A proposal to give farmworkers protections under Maine’s minimum wage law has been vetoed by Gov. Janet Mills. The Labor and Housing Committee had amended the bill to allow farmworkers to pursue private litigation in response to alleged violations, which Mills opposed due to concerns about the potential financial impact on farmers. Advocates for farmworkers criticized the veto, saying it sends a message that farmworkers are of second-class status. The bill passed the House of Representatives with narrow margins, but a two-thirds vote in each chamber is needed to override the governor’s veto, which is seen as unlikely.