Rep. Rachel Henderson

Maddy summaryLD 526 shortens the time for challenging a property tax lien on commercial real estate to two years after the redemption period ends. It applies to commercial properties including apartment buildings with five or more units, office buildings, mobile home parks, and recreational facilities. Property owners must file a challenge within this two-year window; after it expires, the lien cannot be contested. The change takes effect for tax liens recorded after June 30, 2026.

Maddy summaryMaine's LD 1257 requires food sellers to label any animal-based food product (from aquaculture, livestock, or poultry) that contains genetically engineered ingredients with a clear, visible statement. This directly affects food producers and retailers selling such products within Maine. The law mandates that labels must explicitly state "genetically engineered" and be prominently displayed, with non-compliant products subject to stop orders until properly labeled. Enforcement falls to the Department of Agriculture, which will adopt implementing rules. The bill focuses solely on labeling transparency without altering other food safety or agricultural regulations.

Maddy summaryLD 1485 requires Maine's Chief Medical Examiner to preserve and retain tissue samples and evidence for children under three who die of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) or whose cause of death remains unknown, upon request by a parent or legal guardian. The evidence must be stored for one year after the child's death and made accessible to the parent or guardian. This applies specifically when a medical examiner has determined SIDS as the cause or cannot identify the cause of death. The bill directly affects parents and guardians seeking potential future clarification of a child's death cause.

Maddy summaryLD 612 requires Maine's Department of Health and Human Services to cross-check lottery winners against Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) enrollment records from the past 12 months. If a winner is enrolled or was enrolled in either program, the lottery agency must deduct the state's estimated five-year cost of benefits provided to that individual (including administrative expenses) from their prize and remit it to the state. The bill also mandates the department to monitor Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card transactions, flagging recipients with exclusively out-of-state purchases over 90 days, and terminating benefits for those confirmed no longer residing in Maine or failing to respond to contact. This affects lottery winners who received Medicaid or SNAP benefits and EBT users making sustained out-of-state transactions.

Maddy summaryLD 332 establishes mandatory minimum prison sentences for specific crimes involving children under 12. It requires courts to impose at least 25 years for gross sexual assault against children under 12 (with no suspended time), life imprisonment for repeat offenders convicted of similar crimes against children under 12, and a minimum 25-year sentence for aggravated sex trafficking involving children under 12. The bill directly affects defendants convicted of these offenses by removing judicial discretion for the minimum sentence length. These provisions apply to cases where the state proves the crime involved a child under 12, as specified in Maine’s criminal code.

Maddy summaryLD 544 exempts sales of cannabis for medical use from Maine's sales tax, creating tax parity with prescription medicines. The bill amends Maine's tax code to include medical cannabis sales (after January 1, 2026) under the existing exemption for prescription medicines sold by doctors. It directly affects patients certified for medical cannabis use under Maine's Medical Use of Cannabis Act and providers selling to them. This policy change removes a sales tax burden currently applied to medical cannabis, aligning its tax treatment with other prescribed medicines. The exemption applies only to cannabis sold with a medical provider's certification, not recreational sales.

Maddy summaryThis bill repeals Maine's mandatory paid family and medical leave program, making participation voluntary instead. It limits the program to employers with 50 or more employees and requires the Department of Labor to refund all contributions made under the previous mandatory system to both employers and employees by June 2026. Unappropriated funds from the leave program must be transferred to the state's general fund by June 30, 2026. The changes take effect retroactively to October 25, 2023.

Maddy summaryLD 1063 requires Maine's Public Utilities Commission to direct investor-owned electric utilities to competitively bid for contracts to purchase electricity and renewable energy credits from generators using municipal solid waste (trash) in combination with recycling. The bill mandates a competitive solicitation by November 1, 2025, for up to 35 megawatts of power, with contracts requiring pricing below 7 cents per kilowatt-hour and terms of 5-15 years. Only generators that pay Maine state excise, income, property, and sales taxes qualify for these contracts. This policy directly affects utilities (who must procure the power) and qualifying waste-to-energy generators (who must meet tax requirements to participate).

Maddy summaryLD 267 requires Maine courts to schedule pretrial criminal hearings in a way that allows attorneys to participate remotely whenever possible, unless the court determines in-person attendance is necessary for justice. This applies specifically to pretrial matters that do not involve testimony, such as hearings about bail or procedural motions. The law directs courts to prioritize remote appearances for defense counsel to improve access to legal representation, particularly in rural areas. It does not change the legal requirements for cases but modifies how courts organize proceedings. The bill affects criminal defendants, their attorneys, and Maine courts handling pretrial matters.

Maddy summaryLD 1553 proposes amending Maine's Constitution to require a two-thirds vote in both legislative chambers to raise existing tax rates or impose new taxes. Currently, legislative consent is required for taxes, but this bill would strengthen that requirement by mandating a supermajority vote instead of a simple majority. The amendment would also allow tax changes to be approved through direct citizen initiative (a public vote) as an alternative to the legislative supermajority. This resolution must be approved by the legislature and then ratified by Maine voters in a statewide election to become part of the state constitution. If adopted, it would directly affect how the legislature passes tax-related legislation.