Working Together,
MEJP and MAIN Weather Difficult Session...
with your help!
The first session of the 124th Maine Legislature came to a
close on June 12th. MEJP and MAIN – working together
- were able to stop some harmful bills and pass a few helpful
ones. With help from MAIN members and other individuals
and groups, we weathered a very difficult session.
In this newsletter, you’ll find information on the bills that
MEJP and MAIN worked on during this session.
- Thanks to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed by Congress,
eligibility for MaineCare was not cut. Unfortunately, Maine legislators made
some cuts to MaineCare services.
- Bills to increase MaineCare premiums and copayments failed. This extra burden
could have prevented people with low income from getting needed health care.
- MEJP fought hard for a new way to fund DirigoChoice. As a result, 14,500
people will continue to get health care coverage.
- We were also successful in putting in new protections for health insurance
consumers so they are more informed when choosing plans.
- MAIN and MEJP supported a bill to begin work to reverse poor health conditions
for people in Washington County and the Passamaquoddy tribe.
- MEJP worked to pass new laws that affect renters concerning heating, radon
testing, security deposits and foreclosure.
- With MEJP’s help, a mediation program was also created for some home owners
facing foreclosure.
- Thanks to testimony from MAIN members and friends, the state Earned Income
Tax Credit is now refundable and more laid-off workers can get more training.
- MAIN’s testimony that included your stories also helped to defeat a so-called
welfare reform bill.
Legislators will be back again in January 2010
for the second session of the 124th. We’ll be
counting on your help as we protect the gains that
we’ve made and put forward ideas that will make
our families and communities more secure.
Have a great summer, and keep in touch with MAIN
and MEJP through our email action network
and our websites.
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