LD 1690 (REPORTEDLY) DEFEATED IN COMMITTEE

The following information is according to an email I received from the Maine Heritage Policy Center.

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Last Wednesday, the Maine Public Broadcasting Network announced that the bill sponsored by Assistant House Democratic Leader Seth Berry to undermine Maine's constitutionally protected citizen initiative process failed to win committee support to move through the legislative process.

Earlier this month, MHPC learned of Rep. Berry's bill, which allows names to be removed from a petition without any safeguards against fraud or abuse. Chief executive officer Tarren Bragdon testified in opposition to this bill, as well as two other anti-citizen initiative bills, at a public hearing in Augusta.

MHPC also issued a call to action to its grassroots network to contact Legal and Veterans Affairs Committee members with the message that we oppose ANY bills that restrict our right to engage government through the citizen initiative or people's veto process.

While the defeat of this bill is a victory for Maine people, the Democrat-controlled Legal and Veterans Affairs Committee may still move forward with changes to Maine's citizen-initiative process using a bill that may include provisions in Rep. Berry's original poposal.

The Maine Heritage Policy Center will remain engaged in this process and fight to protect our constitutional rights.

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This writer will continue to post ongoing information regarding these issues. Until LD 1692 and LD 1730 are defeated as well, citizen rights in Maine are at risk.