Rep. Ken Fredette

Maddy summaryLD 794 amends Maine's retirement law to add judicial marshals to the 1998 Special Plan for Retirement. It specifically includes judicial marshals employed by the judicial branch on or after October 1, 2025, in the retirement plan eligibility. This change applies only to new hires starting October 2025, not current employees. The bill expands the existing retirement plan to cover this role without altering benefits for current participants.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates state funding to add 15 State Trooper and 9 State Police Corporal positions specifically for rural counties in Maine. It directly affects rural counties (including Northern Field Troop, Aroostook, Somerset/Franklin, and Androscoggin) by providing dedicated state police patrols to support local sheriff departments. The funding covers salaries and related expenses for these positions over the 2025-2027 fiscal years. The key provision is the targeted deployment of officers to address public safety needs in underserved rural areas, as outlined in the bill's budget allocations.

Maddy summaryLD 1640 creates the Base Gagetown Training Registry to collect health and military data from Maine residents (or former residents) who trained at Base Gagetown, a Canadian military base, as members of the U.S. Armed Forces, Reserve, or National Guard. The registry gathers personal details, service history, and health information (with consent) to support research on chemical exposure effects and requires outreach to veterans' organizations, medical centers, and the Maine National Guard. The bill also reestablishes the Gagetown Harmful Chemical Study Commission and mandates an annual report to the legislature on registry progress, outreach efforts, and data collection challenges. This registry is confidential, with data sharing permitted only for health research with consent or next-of-kin approval.

Maddy summaryLD 366 amends Maine's tax code to explicitly include retirement benefits from the Space Force, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the U.S. Public Health Service under the definition of "military retirement plan." This change ensures that retired members of these uniformed services can claim the same income tax deduction for their pension benefits as those from traditional military branches like the Army or Navy. The bill affects Maine residents who are retired members of these services and receive qualifying retirement benefits reported as pension income for federal tax purposes. It does not alter the deduction amount but makes the eligibility consistent across all qualifying retirement plans under Maine's income tax laws.

Maddy summaryLD 176 establishes a regional ambulance service authority for towns in southern Penobscot County that choose to join. Member towns (voting via municipal officers) would fund the service through per capita payments or local property taxes, with the authority governing ambulance operations, staffing, and emergency response standards. The bill requires the authority to meet Maine's state EMS standards, provide annual reports to towns, and operate without creating state debt. It directly affects participating towns and their residents by creating a shared ambulance service model for emergency medical coverage.

Maddy summaryMaine's LD 844 requires social media companies to prohibit children under 14 from creating or maintaining accounts. For 14- and 15-year-olds, companies must verify parental consent using government-issued ID and documentation, retain records for two years, and provide an easy way for parents to revoke consent or terminate accounts. The bill directs Maine's Attorney General to enforce these rules, imposing civil penalties of up to $10,000 for first violations and $25,000 for repeat violations. It explicitly excludes educational platforms designed for minors from these requirements. The law takes effect January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryLD 1838 establishes a regulatory framework for electronic games in Maine, specifically defining "electronic beano" (an electronic version of a traditional card game) and "electronic wagering terminals" (devices for betting on historical horse races, electronic beano, or virtual sealed tickets). The bill requires these terminals to use a central computer system to determine chance outcomes, prohibits cash payouts (allowing only vouchers or noncash items), and clarifies such devices are not classified as slot machines. It affects businesses seeking licenses to operate these terminals and the Gambling Control Unit, which will oversee enforcement and licensing. The bill's title references support for farms, tribes, and veterans' homes, but the text contains no provisions addressing these groups.

Maddy summaryLD 1430 allows disabled veterans in Maine to receive moose hunting permits from specific eligible groups, including individual permit holders, nonprofit veteran aid organizations, their employees/volunteers, and registered Maine guides. The bill establishes a process for these groups to transfer permits to a disabled veteran who meets state eligibility requirements, either directly or by returning the permit to the state department for redistribution. Crucially, the transferor (the individual or organization giving the permit) will be eligible to apply for a new permit and restart accumulating points for the public drawing the year following the transfer. This policy change provides disabled veterans with access to moose hunting opportunities while maintaining future permit eligibility for transferors.

Maddy summaryLD 856 would eliminate Maine's individual and corporate income tax through a phased reduction schedule. Starting in 2026, the tax owed would be reduced by 20% each year (80% in 2026, 60% in 2027, 40% in 2028, 20% in 2029), with no income tax imposed beginning January 1, 2030. This applies to all Maine residents and businesses paying income tax under current law. The bill modifies tax brackets and rates for 2017-2029 before fully eliminating the tax.

Maddy summaryThis bill (LD 924) directs Maine's judicial branch to lease a new courthouse facility in Newport that meets federal accessibility standards (Americans with Disabilities Act) and state requirements, including adequate space for courtrooms, offices, and meeting rooms. The lease must comply with Maine's public accommodations laws and include up to $200,000 in maintenance costs from existing judicial branch funds. The judicial branch must report to the Judiciary Committee by December 31, 2025, on lease progress, facility compliance, and budget adjustments for the project. This resolve affects courthouse operations in Newport and the judicial branch's facility management.