Rep. Amy Kuhn

Maddy summaryLD 504 amends Maine's family court procedures to address emergency parental rights requests. It clarifies that courts may only consider a parent's past misuse of emergency orders (like protection from abuse petitions) if proven by clear evidence, and must explain this factor in decisions. The bill also creates new rules requiring an affidavit with specific details about immediate child safety risks and reasons for not notifying the other parent before seeking an emergency order. This directly affects parents in custody disputes seeking urgent court intervention. The law aims to prevent abuse of emergency procedures while ensuring swift action when children face immediate harm.

Maddy summaryLD 826 authorizes a $10 million bond issue to create the School Energy Savings Revolving Loan Fund, which requires voter approval via referendum. The fund, administered by the Department of Education, provides low-interest loans (ranging from $50,000 to $1,000,000) to Maine school districts for energy efficiency projects like equipment upgrades, insulation, and building envelope improvements. Repaid loans replenish the fund, creating a revolving resource for future school energy investments. The bonds must be issued within 5 years of voter approval, with unused funds lapsing after 10 years to retire other state debt. This bill directly affects public school districts seeking to reduce energy costs through infrastructure improvements.

Maddy summaryLD 1544 (An Act To Support Families By Improving The Court Process For Child Protection Cases) modifies Maine's child protection court procedures to prioritize preventing unnecessary removals of children from their homes. The bill requires child welfare departments to document how they weighed the trauma of removal against safety risks, detail specific services offered to avoid removal, and provide this information in court. It mandates a court hearing within 14 days (or sooner if requested) for preliminary protection orders, requiring judges to explicitly consider the child's trauma and whether alternatives to removal were exhausted. The law also adds specific findings courts must make regarding removal decisions and reunification efforts. This directly affects children in protective custody, their parents/caregivers, and child welfare agencies operating under Maine’s child protection system.

Maddy summaryThe provided context for LD 524 ("An Act To Reduce Trafficking In The State") is limited to a generic title and a "concept draft" label with a single-line summary stating it "proposes to reduce trafficking in the State." No specific provisions, mechanisms, affected groups, or concrete policy changes are described in the text. As a concept draft under Joint Rule 208, it has not yet advanced to detailed legislative language. Without additional bill text or explanatory details, a substantive summary cannot be generated.

Maddy summaryLD 1870 establishes Maine's Climate Superfund Cost Recovery Program, targeting entities that operated fossil fuel businesses (like coal, oil, and gas extraction/processing) between 1995 and 2024. It requires these responsible parties to pay for climate adaptation projects - such as flood protections, infrastructure upgrades, and health programs addressing heat waves or wildfire smoke - through a "cost recovery demand" mechanism. Funds collected will finance public projects directly addressing climate impacts, including nature-based solutions like restored wetlands and energy-efficient building retrofits. The program applies to corporations, partnerships, and individuals involved in fossil fuel operations during the covered period, with entities in a "controlled group" treated as a single liable party. This creates a state-level mechanism to recover costs for climate-related damages historically linked to fossil fuel use.

Maddy summaryLD 785 clarifies and updates Maine's Indian Claims Settlement Act by defining "sustenance use" for tribal members as noncommercial consumption within specific tribal territories (Passamaquoddy, Penobscot, Mi'kmaq, or Houlton Band lands) or within tribal households, excluding commercial sales. It removes an outdated paragraph from the law (Sec. 1) and updates the act's official name (Sec. 3). The bill also preserves the legislative findings about resolving tribal land claims (Sec. 4) but does not alter jurisdictional or land ownership arrangements. This directly affects tribal members accessing resources within designated territories under the settlement framework.

Maddy summaryLD 395 clarifies Maine's legal framework to ensure federal laws beneficial to the Passamaquoddy Tribe, such as those related to land, resources, or tribal rights, apply within the state. It amends Maine law to confirm that federal statutes and regulations for the benefit of tribes are implemented on the tribe's trust lands, unless they conflict with Maine's own land use or environmental regulations. The bill explicitly states it does not extend federal common law to the tribe or alter existing jurisdictional relationships between Maine and the Passamaquoddy Tribe. This law aims to restore access to federal programs and protections that were previously hindered by Maine's legal interpretation.

Maddy summaryThis joint order directs the recall of a bill concerning criminal history records from the Governor's desk back to the House. The recalled legislation, originally titled "An Act to Clarify the Criminal History Record Information Act with Respect to Criminal Charges Dismissed as the Result of a Plea Agreement," was previously sent to the executive for approval. By recalling the document, the legislature retains control over the bill rather than allowing it to become law or be vetoed by the Governor.

Maddy summaryThis procedural order recalls a previously passed bill from the Governor's desk back to the Maine House of Representatives. The recalled legislation, originally titled "An Act to Allow the Sealing of Criminal History Record Information Related to Convictions for Conduct That Is No Longer a Crime in the State," would have allowed individuals to seal records for acts that are no longer illegal. By recalling the bill, the legislature retains control over the measure rather than allowing it to become law or be vetoed by the executive.

Maddy summaryThis Maine bill implements recommendations from the Right To Know Advisory Committee to clarify existing exceptions in state public records laws, primarily affecting how personal and sensitive data is handled by various government agencies. It specifies that DNA records may only be disclosed to law enforcement, the FBI, medical examiners, and charged individuals, while also restricting the release of employer substance abuse test results unless required by law or used in legal proceedings. The legislation further protects the privacy of applicants for cannabis licenses, osteopathic physicians, and money transmission services by designating their personal contact information and financial records as confidential, with exceptions if the individual voluntarily provides that data as public contact information. Additionally, it limits the disclosure of personally identifying accident report data and driver's license social security numbers, requiring specific legal justifications or affidavits for any release to third parties.