GET INVOLVED > Advocacy > Priorities

2008 Legislative Agenda

Priority Rating:

A = priority effort, ALAME is a lead organization regarding coordination of grassroots, monitoring, testimony and lobbying

B = Monitor and provide testimony

C = Monitor with potential for moving to a higher priority and/or it’s impact on priority bills

 

Tobacco

Position Statement

Fund for a Healthy Maine
Priority A

Our top priority again this year is to assure that the $16.9 million Maine receives each year as part of the Tobacco Settlement is spent on Maine’s tobacco prevention and control program and other critical health improvement efforts.

Priority A

Tobacco Tax equalization for other tobacco products (cigars, pipe tobacco, etc) – This will bring other tobacco products cost in line with cigarettes. Kids are more likely to smoke when tobacco is cheap. To equalize the tax on all tobacco products will help keep tobacco out of the hands of kids. This is not a piece of legislation, but will be closely associated with overall state budget discussions.

Priority B

LD 1961 - An Act To Repeal the Ban on the Sale and Furnishing of Hard Snuff

Summary - This bill repeals the prohibition on the sale, furnishing or gifting of hard snuff 

Position – ALAME opposes this bill and supports the testimony of the Maine Coalition on Smoking or Health.

 

Priority A

LD 2012 & LD 2085 - An Act To Protect Children in Vehicles from Secondhand Smoke

Summary - This bill, modeled on a Bangor city ordinance, prohibits smoking in a motor vehicle when a person under 18 years of age is present in that vehicle. Violators are subject to a $50 fine or, at the discretion of the law enforcement officer present, a written warning. 

Position – ALAME supports these bills and will provide testimony in favor of these bills. Testimony

Healthy Air & Energy

Position Statement

Priority A

LD 1945 – An Act to Update the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative

Summary – This bill makes clarification changes to the laws governing the regional greenhouse gas initiative. 

Position – ALAME will assure that legislation does not weaken RGGI legislation passed in last session.

 

Priority A

LD 2009 - Resolve, Regarding Legislative Review of Portions of Chapter 150: Control of Emissions from Outdoor Wood Boilers, a Major Substantive Rule of the Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Air Quality Control

Summary - This resolve provides for legislative review of portions of Chapter 150: Control of Emissions from Outdoor Wood Boilers, a major substantive rule of the Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Air Quality Control. 

Position – We are encouraged by the first steps of the DEP, however the proposed rules are not strong enough to protect those people currently experiencing health threats due to an outdoor wood boiler. We will continue our efforts to bring attention and action to this public health threat. Testimony

 

Priority A

LD 2056 - An Act To Conserve Gasoline and Preserve Clean Air

Summary - This bill sets limits on idling of motor vehicles. It provides that a person who owns a location where a diesel-powered commercial motor vehicle loads or unloads may not cause such a vehicle to idle for a period longer than 30 minutes while waiting to load or unload at that location. It provides that an owner or operator of a diesel-powered commercial motor vehicle may not cause or permit such a vehicle to idle for more than 5 minutes in any 60-minute period, subject to certain exemptions, such as while waiting to load or unload a vehicle. It provides that an owner or operator of a gasoline-powered motor vehicle, except a private passenger vehicle, may not cause or permit such a vehicle to idle for more than 5 minutes in any 60-minute period, subject to certain exceptions. It requires a warning to be issued for a first violation and a fine to be adjudged for a subsequent violation.  

Position – ALAME testified in favor of this bill.

 

Priority C

LD 2126 – An Act To Minimize Carbon Dioxide Emissions from New Coal-powered Industrial and Electrical Generating Facilities in the State

Summary – This bill is still in concept form and language is being developed.

Position – Monitoring and position may change as more information is available.

Priority B

Resolve on Building Codes

An Act to Promote Home Energy Conservation (no specific LD yet) - Establishes a residential energy building code requirement for new home construction to save Maine homeowners money, ensure reasonably efficient homes, and reduce Maine’s contribution to global warming pollution.

Position - ALAME is working collaboratively with the Maine Indoor Air Quality Council and the Maine Global Warming Action Coalition in assuring that best practice building codes promote lung health and energy efficiency.

Lung Health Promotion and Public Health

Position Statement

Priority A

The Fund for a Healthy Maine - Our top priority again this year is to assure that the $16.9 million Maine receives each year as part of the Tobacco Settlement is spent on Maine’s tobacco prevention and control program and other critical health improvement efforts.

Priority C

Local Health Officers – In conjunction with public health collaborators, Maine CDC has submitted a report to the Health and Human Services Committee and Joint Standing Committee Criminal Justice and Public Safety, that outlines recommendations for legislation that would revise the Local Health Officer System.

Summary – This bill is still in concept form and language is being developed.

Position – Monitoring and position may change as more information is available.

Priority A

LD 2084 - An Act To Protect Vulnerable Children by Allowing the Use of Emergency Medication

Summary - This bill requires a municipality that operates a municipal recreational program ensure that the municipal personnel supervising the municipal recreational program are trained to administer medication, including, but not limited to, an asthma inhaler or an epinephrine pen, to any child in that municipality's care who requires that medication. Municipal personnel who have received the training may administer medication.

Position – ALAME supports this bill and will be providing testimony.

Priority C

LD 2153 – An Act to Improve the Organizational Structure of the Department

Summary – The bill proposes to make a number of changes to the laws governing the organizational structure of the Department of Health and Human Services and the powers and duties of the Commissioner greater flexibility in organizing the department, appointing staff, and delegating the various departmental duties among staff, as well as eliminating redundant requirements.

Position – Monitoring and position may change as more information is available.