Maine people are interested in what their governments are up to.
That's the upshot of a new report issued by the state's ombudsman for opening meetings and public records.
In 2015, there were 416 inquiries about public meetings and public records handled by Brenda Kielty, a lawyer with the Maine Attorney General's Office.
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Throughout 2015, the state of Maine, in partnership with its eGovernment portal provider InforME, made significant strides and advancements to the state’s web presence (www.Maine.gov) creating new ways for citizens and businesses to engage with government online. These advancements have further cemented Maine’s web presence as one of the best government websites in the nation.
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A state senator from Cape Neddick is hoping her initiative aimed at improving government transparency will be revived this week.
Democrat Dawn Hill will have to convince at least one Republican leader to support her efforts to enhance the flow of information between state agencies and the Legislature. The legislative council rejected Hill's bill last month along party lines, but the sponsor says there are new developments that warrant a second look.
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Information revealing when, where and how much hazardous material is shipped by rail through Maine became sealed from public view under state law earlier this month, in a move first responders hope will allow them greater access to information about dangerous materials passing through the state.
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State employees working for the Maine Legislature have had their salary and benefits information shielded from a state-operated, public database that provides the same information on all other state workers.
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AUGUSTA — Legislative leaders on both sides of the political aisle Tuesday defended a $6.7 billion state budget and tax bill crafted largely in secret negotiations between party leaders, saying they ran out of time to follow a more public process.
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The New England First Amendment Coalition on Tuesday denounced a recent court order by a Maine District Court judge barring journalists from reporting testimony given by witnesses during a public hearing.
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A spokeswoman for Gov. Paul LePage says the administration is reviewing state policies to determine whether to ban the use of secret messaging systems, which could enable state officials to circumvent public records law.
The scrutiny follows testimony Friday by a former employee of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, who told the Legislature's Government Oversight Committee that supervisors had instructed her to conduct state business with an untraceable messaging feature on her state-issued BlackBerry.
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It was a chilling crime and, even with a quick arrest, disturbing questions lingered.
Derrick Thompson called 911 in the coastal Maine city of Biddeford to report that he was being threatened. Police checked out the complaint, decided it was a civil matter and left the scene. Three minutes later, the teenager and his girlfriend were shot dead.
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