Our Policy Priorities
For the 132nd Legislature, 1st Regular Session (2025).
We advance policy efforts developing equitable & accessible government systems, building care infrastructure and economic equity, ensuring reproductive and gender-affirming healthcare, and ending gender-based and carceral violence.
Our priority bills are developed based on our biennial Road Map for Gender Justice. For more details on how we set our policy agenda each session, check out the overview of our legislative framework.
Please note that this is a “live list” that we update information on regularly as the final slate of bills for this session is published.
For the most up-to-date info on the progress of our priority bills, gender justice-related bills led by partner organizations that we're proud to support, and bills that we're opposed to, check out our bill tracker.
Developing Equitable
& Accessible Government Systems
LD 260 “Resolution, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Establish That All Maine Residents Have Equal Rights Under the Law”
An “Inclusive Equal Rights Amendment” in Maine’s Constitution to enshrine protections for all into our founding document.
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While the fight to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment in the US Constitution remains ongoing, passing an “Inclusive Equal Rights Amendment” for Maine’s Constitution can enshrine protections into our founding document, and reaffirm our State’s commitment to the equality of all people. This bill incorporates protections for all the protected classes already protected under state law in the Maine Human Rights Act, making it an “Inclusive ERA”. An Inclusive ERA gives us new tools to address discrimination and violations of civil rights that have not yet been fixed by law - and ensures that even if state or federal laws change, we still have access to Constitutional protections in Maine.
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This bill is currently awaiting a vote from the Judiciary committee after it’s public hearing on 3/4/25.
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LD 818 “An Act to Allow Expenditure of Maine Clean Election Act Funding for the Care of Candidates' Dependents”
Reforming Maine’s Clean Election Act to include dependent care as an approved campaign expense, achieving parity with traditional campaign financing.
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Increasing the representation of everyday families at all levels of government helps ensure family-friendly policy: with representation comes representative policy, led by lawmakers who draw from their direct lived experiences. Caregivers, including parents with young children are less likely to run for office and only 5.3% of state legislators are mothers with children under eighteen. This bill would allow candidates running for office to use “clean election” public funding to cover costs associated with caring for dependents throughout their campaign. Removing barriers for all caregivers, including mothers who are disproportionately impacted by caregiving responsibilities, so they are able to participate in public services is crucial to ensuring broad representation in government.
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This bill has been referred to the Veterans and Legal Affairs committee and has it’s public hearing on 3/10.
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Check back soon!
LD 135 An Act to Provide Compensation to Members of the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women to Enhance Equitable Commission Participation from Across the State”
This bill sets up per diem compensation for members of the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women.
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Compensation for public service is central to ensuring equitable and accessibility representation and civic engagement. This bill creates a commensurate compensation rate (the legislative per diem) for members of the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women, who are currently not authorized to receive compensation for their services. Providing compensation for commission member’s labor recognizes the value they provide to the State of Maine while also ensuring that a lack of compensation does not serve as a barrier to serving on the Commission.
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This bill had it’s public hearing in the State and Local Government committee on Feb 10 and awaits next steps.
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LD 395 An Act to Restore Access to Federal Laws Beneficial to the Wabanaki Nations
This bill works to restore the Wabanaki Nation's inherent right to self-determination and self-governance by allowing access to Federal laws that the Wabanaki Nation has previously been excluded from.
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A legislative Task Force was created in 2019 to identify legislative recommendations to rectify the 1980 Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act which denied the Wabanaki Nation’s inherent right to tribal sovereignty. The Task Force’s report contains 22 consensus recommendations which the Legislature has considered in various bills over the past few sessions. This bill again brings forward the recommendations from the Task Force in an ongoing effort to restore the Wabanaki Nation's inherent right to self-determination and self-governance and extend access to Federal laws that the Wabanaki Nation has previously been excluded from.
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This bill has been referred to the Judiciary committee and awaits it’s public hearing.
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For more information on the work of our partners at the Wabanaki Alliance, head over to their website: www.wabanakialliance.com/
Building Care Infrastructure
& Economic Equity
LD 483 “An Act to Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue to Secure Prosperity for Maine Families and Businesses”
A proposed bond to invest in child care infrastructure.
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There has been a systemic, generational lack of investment in care infrastructure in Maine, and nation-wide. The ‘workforce behind the workforce’ is almost entirely underpaid women, and when childcare systems fall through, it is almost entirely women who pick up the pieces by stepping out of the workforce. This bill proposes a $100 million investment into child care infrastructure and offers financial matching for businesses, non-profits, and schools investing in child care programming. This investment aims to strengthen the availability and quality of child care in Maine.
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This bill been referred to the Appropriations and Financial Affairs committee and awaits it’s public hearing.
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As members of the Right From the Start Coalition, we are also supporting another proposed bill to implement the recommendations of last year’s Pre-K Commission (bill # TBA).
LD 60 “An Act to Allow Employees to Request Flexible Work Schedules”
Allowing employees to request a flexible work schedule and includes protections against retaliation for requests
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Care responsibilities requiring time away from work disproportionately fall on women. A lack of flexibility in work schedules too often cause women to work part time or leave the workforce altogether. This bill would allow employees to request a flexible work schedule and includes protections against retaliation for requesting flexible work arrangements. Creating more accommodations in the workplace allows women to stay in or re-enter full time employment which increases their earning potential, ability to access health insurance, save for retirement, and access full Social Security benefits in later life.
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This bill had it’s public hearing in the Labor committee on Feb 5 and awaits next steps.
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Check back soon!
LD 54 “An Act to Require Employers to Disclose Pay Ranges and Maintain Records of Employees' Pay Histories”
Requiring employers to include pay range on posted positions and maintenance of a record of positions and their pay scales.
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The pay gap between men and women remains an ongoing barrier for women’s economic equity and security. In 2021 the median earnings gap for men and women in Maine who worked full-time was $9,991, with even lower earnings for BIPOC and indigenous women. This bill requires employers with 10 or more employees to ensure that any posting of an employment opening includes the position pay range, and employers must maintain a record of positions and their pay scales. This bill will increase pay equity and transparency, which will give historically-underpaid women and BIPOC people the ability to hold employers accountable to equal pay for all.
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This bill had it’s public hearing in the Labor committee on Feb 5 and awaits next steps.
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Check back soon!
LD 522 “Resolve, Directing the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women to Study the Extent of Workforce Gender Segregation in the State”
Studying workforce segregation by gender and assessing any differences in safety or compensation.
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Women and gender-diverse people have always played vital roles in the workforce, however, their work has gone systemically undervalued, underpaid, unrecognized and unpaid. Occupational segregation continues to exist for women and gender-diverse people. Women, especially women of color, make up a disproportionate share of workers earning low wages and often work in undervalued, female-dominated occupations. As Maine’s labor market tightens, ensuring that all Mainers have the opportunity to safely and equitably participate in the industry of their choice is an economic and gender justice priority. This bill directs the Commission to study the extent of occupational and workforce segregation by gender in the state and assess any differences in safety or compensation related to that segregation. Ensuring that Maine’s industries are equitably promoting worker safety and fair compensation for employees of all genders promotes gender equity in the labor force while bolstering Maine’s long-term economic security.
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This bill will have it’s public hearing in the Labor committee on March 12.
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Check back soon!
LD 709 “An Act to Establish the Respite for ME Program”
Extending the Respite for Maine program to provide funding for Maine's caregivers, many of whom are women.
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Informal caregivers, who can disproportionately women, are essential to Maine's long-term care system, providing millions of hours of unpaid assistance to loved ones due to age, illness, or disability. Many caregivers experience stress and or financial hardship because of leaving the workforce or reducing working hours to better care for their loved ones. The Respite for Maine program, piloted in 2022, provides caregivers with a stipend that funds temporary care, assistive technology, and training and counseling. The program succeeded in decreasing rates of caregiver stress and lowering their reported overall burden. Of the pilot participants, seventy-five percent of participants were women. This bill extends the Respite for Maine program and provides funding for Maine's caregivers, many of whom are women, to support their own mental and physical health as they care for others.
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This bill will have it’s public hearing in the Health and Human Services committee on March 14.
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Check back soon!
Ensuring Reproductive
& Gender-Affirming Health
# TBA “An Act to Improve Perinatal Care Through Expanded Access to Doula Services”
Expanding MaineCare to reimburse perinatal services performed by doulas.
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Perinatal health outcomes and maternal mortality remains an ongoing crisis, with significantly worse outcomes for BIPOC pregnant people. Access to high-quality perinatal care in Maine remains an ongoing challenge, especially for BIPOC pregnant people and those living in rural areas. This bill would improve access to Doula birth care workers who can support a pregnant person throughout pregnancy and postpartum by making doula services eligible for MaineCare reimbursements. Making doula services eligible for MaineCare insurance reimbursement at a sustainable rate will enable more Mainers to have access to doula care, while also ensuring a stable doula workforce.
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Check back soon!
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This bill is in the drafting stage! Check back soon for more details!
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Check back soon!
LD 155 “An Act to Make Menstrual Products Available in Certain Schools”
Requiring schools with grades 6-12 to make period products available in school bathrooms at no cost.
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One in four students who get periods have struggled to afford period products and 38% of students report being unable to do their best work because of lack of period supplies. Lack of access to these products can negatively affect student attendance and academic success. This bill would require schools with grades 6-12 to make period products available in school bathrooms at no cost and students attend school without worrying about if and how they will be able to afford period products. The passage of this legislation would have Maine joining sixteen other states that have already taken this active step to commit to a more gender just education system.
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This bill has been referred to the Education and Cultural Affairs committee and awaits it’s public hearing.
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Check back soon!
LD 143 “An Act to Improve Women's Health and Economic Security by Funding Family Planning Services”
Investing in Maine’s 60+ family planning sites to ensure access to essential healthcare services are available, accessible, and affordable.
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Maine’s 60+ family planning clinics are essential to Maine's public health infrastructure and protecting the health of Maine’s women. Family planning clinics provide a range of healthcare services, including birth control, STI testing, cancer screenings, and full spectrum reproductive healthcare, which support the economic security, health, and wellbeing of Mainers. 35,849 individuals accessed care at these sites in 2022, showing their necessity and positive impact on Maine’s healthcare infrastructure, especially for those living in rural areas who may access the majority of their healthcare through these clinics. This bill would ensure the needed ongoing appropriations for family planning services in Maine to ensure these essential healthcare services are available, accessible, and affordable.
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This bill has been referred to the Health and Human Services committee and has it’s public hearing on 3/10/25.
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Check back soon!
LD 94 “An Act to Eliminate Miscarriage Reporting Requirements”
This bill eliminates the requirement that healthcare professionals must report to the Department of Health and Human Services each occurrence of a miscarriage.
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Pregnancy and miscarriages are deeply personal experiences, and respecting the bodily autonomy of a pregnant person is central to the ongoing pursuit of reproductive justice. This bill would eliminate outdated miscarriage reporting requirements for doctors. Eliminating these reporting requirements provides additional privacy for pregnant people while ensuring that potentially sensitive personal information remains confidential.
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This bill has been referred to the Health and Human Services committee and awaits it’s public hearing.
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Check back soon!
LD 163 “An Act to Require Health Insurance Coverage for Federally Approved Nonprescription Oral Hormonal Contraceptives and Nonprescription Emergency Contraceptives”
This bill requires health insurers to cover nonprescription oral hormonal contraceptives and emergency contraceptives without a prescription.
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Expanding options for family planning promotes economic security and reproductive autonomy. This bill requires all insurance policies to provide coverage for prescription contraceptives and to provide coverage for nonprescription, over-the-counter oral hormonal contraceptives approved by the FDA. Nine in ten women have used contraception at some point in their lives, but not everyone has consistent access to this essential healthcare. The cost and logistical challenges of obtaining a prescription, compounded by challenges relating to work and childcare arrangements, create substantial barriers to contraception access - which disproportionately affect women who are rurally located, low-income, and without reliable access to transportation. By mandating insurance coverage of all FDA-approved over-the-counter contraceptive methods, this bill addresses financial barriers that hinder access to essential reproductive care.
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This bill had it’s public hearing in Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services committee on Feb 5 and awaits next steps.
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Check back soon!
Ending Gender-Based
& Carceral Violence
LD117 An Act to Provide Funding for Sexual Assault Services
Funding core victim services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
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While anyone can experience sexual violence, rates are higher against women and trans people, and BIPOC individuals. The majority of core services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence, including legal services and victim advocates, are funded through the Federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA). However, reductions in VOCA funding left Maine (and all other states) with a significant funding gap which could lead to devastating cuts to services without action from the state. After a one-year stop gap was passed last year, this year’s bill would ensure ongoing funding for these critical services to support this crucial network of systems.
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This bill has been referred to the Health and Human Services committee and awaits it’s public hearing.
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Check back soon!
LD 246 An Act to Establish the Option of Sentencing Alternatives for Primary Caregivers
This bill requires a court to consider a sentencing alternative other than imprisonment due to the defendant's being a primary caregiver.
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Women are the primary caregivers for minors, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities at much higher rates than men. On average, women spend eight and a half more hours per week on parenting and domestic duties compared to men. Additionally, 59% of caregivers for the elderly are women. This bill requires a court to consider a sentencing alternative other than imprisonment in situations when the defendant is a primary caregiver. This bill acknowledges the emotional and financial burden that arises when a primary caregiver is removed from a community or family, and underscores the importance of caregivers' roles and responsibilities.
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This bill has been referred to the Judiciary committee and has it’s public hearing on Feb 13.
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Check back soon!