Advocacy Resources: Engaging with the Maine Legislature

We are sharing the following information on behalf of Reggie Parson, a member of our Policy Committee, who has graciously compiled some resources which will be helpful in deepening our understanding of how to engage with the Maine State Legislature. They provide a broader orientation on the advocacy efforts that we will plan to do within the Alignment in the coming months.

Path of Legislation in Maine

Committee Subject Matter, by Committee:

Note: This is a good resource to gain a general understanding of the issues that each committee in the legislature may deal with.

Examples of Testimony:

Note: Below is an example of testimony on LD 1190, An Act to Increase State Funding for Emergency Shelters, that was brought before the Housing & Economic Development Committee in April. It provides a framework of how to address the committee and express support, opposition, or neither for nor against a bill.

Link: Testimony of GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders in Support of LD 1190

Listen to a public hearing:

Note: The video linked below is from March 28 in the Health and Human Services Committee. It maybe helpful in understanding how to testify & navigate the testifying process in the State House.
Suggestion: You don’t have to listen to the entire hearing, but it may be helpful to have it on in the background as you work on other things.

Link: March 28 Public Hearing in Health and Human Services Committee

Interested Parties Lists:

You can also sign up for each legislative committee’s interested parties mailing list. Below is a list of key committees that may be relevant to the work that Alignment members do:

• Appropriations and Financial Affairs. (Appropriations and Financial Affairs Interested Parties List)

• Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. (Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Interested Parties List)

• Health and Human Services (Health and Human Services Interested Parties List)

• Housing and Economic Development (Housing and Economic Development Interested Parties List)

• Education (Education and Cultural Affairs Interested Parties List and Education and Employment Outcomes Task Force)

• Judiciary (Judiciary Interested Parties List)

• Labor (Labor Interested Parties List)

• Transportation (Transportation Interested Parties List)

All mailing lists are listed alphabetically here: https://lists.legislature.maine.gov/sympa/lists.

To sign up for an interested parties list, click on the relevant committee and then click “subscribe” to sign up. This is a way to keep track of the committee's schedule, committee amendments to bills, and any other relevant information. Please be sure to check your email to confirm your interest in joining the mailing list.

For additional resources shared by Ben Collings during his overview of advocacy at our quarterly meeting in June, click here.