Key legislators
Who's moving criminal justice in Maine
Showing 11–16 of 16
bills
All criminal justice bills
LD 1266 requires Maine's Attorney General to form a working group to create a plan expanding access to adult drug, family, and veterans treatment courts statewide. The group must include stakeholders like courts, corrections, health departments, prosecutors, and advocacy organizations to ensure every county has access to these specialty courts for defendants whose criminal involvement relates to substance use disorders. The working group must submit its recommendations and suggested legislation to the Judiciary Committee by January 1, 2026. This resolve does not change current law but directs a study to improve access to treatment-based court options.
LD 1366 amends Maine's drug laws to change penalties for cocaine base possession and importation. It raises the possession threshold for cocaine base from 4 grams to 14 grams for Class B charges (previously a Class B crime for possession over 4 grams), and removes cocaine base from the list of "schedule W drugs" that trigger enhanced penalties for prior drug offenders. The bill also modifies the Class A crime for importation by deleting the specific 32-gram threshold for cocaine base (previously a Class A crime for importing 32g or more of cocaine base). These changes directly affect individuals possessing or importing cocaine base who have prior drug convictions.
LD 179 repeals the law that classified violating a court-imposed release condition (while on preconviction or post-conviction bail) as a Class E crime. This directly affects individuals released before trial or after conviction who fail to follow court-mandated conditions. The bill eliminates this specific offense and removes a related reference in Maine law, but it does not change the existing Class C crime for the same violation. The policy change simplifies the legal consequences for minor release violations without altering more serious charges.
This bill updates Maine's definition of "machine gun" to include any part or combination of parts designed to convert a standard firearm into a machine gun (such as devices enabling multiple shots per trigger pull or crank/lever systems). It also creates a new Class D crime for knowingly possessing a "rapid-fire device" without authorization. A rapid-fire device is defined as any part or device that increases a semi-automatic firearm's rate of fire beyond normal operation, including recoil-powered triggers or manual crank/lever mechanisms. The law directly affects individuals who own or possess such devices, making their possession illegal without legal authority.
LD 1034 would decriminalize the personal possession of up to one ounce of psilocybin for adults aged 21 or older in Maine. Currently, possessing psilocybin is a criminal offense, but this bill removes that penalty for small amounts held by adults. The key provision specifies that possession of one ounce or less of psilocybin by a person 21 years or older would no longer be considered a violation of state law. This change applies solely to personal possession and does not affect the legal status of psilocybin for sale, distribution, or other uses.
This bill removes the requirement that the Maine Criminal Justice Academy's law enforcement training program must be residential. The amendment allows the Board of Trustees to offer non-residential options, such as part-time or online courses, in addition to or instead of traditional residential training. It directly affects the Maine Criminal Justice Academy and law enforcement officers seeking certification in Maine. The change modifies the program's structure by eliminating the residential mandate without altering other training standards.
