan support in both the House and Senate earlier this month and again this morning, indicating it was on course for enactment. Recognizing this legislation was likely to pass, Senate Democrats instead proceeded to adjourn Sine Die, declaring all business of the Second Regular Session complete.

“LD 127 was designed to allow the Government Oversight Committee to enter executive session so they could review confidential materials and conduct their duty of ensuring our executive branch is accountable. It received bipartisan support in both bodies and was on track to pass,” said Assistant Senate Republican Leader Matthew Harrington, R-York. “Instead of doing their job as legislators, the Senate majority chose to announce that we’ve completed our work, leaving this crucial bill to die in the possession of the House.”

“There was no reason for Senate Democrats not to stay and do their job except to run cover for the Mills administration. Maine Department of Health and Human Services’ record has been atrocious with 150 children who had DHHS involvement dying over the past five years,” said Sen. Jeff Timberlake, R-Androscoggin, the Senate Republican Lead on the Legislature’s Government Oversight Committee. “This was an opportunity to allow GOC to look behind the iron curtain and start the path toward real reform. Instead, Senate Democrats ran for cover and disregarded their responsibilities as legislators.”