2021 MEA Scorecard

 130th House & Senate Roll Calls 

 

LD 206:  Resolve, Regarding Legislative Review of Chapter 234: Lead Testing in School Drinking Water Rule, a Major Substantive Rule of the Department of Health and Human Services, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention
House RC #87 | Senate RC #191 

MEA supported.  The bill was passed by the Legislature and signed into law by Governor Mills. 

LD 206 comes after years of work to tighten the drinking water quality standards for schools and drops the allowable amount of lead in school drinking water from 15 parts per billion to 4 parts per billion.  Final Chaptered Law:  getPDF.asp (mainelegislature.org)
 

LD 32:  An Act Regarding Remote Participation in Public Proceedings
Senate RC #379 Sponsored by Senator Trey Stewart of Aroostook County   

MEA supported.  The bill was passed by the Legislature and signed into law by Governor Mills. 

LD 32 addresses the ability for school boards and local bodies to conduct their business using Zoom or other virtual platforms.  The MEA, after hearing from members about their experiences attending local school board meetings, worked with the sponsor to develop greater protections for public participation in their local governing bodies.  Final Chaptered Law:  getPDF.asp (mainelegislature.org)
 

LD 52:  An Act Regarding Collective Bargaining Negotiations by Public Employers of Teachers
House RC #41 | Senate RC #148  Sponsored by Representative Mike Brennan of Portland 

MEA supported.  The bill was passed by the Legislature and signed into law by Governor Mills. 

LD 52 makes planning/prep time and transfers a permissive subject of bargaining.  These subjects were prohibited subjects of negotiation. Final Chaptered Law:  getPDF.asp (mainelegislature.org)
 

LD 824:  An Act To Extend the Protections Provided to State Employees upon the Expiration of Labor Contracts to Other Public Sector Employees
Senate RC #178  Sponsored by Senator Ned Claxton of Androscoggin County  

MEA supported.  The bill was passed by the Legislature and became law without the Governor’s signature.  

This new law will extends the concept of “dynamic status quo” to all public sector collective bargaining.  The bill will guarantee public sector employees will get their usual and customary step increases even if they are working under an expired contract.  Final Chaptered Law:  getPDF.asp (mainelegislature.org)
 

LD 993:  An Act To Prevent the Spread of Infectious Disease in Schools 
Senate RC #269 Sponsored by Representative Bruce White of Waterville   

MEA supported.  The bill was passed by the Legislature and became law without the Governor’s signature.  

This new law requires school districts to reimburse any school employees forced to use sick leave due to the need to quarantine, or if they had COVID or symptoms of COVID up to 15 days.  Final Chaptered Law:  getPDF.asp (mainelegislature.org)
 

LD 864:  An Act To Protect Teachers’ Privacy While Delivering Remote Instruction
House RC #262  |  Senate RC #358 Sponsored by Representative Jan Dodge of Belfast 

MEA supported.  The bill was passed by the Legislature and became law without the Governor’s signature.  

LD 864 makes it illegal to copy and distribute to retransmit remote learning sessions with students conducted by public school personnel.  Violators could face a fine for retransmitting or redistributing content from remote learning sessions.  Final Chaptered Law:  getPDF.asp (mainelegislature.org)
 

LD 221:  55% State Funding for Schools in the State Budget  
House RC #406 | Senate RC #467  

MEA supported.  The bill was passed by the Legislature and signed into law by Governor Mills. 

The updated two-year state budget provides 55% state funding for public education, increases the state contribution for the University of Maine and Community College systems, provides funding for free meals for all Maine’s students and provides other financial support for Maine’s public schools.  Final Chaptered Law:  getPDF.asp (mainelegislature.org)
 

LD 1733:  Retired Educator Health Insurance in the Federal Funding Bill:  
House Enact RC #431 |  Senate Enact RC #501 

MEA supported.  The bill was passed by the Legislature and signed into law by Governor Mills. 

LD 1733 was introduced in order to spend the nearly $1 billion in undedicated funding from the American Rescue Plan, passed by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden in March.  In addition to the investments in education, including the community college system, an amendment was included that increased the amount the state pays for retired teacher and ed tech health care from 45% to 55%.  
 

LD 1253:  An Act To Add a Faculty Member and Nonfaculty Staff Member to the Board of Trustees of the University of Maine System
House RC #215 | Senate RC #309  Sponsored by Representative Rebecca Millett of Cape Elizabeth 

MEA supported.  The bill was passed by the Legislature and vetoed by Governor Mills. 

Too often, faculty and staff voices are not heard by the upper levels of system administration.  Just last year, the University System Board of Trustees and the UMS unilaterally disrupted the health care program for University of Maine system retirees.  LD 1253 would add invaluable perspectives to the Board, by creating new seats on the Board of Trustees for faculty and nonfaculty staff members, submitted by AFUM and staff unions in the University of Maine system.  
 

LD 677:  An Act To Improve Public Sector Labor Relations by Amending the Laws Governing Arbitration under Certain Public Employees Labor Relations Laws
House RC #378 | Senate RC #267  Sponsored by Senate President Troy Jackson of Aroostook County 

MEA supported.  The bill was passed by the Legislature and vetoed by Governor Mills. 

Under Maine law, when public sector unions and management can’t reach an agreement in negotiations after mediation and fact-finding, they begin an arbitration process during which a three-person panel reviews the parties’ positions.  If arbitrators can’t reach a joint resolution, they will issue a decision.  But that decision is not binding when it comes to wages, benefits and retirement.  LD 677 would make arbitration binding on wages, benefits and retirement for public sector workers.  
 

LD 734:  An Act to Set a Minimum Wage for School Support Staff
House RC #60 | Senate RC #318 Sponsored by Representative Ben Collings of Portland 

MEA supported.  Passed by the Legislature, “carried over” to the next legislative session.

School districts across the state are struggling to hire school support staff, especially among ed techs and bus drivers.  While many districts do the right thing and pay a living wage to employees, others do not.  LD 734 would ensure all support staff make at least $16 per hour.  In order to fill these positions, we need to make them attractive, and that includes increasing the pay.  

LD 430:  An Act To Provide for School Choice and Online Learning Opportunities in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

House RC #30 

MEA opposed.  The bill was defeated by the Legislature.

The bill would have lifted newly-enacted caps on the number of students eligible to attend for-profit, virtual charter schools.  In addition, the bill would lift the caps put in place last legislative session to cap the number of charter schools in the state to 10, due to concerns about the quality of programs in some charter schools. 

 

LD 550:  Resolve, Directing the State Board of Education To Adopt Rules Prohibiting Teachers in Public Schools from Engaging in Political, Ideological or Religious Advocacy in the Classroom
House RC #146  |  Senate RC #238  Sponsored by Representative Meldon Carmichael of Greenbush 

MEA opposed.  The bill was defeated by the Legislature.

LD 550 would prohibit teachers in public schools from engaging in political, religious or ideological advocacy in the classroom or from introducing any controversial subject matter.  Penalties for violations could include employee termination.  This bill would have a chilling effect on speech in the classroom and would lead to more fear among teachers for basically doing their job.
 

LD 1259:  An Act To Restore a School District’s Ability To Authorize New Types of Schools and Programs
House RC #148 | Senate RC #239 Sponsored by Representative Heidi Sampson of Alfred 

MEA opposed.  The bill was defeated by the Legislature. 

LD 1259 would expand charter schools in Maine.  
 

LD 97:  An Act To Ensure the Right To Work without Payment of Dues or Fees to a Labor Union
House RC #34 | Senate RC #140 Sponsored by Representative Billy Bob Faulkingham of Winter Harbor 

MEA opposed.  The bill was defeated by the Legislature. 

LD 97 is the same “right to work” bill debated many times before, and goes as far as to make it a crime to collect union dues from some people the MEA represents.
 

LD 1343:  An Act To Create Education Choices by Creating Education Savings Accounts for Maine Students
House RC #149 | Senate RC #240  Sponsored by Representative Jeffery Hanley of Pittston 

MEA opposed.  The bill was defeated by the Legislature.

LD 1343 would establish a school voucher system in the state of Maine.    

LD 705:  Resolve, To Improve Air Quality and Ventilation in Maine’s Public Schools 
House RC #189 Sponsored by Representative Rebecca Millett of Cape Elizabeth  

MEA supported.  The bill was passed by the Legislature and became law without the Governor’s signature.  

In response to COVID, and the need for stronger air quality and ventilation systems in public schools, LD 705 requires the Maine Department of Education to update the air quality and ventilation standards for all public schools.  The DOE will undergo rulemaking for these standards and will be reviewed by the Education Committee in January 2022.   

LD 1664:  An Act to Integrate African American Studies and the History of Genocide into the Statewide System of Learning Results
House RC # 173 Sponsored by Representative Rachel Talbot-Ross of Portland 

MEA supported.  The bill was passed by the Legislature and signed into law by Governor Mills. 

LD 1664 integrates African American Studies and the history of genocide into the statewide learning results.  The MEA supported this effort as we continue to advocate for racial and social justice, and more diversity, equity and inclusion training for Maine’s educators.  Final Chaptered Law:  getPDF.asp (mainelegislature.org)
 

LD 1172:  An Act To Delay State-Mandated Teacher and Principal Evaluation
House RC #86 Sponsored by Representative Dave McCrea of Fort Fairfield   

MEA supported.  The bill was passed by the Legislature and signed into law by Governor Mills. 

LD 1172 allows school districts to waive their teacher and principal evaluation systems for the 2021-2022 school year. Final Chaptered Law:  getPDF.asp (mainelegislature.org)