Maine Revised Statutes Title 3. Legislature § 157. Public hearings

The public hearing must be held within 30 days of the posting date except for nominations for judicial officers, for which the public hearing must be held within 35 days of the posting date. The Legislative Information Office shall advertise all public hearings at least 7 days before the public hearing in both the state paper and in a newspaper of general circulation in the area in which the nominee resides. The advertisement must contain the name of the nominee, the position for which the nomination has been made, a summary of the duties of the position, the time, place and date of the public hearing and a statement that written comments relevant to the qualifications of the nominee, together with supporting materials, may be filed with the Legislative Information Office by 9 a.m. on the hearing date.

Additional background information developed by the partisan assistants must be filed with the Legislative Information Office by 9 a.m. on the hearing date.

For the purposes of reviewing nominations pursuant to this chapter, the appropriate joint standing committee may administer oaths and take testimony under oath. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 165, subsection 7, the Legislature or, when the Legislature is not in session, the Legislative Council may grant to the joint standing committee reviewing a nomination any of the powers under section 165, subsection 7.

The committee may take testimony under oath and shall consider the materials on file with the Legislative Information Office. The committee may meet in executive session if new information is raised at the public hearing that, if known earlier, would have been subject to discussion at the prehearing conference.

The committee shall vote on the nomination within 35 days of the posting date, except that for nominations for judicial officers the committee shall vote within 40 days. A vote may not be taken sooner than 15 minutes after the close of the public hearing unless all members of the committee who are present agree. Upon a motion to confirm, properly made and seconded, the committee shall recommend confirmation or denial by a majority vote of the members present and voting at the time the vote is taken. The committee vote is by yeas and nays. Notwithstanding any other rule or provision of law, a member must be present to vote and the vote may not be modified except upon a proper motion for reconsideration.

A tie vote of the committee is deemed a recommendation for denial. The committee chairs shall promptly notify the President of the Senate of the committee's recommendation and the results of the vote, listing the yeas and nays.