Rep. Woody Woodsome

Maddy summaryThis bill removes the previous restriction that prevented school boards from expelling or suspending students in grade 5 or below. It allows school boards to expel or suspend students of any grade level for specific serious infractions, including violence, possession of firearms or dangerous weapons, or drug trafficking. For students in grade 5 and below, out-of-school suspensions are limited to a maximum of 3 days unless there is imminent danger of serious injury. The bill also repeals prior provisions related to student conduct policies for younger grades.

Maddy summaryThis bill (LD 1953) adds liability protections for Maine landowners who grant perpetual public access for recreation or harvesting activities through recorded easements or legal agreements. It ensures that landowners and their successors permanently retain these liability protections when they grant such access, as long as the agreement is recorded in the county deeds. The bill directly affects landowners who manage conservation land and the public who use that land for activities like hiking, hunting, or foraging. Key provisions include creating a permanent "vested property right" to liability protection that transfers to heirs and assigns, and requiring access agreements to be formally recorded. This change aims to encourage landowners to allow public access without fear of legal liability for visitor injuries.

Maddy summaryLD 1344 requires local health officers to investigate tenant complaints about nonsurface mold in rental units within 90 days. If unhealthy mold is confirmed, landlords must provide a remediation plan to tenants within 5 business days and complete the work within 60 days of the investigation report. Tenants can then file a formal complaint under habitability laws if landlords fail to fix the issue. The bill directly affects renters, landlords, and local health officials by establishing clear timelines for mold remediation in rental housing. It amends Maine's habitability law to add specific response requirements for mold complaints.

Maddy summaryLD 157 creates a new "Fish and Wildlife Management Education Fund" by dedicating $1 from every hunting and trapping license fee to fund public education about wildlife management. It updates application fees for hunting permits (e.g., $15 for residents' one-chance applications, $55 for non-residents' 10-chance options) and modifies trapper education requirements, including tribal exemptions. The bill also updates restrictions on lead fishing tackle, prohibiting lead sinkers immediately and bare lead jigs starting September 1, 2017, with painted lead jigs banned by September 1, 2026. These changes directly affect hunters, trappers, and the public receiving educational materials funded by the new account.

Maddy summaryLD 1532 expands Maine's Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (DIFW) outdoor education programs to reach more students and communities. The bill allows DIFW to partner with schools and third-party locations (like community centers) to offer programs that count toward secondary school curriculum requirements. By January 2026, DIFW must secure at least three geographically diverse locations statewide and collaborate with the Department of Education to develop curriculum for these programs. Participating schools can host programs on-site or at partner locations, and the program is open to public school students, homeschoolers, and the general public. DIFW must report on program locations and effectiveness to the legislature by November 2026.

Maddy summaryLD 1438 is a procedural resolution directing Maine's Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to adopt rules allowing deer hunting on Mount Desert Island, as required by existing state law (Title 12, section 11402, subsection 4). It does not create new hunting rules but mandates the agency to formalize the existing legal framework for hunting on the island. This affects the wildlife agency (which must implement the rules) and hunters who may hunt there once the rules are adopted. The resolution focuses solely on the rulemaking process, not on changing hunting seasons, areas, or regulations.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Maine's beverage container recycling laws to standardize how containers are mixed (commingled) for recycling. It updates the list of materials considered "like materials" (e.g., specific glass colors, plastic types) for commingling, ensuring containers are grouped by material, size, and deposit value. It clarifies that commingling groups cannot refuse containers sorted per approved agreements or processed by reverse vending machines if recycling value isn't reduced, and prohibits deposit initiators from requiring dealers to sort containers beyond current rules. The bill directly affects redemption centers, dealers, commingling groups, and the Department of Environmental Protection, which will set rules for container value and processing standards. It takes effect July 15, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill, LD 80, would designate the Seppala Siberian Sleddog as Maine's official state dog by amending state law to add a new section (§232) naming the breed. The designation is purely ceremonial and does not alter any laws, regulations, or obligations for residents or businesses. It would add the Seppala Siberian Sleddog to Maine's list of official state symbols, joining existing emblems like the state flower and bird. The bill has no financial impact or policy implications beyond this symbolic recognition.

Maddy summaryThis resolution directs Maine's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to review its current process for licensing solid waste disposal facilities. The review must examine statutes, rules, and policies governing licensing, including a specific focus on delays and inefficiencies related to Penobscot Energy Recovery Company's waste-to-energy facility in Orrington. The DEP must form a stakeholder group, identify process improvements, and submit a report with recommendations to the Environment Committee by December 3, 2025. This is a procedural review, not a policy change, aimed at streamlining future licensing.

Maddy summaryThis bill (LD 617) directs the Maine Department of Transportation to rename Bridge 3830 on Main Street in Waterboro - the currently named "School Bridge" - as the "Waterboro Veterans Memorial Bridge." The resolution affects only this specific bridge crossing Hamilton Brook in Waterboro, changing its official designation. The bill contains no substantive policy changes, only a procedural name change to honor veterans. It requires no new funding or regulations, simply updating the bridge's official title.