LD 1232 requires radon testing and mitigation permits for new commercial construction, residential construction, and major commercial renovations needing a building permit. It mandates that registered professionals test for radon gas before construction begins, and if elevated levels are found, registered specialists must install mitigation systems. Homeowners acting as their own general contractor who provide over 50% of the framing and finishing labor are exempt, as are residential projects in municipalities without a building code. Violations incur penalties of $1,000 for commercial projects and $500 for residential projects, payable to Maine's Department of Health and Human Services.
This bill (LD 1120) requires gun shows and licensed firearm dealers to display specific safety warnings about firearm risks. It mandates that dealers prominently post an 8.5"x11" notice with black text on white background containing warnings about suicide, domestic violence, child access risks, and suicide hotline information. The bill also defines "negligent firearm storage" in new law (25 MRSA §2017), making it a crime to store firearms insecurely where minors or prohibited persons could access them, while establishing secure storage (locked containers, trigger locks) as a legal defense. It directly affects firearm dealers, gun show organizers, and firearm owners in Maine.
This bill prohibits Maine public school districts from adopting policies that allow students to use restrooms designated for the opposite sex based on their gender identity. It directly affects school administrative units (public schools) and students who identify as transgender or gender-diverse. The law amends state statute to require schools to restrict restroom access to facilities designated by the student's sex assigned at birth, rather than their gender identity. The Department of Education must update its rules to align with this requirement. The bill does not address other school facilities or policies beyond restroom designation.
This bill (LD 1062) would change Maine law to require private firearm sales to occur through a federally licensed dealer, who would then conduct a background check using the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System. It directly affects private sellers and buyers of firearms in Maine by replacing current requirements for sellers to perform checks themselves. The key mechanism shifts the background check responsibility to licensed dealers, who must complete the check as if they were the seller and may charge a reasonable fee. This preserves background checks for private transactions but removes the obligation from individual sellers. The bill does not eliminate background checks but restructures how they are administered.
LD 1321 reformulates Maine's net energy billing program for solar and renewable energy systems. It limits new residential and small commercial systems to 20 kilowatts after November 2025 (with limited exemptions), caps shared ownership to 10 customers per project, and restricts individuals to owning no more than 5 systems. The bill sets a hard end date of December 31, 2045, or 20 years from a system's agreement date, whichever comes first. It also requires that renewable energy credits generated must be sold within Maine and adjusts compensation rates based on historical utility rates with annual 2.25% increases. This directly affects residential and small commercial customers with solar installations participating in net energy billing.
LD 1838 establishes a regulatory framework for electronic games in Maine, specifically defining "electronic beano" (an electronic version of a traditional card game) and "electronic wagering terminals" (devices for betting on historical horse races, electronic beano, or virtual sealed tickets). The bill requires these terminals to use a central computer system to determine chance outcomes, prohibits cash payouts (allowing only vouchers or noncash items), and clarifies such devices are not classified as slot machines. It affects businesses seeking licenses to operate these terminals and the Gambling Control Unit, which will oversee enforcement and licensing. The bill's title references support for farms, tribes, and veterans' homes, but the text contains no provisions addressing these groups.
This bill updates Maine's definition of "machine gun" to include any part or combination of parts designed to convert a standard firearm into a machine gun (such as devices enabling multiple shots per trigger pull or crank/lever systems). It also creates a new Class D crime for knowingly possessing a "rapid-fire device" without authorization. A rapid-fire device is defined as any part or device that increases a semi-automatic firearm's rate of fire beyond normal operation, including recoil-powered triggers or manual crank/lever mechanisms. The law directly affects individuals who own or possess such devices, making their possession illegal without legal authority.
LD 1020 repeals Maine laws that authorized the construction of a Gorham connector highway and the acquisition of land for it. The bill requires the Maine Turnpike Authority to resell any land purchased for the connector project to the original property owners (or their heirs, successors, or assigns) at the original purchase price. If original owners decline, the land must be transferred to the local municipality at no cost, and the municipality must donate it to a local land trust if they do not want it. If the land trust also declines, the municipality may sell the land at a public auction. This bill directly affects landowners, the Turnpike Authority, and local municipalities in Cumberland County.
LD 1134 prohibits any Maine school receiving state funding from allowing a person whose biological sex was assigned at birth as male to participate in competitive sports designated for females or use facilities exclusively for females. The bill applies to all elementary, secondary, and postsecondary schools in Maine that receive state funds, directly affecting their athletic programs and facility access policies. Key provisions require schools to restrict participation and facility use based on biological sex assigned at birth, as defined in the legislation. This policy change specifically targets competitive sports and designated female facilities within state-funded educational institutions. The bill does not address non-competitive activities or facilities not designated exclusively for females.
LD 380 amends Maine's Address Confidentiality Program to include gender-affirming health care practitioners as eligible participants, expanding the program beyond its prior focus on reproductive health care. This allows practitioners to use a designated address for mail and legal purposes, keeping their personal address confidential to enhance safety. The bill repeals prior provisions that had limited eligibility to reproductive health care practitioners and updates the program to cover both reproductive and gender-affirming services. The change is administrative and does not regulate the provision of health care services.
LD 829 removes the requirement for a concealed handgun permit to carry a concealed firearm in Maine's state parks, Baxter State Park, the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, and Acadia National Park. The bill amends existing law to allow any person not prohibited from possessing a firearm to carry concealed handguns in these locations, without needing a permit. It directs the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to update its rules to eliminate the permit requirement for these specific parks. The bill also clarifies exceptions for permit holders, out-of-state permit holders with reciprocity, and active or qualified retired law enforcement officers. This change takes immediate effect due to the emergency preamble, requiring implementation before the summer 2025 recreation season.
This bill removes the previous restriction that prevented school boards from expelling or suspending students in grade 5 or below. It allows school boards to expel or suspend students of any grade level for specific serious infractions, including violence, possession of firearms or dangerous weapons, or drug trafficking. For students in grade 5 and below, out-of-school suspensions are limited to a maximum of 3 days unless there is imminent danger of serious injury. The bill also repeals prior provisions related to student conduct policies for younger grades.
