AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - State lawmakers approved coronavirus-related legislation and additional money to fight the pandemic Tuesday as the number of positive tests for the new virus nearly doubled to more than 30 in Maine.
The emergency measures temporarily expand unemployment benefits, establish a consumer loan guarantee program and authorize the governor to direct the manner of the June primary. The bill also lets the governor adjust deadlines and lets public entities meet by remote participation.
“These emergency measures will support the state’s response to the coronavirus and mitigate its spread in Maine,” Mills said. “Protecting the health and well-being of Maine people is a responsibility at the core of state government, and I am grateful to lawmakers for uniting in support of these measures so we can implement them swiftly.”
Lawmakers adjourned indefinitely Tuesday night after wrapping up their work under emergency rules that limited the Statehouse to lawmakers, staffers and the media. All others were banned from the building, and the House gallery was closed.
The votes came against the backdrop of a dramatic uptick in the number of COVID-19 cases in Maine.
Three people were hospitalized because of the virus in Maine, and the latest batch of positive test results included a child under 10, said Dr. Nirav Shah, director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Cases have been recorded in seven counties, but there’s evidence of community spread only in Cumberland County, he said.
Shah sought to calm Mainers’ frazzled nerves, telling them there was no need to panic, even as he encouraged people to practice vigorous hand-washing and social distancing.
“Panic is a paralytic,” he said. “It can cloud your mind and cause you to focus on things that are not your top priorities.”
The virus that has stricken tens of thousands around the globe causes only mild symptoms for the majority of the people who become infected but can be deadly for some, especially older adults and people with certain health conditions, such as respiratory illness.
Mills also issued a declaration Tuesday to prohibit price-gouging on necessities like paper products, cleaning supplies, hand sanitizer, personal hygiene products, medicine, food and water. State law gives the governor to issue a declaration to prevent “profiteering from necessities,” and the order prohibits those items from being sold at rates 15% higher than prices before the pandemic. The attorney general was already investigating the sale of some overpriced items in Maine.
Included in the emergency package was one bill that gave the governor access to at least $11 million in state funding to respond to the coronavirus.
An additional $1 million to the Maine CDC to expand coronavirus testing was included in a $73 million supplemental budget. The package included $15 million for health care priorities, including rate increases for direct health care providers for nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
Some other developments related to the coronavirus in Maine:
___
MOTOR VEHICLES
The Bureau of Motor Vehicles announced it’s closing its offices to the public. Mainers were encouraged to use the bureau’s online services for license renewal, vehicle registration renewal and replacement titles. However, residents will not be able to obtain Real ID credentials, first-time driver licenses, or new registrations.
___
CITY CURFEWS
A growing number of municipalities declared emergencies and imposed curfews. Portland required entertainment gathering places to shut down all day on St. Patrick’s Day, and required them to close by 8 p.m. for the rest of the week, effectively shutting down nightlife in the Old Port district.
___
PRISONS AND COURTS
The Maine Department of Corrections banned visitors and announced it is working to reduce phone commission rates to ensure inmates can keep in touch with family, friends, volunteers and other nonprofessional visitors.
The court system on Tuesday required daily court sessions for arraignments to ensure inmates have an opportunity to post bail, freeing jail space. The courts also vacated arrest warrants for unpaid fines and fees and for failing to appear in court to reduce the number of people jailed for minor violations.
___
Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak. The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.