In Maine, local foods and farmers are central to our economy. Unfortunately, farmers are facing extreme threats. To combat an increase in extreme weather conditions, we created a grant program to help farmers affected by drought and improve access to irrigation. I was also proud to stand with farmers in support of efforts to respond to the PFAS crisis and ensure our state’s agricultural sector can fully recover. Along the coast, Maine’s iconic lobster industry has become the target of unfair and unfounded federal regulations. It’s why we passed a bill to extend lobstering hours in September so harvesters can maximize profits during peak season. With these efforts, we can help keep Maine’s economy going.

Access to quality, affordable health care is vital to our freedom as Mainers. It’s why I’m proud of the work we’ve done to lower costs and improve access to care and health insurance coverage.

This year, we continued our fight to rein in the cost of prescription drugs. I supported measures to ensure patients get the full value of their insurance premiums on prescription drugs, ensure Mainers with chronic conditions can get an emergency supply of medication in a pinch, and ensure patients can get the prescription contraception that is right for them without having to jump through hoops. We also passed a law to study how adopting international reference pricing could save Mainers money.

To ensure Mainers can access health care services, we provided critical funding for hospitals and federally qualified health centers, and made key investments in EMS. On the Heath and Human Services Committee, we worked hard to protect reproductive rights access.

When the Legislature created the Maine Veterans’ Homes (MVH) in 1973, we made a promise to care for veterans and military spouses. So when we learned about plans to close the two most rural veterans’ homes in the state, we immediately took action. We passed a law that provides funding for the facilities, prevents any veterans’ home from closing without legislative approval and creates a stakeholder group to prevent this type of situation in the future. MVH provides first-class care to all the veterans and military spouses who call these facilities home.

This law will ensure it stays this way. We also prioritized property tax relief for veterans to help these brave men and women afford to stay in their homes. After all they have done to protect us, its our turn to protect them.

Older Mainers are a vital part of our communities and economy. The truth is Mainers often work well into their later years, and their contributions to this state continue long after they reach retirement. This session, my colleagues and I listened to the concerns we heard from older residents and took immediate action. To start, I supported critical tax breaks for retirees. I voted to increase the annual income tax pension deduction from $10,000 to $25,000 for all retired Mainers. This will increase each year by $5,000 until the deduction reaches $35,000. We also increased the cost-of-living adjustment for retired state workers relying on a pension.

To help older Mainers afford to stay in their homes, we permanently expanded the property tax fairness credit. The maximum benefit is $1,000 each year for eligible Mainers under 65 and $1,500 for those over 65. For those in need of more support, I supported funding for Meals on Wheels programs — a crucial lifeline for homebound residents. I also supported investments in nursing homes and residential care facilities.

Investing in education is vital to building stronger states, communities and economies. In 2021, lawmakers met the 55% threshold for K-12 education for the first time in Maine’s history. This session, we made investments in students, teachers and schools a top priority by establishing the Education Rainy Day Fund. This funding will ensure the Legislature is able to keep this promise in the future.

At the same time, we continued funding for free school meals, the Jobs for Maine Graduates (JMG) program and equipment for career and technical education programs. These initiatives will ensure Maine students are able to learn and acquire the skills to fill good-paying positions that are badly needed across the state.

For students pursuing certificate and high-education programs, we provided funding for up to two years of free community college for all Maine students graduating high school between 2020-2023. We also set funds aside to freeze in-state tuition across the UMaine System so residents pursuing a four-year degree can complete their program and enter the workforce.

To help with affordability, we improved access to transcripts required for job applications and expanded the Opportunity Maine Tax Credit.

Since January, energy prices from electricity to oil have risen dramatically in Maine and around the world. These out-of-control prices, driven by the price of natural gas and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, have made it harder for working families, older folks and small businesses to get by. It’s why my colleagues and I prioritized energy relief this year.

To start, I voted to send inflation relief checks of $850 to more than 800,000 Mainers to help folks with rising costs. Eligible Maine residents include single-filers earning under $100,000, heads-of-household earning up to $150,000 and joint-filers earning up to $200,000. Folks must file income taxes by Oct. 31 to receive a check.

To help small businesses with high-energy burdens, I supported a new law that creates a tiered credit worth up to $3,000 for eligible small businesses. This credit will help locally-owned grocery stores, convenience stores and dairy farms. To help Mainers heat their homes, I voted to improve existing heating assistance programs by slashing bureaucratic red tape and making it easier for folks to apply.

The Legislature also took steps to permanently rein in prices by passing laws to bring greater accountability and consumer input to the electric rate-setting process, and look at new ways to provide relief. Maine consumers deserve a seat at the table when it comes to rate-setting. Finally, I supported a new law that will hold utility companies accountable for failing to prioritize customers.