Rep. Jim White

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Maine's Department of Administrative and Financial Services to deny or not renew cannabis cultivation registrations for locations with repeated violations under state cannabis laws or other applicable regulations. It authorizes a 10-year moratorium on such locations for issuing or renewing cultivation licenses, preventing new or renewed operations there. The moratorium also prohibits relocating licensed cultivation facilities to these restricted areas. This policy directly affects cannabis cultivators and businesses operating in locations with a history of regulatory non-compliance under Maine's medical and recreational cannabis laws.

Maddy summaryLD 397 requires Maine voters to present a photograph identification document when voting in person or by absentee ballot. Acceptable IDs include Maine driver's licenses, state non-driver IDs, U.S. passports, military IDs, or concealed carry permits with photos. The bill removes non-photo documents (like birth certificates) from acceptable ID forms and prohibits college ID cards from being used. Voters without photo ID can request a free special voter photo ID card from the Secretary of State. This applies to all voters in Maine for both in-person and absentee voting, effective January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryLD 880 requires Maine financial institutions (like banks, credit unions, and insurance companies) to offer services based solely on clear financial risk assessments, not non-financial factors like environmental or diversity policies. If a financial institution uses non-financial criteria to deny a service, it must disclose the specific reasons to both the customer and the state bureau overseeing financial institutions. The law imposes a $10,000 fine for each violation, with repeated violations (5+ in a year) treated as a Class D crime. This directly affects customers denied services based on subjective criteria and ensures transparency in financial decision-making.

Maddy summaryLD 717 amends Maine's criminal code to expand restitution requirements for drug trafficking cases. It removes the previous requirement that courts must find trafficking was "profit-motivated" for the cost of drug analysis to be included in restitution. This change means victims or the government can now recover all drug analysis costs when a defendant is convicted of trafficking scheduled drugs under Chapter 45. The bill directly affects defendants convicted of such trafficking and streamlines restitution for related costs.

Maddy summaryLD 1110 requires money transmission services (like remittance providers) to collect a $5 fee for each transfer up to $500, plus 3% for amounts over $500, from the sender. Providers must remit these fees quarterly to the state administrator, who then deposits them into the General Fund. Senders can claim a state income tax credit equal to the fee amount when filing their state tax return, provided they include a valid Social Security or Tax ID number. This directly affects individuals sending money through licensed providers, making the fee effectively refundable via tax credit. The bill also includes enforcement provisions allowing license suspension for noncompliance.

Maddy summaryLD 735 protects Sears Island's coastal sand dunes by requiring state agencies to obtain certification from an indigenous lands protection committee before authorizing any development on the island. This committee, composed of representatives from five Maine tribes and a gubernatorial appointee, must confirm proposed development areas do not contain sacred indigenous sites. The bill repeals prior laws permitting a wind terminal project and a conservation plan for a specific 10-acre parcel, and establishes a two-thirds vote requirement for any land development legislation conflicting with EPA regulations, with sponsorship limited to legislators from the affected district.

Maddy summaryLD 303 would repeal Maine's law prohibiting unauthorized paramilitary training. This repeal removes the existing legal restriction, meaning conducting such training without authorization would no longer be prohibited under this specific statute. The bill does not alter other laws that may regulate paramilitary activities. As a result, individuals and groups engaging in paramilitary training would no longer be subject to this particular prohibition.

Maddy summaryLD 226 extends conservation easement protections to all lands on Sears Island in Searsport currently not under permanent conservation status, specifically targeting the "Transportation Parcel" reserved for port development. It requires the Department of Transportation to collaborate with the Maine Coast Heritage Trust to manage these lands under the same restrictions as adjacent protected areas, with DOT approval of management plans required without unnecessary delay. The bill directly affects Sears Island's cultural and historical resources, the Maine Coast Heritage Trust, and the Department of Transportation's management of port development lands. This policy change ensures consistent conservation management across all island lands, building on the existing 2009 buffer conservation easement.

Maddy summaryLD 927 requires all public schools in Maine to employ or accept as a volunteer at least one chaplain to provide support services for students, staff, and parents. Chaplains must be certified by a faith group recognized by the U.S. Department of Defense, pass a criminal background check, and not be listed on a sex offender registry. The bill also grants chaplains legal immunity from civil lawsuits for their actions while providing services, except for malicious or intentionally harmful acts. This applies directly to every school administrative unit in Maine, including public school districts and charter schools.

Maddy summaryLD 498 requires Maine's Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to adopt rules setting standards for animal rescue entities, including dog rescue operations. The rules must specify staff-to-animal ratios and establish guidelines for animals returned multiple times or resold/placed in multiple homes. This resolve directly affects animal rescue organizations operating in Maine by mandating new operational standards. The Department will develop these rules as "routine technical rules" under existing state law. The legislation focuses on improving oversight and consistency in animal rescue practices.