Sen. Marianne Moore

Maddy summaryLD 978 increases Maine's state reimbursement rate for municipalities and Indian tribes covering general assistance program costs. It raises current 70% reimbursement to 90% of direct costs by July 1, 2030. For the six municipalities or tribes receiving the highest reimbursement (2021-2025), the increase is phased: 75% (2026-2028), 80% (2028-2030), then 90% after 2030. All other municipalities and tribes will receive 90% reimbursement starting July 1, 2026. The bill directly affects local governments and tribal entities administering general assistance programs.

Maddy summaryLD 740 creates a new program allowing Maine law enforcement to refer youth (under 18) to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for a needs assessment *before* filing a court petition or making an arrest, instead of proceeding through the criminal justice system. This applies to youth who may have committed minor offenses, with the program requiring consent from both the youth and their parents/guardians. If consent is given, the youth is referred to DHHS for a strengths-based assessment using evidence-based tools, and statements made during this referral process cannot later be used against them in court. The law aims to address underlying needs (like mental health or family issues) rather than punish, while preserving the option for arrest if consent is denied or if immediate safety is a concern.

Maddy summaryLD 1544 (An Act To Support Families By Improving The Court Process For Child Protection Cases) modifies Maine's child protection court procedures to prioritize preventing unnecessary removals of children from their homes. The bill requires child welfare departments to document how they weighed the trauma of removal against safety risks, detail specific services offered to avoid removal, and provide this information in court. It mandates a court hearing within 14 days (or sooner if requested) for preliminary protection orders, requiring judges to explicitly consider the child's trauma and whether alternatives to removal were exhausted. The law also adds specific findings courts must make regarding removal decisions and reunification efforts. This directly affects children in protective custody, their parents/caregivers, and child welfare agencies operating under Maine’s child protection system.

Maddy summaryLD 1353 modifies Maine's rules for issuing commercial menhaden fishing licenses for 2026. It requires applicants to have reported legal landings of at least 20,000 pounds of menhaden in one of the years 2019-2022, and to have held a menhaden fishing license in at least two of those same years. The bill also mandates that applicants submit documentation proving compliance by January 1, 2026. This directly affects commercial fishers seeking to operate in Maine's menhaden fishery in 2026.

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 1746 requires the Maine Department of Health and Human Services to provide school-based preventive dental care in all public schools by January 1, 2027 (delaying the original 2025 deadline). It mandates creating mobile dental clinics in every public health district through public-private partnerships, modeled after the Cumberland County School Oral Health Project. The bill also directs the department to train primary care providers on minimally invasive treatments like silver diamine fluoride for young children, using guidance from the "From the First Tooth" program. This legislation directly affects Maine children in public schools by expanding access to preventive dental services and makes permanent two related staff positions within the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Maddy summaryLD 840 modernizes Maine's state supplement to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) by removing a disincentive for marriage. It changes the benefit calculation for married couples from 150% to 200% of the individual benefit rate, meaning couples will now receive the same total as two single individuals. The bill also updates the standard for determining need to use the U.S. Department of Labor's budget for an individual (not a couple) in Portland, Maine, and adjusts annual cost-of-living increases to aim for a benefit level matching this individual budget. This directly affects Maine residents who receive the state supplemental income benefit for blindness, disability, or age.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates reimbursement rates for funeral homes transporting deceased persons to Augusta at the request of Maine's Chief Medical Examiner. It sets new rates: $300 for the first 25 miles, $4.50 per mile for the next 25 miles, and $4 per mile for distances beyond 50 miles. The bill also requires reimbursement for funeral home employees waiting at the Chief Medical Examiner's office at a rate matching state wage standards. These changes directly affect funeral homes providing this service and the Chief Medical Examiner's office, which must pay the updated rates.

Maddy summaryThis resolution provides $1 million annually for two years to support Maine's five certified community behavioral health clinics participating in a federal Medicaid program. It directly affects these clinics by funding critical staff hiring and wage increases for clinical positions (raising wages to 125% of the state median wage) and administrative roles (to 100% of median wage). The funding specifically enhances the state's clinic rate methodology to improve access to mental health and substance use disorder services in local communities. The resolution was enacted as an emergency to meet a federal program deadline before the 90-day legislative window expired.

Maddy summaryLD 785 clarifies and updates Maine's Indian Claims Settlement Act by defining "sustenance use" for tribal members as noncommercial consumption within specific tribal territories (Passamaquoddy, Penobscot, Mi'kmaq, or Houlton Band lands) or within tribal households, excluding commercial sales. It removes an outdated paragraph from the law (Sec. 1) and updates the act's official name (Sec. 3). The bill also preserves the legislative findings about resolving tribal land claims (Sec. 4) but does not alter jurisdictional or land ownership arrangements. This directly affects tribal members accessing resources within designated territories under the settlement framework.