Rep. Chad Perkins

Maddy summaryThis bill (LD 2029) is a ceremonial resolution that names Dover-Foxcroft's East Main Street Bridge (Bridge 2293) in honor of two veterans: Private Willard Merrill and Private Barton Merrill, Jr. It directs the Maine Department of Transportation to officially rename the bridge, replacing its previous designation as the "Foxcroft West Bridge." The bill directly affects the bridge's official name and location in Dover-Foxcroft, Maine, without creating new laws or altering policies. It is a non-substantive, commemorative action with no financial or regulatory impact.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the state treasurer to annually reimburse the Town of Charleston for 43% of the property tax revenue the town lost each year because the Mountain View Correctional Facility is exempt from property taxes. The reimbursement covers the previous calendar year's loss, calculated based on the facility's tax-exempt status. It directly affects Charleston by providing financial compensation for lost local tax revenue. The key mechanism is a fixed 43% annual payment tied to documented revenue loss, not the facility's operations or future tax status.

Maddy summaryLD 172 requires the Maine State Police to create and maintain a publicly accessible website listing all open missing person cases in Maine. For each case, the website must include a summary of details, a photograph of the missing person, and contact information for the investigating agency. This bill directly affects the Maine State Police, mandating they establish and manage this centralized resource, and benefits the public by providing a single, transparent source for missing persons information. The law aims to improve access to case details for families, law enforcement, and the public without changing existing procedures for handling missing persons reports.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Maine's governor to appoint a U.S. Senator interim fill to match the political party affiliation of the outgoing senator at the time of their last election. If the previous senator was affiliated with a party at their last election, the appointee must also be that party member at the time of appointment. It also mandates that if the outgoing senator was unaffiliated, the interim appointee must remain unaffiliated. The bill directly affects the governor's authority to fill U.S. Senate vacancies and ensures interim appointments align with the voter preference reflected in the previous election.

Maddy summaryLD 1763 regulates nonwater-dependent floating structures (like docks, gazebos, and floating pools) and establishes new safety standards for houseboats in Maine. The bill requires houseboats to include features such as propulsion systems, navigation lights, safety equipment, wastewater discharge compliance, and a motor for primary use - moving away from purely stationary structures. Owners of homemade watercraft (including houseboats and nonwater-dependent structures) must obtain a hull identification number and a marine surveyor's inspection before registering their vessel. These rules apply to all owners of such structures and will be enforced by local law enforcement and harbor masters under Maine's existing watercraft laws.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes penalties for trafficking certain items into Maine prisons. It reclassifies trafficking in unauthorized mobile phones or vaping devices (like e-cigarettes) from a Class C crime to a less severe Class D crime. The law specifically targets handheld electronic devices not approved by prison authorities and vaping products, defining both terms clearly in the bill. This directly affects individuals who attempt to smuggle these items into correctional facilities. The policy change simplifies enforcement by creating distinct penalties for these common contraband items.

Maddy summaryLD 1174 allows Maine gun shops to temporarily hold firearms for veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces and first responders under specific conditions. Gun shops must confirm ownership, keep the firearm separate from regular inventory, and contact the owner every six months. The agreement must name a family member or eligible person who can take the firearm if the owner dies during the hold. The bill provides liability protection for compliant gun shops and requires the Department of Public Safety to create a standard agreement form by January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryLD 1135 allows Maine law enforcement to use oral fluid testing, alongside blood, breath, and urine tests, to determine intoxication for drivers, aircraft operators, and hunters. It requires that personnel administering oral fluid tests be certified by the Department of Health and Human Services and that approved equipment is used. Test results from oral fluid testing are admissible in court as evidence, with defendants able to challenge the test's validity by providing written notice within 10 days. This bill updates existing chemical testing procedures without changing the core requirements for intoxication determination.

Maddy summaryLD 1077 would exempt bottled drinking water from Maine's sales tax by including it in the tax-free "grocery staples" category. Currently, packaged drinking water (including bottled mineral and carbonated water) is excluded from this exemption and subject to sales tax. The bill amends Maine's tax code to explicitly add "drinking water placed in a container or package for human consumption" to the definition of grocery staples. This change would directly affect consumers purchasing bottled water and retailers selling it, eliminating sales tax on these items at checkout.

Maddy summaryLD 1702 amends Maine election law to restrict candidate activities near polling places on election day. It prohibits candidates and one representative per candidate from asking voters to sign campaign petitions or request campaign donations within 250 feet of a polling place entrance or inside the polling location. The bill also clarifies that existing rules preventing voter influence apply to all candidates on the ballot - including write-in candidates - regardless of whether their name appears on the ballot. These changes directly affect candidates and their representatives by limiting campaign solicitation in close proximity to voting sites.