It’s a new year, and I hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday season with family and friends. On Dec. 4, I was sworn into the 132nd Legislature along with 34 of my colleagues from all over the state of Maine and from all walks of life. We are truly a citizen legislature. I am grateful to my constituents from Arundel, Biddeford, Dayton, Hollis, and Lyman for putting their faith in me to serve you to the best of my abilities for another two years as your state senator. Thank you all for your support. On swearing-in day, we also elected a new Senate president, Senator Matthea Daughtry from Brunswick. I am excited and eager to get to work.

We’ve also been assigned to our committees, and I am honored to have been appointed Senate chair of the Health and Human Services Committee, a committee I served on last session. I’m looking forward to the many opportunities and challenges this chairmanship brings. First and foremost, among those challenges are the threats that the new federal administration may make cuts to Medicaid, including ending its expansion under the Affordable Care Act, reducing federal funding, introducing block grants (a fixed amount of money), and setting spending caps. Medicaid expansion brings important federal money, paying 90% of costs for newly eligible Mainers. Cutting or capping this funding could cost Maine hundreds of millions annually and put Mainers’ coverage at risk. To be clear, if implemented, any of these discussed changes would make Maine pay more or cover fewer people. This is not acceptable, and I will work hard in my role as HHS chair to ensure Maine people continue to have access to quality, affordable, and accessible health care, including reproductive care. Other important things we will be tackling on the HHS Committee will be child safety and well-being, improving mental health care and making sure we’re not falling short on our support for domestic violence and sexual assault services.

The second committee I’ve been appointed to is the Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry, which I chaired in the 131st Legislature. In this committee, we will be hearing the report and recommendations from the Dairy Task Force and, from these recommendations, create effective legislation to help this important heritage industry survive and thrive. I will also sponsor a bill that will allow the Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry (DACF) to formally establish its PFAS Response Program to abate, clean up, and mitigate threats or hazards posed by PFAS substances that affect commercial agricultural producers in the State and the food supply. This legislation also supports affected commercial farms critical PFAS research, otherwise allows DACF to strategically and effectively respond to PFAS concerns and issues as they arise. Finally, I’m planning to introduce a bill from last session that, if successful, will address food insecurity by helping low-income Mainers access locally-produced food throughout our state. Last year, more than 150,000 Mainers experienced food insecurity, and this legislation is a win-win for Maine: it incentivizes the purchase of nutritious, locally-grown food and helps our local farmers.

As I wrap this column up, I want to take a moment to remember Biddeford Police Sergeant Jacob Wolterbeek, who recently passed away unexpectedly. Sergeant Wolterbeek served for nearly two decades in the Biddeford Police Department and cared deeply about the city and its residents. Biddeford Chief JoAnne Fisk said of Sergeant Wolterbeek, “He could be found with a ready smile, the gift of gab and an infectious laugh.” Sergeant Wolterbeek will be greatly missed by all who knew him, and my heart goes out to his family.

If you have any questions about the information here or if you would like to reach out with a comment, question or concern, you can reach out to me any time by emailing me at Henry.Ingwersen@legislature.maine.gov or calling my legislative office at (207) 287-1515. If you want to stay up to date on what we’re working on in Augusta, please sign up for my email newsletter at mainesenate.org or visit my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/IngwersenForMaine.