Rep. Gary Friedmann

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Maine insurers to report annually on their investments and underwriting related to fossil fuels, starting in 2026. Insurers must disclose details about any investments in companies deriving 10%+ revenue from oil, gas, or coal activities, along with associated emissions data. The law prohibits insurers from underwriting new fossil fuel projects (like pipelines, wells, or mines) and mandates alignment with science-based climate targets. These reports will be publicly posted online, directly affecting all insurers operating in Maine. The bill aims to reduce climate risk exposure by shifting financial support away from fossil fuel expansion.

Maddy summaryLD 1645 modifies Maine's Freedom of Access Act to create a faster process for legislative requests for public records. It requires state agencies to respond within 20 working days to requests submitted by at least three legislators who are members of the government oversight committee, including one committee chair. This change replaces the current system where agencies provide a nonbinding timeline for response. The bill directly affects state agencies handling public records and the legislators serving on the oversight committee.

Maddy summaryLD 1293 prohibits organized coyote-killing contests in Maine, where participants compete for prizes by killing coyotes. The law makes it illegal to arrange, host, provide a venue for, or knowingly participate in such contests, with violations classified as Class E crimes. It explicitly excludes self-defense, property protection, and government-sanctioned coyote culling from the prohibition. The bill directly affects organizers, venues, and participants in these contests, while allowing existing legal wildlife management practices to continue.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a permanent 10-member Ferry Oversight Committee to provide ongoing review of Maine's ferry operations. It directly affects unbridged island communities that rely on ferry service for transportation, education, and emergency access. The committee, with balanced representation including island residents, transportation experts, and legislative members, must review ferry operation proposals and submit annual reports on impacts to education access, emergency response, and local economies. The committee meets quarterly and reports to the Legislature's transportation committee, ensuring transparency in decisions affecting island communities.

Maddy summaryLD 1929 requires owners of seasonal residential dwellings (properties unoccupied over 30 days yearly) to conduct annual hazard inspections, arrange for caretakers during unoccupied periods, and share caretaker contact information with utilities and municipalities. It mandates the Public Utilities Commission to create a statewide hazard reporting system (hotline/online portal), run public education campaigns, and offer financial help to low-income owners. Public utilities must maintain caretaker contact lists, develop repair protocols prioritizing occupied homes during outages, and conduct annual inspections on utility lines with outage histories linked to seasonal properties. The bill aims to prevent utility disruptions caused by unattended seasonal properties through clear owner obligations, utility protocols, and commission support.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the state's reimbursement rate to municipalities for property tax revenue lost when homeowners qualify for Maine's homestead exemption (which reduces their tax burden). Currently, municipalities receive 76% of lost revenue; the bill raises this rate by 3 percentage points annually starting in 2026. The annual increases continue until reimbursement reaches 100% of lost revenue - projected to take 8 years. This directly affects all Maine municipalities that collect property taxes and provide the homestead exemption to qualifying residents.

Maddy summaryLD 1518 clarifies how Maine school administrative units must use unspent budget funds. It requires that unallocated balances exceeding 5% of a school's previous year's budget must be spent on educational programs in the next year (or over a 3-year period), rather than reducing state funding. The bill removes temporary rules that previously applied only to fiscal years 2021-2025, making this requirement permanent for all future years. This directly affects school districts managing their annual budgets and unspent funds.

Maddy summaryThis Maine legislative joint resolution commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Mayaguez incident (May 12-15, 1975), recognized as the last U.S. combat mission in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. It honors the 18 U.S. service members who died and 50 wounded during the rescue operation involving the seized SS Mayaguez cargo ship and Marines on Koh Tang Island. The resolution specifically acknowledges Maine’s connection, noting 48,000 Mainers served in Vietnam, 343 are memorialized at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and 11 remain missing. It expresses gratitude for all Maine veterans’ service and sacrifice during the conflict, with no policy or financial provisions.

Maddy summaryLD 1630 amends Maine's Open Space Tax Law to expand eligibility for reduced property taxes on forested land. It adds "managing woodland for climate resilience or forest carbon storage" as a qualifying purpose for open space land classification (Section 5, paragraph E), directly affecting landowners who manage forests for carbon sequestration. The bill defines new requirements for "Forest climate resilience and carbon management plans" (Section 4-C), including scientific practices and location details. It also establishes "Managed forest open space land" as a new tax category with a 10% additional valuation reduction (Section 9, paragraph E), distinct from existing categories like "Forever wild" or "Public access" land.

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial resolution, not a legislative bill with policy changes. Maine's 132nd Legislature passed HP 1242 to formally honor Pope Francis following his death on April 21, 2025. The resolution commemorates his life, papacy, and legacy of service to the marginalized, citing his teachings and writings. It has no direct effect on policy, funding, or specific groups, as it is purely symbolic.