Healthcare

signed · Maine · House Jun 20, 2025

LD 613: An Act To Amend The Maine Death With Dignity Act To Ensure Access By Qualified Patients

LD 613 amends Maine's Death with Dignity Act to allow attending physicians to waive any portion or all of the waiting periods required for qualified patients to access end-of-life medication, based on the physician's medical assessment of the patient's condition. Physicians must document the waiver, including the specific portion waived and the medical reasoning that it serves the patient's best interests. This change directly affects patients eligible under Maine's Death with Dignity Act and their attending physicians. The amendment aims to improve timely access for patients facing urgent health circumstances without requiring the full waiting period.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAmends Death with Dignity Act to waive waiting periods, improving patient access to end-of-life medication under healthcare services.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

failed · Maine · House Jun 18, 2025

LD 532: An Act To Protect Health Care Workers By Addressing Assaults In Health Care Settings

LD 532 expands Maine's assault law to specifically protect all health care workers in hospital emergency rooms. The bill defines assault on these workers as a Class C crime, covering anyone employed or contracted by a state-licensed health care entity (including hospitals and clinics) while performing their job in the emergency room. This change directly affects health care workers in Maine's emergency departments by strengthening legal consequences for assaults against them. The key provision amends existing statute §752-F to broaden the definition beyond previous limitations, ensuring all licensed health care workers in emergency settings receive the same legal protection.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands assault law to protect health care workers, strengthening penalties for assaults in ERs under criminal justice framework95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill classifies assaults on healthcare workers in ERs as Class C crimes, directly protecting medical staff through strengthened legal safeguards in healthcare settings.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands assault law to protect health care workers in ERs, strengthening workplace safety protections for a key labor group.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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failed · Maine · House Jun 10, 2025

LD 886: An Act To Regulate Medication Abortions

LD 886 regulates medication abortions in Maine by requiring in-person consultations and prescriptions from licensed health care professionals. It prohibits purchasing or obtaining medication abortion drugs online and mandates that providers explain the process, expected experiences, physical/emotional/spiritual risks, and potential reversal options to patients. The bill directly affects individuals seeking medication abortions and the health care professionals who provide them. These provisions aim to standardize access and information for medication abortions under Maine law.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareRestricts medication abortion access via in-person mandates and online purchase bans, limiting patient options and provider flexibility per bill's prohibitions.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Healthcare

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failed · Maine · House Jun 10, 2025

LD 253: An Act To Prevent The Mainecare Program From Covering Abortion Services

LD 253 repeals Maine Revised Statutes, Title 22, section 3196, which previously required the MaineCare program (Maine's Medicaid program) to cover abortion services for enrollees. This bill removes the mandate that the Department of Health and Human Services fund abortion services, including state funding when federal Medicaid does not cover them. As a result, MaineCare would no longer be required to cover abortion services for its members. The bill directly affects MaineCare enrollees who previously had access to this coverage under the repealed law.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareRemoves mandate requiring MaineCare to cover abortion services, restricting healthcare coverage under Medicaid.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Healthcare

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failed · Maine · Senate Jun 10, 2025

LD 682: An Act To Amend Certain Laws Regarding Abortions

LD 682 requires healthcare providers to report abortion procedures to Maine's Department of Health and Human Services, including patient demographics like race, marital status, and education level, as specified by national public health standards. It changes the standard for abortions after fetal viability to allow them only when medically necessary to preserve the mother's life or health, or when a fetus has a "lethal fetal anomaly" (a condition likely to cause the baby's death within three months after birth). The bill reinstates criminal penalties for unlicensed individuals performing abortions or assisting unlicensed providers, and clarifies that only licensed physicians, physician assistants, or advanced practice nurses may perform abortions. These changes directly affect abortion providers, patients receiving care, and state health data collection.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareRestricts abortion access after viability and imposes mandatory reporting, limiting patient access to reproductive healthcare services per defined standards.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Healthcare

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failed · Maine · House Jun 4, 2025

LD 1712: An Act To Amend The Paid Family And Medical Leave Benefits Program To Balance Support Of Businesses And Employees

LD 1712 amends Maine's Paid Family and Medical Leave program to adjust requirements for employees and employers. It requires employees to give reasonable notice before taking leave and allows employers to deny leave based on specific, defined hardships (such as having fewer than 15 employees, a summer labor shortage, or more than 25% of staff already on leave), without review of such decisions. The bill also revises benefit calculations to replace 65% of average weekly wage (with 90% replacement for wages up to 50% of the state average and 66% for higher wages), shortens application deadlines for benefits (with waivers for good cause), and modifies premium payments so employers deduct 50% of the cost from employee wages while covering the remaining 50%.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareBill allows employers to deny medical leave for business hardships, restricting employee access to healthcare-related leave and reducing benefit replacement rates.85% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentAllows employers to deny leave based on business hardships (e.g., staff shortages), restricting employee access to benefits without review.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Healthcare

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failed · Maine · House Jun 3, 2025

LD 1273: An Act To Make Paid Family And Medical Leave Voluntary

This bill repeals Maine's mandatory paid family and medical leave program, making participation voluntary instead. It limits the program to employers with 50 or more employees and requires the Department of Labor to refund all contributions made under the previous mandatory system to both employers and employees by June 2026. Unappropriated funds from the leave program must be transferred to the state's general fund by June 30, 2026. The changes take effect retroactively to October 25, 2023.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesBill defunds mandatory leave program by refunding contributions and transferring unappropriated funds to general fund, eliminating dedicated revenue stream for the program.95% confidence ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareRepeals mandatory paid family/medical leave, limits coverage to large employers, and refunds contributions - reducing access to healthcare-related leave benefits and defunding the program.95% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentRepeals mandatory paid leave program, making it voluntary and limiting coverage to employers with 50+ employees, weakening worker protections and reducing benefits.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Healthcare

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failed · Maine · Senate Jun 3, 2025

LD 952: An Act To Exempt Agricultural Employers And Employees From The Maine Paid Family And Medical Leave Benefits Program

This bill exempts agricultural employers and employees from Maine's Paid Family and Medical Leave Benefits Program, directly affecting those working in agriculture as defined by state and federal law. It requires the Department of Labor to refund all contributions paid by agricultural employers and self-employed individuals to the program, including any premiums deducted from employee wages that must be returned to workers. The refunds apply retroactively to October 25, 2023, when contributions began. The legislation aims to halt economic harm to the agricultural sector by eliminating these financial obligations.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareExempts agricultural workers from medical leave program, restricting access to benefits under healthcare access policies.95% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentExempts agricultural workers from paid leave benefits, removing a key worker protection and requiring refunds of prior contributions, weakening coverage for this workforce.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Healthcare

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failed · Maine · House Jun 3, 2025

LD 406: An Act To Repeal The Laws Providing For Paid Family And Medical Leave And To Reimburse Taxpayers

LD 406 repeals Maine's paid family and medical leave program and requires the state to refund all contributions collected from employers and employees since January 1, 2025. The bill stops future contributions and mandates immediate refunds to taxpayers to address economic harm to businesses and workers. As an emergency measure, it bypasses Maine's standard 90-day legislative waiting period for immediate effect. This directly affects Maine employers and employees who had begun paying into the program in 2025.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareRepeals Maine's paid family and medical leave program, restricting employee access to healthcare services during medical needs by eliminating income support for leave.95% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentRepeals Maine's paid family and medical leave program, removing worker benefits and requiring refunds of contributions, directly weakening employment protections.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Healthcare

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failed · Maine · Senate May 22, 2025

LD 828: An Act To Allow Chiropractors To Be Designated As School Health Advisors

This bill (LD 828) amends Maine law to allow school boards to appoint licensed chiropractors as school health advisors, alongside physicians and nurse practitioners. It specifically adds "chiropractic doctors licensed under Title 32, Chapter 9" to the list of eligible professionals for this role. The change directly affects Maine public school districts and licensed chiropractors seeking this school-based advisory position. The bill does not alter the scope of practice for chiropractors or require them to treat students beyond their licensed role.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAdds chiropractors to school health advisor roles, expanding access to healthcare professionals in schools per healthcare policy subjects.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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