Rep. Rachel Henderson

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes new procedures for restricting access to state property, state services, and communication with state entities in Maine. It requires state agencies to provide factual reasons when issuing restrictions and limits such restrictions to 90 days unless a formal protection from harassment complaint is filed with the Bureau of State Police. The legislation applies to all state offices, departments, agencies, and institutions, ensuring that any denial of access or communication is documented and time-limited.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Maine Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages and Lottery Operations to temporarily suspend enforcement of ownership limits on liquor licenses for a 24-month period. It specifically protects manufacturing facility licenses and their associated retail licenses issued before May 23, 2025, from being suspended, revoked, or denied renewal solely because a majority owner now holds more than the allowable number of retail licenses. The legislation aims to give existing license holders time to adjust their ownership structures without immediate penalty. This change affects liquor manufacturers and their owners who may have acquired additional retail licenses after the original ownership restrictions were established.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Maine's jury pool sources by adding registered voters, people who receive state income tax forms, and recipients of public assistance and unemployment benefits to the list of potential jurors. Currently, jury lists are drawn primarily from driver's license records, but this bill broadens the pool to include these four new categories. The goal is to increase the size and diversity of jury pools statewide by incorporating more community members. The bill does not alter how individual jurors are selected from the expanded pool.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires courts to impose a $500 assessment on individuals convicted of specific crimes related to commercial sexual exploitation and human trafficking, with a $1,000 fee for repeat offenders. The funds collected from these assessments must be transferred to the Victims' Compensation Fund and used exclusively to support victims and survivors of these crimes. Courts may waive or reduce the assessment based on the convicted person's ability to pay, and the bill ensures that unpaid balances are communicated to correctional authorities.

Maddy summaryLD 1609 prevents individuals or businesses linked to federally recognized criminal organizations from participating in Maine's medical and adult-use cannabis programs. The bill requires the state department to verify that applicants and their facilities have not been identified by law enforcement as associated with organized crime within the past five years. If such links are found, the department must deny registration, revoke existing licenses, and prohibit reapplication for five years. This applies to manufacturers, dispensaries, caregivers, and long-term care facilities operating under Maine's cannabis regulations.

Maddy summaryLD 1965 creates a task force to develop a court navigation program plan for unrepresented court users in Maine. The task force, including representatives from legal aid, mental health organizations, universities, and state agencies, must design a program providing court process guidance and connecting people to community resources for mental health, housing, jobs, and other needs. The task force must submit its plan - including a recommended model and suggested legislation - to the Judiciary Committee by December 3, 2025. This resolution does not implement the program but establishes a planning process to address barriers faced by people navigating Maine's court system without legal representation.

Maddy summaryThis bill officially renames a bridge in Roxbury, Maine, from the Frye Bridge to the Roxbury-Frye Veterans Memorial Bridge. The legislation directs the Department of Transportation to update the official designation for Bridge 2300 on Frye Crossover Road to reflect the new name. This change honors veterans by incorporating the term "Veterans Memorial" into the bridge's title. The bill is a commemorative action that does not alter traffic rules, funding, or infrastructure requirements.

Maddy summaryLD 1671 requires Maine law enforcement agencies to disclose to prosecutors any "credibility information" about an officer who may testify in a criminal case, including sustained findings of misconduct (like evidence tampering), bias, or felony allegations. Agencies must simultaneously notify both the prosecutor and the involved officer of this disclosure. Prosecutors must then give the officer at least 5 days to respond or request a court review before sharing the information with the defendant. This establishes clear timelines and due process for officers while ensuring transparency in criminal proceedings.

Maddy summaryLD 1788 amends Maine's Freedom of Access Act to categorize public record requests based on the requester's purpose. It defines "commercial requests" (for profit, trade, or litigation) and "noncommercial requests" (by educational institutions, news media, scientific researchers, or individuals with noncommercial use). The bill requires agencies to waive fees for the first 2 hours of staff time for noncommercial requests, charge up to $25/hour after that, and allow fees for commercial requests. Requesters must certify whether their request is commercial or noncommercial and disclose if it relates to ongoing litigation.

Maddy summaryLD 1691 creates the Access to Justice Loan Program to address attorney shortages in rural Maine. It offers eligible Maine law students and recent graduates up to $25,000 per year for up to 4 years to cover law school debt, with loan forgiveness tied to practicing in designated underserved areas. To qualify, applicants must be Maine residents, meet financial or educational criteria, and commit to providing legal services in areas identified by the Finance Authority of Maine as having insufficient attorneys. Participants who fulfill this commitment receive 25% forgiveness of their original debt for each year they practice in these underserved regions.