Joint Order To Amend Joint Rule 308

132nd Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Rick Bennett

SP 720 proposes amending Joint Rule 308 to change internal legislative procedures; it was reported OTP and requires adoption by both chambers to take effect.

Reported Out - OTP

Overview

Bill number: SP 720

Title: Joint Order To Amend Joint Rule 308

Classification: Joint resolution (a legislative order to change the Legislature’s own rules)

Introduced: May 15, 2025

Current status: Reported Out — OTP (Ought to Pass) on 2025-06-04

Committee actions: Work session held 2025-05-15; voted OTP 2025-05-15

Purpose and intent

Based on the title, SP 720 is a joint order proposing an amendment to Joint Rule 308, which is one of the internal rules governing how the Maine Legislature operates. Joint orders amend procedural rules and typically address subjects such as committee jurisdiction, deadlines, reporting requirements, notice and quorum rules, or other legislative process matters. No bill text was provided, so the exact substantive change to Joint Rule 308 is not specified in the materials received.

Key provisions (what is known)

The document package available does not include the specific language of the proposed amendment to Joint Rule 308. Therefore, the summary cannot state the exact alterations, additions, or deletions the order would make.

Procedurally, the item advanced out of committee with a recommendation “Ought to Pass” on June 4, 2025.

Who would be affected

Primary: Members of the Maine Legislature (both chambers), legislative committees, and legislative staff — because a change to a joint rule changes internal processes for the entire Legislature.

Secondary: Stakeholders who interact with legislative process (lobbyists, state agencies, the public) to the extent the rule change affects notice, timing or access to committees and floor action.

Fiscal impact

The documents included with the request are fiscal notes labeled for LD 1837 (“An Act to Amend the Laws Affecting Insurance”). Those fiscal notes indicate either “minor revenue increase” or “no fiscal impact” to the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation.

Important: those fiscal notes appear to pertain to LD 1837 (an insurance bill) and not to SP 720. No fiscal note specific to SP 720 (an internal rules change) is included. Typically, amendments to legislative rules do not produce significant fiscal effects.

Procedural/timeline notes and next steps

Reported Out — OTP means the committee recommended adoption. For a joint order to take effect, both chambers must adopt the order according to the rules governing rule changes (usually by majority vote in each chamber).

Recommended action for clarity: obtain the actual text of SP 720 or the legislative digest describing the exact amendment to Joint Rule 308 to determine substantive effect and confirm whether any referenced fiscal notes apply.

If you’d like, I can: (1) locate the full text of SP 720 or the committee report that explains the specific amendment, or (2) draft a short plain‑language explainer once the amendment text is provided.

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