Legislative Council

The Legislative Council is the administrative body for the Legislative Branch of State government. It consists of the ten elected members of legislative leadership: the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House, the Republican and Democratic Floor Leaders for both the Senate and House of Representatives and their Assistant Floor Leaders. The Legislative Council convenes and the Council members elect a Chair and Vice-Chair at the beginning of each legislative biennium; the chairmanship alternates between the Senate and House by tradition every two years.

The Council is responsible for the overall management of the entire Legislature. Its specific powers and duties are set forth in law (3 MRSA, section 162) and legislative rule. The Council is responsible for providing professional, nonpartisan staff support services to the Legislature and its officers, members, committees and commissions. These services include legislative research, bill drafting; policy, legal and fiscal analysis; fiscal note preparation; committee staffing; computer support services; public information; library and reference services and support; and general administrative services. The Legislative Council's staff is organized into the nonpartisan offices that operate under the direction of the Council's Executive Director.  

Other responsibilities delegated by the Legislature to the Council include preparing legislative budget requests and overseeing the legislative budget; establishing salary and benefit schedules for all legislative employees, except as otherwise provided by law; approval of employment practices; planning and oversight of projects designed to improve the organization, operation and physical facilities of the Legislature; and assignment of work to legislative committees when the Legislature is not in session. The Council also has responsibility for screening and approving requests to introduce legislation after cloture (after deadline bills) in any legislative session and exercises this same role for all bill requests prior to their introduction in the second regular session and all special sessions.

The Legislative Council typically meets monthly. Information concerning the Legislative Council is available from the Office of the Executive Director of the Legislative Council. Meeting agendas and meeting summaries are available on this website.

Legislative Council YouTube Channel

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