Author: Lisa Keim

To become a hairdresser in the State of Maine, you must be at least 17 years old, complete a 1,500-hour course of instruction at a registered institution or undertake 2,500 apprenticeship hours, pass a licensing exam, and pay the State of Maine a $20 fee each year. I believe the Maine Legislature should take another look at these requirements, especially since it only takes 133 hours to become a Basic EMT. That’s why I recently presented LD 890, a bill to expand access to licensure in certain occupations. First, I would like to acknowledge that Maine has made progress in…

This article was originally published in the Sun Journal. Nearly two years ago I decided to run for office with a goal of advancing policies that will help boost Maine’s rural economy, specifically in our corner of western Maine. Coincidentally, the same election that brought me to the state Senate also saw the narrow passage of a three-prong minimum wage referendum that we are still grappling with in Augusta today. One of our most significant accomplishments in the past session was the reinstatement of the tip credit, which would have been phased out under Question 4, the minimum-wage referendum. The…

In today’s world, and especially in rural Maine, finding work without prior experience can be tough, particularly for teenagers and young adults venturing into the job market for the first time. Nationally, the unemployment rate among teenagers is over double that of adults, at about 13 percent and 5 percent, respectively. While employment during the teen years is rarely an economic necessity, employment at this time in a young adult’s life provides many opportunities and opens doors for higher-level positions down the road. For many, this is an important stepping stone into adulthood, teaching important life lessons such as how…