Healthcare

signed · Maine · House Jan 11, 2026

LD 1738: An Act To Establish The Biohazard Waste Disposal Grant Program To Support Public Health Efforts In The State

LD 1738 establishes a grant program to fund community efforts in safely disposing of used hypodermic needles (biohazard waste), directly supporting community organizations (like needle exchange programs) and local health departments. The program provides funding for purchasing disposal containers, hiring staff to collect discarded needles, and running public education campaigns. Grants prioritize projects in areas with rising reports of improperly discarded needles and those using collaborative or innovative approaches. The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention will administer the program and submit annual reports to the legislature on outcomes and funding needs.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds needle disposal grants for public health programs, directly supporting disease prevention through community needle exchange initiatives.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

signed · Maine · House Jan 11, 2026

LD 858: An Act To Ensure Behavioral And Mental Health Services Are Available To Students By Providing Grants To Schools That Contract For Those Services

LD 858 creates a state grant program to help schools access behavioral and mental health services for students. It provides schools with $3,000 to $9,000 annually based on student population (e.g., $9,000 for schools over 500 students) to contract with licensed external providers. The grants cannot cover services already paid for by MaineCare, and funds must supplement - not replace - existing school mental health staff. This program, funded at $1.353 million yearly starting in 2025-26, directly supports school districts in expanding student mental health resources.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides $1.35M in annual grants to schools for mental health services, supplementing existing staff without replacement, directly enhancing student access to behavioral health support in schools.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds mental health services for students via school grants, explicitly supplements existing staff, directly expands access to behavioral health care.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

signed · Maine · House Jul 1, 2025

LD 163: An Act To Require Health Insurance Coverage For Federally Approved Nonprescription Oral Hormonal Contraceptives And Nonprescription Emergency Contraceptives

LD 163 requires all health insurance plans in Maine covering prescription drugs or outpatient services to fully cover federally approved nonprescription oral hormonal contraceptives and emergency contraceptives without any deductibles, copays, or coinsurance. This applies directly to health insurers and enrollees, eliminating out-of-pocket costs for these specific contraceptives. The bill clarifies that no prescription is needed to obtain these items, and coverage must include supplies for a full 12-month period. It specifically excludes coverage for abortion-inducing drugs. The law updates Maine’s health insurance coverage requirements to align with federal contraceptive approvals.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires full insurance coverage for contraceptives without cost-sharing, expanding access to essential healthcare services.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

signed · Maine · Senate Jul 1, 2025

LD 117: An Act To Provide Funding For Sexual Assault Services

LD 117 provides $1.23 million in state funding for sexual assault services during the 2025-2026 fiscal year, increasing to $1.83 million for 2026-2027. The funds are allocated through the Department of Health and Human Services' Purchased Social Services program to directly support local sexual assault service providers. This funding covers essential services like crisis counseling, medical advocacy, and legal support for survivors. The bill does not create new programs but ensures sustained financial support for existing services across Maine.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $1.23M-$1.83M in state funds for essential sexual assault services, increasing budget for social services per Purchased Social Services program.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds crisis counseling (mental health) and medical advocacy through healthcare-related services, directly increasing healthcare funding for survivors.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maine · House Jul 1, 2025

LD 70: An Act To Fund Free Health Clinics

This bill allocates $250,000 from the General Fund for each of the 2025-26 and 2026-27 fiscal years to support Maine's free health clinics. The funding will be distributed by the Department of Health and Human Services using a formula based on the number of clients served at each clinic plus a base amount per clinic. It directly affects community health clinics providing services to low-income residents, particularly in underserved areas. The bill is a one-time funding measure with no new policy requirements, solely providing financial support for existing clinic operations.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $250k annually from General Fund to fund free health clinics, increasing public health spending for low-income residents.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllocates $250k annually to fund free health clinics serving low-income residents, directly expanding access to healthcare services in underserved areas.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

signed · Maine · House Jul 1, 2025

LD 93: An Act To Reduce Cost And Increase Access To Disease Prevention By Expanding The Universal Childhood Immunization Program To Include Adults

LD 93 expands Maine's Universal Childhood Immunization Program to cover all adults residing in the state, not just children under 19. The bill amends existing law to define "individual" as any Maine resident and modifies program administration to include adults in the vaccine coverage. It maintains the same funding mechanism through the Childhood Immunization Fund, requiring assessed entities (like insurance providers) to pay quarterly assessments based on the number of covered residents. This change aims to reduce costs and increase access to recommended vaccines for all age groups by extending the existing childhood program framework.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands immunization coverage to all adults, increasing access to preventive healthcare services under existing funding mechanism.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

signed · Maine · House Jul 1, 2025

LD 82: An Act To Amend The Workers' Compensation Laws By Extending Indefinitely The Presumption Applying To Law Enforcement Officers, Corrections Officers, E-9-1-1 Dispatchers, Firefighters And Emergency Medical Services Persons Diagnosed With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

LD 82 extends a permanent presumption in Maine's workers' compensation law that automatically considers post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) work-related for certain public safety workers. This applies to law enforcement officers, corrections officers, E-9-1-1 dispatchers, firefighters, and emergency medical services personnel diagnosed with PTSD. Currently, this presumption was set to expire on October 1, 2025, but the bill removes that expiration date. As a result, these workers no longer need to prove their PTSD was caused by job duties to qualify for compensation benefits.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExtends permanent workers' compensation presumption for law enforcement/corrections personnel with PTSD, directly supporting public safety workers within the criminal justice system.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExtends automatic workers' comp coverage for PTSD (mental health) for first responders, strengthening healthcare access without proving work connection.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExtends permanent presumption for PTSD compensation for public safety workers, removing expiration to protect their workers' comp benefits under Labor & Employment protections.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maine · Senate Jul 1, 2025

LD 143: An Act To Improve Women'S Health And Economic Security By Funding Family Planning Services

LD 143 establishes a dedicated fund within Maine's Department of Health and Human Services to maintain statewide access to family planning services. The bill allocates $6.18 million annually from the General Fund to be distributed as a single grant to a qualified provider selected through a competitive request for proposals. This provider will manage and oversee the delivery of family planning services across the state, including coordination with subrecipients. The fund is designed to ensure ongoing, non-lapsing funding for these services without replacing existing funding sources.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $6.18M annually from General Fund to fund family planning services, increasing public health program funding.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllocates $6.18M annually to fund family planning services, ensuring statewide healthcare access under Women's Health as specified in bill subjects.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

signed · Maine · Senate Jul 1, 2025

LD 1937: An Act To Require Hospitals And Hospital-Affiliated Providers To Provide Financial Assistance Programs For Medical Care

LD 1937 requires hospitals and certain hospital-affiliated outpatient providers (like those offering imaging, lab services, cardiac diagnostics, or expensive equipment-based care) to establish and maintain financial assistance programs for eligible patients. These programs must provide charity care consistent with existing rules, based on family income thresholds defined in the bill. Providers who deny access without justification face civil fines up to $10,000 per violation, enforced by the Attorney General or affected patients through court action. The bill repeals an older section (1716) and creates a new section (1716-A) to define charity care requirements and eligibility. It directly affects Maine hospitals and specific outpatient service providers meeting the bill's criteria.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates financial assistance programs for low-income patients, improving access to care with enforcement penalties for non-compliance.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maine · House Jun 20, 2025

LD 1266: Resolve, Directing The Attorney General To Convene A Working Group To Propose A Plan For Expanding The Reach Of Treatment Courts

LD 1266 requires Maine's Attorney General to form a working group to create a plan expanding access to adult drug, family, and veterans treatment courts statewide. The group must include stakeholders like courts, corrections, health departments, prosecutors, and advocacy organizations to ensure every county has access to these specialty courts for defendants whose criminal involvement relates to substance use disorders. The working group must submit its recommendations and suggested legislation to the Judiciary Committee by January 1, 2026. This resolve does not change current law but directs a study to improve access to treatment-based court options.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands treatment courts for substance use disorders, promoting rehabilitation over incarceration to reduce recidivism and strengthen criminal justice reform.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands access to substance use disorder treatment courts, improving healthcare access for defendants with medical conditions. Includes health departments in planning, directly advancing treatment services.90% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill explicitly creates working group to expand veterans treatment courts, directly advancing veteran access to specialized substance use treatment services.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare