LD 521 prohibits housing discrimination in Maine based on source of income, military status, or veteran status. It amends Maine’s housing law to explicitly protect renters and prospective tenants from discrimination related to housing vouchers, government benefits (like Social Security or child support), military service, or veteran status. Landlords, agents, and brokers are now barred from refusing to rent, charging different terms, or advertising in ways that discriminate based on these categories. The law applies to all housing accommodations and aligns with existing protections for race, gender, disability, and other categories under Maine law.
LD 942 requires Maine's Department of Agriculture to prioritize small and midsize farms (as defined by the Commissioner) for federal livestock grants. It also mandates clear state grant application rules and a stakeholder-informed process for evaluating state grants, including input from small/midsize farm owners and processors. The bill directs the development of shared-use kitchen programs to help midsize farms build processing infrastructure for local food demand. The Department must adopt these rules by June 30, 2025, and report on implementation by August 15, 2025. This bill directly affects small and midsize livestock and nonlivestock farms and their processors across Maine.
This bill (LD 797) changes Maine's unemployment benefit rules to require individuals receiving benefits to actively seek work three times weekly, with no exception for the Commissioner of Labor to waive this requirement. It specifies acceptable work search activities (e.g., submitting resumes, attending job fairs, completing job applications) and mandates weekly documentation of these efforts via an online portal or paper form by Friday. The Department of Labor must verify these reports and conduct random audits of 10% of submissions. Additionally, the bill eliminates the previous provision allowing benefits for "temporary unemployment," meaning individuals must meet the active job search requirement to qualify for benefits.
This bill adds a $75,000 property tax exemption for Maine homeowners with qualifying income, effective for tax years starting April 1, 2026. It directly affects Maine residents who already qualify for the standard homestead exemption and have federal adjusted gross income below specific thresholds: $200,000 for married couples filing jointly, $150,000 for heads of household, or $100,000 for single or married filing separately. The additional exemption increases the total homestead exemption to $100,000 for eligible homeowners. This change modifies the existing property tax structure based on income levels, not the exemption eligibility itself.
This bill allows time-share associations and their managing entities to charge a surcharge when owners pay assessments or fees using credit or debit cards. The surcharge must be clearly disclosed before payment and cannot exceed the actual cost of processing the card transaction (including fees from payment processors). Time-share owners can avoid the surcharge by paying with cash, check, or other non-card methods. The bill directly affects time-share owners who use card payments and associations managing their fees. It does not permit surcharges for debit card transactions if payment processors don't charge for them.
LD 1055 prohibits Maine healthcare facilities and providers from denying organ transplants or anatomical donations based solely on a person's disability. It directly affects individuals with disabilities seeking transplants by requiring facilities to consider them qualified if they meet medical standards with necessary support systems (like family or home care services) or accommodations (such as communication aids). Key provisions ban discrimination in waiting list placement, referrals, and post-transplant care, while mandating reasonable policy changes to ensure access. Facilities may only consider disability if medically significant after individual evaluation, but cannot deny care due to lack of independent ability to manage post-transplant needs with available support. The law aims to ensure equitable access to life-saving transplants for people with disabilities.
LD 602 amends Maine law to require state agencies to provide additional public notice before renewing certain contracts. Specifically, it mandates notice when renewing a contract for a third time or when renewing a contract with a total value exceeding $1 million. This change applies directly to state agencies managing procurement contracts and ensures greater transparency around significant contract renewals. The bill focuses solely on updating the notification process without altering the underlying contracting rules.
LD 923 removes two requirements for Maine colleges and universities to appear on interstate highway supplemental guide signs. Specifically, it eliminates the current rule that institutions must be within 15 miles of an exit and meet minimum enrollment thresholds (300 or 1,000 students). This change allows any accredited higher education institution in Maine to qualify for these highway signs, regardless of location or student count. The policy change directly affects accredited colleges and universities seeking visibility to travelers on Maine's interstate system.
LD 638 removes the 100-megawatt capacity limit for renewable energy projects in Maine to qualify under the state's renewable energy portfolio requirements. This change directly affects developers of larger clean energy projects (over 100 megawatts) and utilities meeting renewable energy targets, including those using solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, biomass, or anaerobic digestion. The bill amends two sections of Maine law (35-A MRSA §3210) by deleting the 100-megawatt restriction from qualifying project descriptions. By eliminating this size cap, the bill enables larger renewable energy facilities to count toward Maine's renewable energy goals.
LD 994 clarifies enforcement for private road maintenance costs in Maine. It requires residential property owners sharing a private road to pay their equal share for repairs, with a written demand specifying the vendor, repair purpose, and payment date. If unpaid within 30 days, other owners can pursue legal action for the amount owed, plus interest, court fees, and reasonable attorney fees. This directly affects residential property owners whose homes rely on a shared private road for access. The bill modifies existing law to standardize notice requirements and collection procedures.
LD 752 strengthens Maine's child protection laws by adding specific criteria to define when a child is at risk. It amends state statutes to state that a child living with an adult who has been convicted of a violent crime (including domestic violence) and has not completed a certified domestic violence intervention program creates "jeopardy" and "serious harm." The bill establishes a legal presumption in custody cases that such adults would endanger the child, requiring courts to assume danger unless proven otherwise. This directly affects children living in households with violent offenders and parents who fail to prevent contact between children and these individuals.
This bill prohibits Maine automobile insurance companies from increasing premiums, canceling policies, reducing liability coverage, or refusing to renew policies solely because a policyholder loses their spouse. It directly affects married individuals who experience the death of a spouse, preventing insurers from using that change in marital status as a basis for financial penalties. The key provision amends state law to make it illegal for insurers to adjust policy terms or costs "for the sole reason" of a spouse's death. This creates a clear legal requirement for insurers to maintain existing policy terms and rates after such a loss. The bill focuses on protecting policyholders from financial discrimination tied to a personal loss, not on other marital status changes.
