Sen. Marianne Moore

Maddy summaryLD 1386 provides one-time tax relief for Maine's wild blueberry industry in 2025. It suspends the tax portion normally paid by sellers (growers) of Maine-harvested wild blueberries, meaning growers pay $0 tax on these berries for 2025. Processors and shippers instead pay half the tax (0.75 cents per pound) for Maine-harvested berries, while continuing to pay the full tax (1.5 cents per pound) on out-of-state berries. This shifts the tax burden from growers to processors/shippers for in-state berries, offering immediate financial relief to growers facing declining prices and rising costs.

Maddy summaryLD 1866 requires Maine's Department of Health and Human Services to contract with an independent agency to provide statewide advocacy services for individuals with serious mental illness. The agency must employ six full-time advocates to support people living in their communities or hospitalized in state mental health facilities, handling complaints about rights, access to care, and service quality. The agency will monitor care delivery, maintain strict confidentiality of client information, and report annually to the legislature and department on its activities. This bill establishes a formal, independent support system to protect the rights of vulnerable individuals navigating Maine's mental health services.

Maddy summaryLD 1736 requires Maine's Office of Child and Family Services to directly contract with child care providers to create additional child care slots. It specifically targets children under 3 years old, children with disabilities, and children in underserved geographic areas. The office may also use these contracts for other priority groups, such as homeless children or those needing care outside standard hours, based on regional needs assessments. The bill authorizes using existing public or private funding sources to implement this approach, aiming to increase child care availability and stabilize payments for providers.

Maddy summaryLD 372 exempts sales of qualifying gold and silver coins and bullion from Maine's state sales and use tax, effective January 1, 2026. The bill specifically covers coins, bars, or rounds marked by weight, purity, and content (like investment-grade bullion), but excludes fabricated gold or silver used for industrial, professional, or artistic purposes. This policy change directly affects consumers and businesses purchasing these specific precious metal products, reducing their tax burden. The exemption is a straightforward tax policy adjustment with no additional mechanisms or requirements described in the bill text.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Maine public schools and colleges to designate athletic teams, restrooms, changing rooms, and housing based on biological sex. It mandates that athletic teams be labeled "male," "female," or "coed" with females-only teams excluding males, and facilities must be exclusively for males or females (with limited exceptions for maintenance, medical help, or emergencies). Schools must provide single-sex housing options for students and ensure privacy in shared spaces like locker rooms. The law explicitly protects schools from complaints when following these sex-based designations, while allowing accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act. It applies to all public elementary, secondary, and postsecondary schools in Maine.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Maine's Human Rights Act to exempt private facilities providing emergency shelter or temporary housing for women in reasonable fear of safety from being classified as "public accommodations." This means women's shelters operated by private entities may set their own eligibility rules without being subject to state anti-discrimination laws for public spaces. The bill also clarifies that Maine's educational anti-discrimination provisions do not override federal Title IX protections for female athletes in school sports. These changes specifically address operational rules for women's shelters and ensure state law aligns with federal athletic protections.

Maddy summaryLD 1243 streamlines licensing for existing assisted living facilities expanding at the same location. It allows facilities licensed before October 1, 2023, that began construction of new units before that date to use their prior licensing requirements (instead of new standards) when applying for additional licenses. This applies only if the facility had no substantiated licensing violations under its previous license. The bill aims to accelerate the availability of assisted living spaces to address current waiting lists, as noted in the emergency preamble.

Maddy summaryLD 1838 establishes a regulatory framework for electronic games in Maine, specifically defining "electronic beano" (an electronic version of a traditional card game) and "electronic wagering terminals" (devices for betting on historical horse races, electronic beano, or virtual sealed tickets). The bill requires these terminals to use a central computer system to determine chance outcomes, prohibits cash payouts (allowing only vouchers or noncash items), and clarifies such devices are not classified as slot machines. It affects businesses seeking licenses to operate these terminals and the Gambling Control Unit, which will oversee enforcement and licensing. The bill's title references support for farms, tribes, and veterans' homes, but the text contains no provisions addressing these groups.

Maddy summaryThis bill adds employees of the Maine Indian Tribal-State Commission to the State's existing group health plan. It directly affects these commission employees by granting them eligibility for the same health coverage available to other state employees. The key mechanism is an amendment to state law (5 MRSA §285) that explicitly includes these workers in the group health plan. This change provides them with access to the state's standard health benefits without creating new programs or altering existing coverage structures.

Maddy summaryLD 1542 amends the membership structure of the Washington County Budget Advisory Committee. It requires Washington County commissioners to appoint a resident of unorganized territory as a voting member for a three-year term. Additionally, it changes the legislative delegation's process: instead of annually selecting a nonvoting member, they must now select one voting member by majority vote every odd-numbered year (starting October 15, 2025) for a two-year term, with replacement rules for vacancies. This bill directly affects Washington County commissioners, the legislative delegation, and residents of unorganized territory.