Rep. Mark Cooper

Maddy summaryLD 252 repeals Maine's participation in the National Popular Vote Compact, ending the state's commitment to award its electoral votes to the candidate who wins the national popular vote. The bill removes the compact's provisions from Maine's election statutes and updates related laws to reflect this change. As a result, Maine will continue to allocate its presidential electors based on the state's own vote count, using its current system of awarding two at-large electors and one per congressional district. This bill directly affects Maine's presidential election process by reverting to the state's standard electoral vote allocation method.

Maddy summaryLD 1702 amends Maine election law to restrict candidate activities near polling places on election day. It prohibits candidates and one representative per candidate from asking voters to sign campaign petitions or request campaign donations within 250 feet of a polling place entrance or inside the polling location. The bill also clarifies that existing rules preventing voter influence apply to all candidates on the ballot - including write-in candidates - regardless of whether their name appears on the ballot. These changes directly affect candidates and their representatives by limiting campaign solicitation in close proximity to voting sites.

Maddy summaryLD 1188 allows harness racing to be included in Maine's sports wagering system. It modifies existing law to permit licensed harness racing venues (operating under the Maine State Harness Racing Commission) to sell betting pools for harness races at facilities also licensed by the Department of Public Safety for sports wagering. This removes a current restriction that prevented harness racing from being offered at physical sports wagering locations. The change directly affects harness racing tracks and sports wagering facilities, aiming to support the harness racing industry by expanding betting opportunities before the 2025 racing season. The bill repeals a temporary restriction set to expire in 2026.

Maddy summaryLD 612 requires Maine's Department of Health and Human Services to cross-check lottery winners against Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) enrollment records from the past 12 months. If a winner is enrolled or was enrolled in either program, the lottery agency must deduct the state's estimated five-year cost of benefits provided to that individual (including administrative expenses) from their prize and remit it to the state. The bill also mandates the department to monitor Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card transactions, flagging recipients with exclusively out-of-state purchases over 90 days, and terminating benefits for those confirmed no longer residing in Maine or failing to respond to contact. This affects lottery winners who received Medicaid or SNAP benefits and EBT users making sustained out-of-state transactions.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts agricultural employers and employees from Maine's Paid Family and Medical Leave Benefits Program, directly affecting those working in agriculture as defined by state and federal law. It requires the Department of Labor to refund all contributions paid by agricultural employers and self-employed individuals to the program, including any premiums deducted from employee wages that must be returned to workers. The refunds apply retroactively to October 25, 2023, when contributions began. The legislation aims to halt economic harm to the agricultural sector by eliminating these financial obligations.

Maddy summaryLD 1213 amends Maine law to allow agricultural fairs to include premiums and gratuities from any agricultural event approved by the Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry when calculating stipend distributions. Currently, only specific events like pulling contests for horses, oxen, tractors, and pickup trucks are counted toward these distributions. The bill adds a new provision (Section 86, sub-§5, ¶K) that explicitly permits the Commissioner to approve additional events, which then become eligible for inclusion. This change broadens the types of events that can influence how stipend money is allocated to licensed agricultural fairs.

Maddy summaryLD 1198 directs Maine's Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to review its meat and poultry inspection programs, including exemptions and its agreement with the USDA. The review will examine current rules, policies, and processes to identify improvements that could benefit farmers, processors, and consumers. The department must consult with producers, processors, the USDA, and other stakeholders before submitting a report by January 15, 2026, to the Agriculture Committee. This resolve does not change existing laws but sets the stage for potential future legislative action based on the findings.

Maddy summaryLD 341 amends Maine law to increase the minimum weight requirement for an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) to be classified as "oversized" from 2,000 to 3,500 pounds. This change affects how ATVs are registered: vehicles weighing 3,500 pounds or more now require "oversized" registration, while lighter ATVs do not. The amendment applies to registrations for the 2025 ATV season, with a grandfather clause allowing continued registration of ATVs registered before January 1, 2022. The law updates the definition to better align with current vehicle specifications and registration standards.

Maddy summaryLD 1207 requires Maine's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to establish a program monitoring air and water temperatures around commercial solar energy projects. It specifically applies to large-scale solar developments (3+ acres with ground-mounted panels generating electricity for sale or use by others). The DEP must create rules for this monitoring, including sharing data with solar operators, other state agencies, and the public. This program aims to track potential environmental impacts of these solar installations.

Maddy summaryLD 174 reinstates religious exemptions for immunization requirements in Maine schools and childcare settings. It allows parents to exempt their children from school vaccination mandates by providing a written statement of sincere religious belief, and extends this exemption to nursery school staff and healthcare practitioners who object to vaccines on religious grounds. The bill repeals previous restrictions that eliminated religious exemptions and specifies that medical exemptions remain separate and unaffected. This policy change directly affects students, school staff, and healthcare workers seeking to avoid immunizations based on religious beliefs, without altering medical exemption processes.