Maine Legislature Rejects Gun, Mobile Home Moratorium Bills

Maine lawmakers are rapidly voting on key legislation ahead of the planned adjournment, with several significant bills either passing or failing. Both chambers rejected an amended bill that would restrict handgun storage in unoccupied vehicles, and a proposal to waive the 17-day waiting period for terminally ill patients to access life-ending medication was also defeated. Bills related to firearm regulations near schools and within municipal buildings failed to gain agreement between the House and Senate, while legislation defining "coercive control" as a form of domestic violence passed both chambers. Meanwhile, in Michigan, legislation has been introduced and passed aiming to restrict transgender girls from participating in girls' sports based on biological sex, sparking support from some Republicans and opposition from groups like the ACLU. At the federal level, the Center for Environmental Accountability petitioned the EPA to reconsider and amend the 2024 chemical risk evaluation rule, seeking greater transparency, interagency collaboration, and clearer criteria for determining risk and conditions of use. These developments reflect ongoing debates around public safety, civil rights, and environmental regulation across different states and at the federal level.