During the week of January 5th the 124th Legislature began its session. As the Republican Ranking Member of the Labor Committee I attended training on Monday provided for Committee Chairs as Leads. We received presentations on many issues that go into properly holding public hearings and work session. We then met for a brief time with our committee clerk and policy analyst to discuss meeting procedures and review initial bills. The Labor Committee appears to have a light load at this time with less than 25 bills presently submitted. Cloture date is January 12th which is the date for all regular bill requests to be submitted for this session. The Joint Committee on Labor is comprised of thirteen members. They are listed below:
Senate: Troy Dale Jackson, Chair (D-Aroostook)
Stan Gerzofsky (D-Cumberland)
Peter Mills (R-Somerset)
House: John L. Tuttle, Jr., Chair (D-Sanford)
Herbert E. Clark (D-Millinocket)
Timothy E. Driscoll (D-Westbrook)
Anna D. Blodgett (D-Augusta)
Steven J. Butterfield II (D-Bangor)
Paul E. Gilbert (D-Jay)
Andre E. Cushing III (R-Hampden)*
James Michael Hamper (R-Oxford)
Michael D. Thibodeau (R-Winterport)
Bruce A. Bickford (R-Auburn)
We will be responsible for hearing bills that deal with the Department of Labor; wage and hour laws; working conditions, including health and safety; workforce development; unemployment compensation; workers’ compensation; labor relations; collective bargaining; retirement eligibility and benefits for state and municipal employees, including teachers; judicial and legislative retirement systems; Workers’ Compensation Board; and Maine State Retirement System.
We currently are scheduling our meetings for Monday and Wednesday afternoons.
Due to the significant budgetary issues facing the state the Appropriations Committee began holding hearings on Monday. Their goal is to review the Governors proposals to reduce spending in this year’s budget by $150 million. Following hearings there will be work sessions the week of the 12th with a goal of completing deliberations by the end of January. This is an agressive schedule especially with a new Legislature being seated on the 7th of the month. However we are facing serious times and we must deal with this shortfall as we then face the Governor’s proposed budget for 2009-2001(Maine’s fiscal year begins on July 1st and ends the following year on June 30th. The Legislature votes on a tow year or biennial budget) which will address an $860 million projected reduction to meet the expected lower revenues in the coming biennium.
Tuesday morning, along with many members of the Labor Committee, I attended Labor Commissioner Laura Fortman’s presentation to the Appropriation Committee.
On Wednesday We officially opened the 124th Legislature, there was the regular opening ceremonies then we quickly handled routine business, as there was not much to address since committee have generally not met. After adjourning many of us boarded buses to embark on the Policy Leaders Academy Northern Tour.