Rep. Quentin Chapman

Maddy summaryLD 1974, "An Act To Affirm Parental Rights," amends Maine law to state that parents are joint natural guardians of their minor children, meaning both parents share equal rights regarding their children's care, custody, control, and services. It also establishes that a parent's right to direct their child's upbringing, education, and care is a fundamental right. The bill clarifies these provisions do not affect court decisions about parental rights or the termination of parental rights. This law directly affects parents of minor children in Maine by codifying these principles in statute.

Maddy summaryLD 277 would repeal Maine's current law prohibiting most businesses from opening on Sundays and certain holidays. This change would allow retail stores, restaurants, and other commercial establishments to operate freely on those days without legal restrictions. The bill directly affects businesses currently barred from Sunday and holiday operations under existing law. It removes the prohibition by repealing two specific sections of Maine law (17 MRSA §3202 and §3204) that enforced the ban.

Maddy summaryThis bill (LD 594) requires Maine's State Auditor to conduct comprehensive audits of all state agencies and compile a detailed report for each. The report must include current and historical data on employee counts (including new hires over 5-20 years), budget figures (current, projected, and growth), agency roles and responsibilities, project scopes (current, completed, and incomplete over time), and each agency's budget percentage of the total state biennial budget. The State Auditor must submit this report to the Legislature's appropriations committee by November 4, 2026. The bill directly affects all state agencies by mandating transparency in their staffing and financial operations.

Maddy summaryLD 213 establishes a minimum 10% commission for retailers selling lottery tickets in Maine, covering both instant games and draw-based games. The bill requires the State Liquor and Lottery Commission to adopt rules ensuring this rate applies to every ticket sold. This directly affects licensed retailers, such as convenience stores and gas stations, by guaranteeing them at least 10% of the ticket price as compensation. The change sets a new standard for commission payments without altering other lottery operations.

Maddy summaryThis bill would change Maine's vehicle inspection requirement from an annual check to a biennial (every two years) inspection for all vehicles registered in the state. Currently, vehicle owners must get an inspection each year, but this bill would extend the interval to every two years. The change applies to every registered vehicle, including those in Cumberland County that previously had separate enhanced inspection rules. The bill does not alter the specific inspection criteria, only the frequency of required checks.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Maine's Secretary of State to offer applicants a driver's license or nondriver ID card that does not meet federal REAL ID standards, while still being valid for all state identification purposes. It directly affects Maine residents applying for these identification documents. The key provision creates a new option alongside the existing REAL ID-compliant licenses, ensuring non-REAL ID cards remain acceptable for state requirements like voting or accessing services. This change does not alter federal airport security rules but provides an alternative for state-level identification needs.

Maddy summaryLD 1839 establishes a new Fundraising and Advisory Commission to support Maine's Hire-a-Vet program, directly affecting veterans, their families, and employers across the state. The commission, composed of representatives from state agencies, veterans' services, private industry, and public members, will raise funds and market the program through a dedicated website featuring career fairs and veteran services. It creates a separate, nonlapsing "Fund to Support the Hiring of Veterans" to be administered by the commission, funded by private/public contributions and fundraising efforts. The fund will directly support job placement services, employer outreach, and information dissemination about available veteran resources.

Maddy summaryThis bill limits eligibility under Maine's Clean Election Act by restricting candidates to participating only once as a certified candidate for either legislative chamber within a 15-year period. It amends the law to prohibit individuals who have previously participated as a certified candidate from reapplying for Clean Election Act funding within 15 years for the same chamber (House or Senate). The change directly affects state legislative candidates seeking public financing through the Clean Election Act, preventing multiple cycles of participation. The key mechanism is a new requirement in Section 3 of the law that explicitly bars candidates from reapplying if they've participated in the program within the previous 15 years.

Maddy summaryLD 1683 amends Maine's Freedom of Access Act to eliminate fees for public record requests when accompanied by a petition signed by at least 150 registered Maine voters making the same request. This directly affects individuals or groups seeking public records who can gather sufficient voter signatures. The bill requires agencies to provide status updates every 30 working days (instead of relying on a nonbinding agency estimate), and prohibits charging any fees for such requests. These changes aim to reduce barriers to accessing government records by removing cost obstacles for community-driven requests.

Maddy summaryLD 1204 removes the disqualification for a conviction of "aggravated cultivating of marijuana" (under Maine law, Title 17-A, section 1105-D) from the list of criminal offenses that bar employment as a direct access worker. Direct access workers provide in-home personal care services, such as assistance with daily living activities, through personal care agencies. This amendment specifically allows individuals with this specific marijuana-related conviction to seek employment in the personal care sector without automatic disqualification.