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April 11, 2024

Governor and Speaker push to move budget forward in waning days of legislative session

Governor Janet Mills and Speaker of the House Rachel Talbot Ross issued the following statements today calling for the Legislature's Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee to meet today to reconsider the supplemental budget:

"The supplemental budget €“ and all of the critical funding it includes for child care, child protection, nursing homes, housing, public safety, and other vital needs €“ is one of our highest priorities right now," said Governor Janet Mills. "The Legislature has less than a week to finish its business before statutory adjournment, and there is broad agreement among lawmakers that the Appropriations Committee should move to reconsider the budget immediately in order to make changes needed to move it forward. The Speaker and I agree, and are calling for, the Appropriations Committee to reconvene immediately €“ meaning today €“ to reconsider the budget and arrive at a final product that invests in critical needs while maintaining the budget's sustainability over the long-term."

"Our session is quickly approaching adjournment and it is vital that we pass a supplemental budget. The Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee has taken significant action to invest in affordable housing, mental health services, public education, child care, nursing home and veterans' home support, child protection services, and health care," said Speaker Talbot Ross. "However, there are discrete items that deserve reconsideration and I am calling for the Committee to reconvene immediately. We must continue our legacy of passing historic, fiscally-responsible budgets that address Maine's most pressing challenges."

In order to reconvene, the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee must have agreement among the Presiding Officers.