Rep. Kelly Murphy

Maddy summaryThis bill updates how Maine calculates funding for career and technical education programs by changing the student enrollment count method. Starting with the 2027-2028 school year, programs will use a two-year average of student counts instead of the current three-year average. New or recently approved programs will continue using estimated enrollment numbers until they have enough actual data to calculate the new average. The change directly affects how state funding is distributed to schools and districts offering these vocational education programs.

Maddy summaryLD 471 establishes a 2-year pilot program at the University of Maine and University of Southern Maine to expand intensive English language learner programs for individuals aged 16+ whose primary language is not English. The program provides financial help for child care, transportation, and living expenses to students who don't qualify for existing aid programs, funds two staff members to assist students with accessing Temporary Assistance for Needy Families benefits, and requires students to teach English in Maine after completing a master's program. Enrollment is capped at 150 students per semester in year one and 300 in year two, with the University of Maine System required to offer full scholarships for a Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages master's program. The program mandates reports on student demographics, employment outcomes, and barriers to success by 2027 and 2028.

Maddy summaryThis 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.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes Maine's Inclusive Higher Education Grant Program, which provides funding to colleges and universities to develop programs supporting students with intellectual disabilities, developmental disabilities, or autism spectrum disorder. The program awards competitive grants to institutions to create inclusive higher education opportunities, requiring them to design "program plans" that mirror standard college experiences for students without disabilities. Institutions must meet federal standards for transition programs under the Higher Education Act, and the Department of Health and Human Services will administer the grants, including outreach and application support. The bill directly affects Maine's public and private colleges/universities and students with qualifying disabilities seeking postsecondary education.

Maddy summaryLD 1098 requires Maine school districts to stop placing students in abbreviated school day programs (shorter instructional days) without strict justification and parental consent. It directly affects students with disabilities who are often placed in these programs, requiring schools to document medical or behavioral needs through special education plans (like IEPs), provide detailed plans showing how students will catch up academically, and obtain written parental consent every 45 days. The bill prohibits using abbreviated days due to staffing or resource shortages and mandates that schools return students to full-day instruction within 5 days if parents object. This law aims to ensure all students in the same grade receive equal instructional time, with the emergency clause allowing immediate implementation.

Maddy summaryLD 1558 establishes a 17-member commission to review and update Maine's higher education policies. The commission, including legislators, faculty representatives, students, and education experts, will examine current laws and gather data to improve access to affordable, quality college education. It must submit recommendations to the Education Committee by December 3, 2025, which could lead to new legislation addressing higher education needs. The bill directly affects Maine's public colleges and universities, as they must provide data to support the commission's work.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Maine public schools to provide at least four hours of de-escalation and behavior intervention training to all teachers, administrators, and education technicians starting in the 2026-2027 school year, with training repeated every three years thereafter. New staff must receive this training within 60 days of hiring beginning in the 2027-2028 school year. The training covers specific topics like positive behavior strategies, communication of student behavior, alternatives to restrictive procedures, and safe use of restraint and seclusion. The Maine Department of Education will maintain a list of approved training programs and experts, and must develop and distribute best practices for the training by September 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryLD 470 requires Maine school districts to implement approved mentoring programs for new teachers. Specifically, school units must have a pre-approved mentoring program before hiring conditionally certified teachers (new teachers without full certification) or teachers with emergency certificates. The law mandates that these programs provide sustained, intensive, classroom-focused support for at least the first year (or two years for certain certifications) to improve teaching skills and classroom management. This directly affects school districts, new teachers, and emergency-certified educators across Maine.

Maddy summaryLD 1691 creates the Access to Justice Loan Program to address attorney shortages in rural Maine. It offers eligible Maine law students and recent graduates up to $25,000 per year for up to 4 years to cover law school debt, with loan forgiveness tied to practicing in designated underserved areas. To qualify, applicants must be Maine residents, meet financial or educational criteria, and commit to providing legal services in areas identified by the Finance Authority of Maine as having insufficient attorneys. Participants who fulfill this commitment receive 25% forgiveness of their original debt for each year they practice in these underserved regions.

Maddy summaryLD 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.