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Maine House OKs Funding for County Jails, Riverview

AUGUSTA, Maine - The Democratic-led Maine House has approved a $28 million budget bill that provides emergency money for county jails and funding for positions at the state-run psychiatric hospital.

The supplemental budget measure was given final approval with a 146-1 vote Tuesday. It provides funding for a several things this fiscal year, which ends June 30. The bill now heads to the Senate.

The measure provides about $2.5 million for several county jails that have warned that they will run out of money before June. It also supports 29 new positions at Riverview Psychiatric Center, which lost federal certification in 2013 due to a variety of concerns.

The measure also maintains about $5 million in a fund that supports anti-smoking programs. Republican Gov. Paul LePage had sought about $7 million in cuts.