Latest news with #KristenCloutier
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
After much discussion, Maine Legislature keeps paid family and medical leave mostly intact
Sen. Mattie Daughtry (D-Cumberland) and Rep. Kristen Cloutier (D-Lewiston) cheer supporters of paid family and medical leave who rallied at the Maine State House in May 2023. The bill was signed into law a month later. (Courtesy of Maine Paid Family Leave campaign) Following the Senate earlier this week, the House on Wednesday passed LD 894, which proposes a series of amendments to the state's paid family and medical leave program to create certain enforcement mechanisms and penalties, as well as clarify intermittent leave. But the vote was not without significant debate. Senate President Mattie Daughtry (D-Cumberland) introduced the bill on behalf of the Labor Department to make specific refinements to the policy that were noticed during the rulemaking process. However, during the House floor debate, Rep. Michael Soboleski (R-Phillips) called it 'legislation that threatens the very foundation of Maine's economic landscape.' But underscoring the human rather than economic impacts, Rep. Valli Geiger (D-Rockland) said, 'We are not just a series of businesses. We are not just a series of workers.' She went on to say that 'we thrive when there is a blend of work and life, and all of us age, all of us fall into illness, many of us have children, and when we do, it is part of our culture and a decent society to give us time to recover, to allow us to take care of our elderly, our frail, our beloved ones.' Though it isn't expected to be available until May 2026, the paid family and medical leave program will allow eligible public and private sector workers to take up to 12 weeks of paid leave for reasons such as illness, to care for a loved one or the birth of a new child. Others supportive of the overall program argued that LD 894 does not do enough to ensure it will be effective. 'While LD 894 focuses on infrastructure, it leaves behind the operational reforms that matter most to the people on the ground,' said Rep. Tiffany Roberts (D-South Berwick). Rep. Nathan Carlow (R-Buxton) attempted two floor amendments to the bill, which both failed. One amendment sought to require an employee to be employed with an employer for a minimum of 120 days before being eligible for paid leave. Rep. Amy Roeder (D-Bangor) said the Department of Labor is opposed to any change that would delay the implementation of the program. Rep. Charles Skold (D-Portland) argued the amendment would prevent people from taking leave when they need it. A motion to indefinitely postpone the amendment narrowly prevailed, 72-70. Carlow then presented another floor amendment that would allow workers and businesses who have contributed to the state fund but choose to adopt a qualifying private plan before the start of 2026 to be eligible for a refund from the Department of Labor. A motion to indefinitely postpone also narrowly prevailed 71-70. The Senate had its own, albeit smaller, debate on paid family and medical leave Wednesday. Despite urging from Sen. Dick Bradstreet (R-Kennebec) to back LD 1712, which hopes to strike a better balance between employee and employer interests by modifying how much an employer is required to contribute, when an employee needs to apply for the benefit and how much is paid out. He described it as 'a reasonable compromise and a responsible compromise,' the upper chamber voted against it 20-14. The House rejected the bill earlier this week, so it is now effectively killed. That bill joined a series of other proposals to modify or repeal the program that were also rejected earlier this week, including LD 406, LD 1273, LD 1333, LD 952 and LD 1307. Reporter AnnMarie Hilton contributed to this story. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Maine Dems push for tampons in boys' bathrooms amid ongoing debate over trans sports participation
Democrats in Maine are pushing a bill that would require all public schools to provide tampons in boys' bathrooms starting in middle school, a move that comes as state leaders continue to face backlash over their stance on transgender athletes competing in women's sports. Ld 155, introduced by state Rep. Kristen Cloutier, D-Lewiston, seeks to "require" all public schools in the state that serve grades 6–12 to make tampons and sanitary pads available in all student bathrooms, including those designated specifically for males. The bill is being pushed during an ongoing debate over whether transgender athletes should be allowed to compete on female sports teams, particularly in high school. Maine Gop Urges Dems To Repeal Transgender Athlete Policy Following Federal Title Ix Violation Finding "This is really quite clearly a pattern that reveals where the legislative Democrats' priorities are," said state Rep. Rachel Henderson, R-Rumford. Henderson likened the move to an ongoing budget battle in the legislature, which saw Democrats usurp Republican authority in order to get their priorities across by passing a bill without a two-thirds majority. The move has delayed critical funds needed for the states' Medicaid program, according to Henderson. "It just kind of shows how out of touch the legislative Democrats here in Maine are when their priorities are paying for tampons in boys' bathrooms rather than ensuring that we have any type of balanced budget," she said. Read On The Fox News App Meanwhile, Assistant House Minority Leader Katrina Smith, R–Palermo, said Democrats in the state legislature think "they can push through anything they want," even at the expense of taxpayers, because they have control over both chambers and the governor's office. California School District Informs Parents Period Products Are In Bathrooms For 'Any Student Who Menstruates' "Maine is ground zero for these types of policies," Smith told Fox News Digital. "They think that, because they have the majority in every body, that they can push through anything they want and anything they want usually costs taxpayers money as well, which this would." Earlier this year, Democrats in the state legislature voted to censure GOP state Rep. Laurel Libby, who has been an outspoken advocate against state leaders choosing to defy President Donald Trump's executive order prohibiting transgender athletes from competing in women's athletics. The censure vote followed Libby's opposition to state leaders' decision that Maine's Human Rights Law – which mandates athletic eligibility be based on gender identity – takes precedence over the president's executive order banning that practice. Maine's Democratic Gov. Janet Mills has supported the move to defy Trump's executive order on trans sports participation as well, telling the president at the White House last month, "We'll see you in court," in reference to the matter. Fox News Digital reached out to Cloutier for comment on her bill that would require schools to provide tampons in boys' bathrooms, but did not receive a response in time for article source: Maine Dems push for tampons in boys' bathrooms amid ongoing debate over trans sports participation
Fox News
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Maine Dems push for tampons in boys' bathrooms amid ongoing debate over trans sports participation
Democrats in Maine are pushing a bill that would require all public schools to provide tampons in boys' bathrooms starting in middle school, a move that comes as state leaders continue to face backlash over their stance on transgender athletes competing in women's sports. LD 155, introduced by state Rep. Kristen Cloutier, D-Lewiston, seeks to "require" all public schools in the state that serve grades 6–12 to make tampons and sanitary pads available in all student bathrooms, including those designated specifically for males. The bill is being pushed during an ongoing debate over whether transgender athletes should be allowed to compete on female sports teams, particularly in high school. "This is really quite clearly a pattern that reveals where the legislative Democrats' priorities are," said state Rep. Rachel Henderson, R-Rumford. Henderson likened the move to an ongoing budget battle in the legislature, which saw Democrats usurp Republican authority in order to get their priorities across by passing a bill without a two-thirds majority. The move has delayed critical funds needed for the states' Medicaid program, according to Henderson. "It just kind of shows how out of touch the legislative Democrats here in Maine are when their priorities are paying for tampons in boys' bathrooms rather than ensuring that we have any type of balanced budget," she said. Meanwhile, Assistant House Minority Leader Katrina Smith, R–Palermo, said Democrats in the state legislature think "they can push through anything they want," even at the expense of taxpayers, because they have control over both chambers and the governor's office. "Maine is ground zero for these types of policies," Smith told Fox News Digital. "They think that, because they have the majority in every body, that they can push through anything they want and anything they want usually costs taxpayers money as well, which this would." Earlier this year, Democrats in the state legislature voted to censure GOP state Rep. Laurel Libby, who has been an outspoken advocate against state leaders choosing to defy President Donald Trump's executive order prohibiting transgender athletes from competing in women's athletics. The censure vote followed Libby's opposition to state leaders' decision that Maine's Human Rights Law – which mandates athletic eligibility be based on gender identity – takes precedence over the president's executive order banning that practice. Maine's Democratic Gov. Janet Mills has supported the move to defy Trump's executive order on trans sports participation as well, telling the president at the White House last month, "We'll see you in court," in reference to the matter. Fox News Digital reached out to Cloutier for comment on her bill that would require schools to provide tampons in boys' bathrooms, but did not receive a response in time for publication.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Maine school administrators push for more funding for poor, unhoused students
Students getting their l lunch at a primary school in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Amanda Mills/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) School leaders from across Maine are pushing for a change to education funding that would allocate more money to districts with larger shares of economically disadvantaged students and those experiencing homelessness. Despite the financial burden to the state and municipalities, many superintendents and educators as well as some mayors advocated for the investment in students who need more robust support to stay and succeed in school. And while Maine students generally performed poorly on the most recent national assessments, scores for economically disadvantaged students on both state and local assessments were even lower, amplifying the need for additional classroom support, according to several administrators and stakeholders who spoke at a public hearing before the Legislature's Joint Committee of Education and Cultural Affairs Wednesday. The current Essential Programs and Services (EPS) state formula for determining state and local contributions to public education relies on several factors, but a major one is each district's enrollment, called per pupil count. For every economically disadvantaged and multilingual student, more money is allocated to each district. The EPS formula essentially counts every student who is economically disadvantaged as 1.15 students — meaning there is an additional 15% weight per pupil. A bill introduced by Rep. Kristen Cloutier (D-Lewiston) would change the weight from 15% to 25%, increasing the amount of money districts with economically disadvantaged students would get per student. The proposal cost more than $70 million, according to written testimony from the Maine Department of Education, which would be split between the state and municipalities. That's a worthwhile investment, according to proponents of the bill, which included the Maine School Management Association, the Maine Educators Association and several superintendents from throughout the state. During the last school year, more than 64,000 Maine students — or 38% of all students — were considered economically disadvantaged, according to MSMA. 'This is not just about money. And I know the $70 million is a lot… but this is about making a decision based on what's right and wrong,' said Biddeford Superintendent Jeremy Ray. Machias Bay Area Superintendent Scott Porter echoed Ray, saying that additional funding would be 'a game changer for Washington County.' 'We need more resources to address the needs of thousands of students — this would impact thousands of students in a positive manner,' he said. School districts are allowed to determine how to use EPS funds. This can include paying for academic interventionists to help students catch up; social workers that can address their needs beyond school, including access to food and shelter; or transportation to ensure these students can access career and technical centers if they want to learn trades, according to Sanford Superintendent Matt Nelson. During the COVID pandemic, the funding formula was temporarily changed to 20% more per economically disadvantaged student. 'We were able to see the necessary impact that that change made for our students and for our educators,' Nelson said of this change, asking the committee to make the increase permanent. The EPS funding formula does not currently provide any special allocation for students experiencing homelessness. A separate bill introduced by Rep. Michael Archer (D-Saco) would expand the funding to provide districts with an additional weight of 50% per each unhoused student. The students would be identified by their district as a homeless child or youth under the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. 'This is becoming such a huge part of our population, that I think it's appropriate, now to consider this piece moving forward,' Ray, the Biddeford superintendent said. 'While we all look at the dollars and cents that go into this, I think both parties can agree that a child who is homeless needs some extra funds or wraparound services around them, they are not in that position by any fault of their own.' Transporting students who don't have a permanent address to and from schools in York County is a big challenge, Ray said. That includes gas mileage, finding someone to drive a van to pick up and drop off students, and the transportation time. When his district receives requests to transport students who may be temporarily located an hour away but are enrolled in Biddeford schools, for example, the district does not have any additional funding assigned to meet those needs, he said. The Maine DOE didn't testify for or against the two bills, but provided some context about the challenges of tracking economically disadvantaged and homeless students. If the changes the bills propose were made to the funding formula, an accurate count of both categories would be required, which is hard to do in Maine for several reasons. Since the state started offering universal free meals, it has been increasingly difficult to track economically disadvantaged students, since the number of students eligible for free breakfast and lunch was the primary way districts would track their poverty counts. While the department has begun relying on other ways to estimate economically disadvantaged populations — such as looking at Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Medicaid data as a proxy for student-level poverty — eligibility in these programs is limited and Maine's poverty calculations remain difficult to validate, according to the DOE testimony. Identifying students experiencing homelessness presents a similar challenge. Students lacking a regular nighttime residence have to be identified by schools and reported to the DOE, but this identification can occur at any time during the year. Once a student is identified as experiencing homelessness under the McKinney-Vento Act, they carry homeless status through the end of June, after which a liaison will connect with families to determine if they still lack stable housing. But the EPS model is designed to fund districts based on data collected on October 15 each year. This would make it difficult to correctly account for and allocate necessary funds. 'Pupil counts conducted on October 1 would not capture an accurate picture of students experiencing homelessness over the course of the school year,' the DOE said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
