Henry knows that climate change is a clear and present threat to all facets of Maine life: fishing, tourism, agriculture, infrastructure, public health, and the environment.

As your Senator, Henry:

• • Supports the Maine Climate Action Plan, which will decrease Maine greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050.
  • Serves on the Maine Climate Council as a member of the Natural and Working Lands Subcommittee.
  • Supported a $60 million disaster relief fund that will help build more climate-resilient communities.
  • Supports a robust offshore wind industry for Maine, which will help curb fossil fuel emissions and bring good-paying jobs to Maine while making sure our heritage lobster and fishing industries have a seat at the table.
  • Sponsored successful legislation to create a medium- and heavy- duty electric truck pilot program for Maine small businesses.

Maine, like the rest of the country, is facing a housing crisis. Without adequate and affordable housing, Mainers who grow up and train for jobs in this state cannot remain here. Likewise, people who want to move to Maine to work at emerging jobs cannot come here and contribute to our economy.

As your Senator, Henry:

• • Helped establish the Housing First Program, which provides permanent housing solutions to chronically homeless Mainers.
  • Expanded affordable rental and ownership options through the Affordable Home Ownership Program, the Rural Affordable Rental Housing Program, and the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit.
  • Addressed student homelessness by establishing a housing subsidy program to support housing for students whose families are unable to help.
  • Provided critical housing relief funding to keep emergency shelters open and to care for unhoused Mainers. Lawmakers also set aside funds for low-barrier emergency shelters to get more folks off the streets during extreme temperatures.

Henry knows firsthand how important it is to support our students, teachers, support staff, and parents. Henry believes school districts must have the resources they need to provide a quality education for all Maine students. Older students preparing to enter the workforce need a robust training and education infrastructure so they can make this great state home.

As your Senator, Henry:

• • Made good on the state’s commitment to fund education at 55%, easing the property tax burden for Mainers.
  • Supported Ed Techs and school support staff by voting to raise wages.
  • Provided funding to feed more hungry children in our schools by offering school meals at no cost to any student.
  • Supported public preschools by setting aside funds for construction and renovation projects in districts that have voluntarily assumed the free and appropriate education of children ages 3 to 5.
  • Removed barriers to community college by expanding eligibility for free community college to the high school classes of 2024 and 2025.
  • Supported the Maine Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program to address critical workforce shortages in health care, particularly nurses.
  • Provided additional funding for the Maine Maritime Academy , the UMaine System, and the Maine Community College System.

As a beekeeper, Henry knows the importance of toxic-free open spaces, and advocates for policies that protect our environment and public lands.

As your Senator, Henry:

• • Sponsored and successfully passed a law that bans the use of toxic  “forever chemicals”-  or PFAS – in everyday products Mainers are most likely to come in contact with.
  • Promoted clean, renewable energy and good jobs by supporting the Maine Offshore Wind Renewable Energy Economic Development Program.
  • Updated laws governing reusable containers by allowing businesses to provide reusable food containers to customers.
  • Helped Maine towns protect local water resources by allowing municipalities to deny, suspend, or revoke locally issued permits to property owners who violate shoreland zoning ordinances.

Henry believes that all Mainers should be able to receive affordable, accessible health care. As a member of the Health and Human Services Committee, Henry will always work to fight the high cost of prescriptions, and make our health care system more fair for all.

As your Senator, Henry:

• • Lowered health care costs for older Mainers by removing barriers to the Drugs for the Elderly Program.
  • Maintained funding for nursing homes and long-term care facilities.
  • Increased drug price transparency by requiring hospitals to make outpatient drug prices more publicly available.
  • Invested in the health of Maine children by waiving premiums and expanding eligibility for the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
  • Removed financial barriers to breast cancer screenings by eliminating cost-sharing health insurance policies.
  • Invested $31 million in Emergency Medical Services, establishing a grant program to increase the sustainability of Maine-based emergency medical services.

Our older Mainers and Veterans have given so much to our country, state, and communities through their work. We must not forget this.

As your Senator, Henry:

• • Maintained tax breaks for retirees by increasing the annual income tax pension deduction from $30,000 to $35,000.
  • Preserved programs to help older Mainers with health care costs by expanding eligibility for Medicare Savings Programs.
  • Protected older Mainers from utility shutoffs in extreme weather.
  • Funded nursing homes.
  • Supported the six Maine Veterans’ Homes across the state by investing $5.1 million in funding.

Surrounded by a multi-generational family, Henry knows that rising property taxes are making it difficult for many Mainers to afford to stay in their homes or to purchase starter homes.

As your Senator, Henry:

• • Maintained tax breaks for retirees by increasing the annual income tax pension deduction.
  • Increased the Property Tax Fairness Credit.
  • Expanded the Property Tax Deferral Program for older Mainers.
  • Maintained Maine’s Revenue Sharing Program at 5%. This will help stabilize property taxes by providing municipalities with the funds to cover law enforcement, snow removal, and other essential services. This was the first two-year budget to fully restore revenue sharing since it was eliminated in 2015.

As your State Senator, Henry knows that reproductive health care decisions are between a woman and her health care professional, not politicians. Henry knows that reproductive health care is an essential part of health care that allows Mainers to decide what’s best for their bodies and their futures.

As your Senator, Henry:

• • Supported LD 1619, which updates Maine’s Reproductive Privacy Act. This change in our laws ensures that patients facing rare and tragic diagnoses can make the best decisions for themselves and their families, choosing among the options laid out by a doctor they trust.
  • Improved access to prescription contraceptives to make birth control more accessible and allow certain types of contraceptives available over the counter.
  • Protected reproductive health care providers by codifying into law the ability of licensed clinicians to provide abortion care to patients traveling to Maine without threat to their ability to practice.
  • Supported LD 935, which removed financial barriers to abortion care by preventing state-regulated health care plans from imposing any deductibles.