2014: Garrett Mason Voted To Sustain Governor LePage’s Veto On Legislation Expanding Medicaid In Maine For Nearly 70,000 Low-Income Mainers. In 2014, according to the State of Maine Legislature, Garrett Mason voted against overriding a veto on LD 1487, "An Act To Implement Managed Care in the MaineCare Program." According to the Bangor Daily News, "As expected, Gov. Paul LePage on Wednesday vetoed a bill that would expand Medicaid coverage to roughly 70,000 low-income Mainers and dramatically overhaul the administration of the program by outsourcing it to managed care organizations. The Legislature gave final enactment to the bill on March 28, starting a countdown for LePage to sign the bill, veto it or let it go into law without his signature. Wednesday was the deadline day. It was the third time LePage has vetoed Medicaid expansion in the 126th Legislature. LD 1487 was presented by moderate Republican Sens. Roger Katz of Augusta and Tom Saviello of Wilton as a compromise effort to bring more of their party on board with expansion — the top priority for legislative Democrats." The votes were on overriding a veto. The Maine Senate failed to meet the two-thirds majority and failed to override the veto by a vote of 22 to 13. [State Of Maine Legislature – LD 1487 (2014), Vetoed 4/9/14; Maine Senate Roll Call 572, 4/11/14; Bangor Daily News, 4/9/14]
2014: Garrett Mason Voted Against Expanding Medicaid In Maine For Nearly 70,000 Low-Income Mainers. In 2014, according to the State of Maine Legislature, Garrett Mason voted against LD 1487, "An Act To Implement Managed Care in the MaineCare Program." According to the Bangor Daily News, "As expected, Gov. Paul LePage on Wednesday vetoed a bill that would expand Medicaid coverage to roughly 70,000 low-income Mainers and dramatically overhaul the administration of the program by outsourcing it to managed care organizations. The Legislature gave final enactment to the bill on March 28, starting a countdown for LePage to sign the bill, veto it or let it go into law without his signature. Wednesday was the deadline day. It was the third time LePage has vetoed Medicaid expansion in the 126th Legislature. LD 1487 was presented by moderate Republican Sens. Roger Katz of Augusta and Tom Saviello of Wilton as a compromise effort to bring more of their party on board with expansion — the top priority for legislative Democrats." The votes were on a motion to accept the majority ought to pass as amended report. The Maine Senate accepted the legislation by a vote of 22 to 13. The Maine House subsequently passed the bill to be enacted, but Governor LePage vetoed the bill. [State Of Maine Legislature – LD 1487 (2014), Vetoed 4/9/14; Maine Senate Roll Call 448, 3/12/14; Bangor Daily News, 4/9/14]
2014: Mason Voted Against Expanding Federally Funded Health Care For Mainers For One Year As The State Would Have Established A New System To Use Federal Funding To Purchase Private Health Insurance For Those Recipients. In 2014, according to the State of Maine Legislature, Garrett Mason voted against LD 1578, "An Act To Increase Health Security by Expanding Federally Funded Health Care for Maine People." According to the Bangor Daily News, "The Maine Legislature on Thursday night approved a Medicaid expansion plan for the third time since March, though the bill is likely doomed to the same fate as its predecessors — death by gubernatorial veto. The House of Representatives gave the bill final approval with a vote of 94-51. The Senate gave final approval after a 19-14 vote. Neither tally indicates enough support to override a near-certain veto by Republican Gov. Paul LePage. The bill, as amended by House Speaker Mark Eves, D-North Berwick, was introduced to lawmakers just hours before the vote, prompting complaints from some that there had not been enough time to digest the plan before being asked to vote. [...] "Rather than simply expanding Medicaid permanently to 70,000 low-income Mainers as originally envisioned by the 2010 federal Affordable Care Act, Eves’ plan would expand Medicaid to those people for one year, while the state establishes a new system to use the money to buy private insurance plans for those recipients. Starting in summer 2015, about 55,000 of those newly eligible Mainers — all of whom are childless adults — would be shifted to the private plan. Another roughly 15,000 parents would remain on Medicaid, known here as MaineCare." The vote was on a motion to accept the majority ought to pass as amended report. The Maine Senate accepted the legislation by a vote of 19 to 14. The Maine House subsequently passed the bill to be enacted, but Governor LePage vetoed the bill. [State Of Maine Legislature – LD 1578 (2014), Vetoed 5/1/14; Maine Senate Roll Call 606, 4/17/14; Bangor Daily News, 4/17/14]
2015: Garrett Mason Introduced Legislation Requiring Health Insurance Plans To Cover Infertility Treatments Only For Married Patients And Excluding Coverage When Infertility Resulted From Sexually Transmitted Diseases. According to Bangor Daily News, "Senate Majority Leader Garrett Mason, a Lisbon Republican known for taking socially conservative positions, has introduced a bill that would require health insurance providers in Maine to include coverage for infertility treatments as long as the patient is married and is not infertile as the result of a sexually transmitted disease." [Bangor Daily News, 4/14/15]
2015: Garrett Mason’s Infertility Bill Drew Opposition From Reproductive Rights Groups Who Said It Was “Not The Role Of The Government To Make Decisions Around The Morality Of People’s Behavior”. According to Bangor Daily News, "Those two provisions in the bill designed to reduce barriers to infertility treatments drew passionate opposition from some lawmakers on the Insurance and Financial Services Committee, as well as from the Maine Alliance for Reproductive Freedom and Maine Women's Lobby. 'We don't believe it's the role of the government to make decisions around the morality of people's behavior,' said Kate Brogan, speaking on behalf of Planned Parenthood of Maine and the Alliance for Reproductive Freedom." [Bangor Daily News, 4/14/15]
2015: Garrett Mason’s Infertility Coverage Bill Allowed Insurance Companies To Require Co-Payments Of Up To 50 Percent, Which Could Cost Patients Thousands Of Dollars. According to Bangor Daily News, “Under Mason's bill, insurance companies would be allowed to require co-payments of up to 50 percent for the treatments, which can run easily into the thousands of dollars. [...] Oftentimes, a couple builds their future around a plan of having children and can be devastated when they are unable to conceive a child through natural methods,' said Mason. 'Fortunately, there are many safe and effective treatments for overcoming infertility.' The number of Mainers affected by infertility, however, and how much this concept would financially affect insurance companies, is not known because the last time the issue was studied was in 2003 by the Maine Bureau of Insurance. That prompted some to suggest that the bill be put on hold until a new study can be conducted." [Bangor Daily News, 4/14/15]
2015: Mason Co-Sponsored Legislation That Allowed Individuals And Businesses To Refuse Services To Individuals That Conflicted With Religious Beliefs, Including Same-Sex Couples. According to the Portland Press Herald, "The three top Republicans in the Maine Senate have signed on as co-sponsors of a so-called religious freedom bill similar to legislation that has sparked controversy, protests and threats of boycotts in Indiana and other states. [...] The bill, L.D. 1340, says that state and local governments cannot 'substantially burden a person's exercise of religion' unless there is a 'compelling governmental interest.' The legislation states that exercise of religion includes 'the ability to act or refuse to act in a manner substantially motivated by a person's sincerely held religious belief.' Supporters argue that such laws are needed to prevent individuals or business owners from having to provide services that effectively support or sanction activities -- such as a same-sex marriage -- that violate their religious beliefs. [...] Burns picked up the support of his party's three Senate leaders: President Mike Thibodeau of Winterport, Majority Leader Garrett Mason of Lisbon Falls and Assistant Majority Leader Andre Cushing of Hampden." [Portland Press Herald, 4/15/15]
2011: Mason Sponsored And Voted For Legislation To Allow 10 Charter Schools In Maine, Which Governor LePage Signed Into Law. In 2011, according to the State of Maine Legislature, Garrett Mason sponsored and voted for LD 1553, "An Act To Create a Public Charter School Program in Maine." According to the Associated Press via the Bangor Daily News, "Gov. Paul LePage says Maine is now the 41st state to allow charter schools. Fulfilling a campaign promise, LePage on Thursday signed the bill authorizing charter schools, which create innovative educational settings for students who don’t fit into the public schools. The bill he signed would allow no more than 10 public charter schools in the first decade. It would also limit the number of students who can attend them in the first three years to protect smaller noncharter public schools. The charter school bill’s sponsor, Republican Sen. Garrett Mason of Lisbon Falls, says the bill moves Maine ‘from a one-size-fits-all approach to an individualized education for all.’" The vote was on a motion to pass to be engrossed as amended. The Maine Senate passed the legislation by a vote of 21 to 13, then the Maine House passed the bill. The Maine Senate ultimately concurred with the House amendment and Governor LePage signed the bill into law. [State Of Maine Legislature – LD 1553 (2011), Enacted 6/28/11; Maine Senate Roll Call 241, 6/14/11; Associated Press via the Bangor Daily News, 6/29/11]
2013: Garrett Mason Sponsored And Voted For Legislation To Lift The Cap On Charter Schools And Allow Some Taxpayer Funding To Religious Schools. In 2013, according to the State of Maine Legislature, Garrett Mason sponsored and voted for LD 1529, "An Act To Expand School Choice for Maine Students." According to the Bangor Daily News, "A bid by Gov. Paul LePage to lift a 10-school cap on charter schools and route some taxpayer funding to religious schools failed Tuesday night in the Senate by a vote of 29-6. LD 1529, An Act to Expand School Choice for Maine Students, was sponsored by Sen. Garrett Mason, R-Lisbon Falls, on behalf of LePage last month. In addition to removing the cap of 10 charter schools that the Maine Charter School Commission can approve over the course of 10 years, the bill sought to allow colleges and universities to create charter schools and qualify sectarian private schools to receive public funding as long as they comply with standards applicable to other private schools. The bill also would have allowed families of disadvantaged students full school choice with public money covering their tuition, transportation, room and board." The vote was on a motion to accept the majority ought not to pass as amended report. The Maine Senate rejected the legislation by a vote of 29 to 6, killing the legislation. [State Of Maine Legislature – LD 1529 (2013), Introduced 5/9/13; Maine Senate Roll Call 315, 6/18/13; Bangor Daily News, 6/18/13]