AUGUSTA, Maine — January 28, 2014 — The Maine Senate voted along party lines Tuesday to sustain Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s veto of a bill that would have encouraged schools and state government agencies to purchase locally produced food.
With a 20-13 vote, majority Democrats in favor of the bill fell two votes short of the 22 needed to pass the bill over the governor’s objection. Veto overrides require two-thirds approval of each legislative chamber’s present voting members. Sens. David Burns, R-Whiting, and John Tuttle, D-Sanford, both were absent for Tuesday’s vote.
The House voted 94-46 to override the veto two weeks ago.
The bill, LD 1254, was sponsored by Rep. Craig Hickman, D-Winthrop. It would have required schools and state agencies to ramp up how much Maine-produced food they purchase between now and 2035, unless they vote to opt out of the requirement. The bill passed last year in the House by a vote of 101-42, then won unanimous support in the Senate.
Read the full story at the Bangor Daily News