When nearly half of Mainers cannot afford a $400 emergency expense, it is clear that we are not doing enough to lift up the people of our state.

I know firsthand how hard it can be for working families to make ends meet. When our three daughters were younger, my husband and I struggled to pay all our bills, despite the fact that both of us were working. Between health care expenses, high heating costs and the skyrocketing price of higher education and housing, it can be incredibly difficult for people to afford all their basic needs.

I first ran to represent part of Gorham in the Maine House of Representatives in 2016 because I loved my community and wanted to advocate for families like mine in Augusta. I ran again last year, this time for reelection, because I knew how much more work there was to be done.

There are dozens of bills that my colleagues and I in the 129th Legislature are working on that, if passed, would improve the lives of many of our neighbors. Three of these bills in particular, I believe, have the potential to lift many people out of the financial rut of living paycheck to paycheck.

One of these bills, LD 1410, sponsored by Speaker of the House Sara Gideon, establishes a program where eligible employees are provided with up to 12 weeks of family leave and up to 20 weeks of medical leave. Speaker Gideon’s bill is funded by employee contribution, whereas another bill on this subject, LD 369, “An Act To Support Healthy Workplaces and Healthy Families by Providing Earned Paid Sick Leave to Certain Employees,” sponsored by Senator Rebecca Millett, is employer funded and would give employees a handful of paid sick days every year.

Working Mainers will benefit tremendously if either, or both, of these bills pass into law. Far too often, people have to choose between taking time off to battle an illness and getting a full paycheck at the end of the week. For Mainers who are currently working without benefits, taking time off to care for a family member or recover from surgery can cause them to go into serious debt.

I am also sponsoring a bill, LD 1491, “An Act To Establish the Maine Work Tax Credit,” that I know will make a huge difference in the lives of many working Mainers. If passed, this bill would reduce financial hardship by expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) to more people, while also raising its value. Personally, when my family was struggling ten years ago, the EITC we received made all the difference—it meant we were able to pay our heating bill and stay warm in the final months of winter. LD 1491 enables Maine to distribute state tax credits throughout the year rather than one lump sum during tax season. It would also create a study to move us toward a system where Mainers could choose to receive their tax credits quarterly or monthly. I call it a “Cost of Living Refund,” because it will help families keep up with expenses throughout the year.

I am proud to be sponsoring LD 1491, and I am proud to be supporting paid family and medical leave because I know firsthand that working families need more. No one should have to choose between caring for a sick child and being able to afford their bills, and no one working full-time should still be struggling to pay for their basic needs.