Latest Maine Headlines

All the headlines from our Maine Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Driver Cries Foul as New Maine Law Yanks His Driver’s License

Jul 10 2007 // A 23-year-old Maine motorist who lost his license for three years under a little-publicized provision of Tina’s Law is crying foul.Joe P. Dehetre of Turner has a long and checkered driving record that includes 10...

Maine Gov. Baldacci Signs Bill Allowing Dirigo to Self-Insure

Jun 29 2007 // Gov. John Baldacci this week signed into law a bill that authorizes Maine’s Dirigo Health program to self-insure. But it doesn’t mean that will happen overnight, or even anytime soon.For now, the...

Parties Discussing Refinancing of Maine’s Dirigo Health

Jun 21 2007 // Facing three conflicting committee recommendations, Baldacci administration officials, health industry, business and consumer representatives met with lawmakers once on Tuesday and planned to meet again to discuss...

Warning: Scammers using Maine insurer’s name

Jun 18 2007 // The Maine Bureau of Insurance is advising consumers to beware of an illegal sweepstakes scam targeting MMG Insurance Co., a Maine domestic workers’ compensation insurer located in Presque Isle.Officials at MMG...

Declarations

Jun 18 2007 // Declarations21st Century “The financial world has changed and we must change with it to retain our leadership position. This panel will help the state bring its regulatory structure into the 21st Century, encouraging...

N.H. Joins Maine in Opposing Federal Real ID Program

Jun 12 2007 // Calling the federal Real ID Act “repugnant” to the state and federal constitutions, New Hampshire lawmakers voted to join other states — including neighboring Maine — in rejecting the federal Real ID Act as...

Maine Gov. Baldacci Expected to Sign Bill Blocking Real ID

Jun 8 2007 // Gov. John Baldacci is expected to sign a bill prohibiting Maine from implementing Real ID, the national identity card system that’s been vilified by critics as unworkable and too expensive, a spokesman said...

Maine Bill Bars Teens from Chatting While Driving

Jun 6 2007 // Maine tenagers who are used to chatting while driving may have to break the habit and leave their cellular phones alone while they’re behind the wheel.A bill, which has won all-but-final Senate approval after it was...

Maine Bicyclists Could Face Helmet, Drunk Pedaling Rules

Jun 1 2007 // Maine’s growing legion of bicyclists — and motorists who share the road with them — will have some new rules to ride by if a bill that addresses such issues as helmet use, safety margins and drunk pedaling...

Maine Close to Approving Dirigo Self-Insurance Venture

May 29 2007 // Despite arguments that the state should keep out of a business where only private enterprise belongs, the Maine Senate gave its blessing last week to a proposal to allow the state to venture further into health insurance.A...

Maine Bill to Ban Teen Drivers’ Cell Phone Use Advances

May 21 2007 // A bill to ban teen drivers in Maine from using cell phones and other electronic devices has won unanimous approval from a legislative committee.The original bill was supposed to ban the use of hand-held cell phones by...

Maine Touts Improved Ranking on Workers’ Comp Costs

May 21 2007 // The Maine Bureau of Insurance noted that a recent study of workers’ compensation costs shows improvement in Maine’s national ranking. A recent report covering 2006, issued by Actuarial and Technical Solutions,...

Maine adopts primary seat belt law

May 21 2007 // Maine Gov. John Baldacci has signed a bill that will make failure by motorists to use seat belts a primary offense, but violators will only get warnings for the first few months the law’s in effect.Under current law,...

My New Markets

May 7 2007 // Earthquake Nuts and Bolts: Wholesale Connection Insurance Services, located in Woodland Hills, Calif., added a new carrier to its list of Earthquake markets in California.Dollars: Capacity in zones A, B and E is $2,500,000...

Maine Adopts Primary Seat Belt Law

May 3 2007 // Maine Gov. John Baldacci has signed a bill that will make failure by motorists to use seat belts a primary offense, but violators will only get warnings for the first few months the law’s in effect.Under current law,...

Business Moves

Apr 23 2007 // AXIS Capital, Media/ProAXIS Capital, a global specialty commercial property and casualty insurer and reinsurer, has agreed to acquire the assets and operations of Media/Professional Insurance (Media/Pro), a managing...

Majority of medical malpractice claims close without payment

Apr 23 2007 // The majority of medical malpractice claims in a study of seven states were closed without any compensation paid to those claiming a medical injury, the Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS)...

Maine Law Restricts Agents’ Cross-Selling of Insurance Products

Apr 20 2007 // Prompted by complaints from Maine consumers, the Legislature has enacted a law to prohibit insurance agents who schedule appointments to discuss Medicare from trying to interest people in other policies.Gov. John Baldacci...

1st Circuit: Aroostook Tribe Subject to Maine Employment Laws

Apr 20 2007 // A ruling by a panel of the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals means the Aroostook Band of Micmacs is subject to state employment discrimination laws after all.In a divided ruling, the three-judge panel overturned a federal...

N.H., Maine Still Dealing with Flooding, Power Outages, Washed-Out Roads

Apr 19 2007 // Rain continued falling on much of New Hampshire late Wednesday, keeping some schools closed and lengthening the morning commute for drivers detouring around washed-out roads.Thousands of homes and businesses still had no...