AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - The Maine Legislature might consider restrictions on vaping, stricter gun controls and new marijuana laws in the coming legislative session.
Legislators in the Democrat-controlled House and Senate are hoping to propose some 400 bills, and will pitch them to legislative leaders later this month. Bills about numerous health care subjects, the use of fireworks over lakes and ponds and the use of propane detectors are also on tap.
Bills about vaping range from banning the practice at public transportation stops to shutting down the sale of vaping devices altogether. A lung illness related to e-cigarette use has afflicted several people in the state.
The vaping bills are from lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle, the Bangor Daily News reported .
New proposals about marijuana include bills about warning labels and energy efficiency. Legal adult use marijuana is expected to be available in stores by spring.
The gun control provisions include an act to require firearm owners to purchase liability insurance. Another would amend state laws about endangering the welfare of a child to include allowing children to access loaded firearms without permission. Gun control is often a contentious topic in Maine, and voters turned back a push for require background checks for gun sales in 2016.
The legislature gets back to work Jan. 2. The session’s slated to last until April.
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