Education

died · Maine · Senate Apr 29, 2026

LD 577: An Act To Address Student Hunger And Nutrition Through Expanded Access To Free Milk In Schools

This bill establishes Maine's Free Milk Fund within the Department of Education to cover the cost of providing free milk to students who do not receive lunch through the school food service program. It directly affects eligible public school districts participating in the federal National School Lunch Program. The fund reimburses schools for milk costs, with unspent funds carried forward annually. The policy specifically targets students without access to school lunches but needing nutritional support through milk access.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEstablishes state fund to provide free milk to hungry students, expanding nutritional access and supporting school meal programs within K-12 education.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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signed · Maine · House Apr 16, 2026

LD 2226: An Act To Amend The Essential Programs And Services School Funding Formula

Maine LD 2226 amends the state's school funding formula to change how financial support is calculated for public schools and charter schools. The bill introduces a new method for predicting student transportation costs, capping them at 105% of recent actual expenditures adjusted for inflation, and updates the regional cost-of-living adjustment to align with teacher salary matrices. It also modifies funding weights for economically disadvantaged students and raises the special education prevalence threshold from 15% to 17%, while altering how high-cost special education placements are reimbursed. Additionally, the legislation caps certain maintenance of effort adjustments and prohibits midyear funding increases for unexpected out-of-district special education tuition costs.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill amends the school funding formula to adjust transportation costs and weights for disadvantaged students, directly managing state education appropriations.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationThe bill amends the school funding formula to adjust costs for transportation, living expenses, and student needs, directly affecting financial support for public schools.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Maine · House Apr 3, 2026

LD 2099: An Act To Amend Certain Eligibility Requirements For Secondary Students Receiving State Subsidies For Postsecondary Courses

This bill amends eligibility requirements for Maine secondary students who receive state subsidies to attend postsecondary courses. It lowers the required grade point average from 3.0 to 2.0 on a 4.0 scale, allows recommendations from school officials with knowledge of academic performance instead of just school administration, and removes lifetime credit caps for certain students. The Department of Education must submit a report by February 2028 on how these changes affect student eligibility and credit caps. These provisions are set to expire on July 31, 2028.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill lowers GPA requirements and removes credit caps to expand postsecondary access for secondary students, enhancing educational opportunities.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Maine · Senate Jan 11, 2026

LD 587: An Act To Require Cardiac Emergency Response Plans And Athletic Emergency Action Plans For Schools And School-Sponsored Athletic Events

This bill requires Maine school administrative units to develop cardiac emergency response plans by the 2026-2027 school year. The plans must include AED placement within 3 minutes of emergencies, staff training in CPR and AED use, and annual reviews based on American Heart Association guidelines. School athletic events must also have venue-specific emergency action plans addressing sudden cardiac arrest. These requirements apply to all public schools and school-sponsored athletic events across Maine.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates school safety protocols (cardiac emergency plans) under school policies, enhancing student/staff protection in educational settings per topic's 'school policies' inclusion.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Maine · Senate Jul 1, 2025

LD 384: An Act To Prevent Student Homelessness

This bill establishes Maine's Student Homelessness Prevention Program within the Department of Education to help elementary and secondary students avoid homelessness. It provides up to $750 per academic year in direct financial assistance to families of students at risk of homelessness for housing needs like rent, utilities, or critical repairs. The program is funded through an annual $1.5 million appropriation from the General Fund, with assistance not counted as income for tax or public assistance eligibility. The program builds on federal McKinney-Vento requirements by proactively identifying at-risk students and offering immediate financial support to maintain stable housing.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesFunds $1.5M student homelessness program via General Fund appropriation, supporting public service spending and aligning with fiscal responsibility indicators.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides direct financial aid ($750/student) to prevent student homelessness, ensuring educational stability through Department of Education program, directly advancing access and support for K-12 students.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingProvides direct financial assistance for housing needs (rent, utilities) to prevent student homelessness, funding a dedicated housing program within state education department.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

failed · Maine · House Jun 16, 2025

LD 868: An Act To Ensure Equity And Safety In Athletics, Restrooms, Changing Rooms And Housing At Elementary, Secondary And Postsecondary Schools

This bill requires Maine public schools and colleges to designate athletic teams, restrooms, changing rooms, and housing based on biological sex. It mandates that athletic teams be labeled "male," "female," or "coed" with females-only teams excluding males, and facilities must be exclusively for males or females (with limited exceptions for maintenance, medical help, or emergencies). Schools must provide single-sex housing options for students and ensure privacy in shared spaces like locker rooms. The law explicitly protects schools from complaints when following these sex-based designations, while allowing accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act. It applies to all public elementary, secondary, and postsecondary schools in Maine.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationMandates gender-based restrictions on sports teams, facilities, and housing, limiting school program flexibility and student access options within education.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Education

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failed · Maine · House Jun 13, 2025

LD 1704: An Act To Prohibit A School Administrative Unit From Adopting A Policy That Allows A Student To Use A Restroom Designated For Use By The Opposite Sex

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.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRestricts transgender students' restroom access based on sex assigned at birth, limiting educational access in school facilities per bill's explicit policy mandate.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Education

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failed · Maine · House Jun 5, 2025

LD 1461: An Act To Prohibit School Boards From Implementing Or Enforcing Mask Mandates

LD 1461 prohibits Maine school boards from requiring students, staff, or visitors to wear masks in schools or school activities. The bill defines a "mask mandate" as any school board policy imposing mask-wearing and explicitly bans school boards from implementing or enforcing such policies. It directs the Maine Department of Education to oversee compliance and allows penalties, including withholding state funds, for violations. This law directly affects school boards and administrative units across Maine, removing their authority to enforce mask requirements in educational settings.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationProhibits mask mandates in schools, restricting school board authority on health policies, opposing regulatory measures in education.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Education

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failed · Maine · House Jun 3, 2025

LD 1759: An Act To Allow Firefighters To Be Eligible For State College Funding

LD 1759 redirects $800,000 in state funding from the community college scholarship program to the Maine Fire Service Institute. It reduces one-time funding for the "MCCS Free Community College" program by $800,000 in fiscal year 2025-26 and allocates that same amount to the Regional Fire Service Training Fund. The bill does not change eligibility for state college funding; it simply shifts existing one-time funding from community colleges to fire service training. This is a procedural budget reallocation, not a new eligibility provision for firefighters.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRedirects $800k from community college scholarship program (MCCS) to fire service training, reducing funding for higher education access program.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Education

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failed · Maine · House May 29, 2025

LD 1395: An Act Regarding Human Trafficking Prevention Instruction And Dissemination Of And Access To Obscene Material In Schools

LD 1395 requires school library databases used by Maine K-12 students to block child pornography, obscene material, and content depicting sexual exploitation of minors. Schools must withhold payment from non-compliant providers and treat repeated failures as a contract breach. The bill also removes an exception allowing schools to share obscene material for "educational purposes," closing a prior loophole. Additionally, it permits schools to integrate human trafficking prevention lessons into curricula, teaching students to recognize signs of sexual abuse and exploitation, and mandates staff training on these topics. These changes directly affect schools, library providers, and students across Maine.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRemoves exception allowing obscene material for 'educational purposes,' restricting curriculum content access in schools per bill's summary.90% confidence ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyMandates blocking of harmful content in school databases, restricting internet access to obscene material and child exploitation content.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Education

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