Rep. Drew Gattine

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Maine Civil Rights Act to establish that unlawfully depriving someone of their personal liberty is a violation when a court issues a writ of habeas corpus. It creates a legal presumption that a person has been deprived of their liberty if a judge grants a writ of habeas corpus, making it easier to prove unlawful detention in civil cases. The legislation also clarifies that existing laws do not prevent individuals from seeking damages for false imprisonment or related harms connected to such writs. These changes primarily affect individuals who have been detained and subsequently released through court orders, as well as attorneys and courts handling civil rights claims involving unlawful detention.

Maddy summaryThis Maine state bill reauthorizes funding for collective bargaining agreements with executive branch employees, specifically extending the deadline for the Maine Service Employees Association to ratify its agreement from December 31, 2025, to August 31, 2026. It directs that salary increases and other costs be covered by transferring available balances within the state's General Fund and Highway Fund. The legislation also grants the Governor authority to provide equitable pay adjustments for confidential employees, probationary staff, and others excluded from collective bargaining units. These changes apply retroactively to September 24, 2025, ensuring that previous funding provisions are amended to reflect the new timeline for the Maine Service Employees Association.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Maine Nonprofit Security Grant Program to provide financial assistance to nonprofit organizations for improving security at their facilities. The program is designed to help protect nonprofit properties from hate crimes and terror attacks by funding physical security enhancements, security personnel, and security planning. To qualify, organizations must be tax-exempt and demonstrate they are at high risk of experiencing these types of threats. The bill appropriates $1,500,000 from the General Fund for the 2026-27 fiscal year, with the Maine Emergency Management Agency responsible for administering the grants through a competitive application process. Any unused funds at the end of a fiscal year will be carried forward for future use.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a Health Information Technology Fund to support Maine's designated statewide health information exchange. It creates a dedicated funding source but does not specify exact funding mechanisms, recipient organizations, or detailed operational requirements. The bill directly affects state agencies managing health information systems and healthcare providers participating in the statewide exchange. The context provided does not include specific details about the fund's structure, eligibility, or affected populations beyond the general purpose stated.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs a portion of revenue from Maine's real estate transfer tax to support emergency homeless shelters through the State Housing Authority's shelter operating subsidy program. Starting in fiscal year 2026-27, the Treasurer of State will distribute the tax revenue by allocating 2% to the shelter subsidy program, while adjusting other distribution percentages to the General Fund and various housing funds. The legislation also appropriates $1,012,617 for the shelter operating subsidy program in fiscal year 2026-27 to provide immediate funding for emergency shelter operations.

Maddy summaryLD 1746 requires the Maine Department of Health and Human Services to provide school-based preventive dental care in all public schools by January 1, 2027 (delaying the original 2025 deadline). It mandates creating mobile dental clinics in every public health district through public-private partnerships, modeled after the Cumberland County School Oral Health Project. The bill also directs the department to train primary care providers on minimally invasive treatments like silver diamine fluoride for young children, using guidance from the "From the First Tooth" program. This legislation directly affects Maine children in public schools by expanding access to preventive dental services and makes permanent two related staff positions within the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Maddy summaryLD 666 allocates $2.5 million annually from the General Fund to provide ongoing funding for certified domestic violence intervention programs mandated by courts. This funding supports programs that help individuals who have committed domestic violence address their behavior, directly affecting those court-ordered to participate. The bill specifies the funds will be administered through the Department of Corrections' Office of Victim Services for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 fiscal years. It creates a concrete financial mechanism to ensure these certified programs remain operational and accessible statewide.

Maddy summaryLD 705 is a concept draft bill proposing general appropriations for the operations of Maine's state government. As a concept draft (per Joint Rule 208), it does not specify detailed funding amounts, allocations, or targeted programs. The provided context lacks concrete provisions, such as which departments or services would receive funding or how resources would be distributed. Without the full bill text containing specific appropriations, key mechanisms or direct effects cannot be described. A complete summary would require the finalized bill with detailed budgetary language.

Maddy summaryThis bill makes Maine's affordable housing income tax credit permanent by removing its expiration date of December 31, 2028. The program allows developers to receive tax credits for building or preserving affordable housing units, which they can use to offset their state income tax liability. Key provisions include maintaining an annual credit allocation cap of $15 million, setting aside 10% of credits for rural development preservation projects, and allowing unused credits to be carried forward to future years. The legislation directly affects housing developers and property owners who qualify for the tax credit, ensuring continued financial incentives for affordable housing development beyond the previous sunset date.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires courts to impose a $500 assessment on individuals convicted of specific crimes related to commercial sexual exploitation and human trafficking, with a $1,000 fee for repeat offenders. The funds collected from these assessments must be transferred to the Victims' Compensation Fund and used exclusively to support victims and survivors of these crimes. Courts may waive or reduce the assessment based on the convicted person's ability to pay, and the bill ensures that unpaid balances are communicated to correctional authorities.