Committee Assignments for the 132nd Maine State Legislature

Committee assignments have been announced for the 132^nd Maine State Legislature. There are changes to chairs and membership for many reasons. Most changes are simply due to term limits, failure to win re-election, choosing to not run again, or being elected to leadership positions. Some changes were made for more personal and political reasons.

In the House only five committee chairs will be returning as chairs to the committees they chaired in the 131^st Legislature. These are the Agriculture, Health and Human Services, Labor, Marine Resources, Transportation, and Veterans and Legal Affairs Committees.

The House Republican leads, on the other hand, remain mostly the same as in the 131^st with the exception of on the Education, Labor, Taxation, Veterans and Legal Affairs, and Government Oversight Committees. All of these were due to term limits or choosing to not run again for the House seat.

All the other committees will have new chairs. The most notable changes may be in Appropriations (AFA) where Rep. Drew Gattine will be the newly appointed chair and only returning Democratic House member to the committee even though three other House Democrats could have been reappointed. Rep. Gattine served as House Chair of AFA during a previous legislative session.

Rep. Melanie Sachs, who served as the House Chair of AFA last session, will now be serving as the House Chair of the Energy and Utilities Committee on which she served in her first term.

The Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business Committee (IDEA) no longer exists, and has been replaced by the Housing and Economic Development Committee. The House chair of the new committee will be Rep. Traci Gere who was the House chair of the Joint Select Committee on Housing in the 131^st.

The Senate chairs are the same as last session for eleven of the eighteen committees. The only changes being brought about by the need to shuffle people around due to term limits or members choosing to not run again. It is notable that Senator Stacy Brenner, who served as Chair of the Environmental and Natural Resources Committee previously, while still on the committee, is no longer serving as chair. Brenner has recently accepted the position of Executive Director of the Maine Farmland Trust, and did not wish to remain in the position of Chair. Newly elected Senator Denise Tepler will now serve as the Chair of both ENR and Marine Resources. Previous Chair of Marine Resources, Senator Cameron Reny, is still serving on the committee, but is also now the second Democratic Senator on the Appropriations Committee.

There are more newly elected Republican Senators so there are more changes in committee assignments on that side of the aisle. Also of note, Senator Rick Bennett has been replaced on the Appropriations Committee by newly elected Senator Susan Bernard and now serves on the Government Oversight Committee and the Housing and Economic Development Committee.

It is not abnormal for Assistant Leaders to serve on committees, and even Majority or Minority Leaders more rarely. For the 132^nd Legislature, Senate Majority Leader Teresa Pierce will be serving on both the Education and Transportation Committees. Assistant Senate Majority Leader Jill Duson will serve on both the Veterans and Legal Affairs and the Government Oversight Committees. Assistant House Majority Leader Lori Gramlich will also be serving on the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee. On the Republican side, Assistant Senate Minority Leader Matt Harrington will once again serve on the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee.

The Legislature reconvenes on January 8^th and will only be meeting in session on Tuesdays until the week of February 24^th when they will begin meeting on Tuesdays and Thursdays. However, they will be referring bills to committees as quickly as possible, and we expect committees to begin meeting for orientation either the second or third week in January.

As we have mentioned before, Cloture is January 10^th at 4 pm. This means that all bill language must be submitted by a legislator by that deadline.

Please see the full committee list below and be in touch with any questions or concerns.

132nd Legislature Committee Appointments

*Ranking Republican Member

Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry

Senate:
Rachel Talbot Ross, Chair (D-Cumberland)
Henry Ingwersen (D-York)
Russell J. Black (R-Franklin)

House:
William D. Pluecker, Chair (I-Warren)
Allison Hepler (D-Woolwich)
James F. Dill (D-Old Town)
Stephan M. Bunker (D-Farmington)
Randall C. Hall (R-Wilton)*
Caldwell Jackson (R-Oxford)
Timothy C. Guerrette (R-Caribou)
Dean A. Cray (R-Palmyra)
Mark C. Cooper (R-Windham)
Sharon C. Frost (U-Belgrade)

Appropriations and Financial Affairs

Senate:
Peggy Rotundo, Chair (D-Androscoggin)
Cameron Reny (D-Lincoln)z
Susan Bernard (R-Aroostook)

House:
Drew Gattine, Chair (D-Westbrook)
Kristen Cloutier (D-Lewiston)
Michael F. Brennan (D-Portland)
Holly B. Stover (D-Boothbay)
Deqa Dhalac (D-South Portland)
Ambureen Rana (D-Bangor)
John "Jack" E. Ducharme III (R-Madison)*
Kenneth Wade Fredette (R-Newport)
Amy Bradstreet Arata (R-New Gloucester)
Mark John Blier (R-Buxton)

Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Senate:
Pinny Beebe-Center, Chair (D-Knox)
Glenn “Chip” Curry (D-Waldo)
Scott W. Cyrway (R-Kennebec)

House:
Tavis Rock Hasenfus, Chair (D-Readfield)
Grayson B. Lookner (D-Portland)
Nina Azella Milliken (D-Blue Hill)
Michel A. Lajoie (D-Lewiston)
Mana H. Abdi (D-Lewiston)
Stephan M. Bunker (D-Farmington)
Robert W. Nutting (R-Oakland)*
Chad Richard Perkins (R-Dover-Foxcroft)
Donald J. Ardell (R-Monticello)
Mathew David McIntyre (R-Lowell)

Education and Cultural Affairs

Senate:
Joe Rafferty, Chair (D-York)
Teresa Pierce (D-Cumberland)
James D. Libby (R-Cumberland)

House:
Kelly Noonan Murphy, Chair (D-Scarborough)
Janice S. Dodge (D-Belfast)
Michael F. Brennan (D-Portland)
W. Edward Crockett (D-Portland)
Holly T. Sargent (D-York)
Christina R.C. Mitchell (D-Cumberland)
Sheila A. Lyman (R-Livermore Falls)*
Barbara A. Bagshaw (R-Windham)
Kimberly M. Haggan (R-Hampden)
Nathan M. Carlow (R-Buxton)

Energy, Utilities, and Technology

Senate:
Mark Lawrence, Chair (D-York)
Nicole Grohoski (D-Hancock)
Matthew A. Harrington (R-York)

House:
Melanie F. Sachs, Chair (D-Freeport)
Christopher J. Kessler (D-South Portland)
Valli D. Geiger (D-Rockland)
Sophia B. Warren (D-Scarborough)
Walter Gerard Runte, Jr. (D-York)
Kilton M. Webb (D-Durham)
Steven D. Foster (R-Dexter)*
Nathan J. Wadsworth (R-Hiram)
Reagan L. Paul (R-Winterport)
Mathew David McIntyre (R-Lowell)

Environment and Natural Resources

Senate:
Denise Tepler, Chair (D-Sagadahoc)
Stacy Brenner (D-Cumberland)
Joseph E. Martin (R-Oxford)

House:
Victoria W. Doudera, Chair (D-Camden)
Arthur L. Bell (D-Yarmouth)
Morgan J. Rielly (D-Westbrook)
Laurie Osher (D-Orono)
Daniel J. Ankeles (D-Brunswick)
William R. Bridgeo (D-Augusta)
Richard H. Campbell (R-Orrington)*
Michael Soboleski (R-Phillips)
David Woodsome (R-Waterboro)
Tammy L. Schmersal-Burgess (R-Mexico)

Government Oversight

Senate:
Craig Hickman, Chair (D-Kennebec)
Mike Tipping (D-Penobscot)
Jill C. Duson (D-Cumberland)
Jeff Timberlake (R-Androscoggin)
Rick Bennett (R-Oxford)
Bradlee T. Farrin (R-Somerset)

House:
Anne-Marie Mastraccio, Chair (D-Sanford)
Ann Higgins Matlack (D-St. George)
Adam R. Lee (D-Auburn)
Michael H. Lemelin (R-Chelsea)*
Chad Richard Perkins (R-Dover-Foxcroft)
John Eder (R-Waterboro)

Health and Human Services

Senate:
Henry Ingwersen, Chair (D-York)
Tim Nangle (D-Cumberland)
Marianne Moore (R-Washington)

House:
Michele Meyer, Chair (D-Eliot)
Samuel Lewis Zager (D-Portland)
Daniel Joseph Shagoury (D-Hallowell)
Anne P. Graham (D-North Yarmouth)
Flavia M. DeBrito (D-Waterville)
Julia A.G. McCabe (D-Lewiston)
Kathy Irene Javner (R-Chester)*
Lucien J.B. Daigle (R-Fort Kent)
Abigail W. Griffin (R-Levant)
Michael H. Lemelin (R-Chelsea)

Health Coverage, Insurance, and Financial Services

Senate:
Donna Bailey, Chair (D-York)
Joseph M. Baldacci (D-Penobscot)
David G. Haggan (R-Penobscot)

House:
Kristi Michele Mathieson, Chair (D-Kittery)
Poppy Arford (D-Brunswick)
Anne-Marie Mastraccio (D-Sanford)
Michelle Nicole Boyer (D-Cape Elizabeth)
Sally Jeane Cluchey (D-Bowdoinham)
Joshua Morris (R-Turner)*
Rolf A. Olsen, Jr. (R-Raymond)
Robert A. Foley (R-Wells)
Paul R. Flynn (R-Albion)
Marygrace Caroline Cimino (R-Bridgton)

Housing and Economic Development

Senate:
Glenn “Chip” Curry, Chair (D-Waldo)
Donna Bailey (D-York)
Richard A. Bennett (R-Oxford)

House:
Traci Gere, Chair (D-Kennebunkport)
Tiffany Roberts (D-South Berwick)
Cheryl A. Golek (D-Harpswell)
Marc G. Malon II (D-Biddeford)
Cassie Lynn Julia (D-Waterville)
Yusuf M. Yusuf (D-Portland)
Amanda N. Collamore (R-Pittsfield)*
Arthur Kevin Mingo (R-Calais)
Mark Walker (R-Naples)
John Eder (R-Waterboro)

Inland Fisheries and Wildlife

Senate:
Joe Baldacci, Chair (D-Penobscot)
Anne Carney (D-Cumberland)
Stacey K. Guerin (R-Penobscot)

House:
Tiffany Roberts, Chair (D-South Berwick)
James F. Dill (D-Old Town)
Sally Jeane Cluchey (D-Bowdoinham)
William R. Bridgeo (D-Augusta)
Parnell William Terry (D-Gorham)
Richard G. Mason (R-Lisbon)*
Stephen J. Wood (R-Greene)
Michael J. Lance (R-Paris)
James E. Thorne (R-Carmel)
David Woodsome (R-Waterboro)

Judiciary

Senate:
Anne Carney, Chair (D-Cumberland)
Rachel Talbot Ross (D-Cumberland)
David G. Haggan (R-Penobscot)

House:
Amy D. Kuhn, Chair (D-Falmouth)
Adam R. Lee (D-Auburn)
David A. Sinclair (D-Bath)
Eleanor Y. Sato (D-Gorham)
Dylan R. Pugh (D-Portland)
Dani L. O'Halloran (D-Brewer)
Jennifer L. Poirier (R-Skowhegan)*
Rachel A. Henderson (R-Rumford)
Elizabeth M. Caruso (R-Caratunk)
Mark Michael Babin (R-Fort Fairfield)
Aaron M. Dana (the Passamaquoddy Tribe)

Labor

Senate:
Mike Tipping, Chair (D-Penobscot)
Joseph E. Rafferty (D-York)
Richard T. Bradstreet (R-Kennebec)

House:
Amy J. Roeder, Chair (D-Bangor)
Valli D. Geiger (D-Rockland)
Matthew D. Beck (D-South Portland)
Charles A. Skold (D-Portland)
Rafael Leo Macias (D-Topsham)
Marshall F. Archer (D-Saco)
Gary A. Drinkwater (R-Milford)*
Laurel D. Libby (R-Auburn)
Alicia Carol Collins (R-Sidney)
Lucas John Lanigan (R-Sanford)

Marine Resources

Senate:
Denise Tepler, Chair (D-Sagadahoc)
Cameron Reny (D-Lincoln)
Marianne Moore (R-Washington)

House:
Allison Hepler, Chair (D-Woolwich)
Morgan J. Rielly (D-Westbrook)
Cheryl A. Golek (D-Harpswell)
Holly Rae Eaton (D-Deer Isle)
Wayne K. Farrin (D-Jefferson)
James E. Thorne (R-Carmel)*
Tiffany Strout (R-Harrington)
Irene A. Gifford (R-Lincoln)
Abden S. Simmons (R-Waldoboro)
Peter Conley Wood (R-Norway)

State and Local Government

Senate:
Joe Baldacci, Chair (D-Penobscot)
Pinny Beebe-Center (D- Knox)
Joseph E. Martin (R-Oxford)

House:
Suzanne M. Salisbury, Chair (D-Westbrook)
Ann Higgins Matlack (D-St. George)
Lynn Holland Copeland (D-Saco)
David M. Rollins (D-Augusta)
Wayne K. Farrin (D-Jefferson)
Randall Adam Greenwood (R-Wales)*
Jeffrey Sean Adams (R-Lebanon)
Kimberly J. Pomerleau (R-Standish)
Joseph F. Underwood (R-Presque Isle)
William R. Tuell (R-East Machias)

Taxation

Senate:
Nicole Grohoski, Chair (D-Hancock)
Mike Tipping (D-Penobscot)
Bruce Bickford (R-Androscoggin)

House:
Kristen Cloutier, Chair (D-Lewiston)
Ann Higgins Matlack (D-St. George)
W. Edward Crockett (D-Portland)
Daniel Sayre (D-Kennebunk)
Gary Friedmann (D-Bar Harbor)
Shelley Rudnicki (R-Fairfield)*
Tracy L. Quint (R-Hodgdon)
Russell P. White (R-Ellsworth)
Thomas A. Lavigne (R-Berwick)
Gregory Lewis Swallow (R-Houlton)

Transportation

Senate:
Tim Nangle, Chair (D-Cumberland)
Teresa Pierce (D-Cumberland)
Bradlee T. Farrin (R-Somerset)

House:
Lydia V. Crafts, Chair (D-Newcastle)
Karen L. Montell (D-Gardiner)
Daniel J. Ankeles (D-Brunswick)
Holly Rae Eaton (D-Deer Isle)
D. Michael Ray (D-Lincolnville)
Wayne R. Parry (R-Arundel)*
Roger Clarence Albert (R-Madawaska)
Richard G. Mason (R-Lisbon)
James Lee White (R-Guilford)
Steven M. Bishop (R-Bucksport)

Veterans and Legal Affairs

Senate:
Craig Hickman, Chair (D-Kennebec)
Jill Duson (D-Cumberland)
Jeffrey L. Timberlake (R-Androscoggin)

House:
Laura D. Supica, Chair (D-Bangor)
Lori K. Gramlich (D-Old Orchard Beach)
Anne P. Graham (D-North Yarmouth)
Marc G. Malon II (D-Biddeford)
Parnell William Terry (D-Gorham)
David W. Boyer, Jr. (R-Poland)*
Ann Fredericks (R-Sanford)
Quentin J. Chapman (R-Auburn)
Benjamin C. Hymes (R-Waldo)
Sharon C. Frost (U-Belgrade)