Rep. Amy Kuhn

Maddy summaryLD 1332 establishes the Community Schools Success Fund, a permanent fund within Maine's Department of Education. The fund provides grants to community schools, local education providers (like school districts and charter schools), and supporting nonprofit organizations. These grants support specific program needs including community needs assessments, readiness planning, sustainability efforts, professional development, and peer mentoring. The bill requires grant applicants to submit utilization plans detailing how funds will support community school programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Maine law to specifically address technology-facilitated sexual abuse, particularly focusing on AI-generated content. It defines "child sexual abuse material" to include AI-created images depicting minors in sexually explicit conduct, and makes it a crime to intentionally create or modify such images using generative AI or machine learning. The law applies to anyone who knowingly produces or alters AI content depicting identifiable minors (recognizable by face or features) in sexual abuse material, with Class B penalties for first offenses. Exceptions exist for educational use by schools, libraries, or museums.

Maddy summaryThis bill (LD 1984) is a technical correction to fix minor inconsistencies and errors in existing Maine laws, not a new policy. It specifically amends salary ranges for state directors (e.g., Bureau of Forestry Director), clarifies energy policy language related to wind developers, and refines rules for temporary appointments of state officials. These changes resolve minor legal ambiguities in current statutes to prevent confusion in implementation. The bill does not create new programs, taxes, or direct impacts on citizens or businesses.

Maddy summaryLD 613 amends Maine's Death with Dignity Act to allow attending physicians to waive any portion or all of the waiting periods required for qualified patients to access end-of-life medication, based on the physician's medical assessment of the patient's condition. Physicians must document the waiver, including the specific portion waived and the medical reasoning that it serves the patient's best interests. This change directly affects patients eligible under Maine's Death with Dignity Act and their attending physicians. The amendment aims to improve timely access for patients facing urgent health circumstances without requiring the full waiting period.

Maddy summaryLD 1778 updates Maine's rulemaking process to enhance transparency and public participation. It requires at least one-third of a multi-member agency board to be present at public hearings for proposed rules, and for single-member agencies, hearings must be conducted by a designated official (e.g., a senior agency staff member). The bill also mandates that agencies maintain detailed records of public comments and, if a rule changes substantially from its proposal, must allow 30 days for additional public feedback before adoption. Additionally, it requires agencies to post proposed rules online 20 days before hearings or comment deadlines and provide clearer notice about proposed rules, including their impact on small businesses.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Maine development districts (tax increment financing districts) to extend their tax increment financing periods by up to 20 additional years beyond the standard 30-year limit, provided they use at least 75% of the tax increment revenue for affordable housing or transit-oriented development projects. It defines "affordable housing" as housing for households earning no more than 120% of the area median income (per HUD standards) and clarifies that "transit-oriented development" includes projects linking housing and other uses with transit facilities, without requiring them to be located in designated transit districts. Municipalities meeting these conditions can extend their districts' tax increment financing periods, supporting longer-term development focused on housing access and transit connectivity.

Maddy summaryThis bill bans all retail tobacco sales through vending machines, directly affecting retailers who currently operate such machines. It removes a 2% markup requirement for cigarette distributors selling to wholesale dealers or operators of 15+ vending machines, instead requiring full trade discounts. The bill also repeals outdated provisions related to mobile tobacco vendors, tax stamps for vending machine cigarettes, and other older regulatory language. These changes update Maine’s tobacco licensing and sales rules to eliminate vending machine sales and simplify distributor pricing structures.

Maddy summaryThis bill clarifies court procedures for protecting noncitizen children under 21 who face abuse, neglect, or similar risks in Maine. It requires courts handling custody or dependency cases to specifically determine: (1) whether the child is "dependent on the court," (2) if they suffered abuse/neglect, (3) if reunification with parents isn’t viable, and (4) if returning them to their home country would harm their safety or well-being. The bill explicitly defines "at-risk" to include noncitizen minors where returning home would endanger them, and mandates confidential court proceedings. It directly affects immigrant children in Maine custody cases who might otherwise face deportation without court review of their safety.

Maddy summaryLD 1743 allows Maine municipalities to adopt local rules prohibiting firearms in municipal buildings, voting places, and at municipal public proceedings. If adopted, these rules must post clear notices at entrances and may impose a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per violation. The rules must exempt law enforcement officers from the prohibition and cannot apply to non-municipal sections of buildings used for municipal meetings. The bill defines key terms like "municipal public proceeding" to clarify the rule's scope and implementation.

Maddy summaryLD 1299 prohibits storing a handgun in an unoccupied motor vehicle unless it is kept out of plain view in a locked hard-sided container and the vehicle (including trunk) is locked. This applies to most individuals storing handguns in vehicles, with exceptions for law enforcement officers, licensed hunters engaged in hunting, participants in state hunter education programs, and National Guard members on active duty. Violations are civil offenses punishable by fines of $200-$500 for first offenses, increasing to $500-$1,000 for repeat violations. The bill directly affects vehicle owners and passengers storing handguns, aiming to prevent accidental access or theft. It does not apply to occupied vehicles or cases where the handgun is secured as required.