Legislative Priorities
130th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session
The following are the Maine Women’s Lobby bill priorities which have already been published. As new bill language becomes available, we will update this guide and provide additional resources.
Economic Justice
LD 174, An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Ending Hunger by 2030 Advisory Group (Representative William Pluecker). This bill seeks to implement the recommendations of this working group, which met over two years, and include many structural solutions to ending hunger, from diversifying our economy to shoring up local food streams. Many of the groups most affected by hunger, including single parent households, African immigrants, and low-wage workers are disproportionately women.
LD 428 An Act To Prevent Tax Haven Abuse (Representative Denise Tepler of Topsham), prohibits multinational corporations who do business in Maine from exploiting tax haven loopholes; and LD 1704 An Act To Change the Exclusion Amount under the Estate Tax and Provide Additional Funding for the Housing Opportunities for Maine Fund (Representative Rachel Talbot Ross of Portland), will use the taxation of estate inheritances to fund housing programs (helping to address racial and gender disparities that occur through inherited wealth). These are two priorities of the Mainers for Tax Fairness Coalition, which is working to ensure fair tax policy for all Mainers. We are active members of the Coalition because the ways that we raise and spend money has a real effect on gender equity. When a budget does not meet the basic needs of its people, women – especially Black, brown, and Indigenous women, women with disabilities, and other women with marginalized identities – are the ones most likely to be left without access to adequate health care, food security, and overall economic security.
LD 1652 An Act To Build a Child Care System by Recruiting and Retaining Maine's Early Childhood Workforce (Speaker Ryan Fecteau of Biddeford). This bill requires the implementation of a program to support early childhood educators, through access to training and fair compensation. Early childhood educators are virtually all women, and some of the lowest-paid and undervalued workers in our state.
LD 1678 An Act To Support Child Care Providers and School Readiness through Tax Credits (Representative Rebecca Millett of Cape Elizabeth). This bill provides refundable tax credits to childcare providers, making quality childcare more affordable to obtain and provide. Access to high quality, affordable childcare is one of the most important ways to support women’s economic security and ability to stay connected to the workforce.
LD 1823 An Act To Amend the Enforcement Provisions of the Law Governing Earned Paid Leave (Rep. Rebecca Millett of Cape Elizabeth) This bill further clarifies any disputes that are concerning the earned paid leave law. This new language allows local associations to use grievances if they notice a clear violation of the earned paid leave law.
LD 898 An Act to Provide Incentives to Unemployed Workers to Become Part of the Caregiver Workforce (Rep. Jessica Fay of Raymond) This bill would establish the Essential Support Workforce Advisory Committee which would in turn advise the legislature and governor on the shortage of Maine’s essential workers to collaborate with the state in order to find solutions to this problem.
LD 1840An Act to Amend the Laws Governing Retirement Benefit Reductions for Corrections Supervisors Currently Included in the 1998 Special Plan (Pres. Troy Jackson of Aroostook) This act would require that service retirement benefits for employees of the DOC who are supervisors of correctional officers and in the 1998 special plan that were employed before Jan 1, 2000 be computed on the same basis for benefits as all other employees, promoting equal pay in the workplace.
Civil Rights & Freedom from Discrimination
LD 344, RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine To Explicitly Prohibit Discrimination Based on the Sex of an Individual (Representative Lois Reckitt of South Portland). This bill would propose a constitutional amendment to ensure that Mainers are constitutionally guaranteed freedom from discrimination based on a person’s sex, gender identify, or sexual orientation.
LD 965, An Act Concerning Nondisclosure Agreements in Employment (Representative Thom Harnett of Gardiner). This bill limits mandatory nondisclosure agreements in the workplace, and protects employee’s rights to report or discuss workplace discrimination, retaliation, or harassment, which significantly affect women and people of color.
LD 1786, "An Act To Maintain Consistency among Maine's Nondiscrimination Statutes.” (Senator Anne Carney of Cumberland). This bill ensures that throughout Maine law, we will use language consistent with the Maine Human Rights Act when addressing discrimination based on actual or perceived race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry or national origin, age, or familial status.
LD 1804, “An Act To Provide Consistency in the Laws Regarding Domestic Partners.” (Representative Tiffany Roberts). There are currently dozens of definitions of ‘domestic partner’ across Maine’s statutes; this bill will create one definition that is consistent across all sections. This will ensure that families of all kinds have a clear legal definition that isn’t confusing or open to local or organizational interpretation.
LD 1626 An Act Implementing the Recommendations of the Task Force on Changes to the Maine Indian Claims Settlement (Rep. Rachel Talbot Ross of Portland). At the moment Wabanaki tribes in Maine have more restrictive rights in Maine than in the other 574 federally recognized tribes in the United States. Federal legislation ensures tribes’ inherent rights to govern themselves, unless they are Wabanaki and live in Maine.
Health, Wellness, & Reproductive Rights
LD 452 An Act To Require Certain Schools To Provide Menstrual Products (Representative Denise Tepler of Topsham). This bill requires schools to make menstrual products available to students at no charge. Some students are skipping school, missing class, or putting their health in danger due to lack of access to basic needs products. In these cases, economic insecurity, sexism, and stigma are making it harder for school to navigate. This bill will ensure that all students will have guaranteed access to the safe period products that they need.
LD 1357 An Act To Improve Private Insurance Coverage for Maternity and Postpartum Care (Senator Anne Carney of Cumberland). This bill requires private insurances to cover comprehensive maternal and postpartum care for all people in Maine who give birth. This change will support people who may be suffering from postpartum depression, pelvic floor injuries, or serious and life-threatening complications that often come in the days or weeks after giving birth.
LD 1899 An Act To Ensure Safe Entry and Access for People Seeking Health Care (Representative Joyce McCreight of Harpswell). This bill extends the ‘buffer zone’ around health care facilities and provides accountability for frequent harassers or blockades (mostly a problem in urban abortion care). Virtually all restrictions and limitations on reproductive care disproportionately harm people who are already excluded, marginalized, or oppressed.
LD 718 An Act To Improve the Health of Maine Residents by Closing Coverage Gaps in the MaineCare Program and the Children's Health Insurance Program (Representative Rachel Talbot Ross of Portland). This bill will ensure that all low-income Maine immigrant children, pregnant, and post-partum people will have access to MaineCare coverage.
Safety & Decarceration
LD 1218 Resolve, To Require the Attorney General To Provide an Update on Maine's Implementation of the Federal Law Called "Savanna's Act" (Representative Rena Newell of Passamaquoddy Tribe). This bill will require the Attorney General to submit a report on the implementation of the federal Savannah’s Act, recognizing and addressing the issue of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls.
LD 1721 An Act Regarding Conditions and Correctional Policies for Female Residents (Representative Rachel Talbot Ross of Portland). This bill seeks to create protections for females in Maine correctional and detention facilities, including the right to participate in the family reunification process and protections when being transported to medical visits.
LD 1727 An Act Concerning Sexual Misconduct on College Campuses (Senate President Troy Jackson of Aroostook). This bill requires colleges and Universities to adopt sexual misconduct policies, providing protection to students who report sexual misconduct. This bill was created with the leadership of a coalition of college students in Maine.
LD 1175 An Act To Prohibit Excessive Telephone, Video and Commissary Charges in Maine Jails and Prisons (Representative MaryAnne Kinney). This bill would prohibit Maine jails and prisons from profiting from telephone, video, or commissary charges. It will also require incarcerated people to be provided with two 15-minute calls per week at no charge, and set a cap on the charge per-minute rate for phone calls.
Systems & Representation
LD 585 An Act To Restore to the Penobscot Nation and Passamaquoddy Tribe the Authority To Exercise Jurisdiction under the Federal Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010 (Representative Rachel Talbot Ross of Portland). This bill would grant Wabanaki tribes the jurisdiction to deal with crimes committed on tribal land, providing Maine Tribes with the same criminal jurisdiction as all other federally recognized tribes. Tribal sovereignty - the autonomy and agency of Indigenous people and governments - is a feminist and womanist value. This particular bill will help close loopholes that strip Wabanaki tribes of the ability to pursue sexual and domestic violence, along with other crimes, that occur in their territory.
LD 1610 An Act To Promote Equity in Policy Making by Enhancing the State's Ability To Collect, Analyze and Apply Data (Representative Rachel Talbot Ross of Portland). Data is central to policy making, this bill would improve the State's ability to collect, centralize and use data to improve equity in state policy making. High quality data that is disaggregated by race and gender is one of the best tools we have to identify gaps and build gender and racial equity.
LD 1900 An Act To Amend the Laws Governing Name Changes (Representative Erin Sheehan of Biddeford). This bill will ensure the safety and privacy of adults seeking a name change. As of right now, Maine law requires a statement in the public newspaper stating what the person is changing their name from, and what their new name will be. Adults change their name for many reasons, from gender affirmation to escaping abuse or other dangerous situations, they should not be required to publicize this action.
LD 1779 An Act To Protect Election Integrity by Regulating Possession of Ballots (Rep. Teresa Pierce of Falmouth) This bill builds on existing laws that promise the integrity of elections by protecting the ballots in which the people have cast their votes. This will require the authorization of the Secretary of State to permit anyone that is not a municipal clerk to have possession of the ballots.
LD 1155 An Act to Require Election Transparency and Audits (Rep. Nichole Grohoski of Ellsworth)
This bill improves the security of Maine elections and encourages election integrity as well as public confidence. This bill at its heart protects our elections from potential problems before they occur.