MEA LEGISLATIVE SCORECARD
The MEA has made tremendous progress advancing the cause of public education during the most recent legislative session. Some of the key highlights include:
- Huge increases in state aid to local schools; the state is contributing hundreds of millions in state and federal aid to our schools to make sure we have the resources we need to open to in-person instruction during the pandemic
- Lifted the minimum teacher salary to $40,000 – a long time goal of the Maine Education Association
- Required schools to offer pay averaging to hourly employees
- Passed a bill requiring greater oversight of dangerous behaviors in the classrooms, and codified in law the need to make sure such incidents are investigated and addressed
And so much more . . .
MEA’s success was due to the constant engagement of our members in the legislative program of our organization. But another element of our success was the composition of the Legislature. When pro education candidates are elected to the House and Senate we can make great progress for our schools. Below is a summary of how lawmakers votes on the key issues that matter to our public schools and our union with the Scorecard Bills Description highlighting the items MEA graded each lawmaker on resulting in a final grade from 0-100%.
Scorecard Bills Description
LD 1177: Binding Arbitration
This bill would have made salaries and health insurance subject to binding arbitration, whereas under current law they are not. The current law gives our employers too much of an advantage and we have seen districts implement their own salary scale when failing to come to an agreement through collective bargaining so we can level the playing field with the employers. The House and Senate passed this important compromise, but sadly Governor Janet Mills vetoed it.
Sponsored by Senate President Troy Jackson, Aroostook County
Copy of the bill: http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/summary.asp?ID=280072340
Roll Calls votes found here: http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/rollcalls.asp?ID=280072340
LD 1001: State Budget
The two year state budget passed by the Legislature increased state aid to public schools by over $100 million and brings the state 1% closer each year to the 55% state funding requirement for schools. In addition, the state budget ramped up the minimum teacher salary to $40,000.
Copy of the bill: http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/summary.asp?ID=280072089
Roll Call votes: http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/rollcalls.asp?ID=280072089
LD 92 – Strengthening teacher voice in the evaluation process
Sponsored by Representative David McCrea, Fort Fairfield
One of the first bills the MEA advocated for this past session, LD 92 was passed by the House and Senate and signed by the Governor. The bill eliminated the requirement to use standardized test scores to evaluate teachers and it also required that decisions about teacher evaluation systems in the future be made by consensus and that a majority of the evaluation steering committee is comprised of educators appointed by the local association.
Copy of the bill: http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/summary.asp?ID=280070778
Roll Call votes: http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/rollcalls.asp?ID=280070778
LD 307 – Cap on Charter Schools
Sponsored by Representative Mike Brenna, Portland
This bill solidified in law a cap of 10 charter schools in the state. MEA supported this bill. The bill was passed by the House and Senate and became law without the Governor’s signature.
Copy of bill: http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/summary.asp?ID=280071053
Roll Call votes: http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/rollcalls.asp?ID=280071053
LD 240 – Planning and Prep Time
This bill would allow teachers to negotiate over planning/prep time – currently a prohibited subject of negotiation. This bill was critically to addressing workload concerns of teachers. The bill was passed by the House and Senate but was sadly vetoed by Governor Mills.
Sponsored by Representative Mike Sylvester, Portland
Copy of Bill: http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/summary.asp?ID=280071002
Roll Call votes: http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/rollcalls.asp?ID=280071002
LD 513 – Virtual Charter Cap
This bill caps the number of students able to enroll in a virtual charter school at 1,000 statewide. The bill also prohibits virtual charters from accepting students for elementary grades. The bill was passed by the House and Senate and became law without the Governor’s signature.
Sponsored by Representative Mike Brennan, Portland
Copy of Bill: http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/summary.asp?ID=280071379
Roll Call votes: http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/rollcalls.asp?ID=280071379
LD 1184 – An Act Regarding Penalties for Early Retirement
This bill would have adjusted the penalties for those individuals that retired following the changes made by Governor LePage during his first term. The bill passed the House and Senate but was not acted upon and will die unless the current Legislature returns.
Copy of the Bill: http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/summary.asp?ID=280072359
Roll Call Votes: http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/rollcalls.asp?ID=280072359
LD 1227 – School Vouchers
This bill was a backdoor attempt to bring vouchers to Maine. The MEA opposed it. The bill was soundly defeated by the House and Senate.
Sponsored by Representative Jeff Hanley, Wiscasset
Copy of Bill: http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/summary.asp?ID=280072470
Roll Call votes: http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/rollcalls.asp?ID=280072470
LD 1370 – Protect Educators from Dangerous Behavior
This bill was designed to create clear protocols for school employees who experience dangerous behaviors from students. The bill took great pains to be careful concerning IEPs and other protections for special education students. The bill was passed by the House and Senate and signed by the Governor and is now law.
Sponsored by Senator Rebecca Millett, Cumberland County
Copy of Bill: http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/summary.asp?ID=280072678
Roll Call Votes: http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/rollcalls.asp?ID=280072678
LD 1237 – Unnecessary Notice to Bargain
This bill removed an unnecessary 120 day notice to bargain requirement. The law was antiquated. The bill was passed by the House and Senate and was signed by the Governor. It is now law.
Sponsored by Representative Jim Handy, Lewiston
Copy of Bill: http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/summary.asp?ID=280072495
Roll Call Votes: http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/rollcalls.asp?ID=280072495
LD 1232 – Right to Work for Less
Yet again the MEA and labor unions in the state had to work together to defeat yet another bill to make it harder for unions to organize and succeed. The bill was soundly defeated by the House and Senate.
Sponsored by Representative Larry Lockman, Bradley
Copy of Bill: http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/summary.asp?ID=280072479
Roll Call Votes: http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/rollcalls.asp?ID=280072479
LD 1451 – Access to New Employees
The MEA worked with other labor unions in the state to pass a new law that responds to the assaults on unions by the US Supreme Court. This bill requires public sector employers to provide information about new hires to the bargaining agent and to allow time for union members to introduce new hires to the union during any orientation period. The bill was passed by the House and Senate and was signed into law by the Governor.
Sponsored by Representative Bill Pluecker, Warren
Copy of Bill: http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/summary.asp?ID=280072898
Roll Call Votes: http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/rollcalls.asp?ID=280072898
LD 1220 – Retirees Returning to Work
This bill removed many of the onerous and unnecessary restrictions placed on retirees who choose to return to work in a school district. The bill was passed by the House and Senate and was signed into law by Governor Mills.
Sponsored by Representative Paul Stearns, Guilford
Copy of Bill: http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/summary.asp?ID=280072417
Roll Call Votes: http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/rollcalls.asp?ID=280072417
LD 179 – Improvements to Retiree Health Insurance
This bill would increase the amount the state pays toward retired teacher health care. The state currently pays 45% and this amended bill would have provided 55% state aid for qualified retired teachers and ed techs. The bill was passed by the House and Senate, but remains in limbo and requires the Legislature to return. If the Legislature fails to return, the bill will die.
Sponsored by Representative Ben Collings, Portland
Copy of Bill: http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/summary.asp?ID=280070928
Roll Call votes: http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/rollcalls.asp?ID=280070928
LD 2126 – Supplemental State Budget
This supplemental state budget sent nearly $40 million more in state funding to local public schools to increase the state share of funding by 1%. The supplemental budget was passed by the House and Senate and signed by the Governor.
Copy of Bill: http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/summary.asp?ID=280076767
Roll Call votes: http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/rollcalls.asp?ID=280076767
LD 672 – Teaching Outside of Certification
This bill would allow superintendents more flexibility to assign teachers outside of their certified content areas or grades. The MEA opposed this bill and it was defeated in the House and Senate.
Sponsored by Representative Paul Stearns, Guilford
Copy of Bill: http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/summary.asp?ID=280071627
Roll Call Votes: http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/rollcalls.asp?ID=280071627
LD 300 – Pay Averaging for Hourly Employees
LD 300 requires school districts to offer pay averaging to hourly school employees. Pay averaging allows hourly employees to weather school closures due to snow storms or other unanticipated events. The bill was passed by the House and Senate and signed into law by the Governor.
Sponsored by Jim Handy, Lewiston
Copy of Bill: http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/summary.asp?ID=280071065
Roll Call Votes: http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/rollcalls.asp?ID=280071065