Maine Bills

signed · Maine · Senate Apr 16, 2026

LD 679: An Act To Increase The Funding To The Live Fire Service Training Facilities Fund

LD 679 allocates a one-time $1,000,000 appropriation from the General Fund for fiscal year 2026-27 to support Maine's fire service training infrastructure. The funds will be administered by the Maine Fire Service Institute to construct, repair, or replace regional live fire training facilities across the state. These facilities must be awarded by the Maine Fire Protection Services Commission and are intended for use by fire departments and emergency responders. The bill specifically targets infrastructure needs for live fire training, with no funding provided for ongoing annual operations. This is a targeted funding measure for physical training facility upgrades, not a broad policy change.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

signed · Maine · House Apr 16, 2026

LD 666: An Act To Prevent Domestic Violence By Providing Adequate Funding Support For Court-Ordered Certified Domestic Violence Intervention Programs

LD 666 allocates $2.5 million annually from the General Fund to provide ongoing funding for certified domestic violence intervention programs mandated by courts. This funding supports programs that help individuals who have committed domestic violence address their behavior, directly affecting those court-ordered to participate. The bill specifies the funds will be administered through the Department of Corrections' Office of Victim Services for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 fiscal years. It creates a concrete financial mechanism to ensure these certified programs remain operational and accessible statewide.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Criminal Justice

signed · Maine · Senate Apr 16, 2026

LD 783: An Act To Continue Support For The Maine Multicultural Center

LD 783 provides $190,000 annually from the General Fund to fund one or more positions at the Maine Multicultural Center in Bangor. The bill directs these funds toward establishing a comprehensive program specifically for foreign-trained workers, with an emphasis on foreign-trained professionals. The program will be developed and coordinated by the Center, which is also required to seek private funding to support its operations. This funding covers the 2025-26 and 2026-27 fiscal years.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Immigration

signed · Maine · Senate Apr 16, 2026

LD 840: An Act To Modernize The State Supplement To Supplemental Security Income By Removing Marriage Disincentives

LD 840 modernizes Maine's state supplement to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) by removing a disincentive for marriage. It changes the benefit calculation for married couples from 150% to 200% of the individual benefit rate, meaning couples will now receive the same total as two single individuals. The bill also updates the standard for determining need to use the U.S. Department of Labor's budget for an individual (not a couple) in Portland, Maine, and adjusts annual cost-of-living increases to aim for a benefit level matching this individual budget. This directly affects Maine residents who receive the state supplemental income benefit for blindness, disability, or age.

signed · Maine · Senate Apr 16, 2026

LD 1202: An Act To Establish The African American Studies Advisory Council And Provide Funding To Support African American Studies

LD 1202 establishes the African American Studies Advisory Council to guide Maine public schools in implementing African American studies curriculum. The 13-member council, including educators, cultural experts, legislators, and civil rights representatives, will advise schools on resources, recommend curricula, and suggest professional development for teachers. It requires the council to report annually to the education committee starting in 2027 on curriculum implementation and statewide sampling results. The bill also allows the council to seek public or private funding to support its work. This directly affects Maine public school districts and educators responsible for developing and teaching African American studies content.

Topics ✓ Education

signed · Maine · Senate Apr 16, 2026

LD 981: An Act To Provide Electronic Notification To Victims Of Crimes

LD 981 allows victims of crimes to receive electronic notifications (via email, text, or app) instead of only written mail for key updates about criminal cases. It directly affects victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and crimes involving serious physical trauma or financial loss, requiring prosecutors and corrections to seek their consent for electronic notice. Key provisions mandate that electronic notices must include details like court hearing times, sentencing opportunities, and defendant release dates, with a new automated system to handle these notifications 24/7 in English and Spanish. The bill also allocates $575,000 for developing this system, which must provide access to community support resources.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

signed · Maine · Senate Apr 16, 2026

LD 562: An Act To Update Reimbursement Rates For Transportation Of Deceased Persons By Funeral Homes When The Transport Is At The Request Of The Chief Medical Examiner

This bill updates reimbursement rates for funeral homes transporting deceased persons to Augusta at the request of Maine's Chief Medical Examiner. It sets new rates: $300 for the first 25 miles, $4.50 per mile for the next 25 miles, and $4 per mile for distances beyond 50 miles. The bill also requires reimbursement for funeral home employees waiting at the Chief Medical Examiner's office at a rate matching state wage standards. These changes directly affect funeral homes providing this service and the Chief Medical Examiner's office, which must pay the updated rates.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

signed · Maine · House Apr 16, 2026

LD 703: An Act To Establish A Health Care Gap Year Program For Recent College Graduates

LD 703 establishes a Maine Health Care Gap Year Program that allocates $500,000 from the General Fund for the 2025-26 fiscal year to incentivize recent college graduates to work in critical health care positions. The program specifically targets underserved and rural communities to address workforce shortages in these areas. It directly affects recent graduates who participate and health care facilities in regions with limited access to services. The initiative provides a structured one-time opportunity for new graduates to gain experience while supporting community health needs.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare

signed · Maine · Senate Apr 16, 2026

LD 364: An Act To Promote Economic Development In Maine

LD 364 is a concept draft bill introduced by Senator Curry of Waldo, designed to promote economic development in Maine. The bill's summary states it proposes general measures to foster economic growth and development statewide, but does not detail specific policies or mechanisms. As a concept draft under Joint Rule 208, it is a preliminary step awaiting further development and committee review. The bill has been referred to the Committee on Housing and Economic Development for consideration. Specific provisions, affected groups, or concrete policy changes are not described in the provided text.

signed · Maine · Senate Apr 16, 2026

LD 145: An Act Pertaining To Sales And Use Tax Exemptions For Durable Medical Equipment, Breast Pumps And Mobility-Enhancing Equipment

This bill creates a sales and use tax exemption for three categories of items purchased or leased for home use: durable medical equipment (like wheelchairs or oxygen equipment), breast pumps, and mobility-enhancing equipment (such as walkers or adaptive car seats). It directly affects Maine residents who buy these items for personal home use, removing the sales tax on qualifying purchases. The exemption applies to both sales and leases of these items starting January 1, 2026. The bill also repeals prior tax provisions that previously excluded some of these items from exemption.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare

signed · Maine · Senate Apr 16, 2026

LD 1640: An Act To Implement The Recommendations Of The Gagetown Harmful Chemical Study Commission And To Reestablish The Gagetown Harmful Chemical Study Commission

LD 1640 creates the Base Gagetown Training Registry to collect health and military data from Maine residents (or former residents) who trained at Base Gagetown, a Canadian military base, as members of the U.S. Armed Forces, Reserve, or National Guard. The registry gathers personal details, service history, and health information (with consent) to support research on chemical exposure effects and requires outreach to veterans' organizations, medical centers, and the Maine National Guard. The bill also reestablishes the Gagetown Harmful Chemical Study Commission and mandates an annual report to the legislature on registry progress, outreach efforts, and data collection challenges. This registry is confidential, with data sharing permitted only for health research with consent or next-of-kin approval.

Topics ✓ Veterans

signed · Maine · Senate Apr 16, 2026

LD 760: An Act Establishing The Maine Common Interest Ownership Act

LD 760 would establish Maine's version of the Common Interest Ownership Act, based on the 2021 Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act. This bill would create a standardized legal framework for properties owned in common interest communities, such as condominiums, townhouse developments, and planned communities. It would directly affect property owners, homeowners' associations, and developers by setting clear rules for governance, maintenance responsibilities, and dispute resolution. The act adopts a uniform model to replace Maine's current patchwork of laws governing these communities.

Bill results