It’s already 2020, if you can believe it. The New Year is
an opportunity to refocus our energy on the things that are important in our
lives, our families and our communities.
The New Year also brings about the beginning of a new
legislative session. This is shaping up to be a productive year in the
Legislature, and I am hopeful for a high degree of cooperation and
bipartisanship from my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. As for me, I have
a few projects and issues that I will be focused on this year.
My top priority in the Legislature will continue to be
protecting children in state care. We are defined by how we treat the most
vulnerable among us, and we tragically have failed too often on this front. I
will continue to work to pass my bill, LD
1554, “Resolve, Establishing a Commission To Reform Child Protective Services,”
in order to provide rigorous, continuous oversight of Maine’s child protection
system, with input from the courts, the Legislature, law enforcement and the
general public.
I also will be looking to support other proposals that
will fix problems in the Department of Health and Human Services. In particular,
I am interested in ways we can strengthen the foster care system by promoting
more and better foster homes. We’ve been through seven DHHS commissioners and
four gubernatorial administrations since the
death of Logan Marr, and children are still dying. Let’s fix this problem
for real.
This year, I will continue to serve as chair of the
Legislature’s Transportation Committee and work to make our roads, bridges and
other transportation infrastructure safer and better for everyone. Last year we
passed Maine’s new
“hands-free” distracted driving law, prohibiting drivers from using
handheld electronic devices while driving. We also strengthened
the “move over” law that protects police, emergency responders and public
service workers who are pulled over on the side of the road, and we passed a
transportation budget that received unanimous support from the Legislature.
Making sure everyone can get where they want to go in a safe and timely manner
is a core function of our state government, and I’m proud to continue my work
in this important area of policy.
Finally, there are many reasons why 2020 will be a big
year for Maine, but, perhaps most importantly, it is our 200th
birthday. On March 15, 1820, Maine formally became the 23rd state in
the union. I am chairing the Bicentennial Commission, which oversees planning
and organizing events and programs to celebrate the occasion. Four signature
events will be happening throughout the state this year. We will have a Statehood
Weekend celebration on March 15 at the Augusta Armory, featuring music, poetry
and birthday cake. That will be followed by the Bicentennial Parade in Lewiston
and Auburn on May 16, which will feature a multigenerational marching band. The
next event will be the Tall Ships Festival in Bangor, Belfast, Boothbay Harbor,
Bucksport, Castine, Portland, Rockland and Searsport on June 21to July 20.
Finally, we will have an Innovation Expo in Bangor on October 10 to 12,
featuring the world-class ingenuity and expertise of Maine’s businesses and
academic institutions.
The Bicentennial Commission is also awarding community
grants to support the interests, needs and creativity of residents and
communities throughout Maine as they plan local commemorations of the Bicentennial.
The deadline for the next round of grants is February 1. To learn more about
the events, grants and other activities of the Bicentennial Commission, visit www.maine200.org.
As always, please feel free to contact me or my office
with any questions, comments or concerns. You can call (207) 287-1515 or email
me at diamondhollyd@aol.com. It is
an honor to serve as your state senator.
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