Sen. David Haggan

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits public schools receiving state funding in Maine from allowing students assigned male at birth to participate in athletic programs designated exclusively for females. It directly affects all Maine public schools, including elementary, secondary, and postsecondary institutions, that receive state funds. The key provision requires schools to exclude individuals whose biological sex was assigned male at birth from female-designated sports teams and activities. The law applies regardless of gender identity or current gender expression.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Maine law to create a new Class A crime for fentanyl trafficking that directly causes serious bodily injury from an overdose. Specifically, it targets cases where fentanyl trafficked by a defendant contributes to another person's serious injury resulting from an overdose. The law upgrades penalties for fentanyl trafficking causing such injury (currently a Class B crime for other drugs) to a more severe Class A offense. It applies only to fentanyl powder and requires the trafficked drug to be a contributing factor in the injury. This changes the legal classification for these specific cases without altering other trafficking penalties.

Maddy summaryLD 953 amends Maine's criminal code to clarify the legal definition of "machine gun." The bill defines a machine gun as any weapon capable of firing multiple rounds automatically with a single trigger pull without manual reloading, and explicitly includes the weapon's frame/receiver, parts designed to convert a weapon into a machine gun, and parts that can be assembled into one. This change directly affects gun owners, dealers, and law enforcement by providing a clearer standard for what constitutes a machine gun under Maine law. The amendment updates the definition without altering existing prohibitions on machine guns.

Maddy summaryLD 525 would amend Maine law to remove the existing 500-foot buffer zone prohibition on discharging firearms near schools for individuals acting under Maine's defense-of-premises laws (Title 17-A, section 104, subsection 3). This specifically affects property owners or occupants on private land within 500 feet of school property who are using firearms to defend their property. The bill changes the current rule by exempting such defensive discharges from the general prohibition, allowing firearm use in these specific self-defense scenarios.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires chiropractic assistants in Maine who perform x-rays to obtain certification as radiologic technologists. To qualify, they must complete a 50-hour board-approved course covering radiography basics (including equipment, safety, anatomy, and positioning) and pass a certification exam, while already holding a chiropractic license. Certificates expire annually and require renewal with continuing education and a $100 fee, and must be visibly displayed in the chiropractic office where x-rays are performed. Violations could trigger disciplinary action under existing chiropractic licensing rules.

Maddy summaryLD 1432 would amend Maine's Human Rights Act by removing "gender identity" from the list of protected characteristics. This change means the law would no longer prohibit discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, credit, or education based on gender identity. Other protections, such as those for race, sex, sexual orientation, and disability, would remain intact. The bill does not alter existing exemptions for religious organizations that do not receive public funds.

Maddy summaryLD 1134 prohibits any Maine school receiving state funding from allowing a person whose biological sex was assigned at birth as male to participate in competitive sports designated for females or use facilities exclusively for females. The bill applies to all elementary, secondary, and postsecondary schools in Maine that receive state funds, directly affecting their athletic programs and facility access policies. Key provisions require schools to restrict participation and facility use based on biological sex assigned at birth, as defined in the legislation. This policy change specifically targets competitive sports and designated female facilities within state-funded educational institutions. The bill does not address non-competitive activities or facilities not designated exclusively for females.

Maddy summaryLD 380 amends Maine's Address Confidentiality Program to include gender-affirming health care practitioners as eligible participants, expanding the program beyond its prior focus on reproductive health care. This allows practitioners to use a designated address for mail and legal purposes, keeping their personal address confidential to enhance safety. The bill repeals prior provisions that had limited eligibility to reproductive health care practitioners and updates the program to cover both reproductive and gender-affirming services. The change is administrative and does not regulate the provision of health care services.

Maddy summaryLD 829 removes the requirement for a concealed handgun permit to carry a concealed firearm in Maine's state parks, Baxter State Park, the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, and Acadia National Park. The bill amends existing law to allow any person not prohibited from possessing a firearm to carry concealed handguns in these locations, without needing a permit. It directs the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to update its rules to eliminate the permit requirement for these specific parks. The bill also clarifies exceptions for permit holders, out-of-state permit holders with reciprocity, and active or qualified retired law enforcement officers. This change takes immediate effect due to the emergency preamble, requiring implementation before the summer 2025 recreation season.

Maddy summaryLD 866 modifies Maine's antlerless deer permit program to provide free permits to landowners who keep their property open for public hunting. Eligible landowners who apply and are selected through a special process will not be charged for these permits, and the law requires that at least 25% of antlerless deer permits in each wildlife management district be reserved for them. If a landowner is not selected in the special process but later obtains a permit through the regular lottery, they will also receive it at no cost. This policy directly affects landowners in Maine who manage hunting access on their property.