Dear community advocates,
The 2025 state legislative session has officially wrapped—and thanks to your voice and support, we made real progress for ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) families and individuals across Maine. As the dust settles, we want to thank you for your continued advocacy and share a quick round-up of what was—and wasn’t—achieved this session.
Here’s what you need to know:
✅ Budget Wins that Support Maine Families:
The supplemental budget passed by the Maine Legislature and signed into law by Governor Mills on June 23, 2025, includes several important wins that United Way advocated for:
- Free School Meals – Fully funded for another year
- Child Care Educator Salary Supplement – Preserved
- Head Start – Fully funded
- Child Care Tax Credit – Doubled for Maine families
- MaineCare Stability – $118 million investment
In Maine, budgets usually take effect 90 days after adjournment sine die, which occurred on June 25, 2025. That means most provisions become law around September 16, 2025—unless specific items were designated as emergency provisions (which take effect immediately).
✅ Enacted Bills – Signed into Law by Governor Mills
These bills passed both chambers, were funded, and have been signed into law.
LD 698 – An Act to Sustain Emergency Homeless Shelters in Maine
The bill provides $5 million annually to support emergency shelter operations, doubling the previous state subsidy and increasing the per-bed reimbursement to $19 per night.
⌛ Enacted Bills Awaiting Governor’s Actions
These Bills were enacted by the Legislature and are now held by Governor Mills. Formal action will occur when the Legislature reconvenes for three or more days, likely in January 2026.
LD 1738 – An Act to Establish the Biohazard Waste Disposal Grant Program to Support Public Health Efforts in the State
This bill creates a new program within the Maine Department of Health and Human Service’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention to support disposal of improperly discarded hypodermic needs and related biohazard waste.
LD 1955 – An Act to Increase Child Affordability and Early Childhood Educator Stability
The bill establishes a Salary Sustainability Program with tiered wage supplements, scholarships, and apprenticeships for early educators. Makes permanent the Child Care Employment Award and supports long-term funding and workforce development strategies.
❌Not All Bills Moved Forward:
Of the 11 bills we tracked, nine were not fully enacted and/or funded. For more detailed information on each bill, you can check out our 2025 Advocacy Scorecard, but key items that did not pass, were carried over until the next session, and/or were not funded include:
LD 128 – An Act to Support Permitting of Certain Multifamily Housing Developments Under the Site Location of Development Laws
This bill was carried over to the next session.
LD 193 – An Act to Fund Students in Maine Schools Who Are Experiencing Homelessness This bill did not move forward this session.
LD 219 – An Act to Limit Hypodermic Apparatus Exchange Programs to a One-for-one Exchange
This bill did not move forward this session.
LD 483 – An Act to Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue to Secure Prosperity for Maine Families and Businesses
This bill was carried over to the next session.
LD 514 – Resolve, to Raise MaineCare Reimbursement Rates for Detoxification Services for Substance Use Disorder Treatments
This bill did not move forward this session.
LD 641 – An Act to Support Diversion Efforts to Prevent Homelessness in Maine
This bill was carried over to the next session. This was a United Way of Southern Maine-led bill.
LD 690 – An Act to Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue to Provide Funding for Affordable and Low-income Housing Programs
This bill was carried over into next session.
LD 1022 – An Act to Protect and Increase Access to Justice in Civil Legal Matters for Persons with Low Incomes
This bill was carried over into next session.
LD 1029 – An Act to Ensure General Assistance for Housing Does Not Reduce Assistance for Other Basic Necessities and to Increase Presumptive Eligibility and State Reimbursement for General Assistance
This bill did not move forward this session.
📊 2025 Advocacy Scorecard Now Available
We have finalized United Way of Southern Maine’s 2025 Advocacy Scorecard, which highlights the bills and budget items United Way tracked this session, including where each item landed and how your advocacy made a difference—and where we still have work to do.
✨ Keep the Momentum Going
✅ Share the scorecard with a friend or colleague.
✅ Watch for a Summer Advocacy Action email in August with more ways to stay engaged.
✅ Encourage others to sign up for United Way of Southern Maine advocacy alerts to stay informed.
Thank you for being a part of this movement, and for helping advance policies that strengthen our community. Your voice is essential—and we couldn’t do it without your support.
