What a freaking idiot!

I was under the impression that Tea Party types were against giving the government more control over our lives.  If this bill were to pass (and I doubt it will), Brakey would be handing unlimited control over the lives of people with intellectual disabilities and their families, to Maine's DHHS.

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Brakey bill would allow DHHS to change services without hearings

AUGUSTA — People with intellectual disabilities and their families told lawmakers on Wednesday that a measure being backed by Republican Gov. Paul LePage's administration would hamper their ability to weigh in on significant changes to state services.

Under Republican Sen. Eric Brakey's bill, the Department of Health and Human Services would no longer be required to hold a public hearing in the Legislature or get lawmakers' approval to make changes to the reimbursement rates for people with intellectual disabilities and autism who are covered MaineCare.

Anna McDougal, of Wiscasset, told the Health and Human Services Committee that the measure would "silence families" and urged lawmakers not to take away her right to advocate for or against changes affecting her and others with intellectual disabilities.

SJ Link

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Of course, we should remember who we are dealing with here.

Brakey's already taking a lot of heat, so he's in spin control mode.  He's what he saying now:

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Brakey: This is a "Department Bill," requested by the Department of Health and Human Services. I am the sponsor on the bill because I am the Chairman of the Health and Human Services Committee. As Chairman, I sponsor many bills at the request of DHHS so that we can have a vehicle to debate the proposals in the committee. My sponsorship does not mean I support the bill.

In my testimony on this bill, I made it clear that I am not supporting or opposing the bill at this point. I was there to hear the arguments for and against just as much as any member of the committee. We will be voting on this proposal as a committee in the following weeks.

As a rule, I am biased    against proposals that take these sorts of decisions out of the hands of the legislature. I am currently reviewing all of the testimony, however, to decide how I will finally vote.

It would appear that LeBuffoon is more responsible for this bill than Brakey.