Smart Growth Policy

What you’ll find on this page:

  • Smart Growth testimony, bill tracking, and archives from past legislatures
  • Legislative toolkit

Legislative Calendars

As the bills travel to the House and Senate Chambers, you can check out each day’s calendar:
Senate Advance Calendar
House Advance Calendar
For more information on the Legislative process in general, CLICK HERE.

SMART GROWTH

There are legislative proposals critical to our mission in addition to our three tracts for advocacy. These include our participation in the Wabanaki Alliance Tribal Coalition to support sovereignty, portions of the budget and bonds, bills that either align with or run counter to Policy Action 2023 proposals. We monitor several dozen such bills, and will testify when we believe GrowSmart’s voice is needed, either in support, opposition, neither for nor against but with information for the committee.

legislative toolkit

FIND YOUR LEGISLATORS Not sure who your legislators are? Find a list of all your state and federal elected officials HERE. Or visit the Legislature website to find a full list of all Maine Senators and Maine Representatives.

WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Once you’ve written your testimony, turn it into a letter to the editor! Find tips on writing letters and a list of newspaper contact info in our LTE Guide

SUBMIT PUBLIC TESTIMONY: All bills and state agency commissioner nominees are assigned to one of 19 standing joint committees and receive a public hearing. Members of the public can offer testimony in support or opposition to a bill in person or via Zoom during the public hearing or in writing. If you want to testify during the hearing via Zoom, you must register at least 30 minutes before the hearing begins. You do not need to register to testify in person.

To register for Zoom or to submit your testimony in writing, follow these steps:

  • Visit the legislative testimony page HERE.
  • Select Public hearing
  • Select the committee that is hearing the bill
  • Select the date and time of the hearing
  • Select the appropriate bill number
  • To register for Zoom, select “I would like to testify electronically over Zoom.”
  • To submit written testimony, upload your file or enter the testimony in the field.
  • If you plan to testify in person, you are asked to bring 20 copies of your testimony to distribute to committee members.

You can find committee assignments and public hearing dates and times on the bill’s website. While you can submit testimony at any time and it will be shared with committee members and become part of the public record, only testimony submitted online by midnight on the day of the bill’s public hearing will be included on the bill’s web page.

People with special needs who require accommodations to participate in a hearing should contact the Legislative Information Office as soon as possible by phone (207) 287-1692 or email lio@legislature.maine.gov.