LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
June 12, 2024
Greetings Community Advocates,
With the conclusion of the 2024 session, we want to celebrate our collective achievements and reflect on the challenges that remain. Your support and dedication have been instrumental in driving our efforts to create positive changes in Southern Maine.
Celebrating Our Legislative Successes
This year, our advocacy efforts led to some substantial victories that will benefit Maine’s ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) population and our Southern Maine communities as a whole:
- Advancements in Affordable Housing: We supported the development of group equity cooperatives and an additional allocation for constructing an estimated 130 affordable homes through Maine State Housing Authority. These initiatives make affordable housing more accessible and sustainable for families with low to moderate incomes.
- Elimination of harmful SNAP policies: Successfully opposed and removed harmful budget provisions that would have negatively impacted SNAP benefits eligibility, protecting essential support for ALICE households transitioning into the workforce.
- Enhanced Support for General Assistance: This new law mandates that General Assistance administrators receive training to assist all Mainers effectively, including New Americans. It ensures services are trauma-informed and culturally appropriate, reflecting our commitment to inclusivity and support across the community.
- The Creation of the Office of New Americans: This new office will help facilitate the integration of immigrants into our community, enriching our cultural landscape and strengthening our workforce. It stands as a testament to our commitment to inclusivity and economic growth.
- The Establishment of Crisis Receiving Centers: We successfully advocated for the creation of three new centers, modeled after The Living Room, that will provide immediate, culturally sensitive support for individuals facing mental health crises.
These accomplishments highlight the strength of our advocacy and the importance of community-driven efforts in shaping public policy.
Understanding Our Challenges
Not all of the bills and measures we tracked reached the desired outcomes. A notable disappointment was the failure to sign LD 2199, which aimed to improve child care support by ensuring that providers are reimbursed based on enrollment rather than attendance, into law. This bill, along with about 80 others, did not pass on May 10 due to a lack of consensus between legislative leaders on the legislative process. The failure of LD 2199 underscores the ongoing challenges in securing adequate support for child care providers, a critical component of our social infrastructure. UWSM will continue to advocate for measures that make it easier to staff and operate child care facilities as well as making their services more affordable and accessible to all Maine families.
Moving Forward Together
The journey does not end here. We must continue to build on our successes while learning from our setbacks. Your engagement is crucial as we refine our strategies and prepare for future legislative sessions. If you haven’t already, please sign up for our advocacy action alerts here, and encourage your friends to do the same! Together, we can overcome obstacles and continue to champion the causes that matter most to our community.
For a detailed review of all the legislation we supported and the outcomes of each, please refer to our comprehensive 2024 Advocacy Report Card.
Warm regards,
Jared Gay
Director, Public Policy and Advocacy
United Way of Southern Maine
If you would like to know more about how you can advocate for a thriving community, please contact us at advocacy@uwsme.org. Thank you for raising your hand and offering your support as a volunteer, donor, and advocate. Together we are creating a Southern Maine where everyone can thrive.
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