Sen. Peggy Rotundo

Maddy summaryThis bill requires most Maine employers without a retirement plan to offer the Maine Retirement Savings Program to eligible employees, starting December 31, 2024. It expands the definition of "covered employer" to include businesses that haven't offered a retirement plan in the past two years (excluding government entities and very small businesses). Employers failing to enroll face escalating penalties: $20 per employee in year one, $50 in year two, and $100 in year three. The bill also allocates $350,000 for the program's 2025-26 fiscal year and mandates annual financial reports starting July 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a sales and use tax exemption for three categories of items purchased or leased for home use: durable medical equipment (like wheelchairs or oxygen equipment), breast pumps, and mobility-enhancing equipment (such as walkers or adaptive car seats). It directly affects Maine residents who buy these items for personal home use, removing the sales tax on qualifying purchases. The exemption applies to both sales and leases of these items starting January 1, 2026. The bill also repeals prior tax provisions that previously excluded some of these items from exemption.

Maddy summaryMaine LD 2192 strengthens background checks and information sharing for school employees to protect students and staff from misconduct. The bill requires applicants for school jobs to disclose any past investigations or disciplinary actions involving abuse, harassment, or other dangerous behavior, even if the allegations were not substantiated. Schools must verify this history by contacting former employers and checking state records before making a hiring offer. Additionally, the law mandates that schools complete all investigations into employee misconduct and immediately notify the Department of Education if an employee is disciplined or leaves their job while under investigation.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution formally recognizes May 2026 as Mental Health Awareness Month in Maine to increase public understanding of mental health conditions and reduce associated stigma. The bill cites statistics regarding suicide rates, the prevalence of serious mental illness among adults and children, and shortages of mental health professionals within the state. It emphasizes the importance of open dialogue and access to professional services for supporting recovery and breaking cycles of mental illness.

Maddy summaryLD 1444 requires mortgage lenders (mortgagees) to provide homeowners (mortgagors) with a 35-day written notice before starting a foreclosure action on a primary residence. This notice must detail the homeowner's right to cure the default by paying overdue amounts, including interest and fees, before foreclosure proceedings begin. The bill mandates that lenders prove strict compliance with this notice requirement in court; failure to do so results in dismissal of the foreclosure case and bars future foreclosure attempts on that property. The law applies retroactively to all past foreclosure judgments, orders, or dismissals in Maine. It directly affects homeowners facing foreclosure and lenders seeking to enforce mortgage defaults.

Maddy summaryLD 1772 establishes a "Fund for a Healthy Maine" to finance community health initiatives, primarily using revenue from cigarette and tobacco product taxes and the Philip Morris settlement lawsuit. The fund will be managed by a Trust for a Healthy Maine Board, which will distribute money for disease prevention and health improvement programs - excluding medical care or existing tobacco prevention programs. The bill defines key terms like "health equity" and "community resilience" to guide funding decisions, ensuring resources address health disparities and strengthen community health systems. This legislation replaces an older trust structure and creates a sustained funding mechanism for public health.

Maddy summaryLD 1965 creates a task force to develop a court navigation program plan for unrepresented court users in Maine. The task force, including representatives from legal aid, mental health organizations, universities, and state agencies, must design a program providing court process guidance and connecting people to community resources for mental health, housing, jobs, and other needs. The task force must submit its plan - including a recommended model and suggested legislation - to the Judiciary Committee by December 3, 2025. This resolution does not implement the program but establishes a planning process to address barriers faced by people navigating Maine's court system without legal representation.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Maine home health care and hospice providers to deliver services to Maine residents based on orders from licensed health care providers in other states. To qualify, the out-of-state provider must hold a valid license in their state, have performed an in-person patient exam in their jurisdiction, and verify their license with the Maine provider. The bill also requires the out-of-state provider to ask if the patient has a Maine primary care provider and, if so, to contact that provider and document the effort. This applies directly to patients receiving home health or hospice care in Maine who obtain service orders from providers outside the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits Maine's Department of Health and Human Services from lowering reimbursement rates for municipalities providing emergency shelter services. It requires that reimbursement amounts equal the actual cost of providing shelter, rather than a fixed maximum. The law also bans the department from creating rules that restrict eligibility time limits for emergency shelter assistance beyond current legal limits. The changes apply retroactively to July 1, 2023, directly affecting municipalities and the department's administration of general assistance funds for emergency shelter.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution designates March 2026 as Social Work Month in Maine to honor the contributions of social workers to community well-being and social justice. The bill highlights how these professionals support vulnerable populations, advocate for civil rights, and improve access to mental health and educational services. It directs that copies of the resolution be sent to several state universities with social work programs and the Maine chapter of the National Association of Social Workers.