Maine Economic Research Institute releases legislator scores and rankings on votes impacting Maine businesses and economy

MERI cautions that legislator support for proposals that grow, not hinder, Maine’s economy must increase for Maine’s economy to compete and succeed

AUGUSTA — The Maine Economic Research Institute released its 2024 Roll Call publication, a scorecard and analysis of the 131 ^st Maine State Legislature’s performance and individual state legislators’ votes on bills and initiatives impacting Maine’s businesses and economy. The 131 ^st Legislature received an overall performance ranking, or average of every individual legislator’s score, of 44.5 percent, while individual legislators’ scores ranged from a high score of 98 and a low of zero. Of the 101 bills MERI tracked, only three of the 33 bills MERI supported were enacted through Roll Call votes.

“MERI is a crucial tool for holding our state legislators accountable for their votes on business and economic issues,” said MERI President Simon West. “MERI’s latest Roll Call analysis portends a challenging business and economic environment. Significantly stronger support for legislation and initiatives that will grow, not hinder, Maine’s economy must increase for Maine’s economy to compete and succeed.”

“Legislator voting records and MERI scores matter,” said Maine State Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Patrick Woodcock. “For Maine and Maine people to reach our full economic potential, it is critical to support candidates who are committed to shifting Maine to an environment where businesses add employees, make capital investments, and ultimately expand their businesses here in Maine. MERI is key to helping all Maine voters make informed decisions this election season that are based on candidates’ voting records on the issues critical to Maine’s business and economic future.”

During each legislative session, MERI tracks legislators’ votes on a set of “Watch List” bills. After each session concludes, MERI analyzes legislator votes and publishes their scores and rankings in Roll Call . A vote supporting MERI’s position on a bill is a positive mark on a legislator’s score.

This year, MERI recognized Senate President Troy Jackson (Aroostook) as its “Policy Champ” for being the top sponsor of pro-MERI bills in the 131st Legislature. Sen. Michael Tipping (Penobscot) earned MERI’s “Policy Flop” designation for sponsoring the most bills MERI opposed. Rep. Timothy Guerrette of House District 4 (Caribou) earned MERI’s highest score (98 percent). Rep. Laura Supica of House District 22 (Bangor) earned the lowest score (0 percent).

Since 1999, MERI has provided objective, research-based analyses of state legislator votes that impact Maine’s business community, economy, and economic competitiveness. Legislation selected for tracking is driven by what Maine employers of all sizes and sectors across Maine indicate will be critical to their success and growing Maine’s economy.

MERI uses criteria from Maine’s 10-year Economic Development Strategy and the Making Maine Work and Measures of Growth reports and takes into account Maine’s current and future needs in areas including education attainment, energy costs, wage growth, tax burden, R&D investment, talent attraction, housing, and more to provide objective and transparent ratings about legislators’ support for efforts to meet Maine’s future goals and keep Maine competitive. MERI’s Roll Call provides Maine voters with an understanding of where their legislators stand with the business community.

For MERI’s full Roll Call report of legislator scores and rankings, please click here or visit www.me-ri.org/roll-call . MERI’s “ Watch List ” of bills in both the first and second regular sessions of the 131 ^st Legislature covered taxation, innovation, research and development, energy, the environment, labor, and education. The full “ Watch List ” can be found here or at www.me-ri.org/watch-list .

MERI is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit organization governed by a board of directors that includes Maine business owners, CEOs, and representatives from a diverse group of Maine employers. MERI’s board, advisors, and staff are focused on creating a healthy Maine economy, strong businesses, and quality jobs. MERI is affiliated with ten statewide business associations and is administered by the Maine State Chamber of Commerce .

Founded in 1889, the Maine State Chamber of Commerce is Maine’s largest business association, serving as “The Voice of Maine Business” on behalf of thousands of employers of all sizes and sectors across the state. The Maine State Chamber focuses on three pillars – Advocacy, Access, and Awareness — to advance a positive business climate and secure a strong state economy in which Maine businesses can compete and succeed. For more information, please visit www.mainechamber.org .