Rep. Steve Wood

Maddy summaryLD 723 requires the Maine Criminal Justice Academy to develop a nonresidential basic law enforcement training program starting July 1, 2027. This program will allow trainees to complete foundational law enforcement training without living at the academy, balancing professional policing skills with public service focus. The bill amends existing law (25 MRSA §2804-C) to add this nonresidential option alongside the current residential program. It directly affects new law enforcement officers in Maine who may choose this alternative training format.

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 1532 expands Maine's Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (DIFW) outdoor education programs to reach more students and communities. The bill allows DIFW to partner with schools and third-party locations (like community centers) to offer programs that count toward secondary school curriculum requirements. By January 2026, DIFW must secure at least three geographically diverse locations statewide and collaborate with the Department of Education to develop curriculum for these programs. Participating schools can host programs on-site or at partner locations, and the program is open to public school students, homeschoolers, and the general public. DIFW must report on program locations and effectiveness to the legislature by November 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a permit requirement for hunting coyotes over bait in Maine. It applies to hunters with a valid license who wish to hunt coyotes using bait between September 1 and December 15, specifically in wildlife management districts 1-14, 18, 19, 27, and 28. The permit costs $4, and hunters must place bait only in towns with active deer wintering areas. Violating this rule is a Class E crime punishable by a minimum $50 fine plus twice the license fee.

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.

Maddy summaryThis Maine legislative joint resolution commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Mayaguez incident (May 12-15, 1975), recognized as the last U.S. combat mission in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. It honors the 18 U.S. service members who died and 50 wounded during the rescue operation involving the seized SS Mayaguez cargo ship and Marines on Koh Tang Island. The resolution specifically acknowledges Maine’s connection, noting 48,000 Mainers served in Vietnam, 343 are memorialized at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and 11 remain missing. It expresses gratitude for all Maine veterans’ service and sacrifice during the conflict, with no policy or financial provisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes Maine's property tax appeal process for certain high-value properties. It requires owners of nonresidential property (like commercial or industrial buildings) or properties valued at $1 million or more to appeal directly to the State Board of Property Tax Review, rather than first going to county commissioners. This applies to properties valued at $1 million or more, either individually or combined, and excludes unimproved land not used for business. The change simplifies the process for these specific cases by removing the county commissioners step.

Maddy summaryLD 934 provides Maine residents aged 65 or older and veterans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces with a full $25,000 property tax exemption on their primary home (homestead), regardless of their municipality's property assessment ratio. Currently, the exemption amount is reduced by the assessment ratio (typically below 100%), so homeowners often receive less than $25,000. The bill requires the state to reimburse municipalities 100% of lost tax revenue for this exemption, increasing the reimbursement rate from the current 76% to cover the full cost. This change applies to property tax years beginning April 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill (LD 1171) restores complimentary hunting, trapping, and fishing licenses for Maine residents aged 70 and older. It repeals a previous law that prohibited issuing these free licenses to seniors, requiring the state to issue them automatically upon application. The policy change directly affects Maine residents 70+ who previously lost access to these complimentary licenses. The key mechanism is the repeal of the prohibition, reinstating the requirement that licenses must be granted without cost to qualifying seniors. This is a concrete policy change focused on restoring access to recreational activities for elderly residents.

Maddy summaryThis bill (LD 205) requires Maine's Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to set the same bag limit for wild turkeys as for ruffed grouse. It directly affects hunters who pursue either species, as it eliminates separate limits for turkeys. The key provision mandates that the maximum number of turkeys a hunter can take in a season must match the existing ruffed grouse limit. The department must adopt implementing rules under existing state law.