Senate
President Edmonds discusses her homeland security initiative at a press conference.
On a quiet, hot summer’s day residents
of Freeport frequent the local library where they find personnel eager to serve their
needs. Some don’t realize that they may have been served by Maine’s leading
woman Democrat in the Legislature, the President of the Senate, Beth Edmonds.
"I love working at the library,"
said Edmonds. "I always have. It’s a special place."
Edmonds’ dedication to serving people
has made her a leader and a role model. Conducting the business of the Senate requires
integrity and an unwavering dedication to the people of Maine.
Presiding over all political parties
sometimes results in votes along party lines, as in the case of the bill proposed by the
governor to increase the minimum wage, where Democrats made it happen. At other times,
because of the dialogue and discussions, a strong majority agrees to a new law—as was
in the case of the governor’s bill to repeal an antiquated business tax on equipment
(BETR).
Edmonds is modest about her role as Senate
president. "It’s a balancing act," she said. "You have to listen to
everyone equally, while reaming true to your core values."
Those values are what guide Edmonds with
the various bills that she has submitted. From strongly supporting measures to help the
creative economy, to helping homeland security, and protecting the people with health-care
initiatives, Edmonds is looking out for all the people of the state. She fought to keep
Brunswick Naval Air Station open, and she continues to fight for the community to ensure
that the transition from the base closure is smooth, and that wise economic decisions are
made.
A new law sponsored by Senator Edmonds
begins the data collection of businesses that are adversely taking advantage of
Maine’s health-care system.
Josh Smith told a legislative committee,
during hearings on Edmonds’ bill, that he received no benefits during his four months
as a part-time worker at Wal-Mart. Smith, a college graduate, said most people that worked
with him were not enrolled in Wal-Mart’s insurance program. "Many were
ineligible like myself, but others simply could not afford the coverage," said Smith.
"Those who did receive coverage were well aware of the problems with the insurance,
but did not have any other option."
When workers can’t afford medical
insurance they end up in hospital emergency wards for conditions that could have been
prevented, or forced to seek care from the state, which adds more people to MaineCare
rolls.
The bill requires the state to compile
annual statistics on Maine workers who are on MaineCare. It also mandates that every
employer with 1,000 or more employees has to report to the State Department of Labor how
much their company is spending on health-care coverage for its workers as a percentage of
total payroll.
"I am pleased this resolve has passed
and has appropriate funding to begin a process toward fair solutions for health care in
Maine. We need to understand how the employer health-care plan model might not be
extending benefits as it has in the past," said Edmonds. "Good public policy
requires good information, and we can begin to get some of that information with this
bill."
In June Governor Baldacci ceremonially
signed two bills sponsored by Edmonds, designed to attract and retain dedicated personal
care workers.
"As our population ages, these workers
play an ever-important role in our health-care system," said Governor Baldacci.
"It’s important that we provide the right long-term care support so that more
people can live in their homes in Maine."
Maine has the nation’s oldest
population, and 16 percent of all U.S. veterans live in the state. The need for personal
care assistants is growing, but their current pay, at $7.71 an hour without benefits, is
"unforgivable," as Senator Edmonds has said.
One of the laws requires Maine’s
Department of Health and Human Services to study the cost of increasing wages and
providing health coverage for direct care workers in MaineCare-funded long-term care
programs. The study will look at what it would cost to establish a $10 per hour starting
pay for entry-level direct care workers.
The other law proposes that the state
increase hourly pay to $10 for personal care assistants in the state’s
consumer-directed program for disabled people and those who would otherwise be in nursing
homes.
The proposed wage increase will give
personal care assistants the respect they deserve and give future care workers an
incentive to go into an ever-increasing and demanding field.
"I want to thank Senate President
Edmonds for her leadership in sponsoring these two bills, which address wage issues
critical to keeping highly motivated and qualified personal care assistants and direct
care workers," said Governor Baldacci.
Wherever Edmonds is at work she puts people first.
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