AUGUSTA – Senate President Troy Jackson and House Speaker Sara Gideon have announced that the Legislature will hold a series of committee briefings in the coming weeks to discuss ongoing challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Committees will initially focus on unemployment issues, the unique challenges faced by agriculture and small businesses, the reopening of Maine’s economy, COVID-19 testing and contact tracing, and the impact on medical facilities, including the outsized impact on long-term care facilities.
The Legislature is taking steps to ensure that these meetings follow best practices for public health and are accessible to both the press and public.
“Throughout this crisis, we’ve been on the ground, we’ve worked with our communities and we’ve talked to Maine people. As Mainers, when challenges arise, we roll up our sleeves and bring people around a table to find a path ahead. In the coming weeks, the Legislature will begin holding committee meetings so we can work with the administration to get answers and solve problems,” said President Jackson. “These meetings will be held in a way that is safe, legal and accessible to both the press and the public. As legislators, our job is to represent the perspective, experiences and concerns of our constituents. These committee meetings mark the next logical step. I look forward to working with my colleagues, the administration and experts to get things done.”
“From our communities, the Legislature has been hard at work on behalf of our constituents to address their concerns and find solutions that balance the economy and public health. Moving forward, our Legislative committees will resume meeting to ensure we have the tools necessary to both secure and support our recovery across all sectors,” said Speaker Gideon. “We know Mainers are facing untold economic hardship and we can only face this historic challenge by working together.”
Please find a preliminary schedule of committee meetings for planning purposes below. Presiding Officers and Committee Chairs are still working with members to finalize more specific dates and times. Additional committee meetings may be added to the schedule.
Week One
- 10:00 a.m. on Friday, May 29 | Committee on Appropriations & Financial Affairs
Week Two
- Committee on Labor and Housing
- Committee on Appropriations & Financial Affairs
Week Three
- Committee on Health and Human Services
- Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Week Four
- Education and Cultural Affairs
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