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Maine Bills

Track legislation and stay informed about the bills that matter to you.

State Legislature US Congress
All 11,715 Active 1,983 In committee 1,771 Passed 1,646 Signed 3,583 Failed 4,371

Bill results

failed · Maine · House Jun 5, 2025

LD 173: An Act To Exempt Certain Watercraft From Registration Requirements

LD 173 exempts certain small watercraft from Maine's boat registration requirements. Specifically, it removes registration obligations for canoes, kayaks, and rowboats equipped with motors rated under 100 horsepower. The bill also exempts racing motorboats displaying valid numbers from recognized associations and motorboats participating in permitted events. This change directly affects owners of these specific watercraft types who previously needed to register their vessels. The policy simplifies requirements for low-power recreational watercraft without altering broader registration rules.
Steve Wood (R) · 3 co-sponsors
failed · Maine · House Jun 4, 2025

LD 1466: An Act Related To Excusing A School From Making Up Missed Days When It Cannot Operate During A Declared State Of Emergency

This bill (LD 1466) allows Maine public schools in areas declared under a state of emergency by the Governor to skip making up missed instructional days if the school couldn’t operate due to the emergency. It directly affects schools in emergency zones that were physically closed because of conditions like natural disasters or public health crises. The bill requires the Commissioner of Education to automatically exempt these schools from making up days without needing a separate waiver application, and directs the Department of Education to update its rules to create a faster process for this exemption. The policy change streamlines relief for schools during emergencies, focusing on operational inability rather than requiring additional paperwork.
Amanda Collamore (R) · 7 co-sponsors
failed · Maine · House Jun 4, 2025

LD 339: Resolve, To Provide Funds To The Maine Indian Education School District To Develop A Wabanaki-Centered Curriculum

LD 339 allocates $100,000 annually from the General Fund to the Maine Indian Education School District to develop and implement a Wabanaki-centered curriculum specifically for Native American high school students. The bill requires the school district to administer a pilot program in partnership with state-approved high schools across Maine, using funds for curriculum development, staff, transportation, and support services. It mandates the Department of Education to coordinate with the school district to share the curriculum with appropriate high schools statewide and requires a report to the Education Committee by December 3, 2025, detailing dissemination and fund usage. This resolution directly affects the Maine Indian Education School District, its partner schools, and Native American students in Maine’s public education system.
Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $100,000 annually from General Fund for curriculum development, directly funding an educational program per budgetary appropriation.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill allocates $100,000 annually for Wabanaki-centered curriculum development, directly funding a new educational program to enhance curriculum access for Native American students, advancing educational equity.95% confidence
Michael Brennan (D) · 7 co-sponsors
failed · Maine · House Jun 4, 2025

LD 1982: An Act To Ensure Uniformity In The Regulation Of Pfas

This bill (LD 1982) updates Maine's legal definition of "PFAS" to match the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's technical definition. It amends two key statutes (32 MRSA §1732 and 38 MRSA §1614) to align the state's definition with the EPA's standard for fluorinated chemicals containing specific molecular structures. This change ensures uniformity across multiple environmental regulations, including those governing toxics in packaging, PFAS-containing products, firefighting foam, waste discharges, and contamination cleanup funds. The bill does not create new restrictions but standardizes existing regulatory language to reflect federal definitions.
Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentUpdates Maine's PFAS definition to EPA standard, strengthening pollution control regulations for toxic chemicals in products and waste.90% confidence
Amy Arata (R) · 7 co-sponsors
failed · Maine · House Jun 4, 2025

LD 1712: An Act To Amend The Paid Family And Medical Leave Benefits Program To Balance Support Of Businesses And Employees

LD 1712 amends Maine's Paid Family and Medical Leave program to adjust requirements for employees and employers. It requires employees to give reasonable notice before taking leave and allows employers to deny leave based on specific, defined hardships (such as having fewer than 15 employees, a summer labor shortage, or more than 25% of staff already on leave), without review of such decisions. The bill also revises benefit calculations to replace 65% of average weekly wage (with 90% replacement for wages up to 50% of the state average and 66% for higher wages), shortens application deadlines for benefits (with waivers for good cause), and modifies premium payments so employers deduct 50% of the cost from employee wages while covering the remaining 50%.
Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareBill allows employers to deny medical leave for business hardships, restricting employee access to healthcare-related leave and reducing benefit replacement rates.85% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentAllows employers to deny leave based on business hardships (e.g., staff shortages), restricting employee access to benefits without review.95% confidence
Tiffany Roberts (D) · 6 co-sponsors
failed · Maine · House Jun 4, 2025

LD 1752: An Act To Exempt Broadband Equipment From Sales And Use Tax

This bill exempts from Maine's sales and use tax the purchase of machinery and equipment used by broadband internet service providers to deliver internet access, telecommunications, and video programming services to customers. It directly affects broadband providers (like internet companies) by reducing their costs for essential infrastructure, such as transmission equipment, monitoring tools, and maintenance materials. The exemption applies to equipment used to transmit broadband services starting January 1, 2026. The law specifically defines "broadband communications service" to include internet access, telecom services, and video programming delivered via cable, satellite, or internet.
Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill exempts broadband equipment from sales tax, providing tax relief to businesses and directly impacting taxation policy as a fiscal management measure.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyExempts broadband equipment from tax, reducing costs for providers to expand infrastructure and improve internet access, directly advancing technology infrastructure policy.95% confidence
Jack Ducharme (R) · 8 co-sponsors
failed · Maine · House Jun 4, 2025

LD 544: An Act To Create Parity In The Taxation Of Medicine By Exempting Sales Of Cannabis For Medical Use

LD 544 exempts sales of cannabis for medical use from Maine's sales tax, creating tax parity with prescription medicines. The bill amends Maine's tax code to include medical cannabis sales (after January 1, 2026) under the existing exemption for prescription medicines sold by doctors. It directly affects patients certified for medical cannabis use under Maine's Medical Use of Cannabis Act and providers selling to them. This policy change removes a sales tax burden currently applied to medical cannabis, aligning its tax treatment with other prescribed medicines. The exemption applies only to cannabis sold with a medical provider's certification, not recreational sales.
Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExempts medical cannabis sales from sales tax, creating parity with prescription medicines and reducing tax burden on patients, aligning with tax relief indicators.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExempts medical cannabis sales from tax, aligning with prescription medicine access to improve patient affordability and treatment access under healthcare policy.90% confidence
Ann Fredericks (R) · 2 co-sponsors
failed · Maine · Senate Jun 4, 2025

LD 1067: An Act To Improve The Process For Mobile Home Owners To Purchase Their Mobile Home Park

LD 1067 requires 60% of occupied mobile homes (up from 51%) to provide written support for a group of owners or association to make a purchase offer for their mobile home park. It mandates that any offer include a purchase and sale agreement, and if accepted, the group must secure financing within 90 days. The bill also limits mobile home owners' associations to contacting residents no more than three times about purchasing the park. This directly affects mobile home owners seeking collective ownership of their park in Maine.
Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingEnables mobile home owners to collectively purchase parks, strengthening tenant control and preventing displacement in affordable housing90% confidence
Dick Bradstreet (R) · 4 co-sponsors
failed · Maine · House Jun 4, 2025

LD 402: An Act To Move The Natural Areas Program From The Department Of Agriculture, Conservation And Forestry To The Department Of Inland Fisheries And Wildlife And To Amend The Law Governing Administration Of The Bureau Of Resource Management Within The Department Of Inland Fisheries And Wildlife

LD 402 moves Maine's Natural Areas Program from the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (IFW). This transfer directly affects how natural areas - lands or waters with ecological value, including rare species habitats - are managed and protected. The bill updates the Bureau of Resource Management within IFW to include "natural areas" under its core responsibilities, alongside wildlife, fisheries, and habitat conservation. Key provisions repeal previous departmental structures for the program and define "natural area" as land or water retaining natural character with scientific value. The change streamlines oversight under IFW, aligning natural area management with existing wildlife and habitat conservation efforts.
Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentTransfers natural areas program to IFW's Bureau of Resource Management, explicitly adding natural areas to core conservation responsibilities alongside wildlife and habitat.95% confidence
Jim Dill (D)
failed · Maine · Senate Jun 4, 2025

LD 552: An Act To Create An Outfitter License For Owners And Operators Of Hunting, Fishing And Recreation Businesses Who Are Not Maine Guides

LD 552 creates an outfitter license for business owners who provide hunting, fishing, or recreation services without being registered as Maine guides. To obtain the license, applicants must pay a $135 fee and undergo a background check including criminal history records from Maine and the FBI, plus fingerprinting. The background check results are kept confidential and used only for licensing decisions by the state. The bill also clarifies the definition of "guide" to distinguish it from outfitters, specifying guides provide safety-critical services requiring specialized training.
Stacey Guerin (R)
failed · Maine · Senate Jun 4, 2025

LD 10: An Act To Add Political Affiliation As A Protected Class To The Maine Human Rights Act

This bill adds "political affiliation" as a protected category under Maine's Human Rights Act, making it illegal for employers, housing providers, and public accommodations to discriminate based on an individual's political party membership or political beliefs. It directly affects most employers and service providers in Maine, though political parties themselves are explicitly excluded from the law's coverage (as stated in Section 4). The bill defines "political affiliation" broadly as belonging to or endorsing a political party, philosophy, or ideal, and would expand existing protections against discrimination in employment, housing, and public services.
Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill prohibits housing providers from discriminating based on political affiliation, directly preventing housing discrimination and strengthening tenant protections.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAdds political affiliation as a protected class in employment, expanding anti-discrimination protections for workers under Maine's Human Rights Act, directly advancing labor and employment rights.95% confidence
Jim Libby (R)
signed · Maine · Senate Jun 4, 2025

LD 375: An Act To Require The University Of Maine School Of Law To Provide An Online Degree Program

This bill requires the University of Maine System to establish an online degree program at the University of Maine School of Law. The University of Maine System must submit a report by November 4, 2026, detailing the program's development to the legislative education committee. It directly affects the University of Maine School of Law by mandating the creation of an online option for its law degree program. The law specifies the requirement and reporting deadline but does not outline the program's structure or content.
Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates online law degree program, expanding higher education access for students and professionals without geographic constraints.95% confidence
Trey Stewart (R) · 5 co-sponsors
Showing 1,369 to 1,380 of 11,715 bills
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