Rep. Reagan Paul

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Maine's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to submit two reports by December 3, 2025. The first report will compile existing data on airborne and soil chemical/metal levels statewide, including past sampling results. The second report will detail soil testing conducted by the DEP at solar panel farm sites - before, during, and after installation - as well as ongoing monitoring results. The reports aim to provide current environmental data without mandating new testing or policy changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires operators of solar and wind energy projects in Maine to test for PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) contamination at their sites before construction, after one year of operation, and every five years thereafter. If testing finds PFAS contamination and the Department of Environmental Protection determines it was caused by the project, the site loses eligibility for Maine's renewable energy programs and net energy billing. The testing rules, set by the Department of Environmental Protection, include third-party analysis of contamination sources and require operators to submit results and documentation. This directly affects solar and wind developers in Maine who must comply with testing and face program eligibility consequences if PFAS contamination is linked to their operations.

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 320 repeals multiple existing motor vehicle inspection requirements in Maine law. It removes specific inspection standards for vehicles sold by dealers, including requirements for reconstructable vehicles and exemptions for veterans' vehicles used in parades. The bill directly affects vehicle dealers, sellers, and buyers who previously had to comply with these inspection rules. By repealing sections of Maine Revised Statutes (29-A MRSA §§1751, 1752, 1753, 1756, 1757, and others), it eliminates these inspection obligations without creating new requirements.

Maddy summaryLD 187 prohibits labor organizations in Maine from charging nonmember employees a service fee for representation. It directly affects non-union employees who are covered by a union bargaining agent but choose not to join the union. The bill amends multiple sections of Maine law (26 MRSA §600-C, §963, §979-B, §1023, and §1283) to remove the existing exception that allowed such fees. This change eliminates the requirement for nonmembers to pay any share of costs related to the union's representational activities. The law takes effect upon passage, ensuring nonmembers cannot be compelled to pay these fees.

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 727 repeals specific immunization requirements that currently apply to children attending public or private elementary and secondary schools in Maine. The bill removes several sections of Maine law that mandate vaccinations for school enrollment, including provisions related to vaccine schedules and exemption processes. If enacted, this would eliminate the legal requirement for schools to verify students' immunization records. The bill directly affects students, parents, and schools across Maine that must currently comply with these immunization rules.

Maddy summaryLD 499 prohibits individuals, organizations, or entities in Maine from conducting, authorizing, or funding any geoengineering activity, which includes climate-altering techniques like solar radiation management, stratospheric aerosol injection, cloud seeding, and carbon dioxide removal. The bill defines geoengineering as deliberate large-scale intervention in Earth's natural systems to counter climate change, with exemptions only for controlled scientific research approved by the Department of Environmental Protection (which must submit annual environmental impact reports). Violations constitute a Class E crime punishable by a $10,000 daily fine. This law directly affects anyone planning or funding such activities within Maine, excluding authorized research.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Maine's regulations for outdoor wood and pellet boilers. It allows boilers meeting a new particulate matter emission standard (0.32 pounds per million BTUs) to avoid property setback requirements, as long as they meet stack height rules set by the Department of Environmental Protection. The bill also prohibits the department from creating rules that ban smoke plumes from these boilers, regardless of whether smoke crosses property lines. This directly affects Maine homeowners and businesses using outdoor wood or pellet boilers for heating. The changes aim to make cleaner-burning bioenergy systems more accessible while maintaining specific emission and operational standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new program allowing Maine municipal police departments and county sheriff's offices to hire school security officers on a per diem basis for public schools. These officers must be certified law enforcement personnel who complete specific training through the Maine Criminal Justice Academy, including both general law enforcement and school-specific security protocols. The law requires all school security officers to finish this training within their first year of employment and maintain certification through ongoing recertification. The policy directly affects Maine public schools, local law enforcement agencies, and school security personnel by establishing standardized hiring and training requirements.