AUGUSTA – Maine’s newly elected legislators have been in office for less than three weeks, but they’ve already hit their first deadline.

Friday was the last day legislators, who had just taken their oaths of office on Dec. 4, could file bills for the 2003 session. Their proposals for the most part were filed without great detail or by title only.

Legislative staff is reviewing hundreds of proposals that will address an array of issues, from tax reform to coyote trapping.

They could well be overshadowed by a challenge before the Democratic-controlled Legislature and Democratic Gov.-elect John Baldacci to eliminate a potential budget shortfall of $1 billion.

A big issue – identified by some Democratic leaders as their No. 1 priority of the session – will be extending health coverage to Mainers who lack it.

“Everybody’s trying to figure out what to do with health care,” the top Republican in the House, Minority Leader Joe Bruno of Raymond, said Sunday. Also expected to surface are a number of bills seeking changes in statewide taxes and providing property tax relief. Bruno said he expects to see bills to increase corporate accountability in the wake of scandals involving Enron, WorldCom and other major companies in the past year.

Lawmakers almost certainly will have to deal with Indian tribes’ proposal to build a gambling casino. If a petition drive seeking authority to go ahead with the project is successful, the Legislature will have to pass it or send it on to Maine voters.

Friday’s filing deadline is somewhat artificial. Many bills are typically admitted by legislative leaders after the deadline is passed. Based on past sessions, well over 1,000 bills are likely to be in the pipeline at the outset of the 2003 session.

Bruno scoffed at the notion that state budget constraints might keep the total number of bills down in the coming year.

“Not having money has never stopped anybody before,” said the GOP House leader, adding that he wouldn’t be surprised to see 1,800 to 1,900 bills in 2002.

Individual lawmakers and special interests are already trumpeting some of their own proposals. Rep. Brian Duprey, R-Hampden, is seeking to provide academic alternatives for students when subject matter in public school classes contradicts religious beliefs.

Another bill, presented on behalf of the Maine Audubon Society, would bar coyote snaring. The bill sponsored by Rep. Ray Pineau, D-Jay, also seeks to reallocate state game department money to administer its coyote-snaring program to deer management.