Legislative Department

Record Group

Identifier: US-MeSA-30

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Maine State Archives (MSA) collects and holds the permanent historical records of the Maine State Government. MSA was created in 1965. By 1971, MSA housed the historical records that had been held by the Secretary of State, Legislature, Courts and Executive Departments. This included records from defunct agencies.

With the implementation of a records management system, groups of records were identified as having permanent historical value and were sent to the Archives after a designated period of time. These included Commissioner/Executive correspondence, meeting minutes from Boards and Commissions, as well as department-specific records.

Dates

1820 -

Biographical / Historical

The organization of the Maine Legislature is determined by the Constitution of Maine, by Maine Statutes, and by legislative rules. The Senate consists of 35 members, and the House of Representatives consists of 151 members. All members of both chambers are elected from single member districts. The House has three additional non-voting members who are elected by the Penobscot Indian Nation, the Passamaquoddy Tribe and the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, respectively, to represent their tribes at the Legislature.

The Joint Standing Committees established by the 126th Legislature are: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry; Appropriations and Financial Affairs; Criminal Justice and Public Safety; Education and Cultural Affairs; Energy, Utilities and Technology; Environment and Natural Resources; Health and Human Services; Inland Fisheries and Wildlife; Insurance and Financial Services; Judiciary; Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development; Marine Resources; State and Local Government; Taxation; Transportation; and Veterans and Legal Affairs. Also, by Joint Rule, the Legislature established the Joint Select Committee on Joint Rules, the Joint Select Committee on Maine's Workforce and Economic Future and the Government Oversight Committee.