On Wednesday, Dec. 4, I was sworn in for a third term as your State Senator. It is an honor to continue representing the people of South Portland, Cape Elizabeth and part of Scarborough in the Maine State Senate. Over the past four years, I have enjoyed speaking with you about your concerns and the issues that impact your families and our community.

Carney
Thank you for sharing your priorities and thoughts with me. I appreciate your help guiding and informing my work and am grateful for the trust you’ve placed in me. With your support, I have advanced bills and legislation that promote public safety, protect our environment, support our working families and increase access to justice across Maine.
Swearing-In Day kicked off a busy month of preparation for the Legislature to reconvene for regular meetings in the New Year, beginning on Jan. 8. I will again serve as Senate chair of the Judiciary Committee. I look forward to continuing my work to further expand access to our justice system for those who need it most, including older Mainers, Mainers with disabilities, and Mainers with lower incomes.
I’m also eager to advance policies that improve our child custody court procedures, reduce gun violence in our communities and protect access to reproductive health care throughout our great state.
I will also serve on the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee, a committee that looks after Maine’s lakes, rivers, streams and wildlife, as well as regulates hunting, boating and off-road vehicles. The opportunity to promote bills that protect the water quality of our lakes and rivers, support responsible management of our fisheries and wildlife and ensure sustainable access to outdoor recreation and natural lands meets our community’s dedication to protecting the environment. It also reflects my love of the outdoors, which I know many of you share.
Our state and our communities are facing a variety of challenges, as well as many opportunities for progress. The bills I will offer in the 132nd Legislature address a wide range of your priorities, such as advancing common sense gun legislation and strengthening access to justice for all Mainers. I have been working hard to finalize and submit these bills ahead of the cloture deadline on Jan. 10. In this column, I will highlight two specific pieces of legislation that I will be working on.
The first is a bill that would expand the definition of machine guns in Maine law to include rapid fire devices added to firearms after purchase. This is popularly known as a “bump stock ban.” Last spring, it passed the Legislature, but was unfortunately vetoed by the governor. This widely-accepted policy would reduce the lethality of firearms and would help to make our communities safer here in Maine, without infringing upon the rights of hunters and gun owners.
Another bill that passed last session, but was not implemented due to a lack of funding, would have established an emergency court procedure for issues related to child custody when there is a crisis among the family or caregivers. I plan to reintroduce this bill with the hope that this procedure will help protect children’s safety quickly in emergency situations, while also providing for due process for parents and guardians. I hope you will join me in supporting these bills with your letters, phone calls, and testimony at public hearings.
Finally, as we enter the second half of December and approach the end of the year, I wish you all a happy and healthy winter holiday season. I will be spending the holidays here in Maine with family, and I hope that you will also enjoy time with your loved ones in this festive season.
Please remember that there are many resources available to those who need help during these cold months of the year.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office for help connecting with those resources. I hope to see and hear from you in the New Year. Happy holidays.
Anne Carney represents Maine Senate District 29, which consists of Cape Elizabeth, South Portland and part of Scarborough. She can be reached at 207-287-1515 or Anne.Carney@legislature.maine.gov.
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