Lawmakers overwhelmingly approved several bills, including one to provide $21.2 million in additional funding, during a special session that has dragged on. State records show it’s rare for lawmakers to still be at work so late in the year.
Republican Gov. Paul LePage and lawmakers pressed for the 11th-hour bills after the deaths of two girls, 4-year-old Kendall Chick in December in Wiscasset and 10-year-old Marissa Kennedy in Stockton Springs in February.
“We’re running out of time. It’s too late for Marissa Kennedy, too late for Kendall Chick,” Sen. Bill Diamond, D-Windham, said as he implored lawmakers to act.
Both chambers approved $8 million to replace an outdated information system, $3.7 million in raises for caseworkers, $2.6 million in pay increases for foster families and funding for 16 new caseworker positions.
LePage wanted to boost caseworker stipends, hire more supervisors, increase funding for foster families and eventually buy a new computer system that could cost $30 million in all.
Lawmakers also agreed to a change of wording when it comes to keeping families together in child endangerment cases.
The proposal backed by LePage calls for “reasonable efforts” to keep families together instead of making it a “priority” under the previous language. Supporters said the change emphasized children’s safety.
Another LePage-backed proposal to make it a crime for teachers and other mandatory reporters failed to muster support. Maine currently has a $500 civil penalty for those who don’t make required abuse and neglect reports. The state’s acting health and human services commissioner, Bethany Hamm, has said she wasn’t aware that penalty has ever been used.
The votes came at a time when Maine has been seeing growing numbers of abuse reports. The state also has experienced higher caseloads that followed LePage administration policy changes requiring more assessments of abuse allegations.
There was other leftover business for lawmakers to handle on Thursday. A widely supported bill to overhaul Maine’s tax code in light of President Donald Trump’s tax reform was approved.
Senate President Mike Thibodeau, R-Winterport, expressed frustration that lawmakers were still at work on “probably the latest date in the history of our state.”
Lawmakers still aren’t done. They’ll have to return in September to deal with any vetoes.
