Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 0892
Sponsors: LANGLEY, FECTEAU, GOLDEN, HERBIG, HICKMAN, HYMANSON, KORNFIELD, BRAKEY, VOLK

ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-EIGHTH MAINE LEGISLATURE 
Sara Gideon
Sara Gideon
Sara Gideon
Sara Gideon, Speaker of the House
, Speaker of the House
, Speaker of the House
, Speaker of the House 
Robert B. Hunt
Robert B. Hunt
Robert B. Hunt
Robert B. Hunt, Clerk
, Clerk
, Clerk
, Clerk 
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26th Legislative Day 
Tuesday, April 4, 2017 
Calling of the House to Order by the Speaker. 
Prayer by Mr. Tom Goulette, Guilford. 
National Anthem by Tom Goulette, Guilford. 
Pledge of Allegiance. 
Doctor of the day, Honorable Geoffrey M. Gratwick, M.D., Bangor. 
Reading of the Journal of Thursday, March 30, 2017. 
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HOUSE ADVANCE JOURNAL AND CALENDAR - Tuesday, April 4, 2017
ORDERS 
(4-1)  On motion of Representative FARNSWORTH of Portland, the following Joint 
Resolution:  (H.P. 892) (Cosponsored by Senator LANGLEY of Hancock and Representatives: 
FECTEAU of Biddeford, GOLDEN of Lewiston, HERBIG of Belfast, HICKMAN of Winthrop, 
HYMANSON of York, KORNFIELD of Bangor, Senators: BRAKEY of Androscoggin, VOLK 
of Cumberland) 
JOINT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING APRIL 2017  
AS AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH 
WHEREAS, autism is a spectrum disorder, which means no 2 people with autism are 
affected the same way, and it is a complex developmental disability that usually appears during 
the first 3 years of life and results in a neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the 
brain and social interaction and communication skills; and 
WHEREAS, in the United States, one in 68 children is diagnosed with this spectrum 
disorder and prevalence has increased 30% since the United States Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention’s study in 2008; and 
WHEREAS, autism knows no racial, ethnic or social boundaries and neither income nor 
lifestyle nor education affects its occurrence and it is estimated that more than 3,500,000 people 
live with autism spectrum disorder in the United States; and 
WHEREAS, autism costs the United States over $236,000,000,000 in annual health care 
costs, most of which are in adult services, and these costs are anticipated to increase; and 
WHEREAS, while a single specific cause of autism is not known, current research links 
it to biological or neurological differences in the brain, and outdated theories and myths, such as 
autism being a mental illness, have been proven to be false; and 
WHEREAS, with support, people with autism can live full lives and make meaningful 
contributions to society; now, therefore, be it 
RESOLVED: That We, the Members of the One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Legislature 
now assembled in the First Regular Session, on behalf of the people we represent, pause in our 
deliberations to acknowledge that the month of April 2017 is Autism Awareness Month and to 
pledge our support and encouragement to all those affected by autism; and be it further 
RESOLVED: That suitable copies of this resolution, duly authenticated by the Secretary 
of State, be transmitted to the Autism Society of Maine as a token of our respect and support. 
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