Randy Billings is a government watchdog and political reporter who has been covering Portland City Hall for the Press Herald since 2012. His beat touches on a wide range of topics, including immigration, homelessness, education, tourism, real estate development and the economy in Maine’s largest city. He has been a Portland-based journalist since 2005. A life-long Mainer who loves the outdoors, Randy is also a bassist who brews his own beer at his North Yarmouth home, where he lives with his wife and two children.
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PublishedJanuary 25, 2022
Child welfare workers sound alarm, telling lawmakers of heavy workloads and long hours
Nearly 97% of caseworkers who responded to a union survey said they have too many cases to manage, and about 30% said they consider resigning on a daily basis.
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PublishedJanuary 21, 2022
State watchdog’s initial report finds no obvious gaps in child protection oversight
The report from the Legislature’s accountability office provided only an overview of the Office of Child and Family Services, but future reports are expected to have more detailed findings and recommendations.
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PublishedJanuary 20, 2022
Committee votes down moratorium on COVID-19 vaccine mandates
The Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee votes 7-5 against a bill that originally aimed to prohibit COVID-19 vaccination mandates for five years.
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PublishedJanuary 20, 2022
Committee’s party-line endorsement of equal rights amendment makes passage appear doubtful
Unified opposition by the Judiciary Committee’s five Republican members is a bad sign for supporters because the proposal needs votes from two-thirds of the Legislature to advance.
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PublishedJanuary 19, 2022
Maine shattered its annual record for overdose deaths in 2021
The 636 deaths, a 23% increase over 2020, are largely the result of fentanyl being added to other drugs. Increased isolation and other pandemic challenges also were factors.
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PublishedJanuary 18, 2022
Mills and LePage pile up campaign funds for gubernatorial race
Since July, Gov. Janet Mills and Paul LePage, a former two-term Republican governor, have raised similar amounts at $1 million and $900,000, respectively. But Mills has more money on hand, with $1.28 million to LePage’s $600,000.
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PublishedJanuary 18, 2022
‘Inevitable digital intrusion’ into Mainers’ privacy drives new push for constitutional amendment
The proposal would add privacy as a natural right in Maine and protect electronic data and communication from unreasonable seizure by the government.
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PublishedJanuary 12, 2022
Harsher punishment sought for those who threaten election workers in Maine
Municipal clerks who administer elections say they’ve noticed an increase in anger among voters, and state officials cite at least two threats to election workers since the 2020 presidential election.
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PublishedJanuary 11, 2022
Lawmakers hear waves of support for equal rights amendment to Maine Constitution
The amendment would expressly prohibit discrimination based on sex – something that came 2 votes shy of passing in 2019, the sponsor says.
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PublishedJanuary 10, 2022
Bill calls for Maine to ban COVID-19 vaccination mandates for 5 years
The bill is unlikely to advance, but it will give Republicans a chance to amplify a chief talking point of former Gov. Paul LePage’s campaign to unseat Gov. Janet Mills.
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