Inmate Workers Win Suit Against Mills Administration For Seizing Unemployment Benefits

In the settlement of a class-action lawsuit in federal court, the state has agreed to return just under $200,000 in unemployment benefits.

Wabanaki Vow To Continue Larger Sovereignty Push Amid Mills' Opposition To Historic Bill

"We acknowledge that this process now rests with state government and is out of our hands," a statement from the tribes said.

Beacon Podcast: End Of Legislative Session Marked By Activism

As the legislative session winds to an end this week, Mainers rallied outside the capitol for tribal sovereignty and the Good Samaritan law.

Advocates Rally For Tribal Sovereignty As Mills Signals Opposition To Long-Sought Reform

Around 100 people rallied in front of the State House on Wednesday to celebrate the progress that has been made this legislative session.

Public Power Proponents Back Compromise On CMP, Versant Accountability Bill

Democrats in the Maine Legislature on Wednesday resolved differences over a utility accountability bill, passing a compromise measure.

Advocates Strike Deal With Mills, Crafting One Of Nation's Strongest Good Samaritan Laws

The bill creates additional protections from prosecution at the scene of an overdose.

Maine Lawmaker Shares Horrors Of Solitary Confinement As Bill Dies

A heavily watered-down bill addressing the use of isolation as punishment died due to a disagreement between the Maine House and Senate.

House, Senate Split On Governor's Utility Bill As Public Power Advocates Say Measure Falls Short

LD 1959 is a bill put forward by Gov. Janet Mills related to performance problems with CMP and Versant.

Lawmakers Pass Bipartisan Budget Amid Dissent That Historic Surplus Will Be Squandered

Maine lawmakers passed a $1.2 billion supplemental budget on Tuesday with strong bipartisan support.

Coalition Puts Pressure On Mills To Pass Good Samaritan Law After Veto Threat

The governor said she would not allow the current version of the bill to become law, saying it is "far too broad in its scope."

‘Heed This Call': Advocates Urge Mills To Sign Stronger Good Samaritan Law Amid Opioid Crisis

While the bill faces additional votes in the House and Senate, the fight will now likely center around urging Mills not to veto it.

House Advances Zoning Reform Bill As Maine Seeks To Tackle Affordable Housing Crisis

LD 2003 is an effort to begin to address Maine’s affordable housing crisis by reducing barriers to the construction of units.

Native Community Development Group Works To Boost Wabanaki Economies

Indigenous Mainers are working on a plan to boost tourism for the state's five Wabanaki Nations.

How The LePage Administration's Delays And Denials Deepened Maine's PFAS Crisis

Environmental experts believe LePage’s gubernatorial tenure set the state back years in dealing with the "forever chemicals" crisis.

Campaign To Strengthen Good Samaritan Law Wins Fight In Maine Senate

The vote in support of the more substantive bill was 22-12, with some Republicans joining Democrats in supporting the legislation.

State House Rift May Doom Effort To Track Solitary Confinement In Maine

Advocates say some lawmakers tried to silence investigation into a punishment the United Nations calls torture.

Maine Labor Organizers, State Lawmakers Call Out Federal Inaction On Climate, Health Care

Activists joined labor and State House leaders on Wednesday in Augusta to call on Maine’s congressional delegation to take up key policies.

House Passes Bill Backed By Large Coalition To Address Passamaquoddy Water Crisis

LD 906 was approved on a 103-35 vote, with some Republicans joining Democrats in supporting the bill.

Man Incarcerated At Maine State Prison Alleges Culture Of Abuse Within Facility

Gaven Charest, 22, said problems began for him soon after he came to Maine State Prison around October 2019.

U.S. Senate Confirms Ketanji Brown Jackson, ‘America At Its Best,' To Supreme Court

The 53-47 vote comes just six weeks after President Joe Biden announced his nomination of Jackson from the White House.

Wins And Losses For Big Environmental Bills As Session Enters Final Weeks

The legislative session is now in its final scheduled month. Here are some of the decisions lawmakers made this week.

Podcast: Better Targeting Maine's One-Time Checks Could Fund Health Care And Housing

Beacon hosts provide an update on the last days of the Maine legislative session and what issues are coming to a vote.

Susan Collins Tests Positive For COVID-19: Reports

The U.S. senator from Maine tested positive Thursday just minutes after voting to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court.

Lawmakers Pass Bill To Protect Election Workers Amid Increase In Threats

The bill adds a reporting procedure to document threats against workers and volunteers.

Bill To Create Right To Healthy Environment In Maine Fails Amid Attacks By GOP Lawmakers

The proposed policy is part of a movement to secure “green amendments” protecting the right to a healthy environment.

Students, Advocates Applaud New Law That Bans Withholding Transcripts Over Debt

"For too many Maine students, especially those with low incomes, transcript withholding has been a trap."

Biden Administration To Halt Pandemic Policy Blocking Migrants Who Claim Asylum

The policy will end on May 23.

Brown Jackson Wins Bipartisan Support For U.S. Supreme Court With Collins Backing

Collins said in a statement Jackson had “sterling” academic and professional credentials.

Poll: Mainers Prefer Investments In Housing, Infrastructure Over One-Time Checks

More than 50 percent of Mainers say the state should use an unprecedented revenue surplus to address long-unmet needs.

Coalition Calls For Legislature To Pass Tribal Sovereignty, Address Housing And Health Crises

The group Vision for an Equitable Maine highlighted four issues areas and urged bold action on each of them.

Maine's Susan Collins To Vote Yes For Biden Supreme Court Pick

Collins is the first Republican senator to voice support for Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Report: Too Many Youth Incarcerated In Maine, Across U.S.

Research from The Sentencing Project showed juveniles are overwhelmingly being detained for low-level offenses.

Biden Proposes Billionaire Tax To Pay For Increased Spending On Military, Public Health

Biden sought to highlight that increased spending in his fiscal 2023 request wouldn’t mean boosting the annual deficit.

Consumer-Owned Power Advocates Propose Series Of Changes To Strengthen Mills' Utility Bill

A committee that oversees how best to deliver affordable, reliable, climate-friendly power to Mainers is split on the best path forward.

Poll: Strong Majority Of Mainers Support Expanding Good Samaritan Law

Seventy percent of respondents support a bill that "expands protections for Mainers who call 911 for someone experiencing a drug overdose."

JFK Jr camp-site tax battle

Maine island where president's son spent 1977 summer

Maine's Jared Golden Tests Positive For COVID-19

The U.S. representative from Lewiston was the second lawmaker on Tuesday to announce they had tested positive for the disease.

Officials To Mainers: Check Your New Districts Before Election Time

New maps were finalized for the next decade of elections in Maine.

A Year After Jan. 6, Attack On The U.S. Capitol Lives On In Hundreds Of Court Cases

"The Department of Justice continues to spend enormous amounts of time and energy pressing cases against insurrectionists."

Podcast: Bestselling ‘Sum Of Us' Author Heather McGhee Comes To Maine

Ben Chin interviews author, commentator and researcher Heather McGhee this week on the Beacon podcast.