Legislators held public hearings on February 19 for both of these priority bills. LD 395 amends the 1980 Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act and the Aroostook Band of Micmacs Settlement Act so that the Wabanaki tribes can benefit from most existing and future federal laws that apply to the more than 570 other federally recognized tribes. LD 785 recognizes the Wabanaki Nations’ inherent right to self-govern under the same federal laws that apply to tribes elsewhere in the United States.
Even though the hearing has passed, you can still submit testimony in support of the legislation! Follow the steps below
Writing your testimony
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- Follow our template. Find a template below for information to include at the beginning and end of your written testimony.
- Make it personal. Why does restoring tribal sovereignty matter to you? How might these bills benefit you, your family, or your community? Use specific examples.
- Be specific and brief. Keep testimony to about one page for each bill. Highlight a few key elements about what the legislation would accomplish and why it’s needed. (Find background in our FAQ and ideas in our Talking Points for LD 785 and LD 395.
- Go the distance. After submitting, email your testimony to your legislators (find them here) and Gov. Janet Mills (contact info). You can also adapt it as a social media video or a letter to the editor (find tips in our LTE Guide).
How to submit written testimony and register to testify remotely
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- Visit: https://www.mainelegislature.org/testimony/
- Select: Public hearing → Judiciary Committee → February 19, 10 AM → LD 395
- Check: “I would like to testify electronically over Zoom” if you plan to testify remotely
- Upload: a PDF or paste your testimony text
- Enter: your name, contact info, and organization you represent (if applicable), check captcha, and submit
- Repeat: For LD 395, repeat this process and in step #2 select February 19, 1 PM
Your written testimony will be shared with members of the committee, be added to the bill website, and become part of the bill’s permanent legislative record.
Template for written testimony
To: Sen. Carney, Rep. Kuhn, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary
From: YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, HOMETOWN, ZIP CODE, AFFILIATION, IF RELEVANT.
Re: Support for LD 785, An Act to Advance Self-determination for Wabanaki Nations
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Re: Support for LD 395, An Act to Restore Access to Federal Laws Beneficial to the Wabanaki Nations
Intro: Sen. Carney, Rep. Kuhn and members of the Judiciary Committee, my name is (your name) and I live in (your town). If you are testifying on behalf of an organization, state that here. I am here to testify in support of LD 785 (and/or LD 395).
Testimony: [Make your case for LD 785 (and/or LD 395) here. See above for tips for effective testimony.]
Closing: Thank the committee members and succinctly summarize your take-home message.
