SACO – Senator Justin Chenette has published a children’s coloring and activity book entitled, The Great Whoopie Pie Debate: How Your Idea Becomes Maine Law.

“The goal is to provide the next generation the tools necessary to understand how their own government works,” says Sen. Chenette, author of the book. “I wanted a fun and interactive way for kids to connect to the lessons being taught in the classroom on their path to become active and engaged citizens.”

Published by Bryson Taylor Publishing, the 32-page coloring book visually demonstrates how a law is made from start to finish with a real-life illustration of when Maine legislators debated the state dessert.

Included in the book is an educational activity section for children to solve puzzles, crosswords, and fill-in-the-blanks along with fun facts about the Pine Tree State.
​
This is Senator Chenette’s first book to be published. All proceeds from the book will benefit college scholarships for local high school students. For ordering information and behind the scenes video on the illustration process, visit www.WhoopiePie.org. 

Cierra Albert is the 2019 recipient of a leadership scholarship from the Chenette Scholarship Fund provided by Sen. Justin Chenette. She was selected for her service on campus and in the community. Cierra was a student representative on the local school board in addition to being class president for several years. She graduated from Old Orchard Beach High School in June and plans to attend St. John’s University in New York City to major in International Relations.

​Three recent Thornton Academy graduates have been awarded the 2019 Spirit of Service Scholarships from the Chenette Scholarship Fund. Noah Poulin, Natalie Ben-Ami, and Ashley Gonzalez were each selected to receive a $500 college scholarship because of their leadership in school and service in the community. 

From left to right: Sen. Justin Chenette 09', Noah Poulin 19', Natalie Ben-Ami 19', & Ashley Gonzalez 19'

​AUGUSTA — Legislation sponsored by Sen. Justin Chenette, D-Saco, to reduce the outside influence of money and lobbyists in politics was approved by the Maine Senate today in a party-line vote of 21-13.

“Lobbyists shouldn’t have a greater voice than our constituents. Under current law, money grants them undue access to our elected officials,” said Sen. Chenette. “This bill represents a comprehensive overhaul of our campaign finance system and strengthens the integrity of state government.”
​
LD 54 “An Act To Limit the Influence of Lobbyists by Expanding the Prohibition on Accepting Political Contributions,” would ban legislators, legislative candidates, the governor and gubernatorial candidates from accepting political contributions from lobbyists. It also would ban out-of-state lobbyist money from Maine’s political system. Candidate and elected official PACs, or political action committees, would also be banned from accepting lobbyist contributions. Currently, the only ban in place is for sitting officials while the legislature is in session. This bill expands the ban to be year-round. 
 
The bill was endorsed by the Maine League of Women Voters, Maine Citizens for Clean Elections, and End Citizens United.
 
LD 54 bill is a part of Sen. Chenette’s campaign ethics reform package, which includes LD 76, “An Act To Strengthen the Integrity of the Legislature by Extending the Waiting Period before Legislators May Engage in Any Amount of Compensated Lobbying,” and LD 256, “An Act To Ban the Use of Leadership Political Action Committees for Personal Profit.” Both of those bills have been signed into law by Gov. Janet Mills.
 
LD 54 faces further votes in the House and the Senate before heading to the governor’s desk.
 
Sen. Chenette is the Chair of the Governor Oversight Committee, a member of the Senate Ethics Committee, and Co-Chair of the Democracy Reform Caucus.

​AUGUSTA — On Tuesday, the Maine House voted in support of a bill introduced by Sen. Justin Chenette, D-Saco, to review and overhaul Maine’s bullying laws. The Senate voted in support of LD 1306, “An Act To Promote Safe Schools through the Creation of the Safe School Climate Council,” last Thursday.
 
“As someone who was bullied all throughout school, I know the long-lasting pain that bullying can cause,” said Sen Chenette. “I want to do everything I can to ensure young people feel safe in school, feel accepted, and feel like they can be true to themselves without fear of retribution from their peers.”
 
LD 1306 directs the Department of Education to create a stakeholder group to recommend improvements to Maine’s bullying laws for schools. By February 2020, the Commissioner of the Department of Education will report the findings of the stakeholder group and its specific recommendations to the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee and the rest of the Legislature for further legislative action.
 
The goal of this bill is to obtain data, analyze issues and report on solutions to comprehensively address how school districts across the state are responding to bullying in their schools. The bill is supported by the Maine Education Association.
 
LD 1306 has received strong bipartisan support in the Maine Legislature. It now faces enactment votes in the Senate and the House