Forget to turn off your phone? Prepare to feed politicians

This PolitickerME reporter suffered some major embarrassment yesterday.

The Judiciary Committee had just gotten started. All of a sudden, a loud beeping noise comes from my purse. I grab it and run out of the room. Everyone looks up.

Rep. Deborah Simpson, D-Auburn and committee chairwoman, issued me a summons today. For my first offense, a summons on bright pink paper: “Violation of the cell phone/pager rule”. Amount due: “Candy or chocolate or fruit or cheese.”

It’s nice to see a group dominated by lawyers has a sense of humor.

Each legislative committee has its own rules about cell phones. Usually, it results in direct or indirect providing of refreshments for committee members. Some committees don’t charge anything.

Natural Resources will make offenders bring chocolate. Business, Research and Economic Development and Health and Human Services also demand some kind of treat.

Some committees assess a monetary fee, paid to the committee clerk. In the State and Local Government, your $5 will go to feed lawmakers. Same deal in Legal and Veterans Affairs.

The Criminal Justice Committee prefers the humiliation approach. Offenders are met with an “incriminating stare” – not fun when you’re in a room full of police officers and prosecutors.

One time it happened to Kennebec County District Attorney Everett Fowle, one member said. Except it took him awhile to realize it was his. The committee stopped to figure out the puzzle.

In Utilities and Energy, offenders will suffer a scowl from the chair.

In Insurance and Financial Services, “It depends on who and what,” one member said. Repeat offenders have to bring in cheese and crackers.

So, lobbyists, where can you get away with it? The Taxation Committee won’t make a big deal of it. Nor will Transportation, Marine Resources, Education, Labor or Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

In Agriculture, Chairman Sen. John Nutting, D-Leeds, once threatened a monetary fine. But the threat never materialized, the clerk said.

It’s also a non-issue in the Appropriations Committee.

“It doesn’t happen that often,” said Sen. Peggy Rotundo, D-Lewiston. “When it does it’s usually Sen. (John) Martin’s, and we tell him to take his call outside.