With budget negotiations winding down and the legislative session coming to a close, Taryn, Ben and Mike take to the podcast to discuss a dozen important bills that have advanced over the last week as well as where the budget is falling short. There’s still time for tax fairness and to fund important priorities including health care, education and opioid crisis response.

Plus: Burning trash isn’t clean energy, Ben doesn’t recommend a book for once, and Mike has some new buttons.

Ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182.

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This week on the Beacon podcast, Taryn Ben and Mike discuss Sen. Susan Collins’ strange claim that a U.S. senator shouldn’t discuss publicly whether the president has committed crimes. In 1998, she said Congress had ‘a constitutional obligation to conduct an inquiry’ into Clinton. They also cite a new report from the Congressional Research Service showing how wrong she was about the Trump tax cuts.

Also: An interview with Oamshri Amarasingham, policy director for the ACLU of Maine, on the newly-passed internet privacy bill.

And Kenney Miller, executive director of the Health Equity Alliance, joins to discuss the importance of funding the safe syringe law in the budget.

Plus: Updates on the state budget negotiations, final approval of the paid sick days law and some book, podcast and TV recommendations that will give you some hope.

You can ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182.

Subscribe to the podcast feed right here using your favorite podcasting app or subscribe using iTunes.

(Photo via Getty Images)

This week on the Beacon podcast, Ben and Mike attempt to answer a listener question on the climate impacts of the CMP corridor.

Also: A legislative update on the Earned Income Tax Credit, immigration bills, abortion rights and more.

Plus: Why does Sen. Collins engender more anger than other conservative politicians?

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You can ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182.

Subscribe to the podcast feed right here using your favorite podcasting app or subscribe using iTunes.

(Photo via Creative Commons/Flickr user Idaho National Laboratory)

With the passage of a bill to guarantee insurance coverage for abortion and good prospects for a law ending the ban on physician assistants and nurse practitioners performing the procedure, Maine seems to be bucking a national trend.

Those are just two of many legislative vehicles racing through the legislature right now. This week on the podcast, Taryn, Mike and Ben discuss a slew of bills targeting Maine’s opioid epidemic, national popular vote legislation, new vaccine requirements, whistleblower protections, a ban on conversion therapy, a bill to end racial profiling and more.

Plus: clips of gripping moments of testimony from all over the State House, and Ben’s new favorite song.

You can ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182.

Subscribe to the podcast feed right here using your favorite podcasting app or subscribe using iTunes.

(Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

This week on the Beacon podcast, Taryn, Ben and Mike celebrate the passage of the paid time off in the House and Senate and Rep. Seth Berry joins to discuss his bill to turn CMP and Emera into a consumer-owned utility. The public hearing for his bill will be Tuesday, May 14th.

Also: What’s wrong with Portland? And a look ahead on opioid legislation and workplace protection enforcement.

Plus: Why are some Maine Republican legislators defending the Confederacy?

Read more about the Prosperity Coalition at mainebeacon.com/prosperity.

You can ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182.

Subscribe to the podcast feed right here using your favorite podcasting app or subscribe using iTunes.

This week on the Beacon podcast, Taryn Hallweaver talks with a call center worker and union organizer as they work the halls of the State House (successfully) to pass new protections for workers in an industry known for offshoring jobs.

Also: Ben, Mike and Taryn discuss loggers fighting for solidarity and the launch of the campaign for the Maine Work Credit.

Plus: Sen. Justin Chenette (D – York) joins the show to discuss his bill to make sure the decisions Maine voters make at the ballot are respected by their legislators.

Read about the opioid crisis’ concentrated effects at Pleasant Point at mainebeacon.com/point

You can ask a question or leave a comment for a future show at (207) 619-3182.

Subscribe to the podcast feed right here using your favorite podcasting app or subscribe using iTunes.

(Photo: Call center worker Patrick Bureau speaks with Appropriations Committee House Chair Drew Gattine (D-Westbrook) | Beacon photo)