As mass shootings riddled the front page of newspapers across the United States in 2012, it left a Nation stunned and searching for answers. Maine Street Solutions was approached by several groups in Maine that wanted to enact legislation on a myriad of gun related issues from background checks to bans.
Over the course of 60 days, MSS worked with a coalition of diverse Maine organizations from hunters and former prosecutors to medical associations and church groups to help them form a loose coalition under the banner of “Coalition for a Safer Maine” and find common ground on what bills to advocate for and support in the 125th. The premise of the Coalition was to help educate Mainers about the issues; the challenge was to be effectively heard in a gun-friendly state like Maine.
A coalition of methadone treatment centers approached the Verrill and Maine Street Solutions team in 2012, after Medicaid reimbursement rates for methadone treatment were cut without warning by the Legislature's Appropriations Committee. Over the course of 8 year of sustained advocacy and awareness-raising efforts, the Verrill/MSS team was successful in securing multiple Medicaid reimbursement rate increases and in helping the coalition increase public awareness of the importance of Methadone Assisted Treatment.
Maine Street Solutions (MSS) has worked with Good Shepherd Food Bank (GSFB) on a pro bono basis since 2017. The Food Bank had successfully secured three years of funding from the Fund for a Healthy Maine for its Mainers Feeding Mainers program, wherein the organization purchases local foods from Maine farmers for hunger relief programs across the state.
Starting in 2012, Jim worked with Emera Maine (now Versant Power Company) to bring forward legislation through then-Governor Paul LePage authorizing transmission and distribution companies to engage in a limited pilot project to promote the use of efficient electric heating systems, including heat pumps. Over many months, Jim helped move LD 1864 forward by testifying on the bill, managing multiple committee amendments, working with public and private stakeholders, and directly lobbying key committee and legislative leaders.
In an effort to address Maine’s opioid crisis the 127th Legislature passed a law—PL 488—which made significant changes to the state’s Prescription Monitoring Program and how all prescribers provided controlled substances, including veterinarians.
Because the law was difficult for practicing veterinarians, raised significant privacy concerns, and was not having the intended effect, the Maine Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA) sought the help of Maine Street Solutions (MSS) to change the law.
Representing medical marijuana businesses, national marijuana advocacy organizations and local community interests, MSS worked to successfully place Question 1 on the ballot, pass it, prevail in a recount, and pass legislation implementing a safe and responsible recreational marijuana market in Maine.
In the First Regular Session of the 126th Maine Legislature, Representative Katherine Cassidy introduced LD 753, “An Act to Prohibit the Sale of High- caffeine Energy Drinks to Persons under 18 Years of Age.”
Many products such as coffee, energy gum, over-the-counter medicines, dietary supplements and most importantly energy shots contain more caffeine than a Red Bull, but a minor would still be able to purchase those under the initial language of LD 753.
In December of 2012, Maine Street Solutions was contracted to help DCP site an LNG facility in Searsport, Maine. The challenge was a town issued moratorium that would need to be lifted via the vote of a town meeting scheduled for March.
"We have been continually impressed with the Maine Street team. They were unflagging in their efforts to help us secure state funding and we would not have been successful without their support. Sometimes with pro bono arrangements you can feel as if you're being placed on the back burner, but we have never felt that way in our work with Maine Street Solutions."
— Kristen Miale, president, Good Shepherd Food Bank
Maine Street Solutions Maine's top team of lobbying and strategic communications professionals
