This bill mandates that all school buses in Maine, including older models, must be equipped with a crossing arm and requires operators to activate it whenever the bus is stopped to pick up or drop off students. The law establishes a Class E crime for failing to use the crossing arm when required and imposes a minimum two-year revocation of the operator's school bus endorsement as a penalty. By making these safety measures mandatory, the legislation aims to improve child safety during student transportation without changing other aspects of school bus operations.
LD 2017 updates Maine's school nutrition laws by allowing applications for free or reduced-price meals to be submitted directly to the agency that determines student eligibility (not just the school). It preserves existing rules about student access to food, handling meal debt, and prohibiting the use of food as discipline in schools. The bill removes a requirement for an online application system, resulting in a $250,000 reduction in state funding for 2026-27. This change affects students and schools participating in the National School Lunch Program by simplifying the eligibility application process.
LD 787 clarifies residency rules for Maine School of Science and Mathematics (MSSM) students and provides dedicated funding. It changes eligibility from requiring 6 months of Maine residency before application to requiring residency at the start of the academic year for which funding is requested. The bill allocates $650,000 annually ($400,000 for administrative operations, $250,000 for financial aid) to support in-state students with demonstrated financial need for room and board expenses. This directly affects Maine students applying to MSSM, making residency requirements more flexible while ensuring ongoing funding for the school's operations and student support.
This bill prohibits public schools receiving state funding in Maine from allowing students assigned male at birth to participate in athletic programs designated exclusively for females. It directly affects all Maine public schools, including elementary, secondary, and postsecondary institutions, that receive state funds. The key provision requires schools to exclude individuals whose biological sex was assigned male at birth from female-designated sports teams and activities. The law applies regardless of gender identity or current gender expression.
This bill prohibits Maine public school districts from adopting policies that allow students to use restrooms designated for the opposite sex based on their gender identity. It directly affects school administrative units (public schools) and students who identify as transgender or gender-diverse. The law amends state statute to require schools to restrict restroom access to facilities designated by the student's sex assigned at birth, rather than their gender identity. The Department of Education must update its rules to align with this requirement. The bill does not address other school facilities or policies beyond restroom designation.
This bill removes the previous restriction that prevented school boards from expelling or suspending students in grade 5 or below. It allows school boards to expel or suspend students of any grade level for specific serious infractions, including violence, possession of firearms or dangerous weapons, or drug trafficking. For students in grade 5 and below, out-of-school suspensions are limited to a maximum of 3 days unless there is imminent danger of serious injury. The bill also repeals prior provisions related to student conduct policies for younger grades.
LD 1461 prohibits Maine school boards from requiring students, staff, or visitors to wear masks in schools or school activities. The bill defines a "mask mandate" as any school board policy imposing mask-wearing and explicitly bans school boards from implementing or enforcing such policies. It directs the Maine Department of Education to oversee compliance and allows penalties, including withholding state funds, for violations. This law directly affects school boards and administrative units across Maine, removing their authority to enforce mask requirements in educational settings.
LD 1395 requires school library databases used by Maine K-12 students to block child pornography, obscene material, and content depicting sexual exploitation of minors. Schools must withhold payment from non-compliant providers and treat repeated failures as a contract breach. The bill also removes an exception allowing schools to share obscene material for "educational purposes," closing a prior loophole. Additionally, it permits schools to integrate human trafficking prevention lessons into curricula, teaching students to recognize signs of sexual abuse and exploitation, and mandates staff training on these topics. These changes directly affect schools, library providers, and students across Maine.
