Sen. Craig Hickman

Maddy summaryLD 1666 expands Maine's ranked-choice voting (RCV) system to include elections for Governor, State Senator, and State Representative. Currently, RCV applies to other offices, but this bill formally adds these three statewide and legislative positions to the RCV method. Under the bill, voters would rank candidates in order of preference for these races, and if no candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated in successive rounds until one achieves a majority. This change affects all voters in these specific races and requires updated ballot instructions and election reporting procedures. The bill is procedural, modifying existing election code to expand RCV coverage.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a permanent "Retirement Improvement Fund" within Maine's public pension system. Starting in fiscal year 2028-29, the state will transfer annual amounts from the General Fund to this fund - calculated as the difference between current pension payments and 2027-28 levels - to pay for specific benefit increases. The fund will be used to raise the benefit base for cost-of-living adjustments by at least $1,000 annually, until the base reaches $40,000, directly benefiting retired state employees, teachers, and their beneficiaries. Annual reports on fund usage and pension payments will be required for the legislature.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Maine law to allow people previously convicted of certain nonviolent felonies to restore their right to possess firearms through the existing process under Title 15, section 396. It specifically removes convictions for nonviolent felonies (excluding those involving firearm use or serious bodily injury) from the list of offenses that automatically prohibit firearm possession. The change affects individuals with past convictions for crimes like drug offenses or property crimes that don't involve violence or weapons. It modifies the statute to clarify that such individuals can regain firearm rights once their civil rights are restored, without requiring new legislative action for each case. The bill does not automatically restore rights but streamlines the process for qualifying individuals.

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 allows licensed cannabis manufacturing facilities in Maine to also produce non-cannabis products (like food or cosmetics) within the same facility, provided strict separation rules are followed. Key provisions require equipment to be sanitized between cannabis and non-cannabis production, products to be stored separately, and accurate labeling for both product types. It also clarifies that creating edibles using cannabis extracts (like in baked goods) does not count as "further processing" that would invalidate required testing. The bill directly affects licensed manufacturing facilities handling both cannabis and hemp products.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Maine public schools to incorporate Wabanaki studies into their curriculum as a mandatory component of Maine studies and American history education. It establishes a Wabanaki studies specialist within the education department to assist schools with resources, curriculum development, and teacher training on topics including Wabanaki governments, cultural systems, territories, and economic systems. The bill also mandates that teacher certification requirements include Wabanaki studies coursework and provides funding for professional development and curriculum resources. These changes directly affect all Maine public school students, educators, and school administrative units.

Maddy summaryLD 1202 establishes the African American Studies Advisory Council to guide Maine public schools in implementing African American studies curriculum. The 13-member council, including educators, cultural experts, legislators, and civil rights representatives, will advise schools on resources, recommend curricula, and suggest professional development for teachers. It requires the council to report annually to the education committee starting in 2027 on curriculum implementation and statewide sampling results. The bill also allows the council to seek public or private funding to support its work. This directly affects Maine public school districts and educators responsible for developing and teaching African American studies content.

Maddy summaryLD 1640 creates the Base Gagetown Training Registry to collect health and military data from Maine residents (or former residents) who trained at Base Gagetown, a Canadian military base, as members of the U.S. Armed Forces, Reserve, or National Guard. The registry gathers personal details, service history, and health information (with consent) to support research on chemical exposure effects and requires outreach to veterans' organizations, medical centers, and the Maine National Guard. The bill also reestablishes the Gagetown Harmful Chemical Study Commission and mandates an annual report to the legislature on registry progress, outreach efforts, and data collection challenges. This registry is confidential, with data sharing permitted only for health research with consent or next-of-kin approval.

Maddy summaryThis bill (LD 14) requires Maine state parks, historic sites, camping areas, and beaches to provide free admission to members of federally recognized tribes in Maine. It directly affects tribal members who can access these sites without paying fees by presenting tribal ID approved by their tribe. The policy change removes existing admission fees for eligible individuals, with verification handled by park staff or designated officials. The law amends Maine Revised Statutes §1819-C to implement this free access policy.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires pharmacy benefits managers to allow covered individuals to pick up their prescriptions at a network pharmacy if a mail order pharmacy delays delivery by more than one day or sends the medication in unusable condition. It directly affects people enrolled in health plans that use mail order pharmacies and the pharmacy benefits managers who administer those plans. The law ensures continued access to necessary medications by providing an alternative dispensing option when mail order services fail to meet expected delivery standards or provide damaged products. This change aims to prevent treatment interruptions caused by mail order pharmacy issues without mandating specific delivery timelines for the pharmacies themselves.