The 131st Maine State Legislative session began Wednesday with Democratic majorities in control, the election of the state's first ever Black House Speaker, and Democratic Governor Janet Mills hoping the legislature would approve her emergency winter energy relief plan. But the Mills plan failed to win the required two-thirds majority in both the House and the Senate to trigger emergency spending immediately, leaving its future in limbo.The governor's $474 million dollar winter energy cost relief plan garnered enough Republican support to pass the House 125-16 but got zero votes from Republican senators, passing 21-8, short of the required 24 votes in the 35-seat senate.Democrats hold 82 of 151 seats in the House and 22 of 35 seats in the Senate. One Democratic senator and five Republican senators were absent Wednesday evening and did not vote."A minority of the minority choose to reject this help for Maine people," Mills said in a written statement. "I urge Senate Republicans to join their other Republican and Democratic colleagues in the Legislature to give this plan the support needed to enact it as an emergency measure, so that we can get this relief into the hands of Maine people without delay.”84% of the Mills plan, or $398 million, would be allocated in $450 checks to 880,000, or 92% of, Maine taxpayers -- individuals earning up to $100,000 a year and couples earning up to $200,00 -- money to help pay heating bills as they see fit.$71 million would be allocated in three batches -- $40 million for the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) targetting low income residents, $10 million for additional emergency aid to acquire heating oil used by 60% of Maine homes, and $21 million for housing people at risk of homelessness in hotels, as federally funded emergency rental assistance runs out December 31.Democratic Senate President Troy Jackson, of Aroostook County, was the bill's lead sponsor. “We have that opportunity to help. It isn’t the end all, be all,” Jackson said in a floor speech. “More than the process, I believe in doing the right thing for people.”Democratic Sen. Craig Hickman, of Kennebec County, in favor of the Mills plan, said, “My heart is heavy with the notion that we could let people die in the streets.”In the House, Democratic Rep. Anne Perry, of rural Calais, said, “When we’re talking about housing assistance, when we’re talking about heating, it is about survival.” But some Republican legislators complained about the rushed process for a bill coming to the floor without any committee hearings, raised questions about the funding sources, and asked why only 10% of the funds would go directly to pay for heating through HEAP.According to the Mills Administration, $283 million of the bill's funds would come from a newly forcecast revenue surplus for the coming year, $157 million would come from unspent public health funds due to be replenished by federal funds, and $34 million would come from unspent state funds in last year's budget.Rep. Laurel Libby, a Republican from Auburn, opposed the bill. “LD 1 is not a long-term solution. Instead, it’s a Band-Aid being applied to a gaping wound, designed to make a splash in the media and placate people into complacency, so they don’t ask us to fix the issues that are driving up all of the costs of our utilities, not just heat,” Libby said. “Of course, people would like checks. That’s not in question. It’s time to stop supporting stopgap measures that don’t help anyone for the long term.” But Republican Assistant Minority Leader Amy Arata, of New Gloucester, described the vote as a matter of conscience.Arata said, “I don’t make many promises during my campaigns, but one that I did make was that I would do whatever it takes to make sure that Democrats and Republicans work together to keep people from freezing to death this winter.”The leading Republican House member on fiscal matters, Rep. Sawin Millett, of Waterford, emphasized the hardships facing his constituents with high heating oil bills and electricity rate hikes coming in January.Millett said, “There is no process whereby the state, through the administration, came to a conclusion with scientific evidence that there is a need to do this today, but anecdotally in my heart I believe there is."“The issue becomes how do you want to message this back home? Do you want to leave here tonight knowing it’s not a perfect bill?” Millet continued. “But why would we want to put the perfect in front of the good.”Senate Republican Minority Leader Trey Stewart voted againt the bill and supported a motion for it to go before the legislature's Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee.Stewart said, "Senate Republicans stand ready to deliver assistance to Maine’s most vulnerable people with speed, accountability, and transparency,” Earlier, Wednesday morning, Mills swore-in House members for their two-year terms."You've heard about the issues, and you're ready to put them into action," Mills said to them from the rostrum, "With civility and competency, common sense and compassion." Then, as expected, the House elected its first ever Speaker who is Black, Rachel Talbot Ross, of Portland, who Democrats nominated last month to lead them.Her election was by acclamation with no competition. Republican House Minority Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham asked for the voice vote.“We are here to shine a light on the problems facing our state and to seek solutions," Talbot Ross said afterward in remarks to the chamber. “I will be a Speaker for all. I will be a Speaker who listens, that has an open door.”Talbot Ross, the fourth woman to become Maine House Speaker, is part of the first trifecta of women House leaders ever, along with Majority Leader Mo Terry, of Gorham, and Assistant Majority Leader Kristen Cloutier, of Lewiston.Talbot Ross acknowledged her predecessors as Speaker -- Sara Gideon, Hannah Pingree, and Libby Mitchell -- who were all present for the occasion. Talbot Ross' father, Gerald Talbot, 90, who became the state's first Black legislator 50 years ago, watched her election from the House gallery with his wife, Anita, and a group of family members.Talbot Ross, who first visited him at work at the State House when she was 12, called him a "guiding light" and "a role model."The new House members include a pair of Somali-Americans, Deqa Dhalac, formerly mayor of South Portland, and Mona Abdi, who formerly served on the Lewiston City Council.Later, the legislature formally re-elected constitutional officers – Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, Attorney General Aaron Frey, Auditor Matt Dunlap -- to serve for the next two years.