Lawmakers consider reconvening; could be over a month away

Legislative leaders are getting closer to reconvening for a special session following a pause during the coronavirus pandemic, they said — but it could be more than a month away.

State lawmakers have remained largely on the sidelines for three months after they adjourned and gave Democratic Gov. Janet Mills broad emergency powers to address the pandemic.

Senate President Troy Jackson and House Speaker Sara Gideon, both Democrats, said they did not yet have details on a timetable, including how best to safely reconvene as the pandemic shows signs of surging anew in some places in the U.S.

The special session will happen later this year, Jackson said.

“I certainly feel like we are getting close to the point where we may reconvene and, at that time, her emergency powers either won’t be the same, or they won’t be there at all,” Jackson told the Portland Press Herald on Wednesday.

Mills could call the Legislature back into special session at any time. She told lawmakers in March that they'd reconvene “when it is safe to do so.”

Maine has reported more than 2,600 cases of the virus and 100 deaths.

On Thursday, members of the much-larger New Hampshire House of Representatives were reconvening at an indoor arena on the University of New Hampshire campus to ensure social distancing guidelines.

Other coronavirus-related developments in Maine:

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UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS

Unemployment claims are beginning to decline in the state.

The Maine Department of Labor reported 6,700 initial claims Thursday for state unemployment insurance and federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. The figures, for last week, were the lowest since the outbreak reached the state.

Jobless claims hit a record high of 37,000 during a week in May. Thousands of claims were later identified as fraudulent.

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FISHING ASSISTANCE

U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, a Democrat, submitted legislation Thursday that he said would make more disaster relief money available to commercial fishermen in pandemics. Golden submitted the bill along with Republican Rep. Garret Graves of Louisiana.

The federal government is able to assist fishermen when a "fishery disaster" is declared. Golden's proposal would amend federal law to allow such a disaster to be declared because of a pandemic.

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TOWN MEETINGS

Maine communities that hold town meetings are preparing to move forward with a new format.

In an executive order last week, the governor gave places that use annual town meetings as the format for conducting business the authority to replace them with a secret ballot vote.

At least 350 of Maine’s 487 municipalities conduct business through a town meeting format, Maine Municipal spokesperson Eric Conrad told the Bangor Daily News. Most town meetings are held in March or June.

The town meeting format is unique, Conrad said, and the secret ballot won't be the same.

"One of the beauties of the classic New England town meeting is there can be deliberation, discussion and compromise,” he said.