Legislative Corner
As a community health coalition, Healthy Acadia supports efforts at the local, state, and national levels to promote equitable access to resources and to improve health. We believe that everyone must have robust and fair opportunities to achieve their best health. We join with organizations across the state to voice support for the following proposed bills and bond measures currently before the 131st Maine Legislature that will help to address health challenges and build vibrant communities.
L.D. 1156: The Maine Trails Bond
More people than ever are discovering and exploring the great Maine outdoors. If approved, The Maine Trails Bond would launch the state’s first-ever grant program dedicated solely to supporting the development and maintenance of recreational trails. This $30 million bond, distributed over four years, would provide grants to municipalities and nonprofits, including Tribal organizations, to support non-motorized, motorized, and multi-use trails. The funds would help address the huge need for investment in trail design, construction, and maintenance in the state, and would be set up similarly to the Land for Maine's Future program.
Publicly accessible recreational trails and outdoor spaces play a critical role in supporting and improving health. Trails provide individuals and communities with readily accessible spaces for outdoor activities, foster physical exercise and promote healthier lifestyles. Dedicated areas for walking, jogging, cycling, and various sports are crucial for combating the rising tide of health issues. Regular engagement in outdoor physical activity aids in reducing obesity rates, enhances cardiovascular well-being, and contributes to better mental health.
Public access to recreational trails plays a vital role in strengthening community bonds by serving as gathering points for individuals from diverse backgrounds. These spaces encourage social interaction, allowing people of all ages and backgrounds to come together, fostering inclusivity, and creating opportunities for building strong relationships.
How you can help
Send a message to your legislators to urge support for The Maine Trails Bond to provide funding for the design, construction, and maintenance of trails of all types. Click here.
L.D. 199: An Act to Improve the Health of Maine Residents by Removing Exclusions to the MaineCare Program
Many of our friends and neighbors living and working in Maine communities go without life-saving medication, healthcare screenings, timely treatment, and more, simply because their immigration status prevents them from qualifying for Maine’s Medicaid program, MaineCare. Without insurance, the high cost of health care can cause individuals and families to delay or decline care, leading to devastating health outcomes and higher healthcare costs for all.
L.D. 199 would provide MaineCare to all Mainers with qualifying low-income, regardless of immigration status. The bill would provide much-needed fairness, equity, and simplicity to the Medicaid program, improve health, and lower overall healthcare costs. Current Maine law provides MaineCare to those with qualifying low income who are younger than 21 or pregnant. This bill would eliminate the restriction for adults, thereby helping to prevent harm and improve health through affordable medicine and preventive care.
Helping more people access health insurance will also benefit our workforce and economy. In 2018, immigrants in Maine contributed at least $193.9 million in state and local taxes, and the number is growing. Yet at this time, they can not access the healthcare system to which they contribute. With health insurance, individuals will miss fewer days of work, increase production, and reduce disability, benefiting not only themselves and their families, but also our economy as a whole. L.D. 199 would help close a small but unjust gap in our MaineCare system and advance equity, prosperity, health, and well-being.
How you can help
You can show your support for LD 199 by sending a message to your legislators: bit.ly/LD199allmeansall
In the 131st Legislative session, Maine Lawmakers are considering a number of bills that involve issues related to the Wabanaki Nations. The Wabanaki Alliance has prioritized support for the following bills that will soon come before the Maine Legislature. Healthy Acadia stands in solidarity with the Wabanaki People and follows the lead of the Wabanaki Alliance in support of the passage of these measures.
L.D. 25: An Act to Provide Indigenous Peoples Free Access to State Parks
This bill provides that a member of a federally recognized Indian nation, tribe, or band is not required to pay a fee for admission to or use of any state-owned park or historic site managed by the state of Maine. An amendment to the bill proposed in committee also waives camping fees.*
L.D. 78: RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to Article X of the Constitution of Maine Regarding the Publication of Maine Indian Treaty Obligations
This bill would restore language regarding Maine Indian treaty obligations to all printed copies of the Maine Constitution. In 1876, the state constitution was amended to remove certain sections of Article X from print. Article X incorporates most of the 1819 act that separated Maine from Massachusetts and includes a timeline for starting the new Maine government. Section 5 of the article, one of three affected by the 1876 amendment, clarifies Maine’s obligation to uphold and defend treaties made between Massachusetts and the Passamaquoddy and Penobscot Nations. While the three sections remain in force and can be read online, the 1876 amendment prohibits their inclusion in printed versions of the Constitution.
L.D. 78 is an amendment to the state constitution that would require that Section 5 be included in all printed copies of the constitution. Constitutional amendments require passage by two-thirds of each legislative chamber before advancing to the voters for approval. Learn more about the removal of section 5 in this report or watch REDACT, a recording of a Maine Historical Society panel discussion on the topic.*
L.D. 229: An Act to Compensate Tribal Governments for Basic Training for a Law Enforcement Officer Hired by Another Government Agency
This bill adds tribal governments to existing state law regarding reimbursement for law enforcement training. That statute stipulates that a government must reimburse training costs whenever it hires a full-time law enforcement officer whose training was paid for by another government entity. This requirement only applies within five years of the hired officer’s graduation from a police academy. LD 229 would add tribal governments and full-time law enforcement officers trained at the U.S. Indian Police Academy at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center to the list of governments eligible for reimbursement.*
L.D. 294: An Act to Include a Tribal Member in the Baxter State Park Authority
This bill would add a Wabanaki citizen to the Baxter State Park Authority, which has full power in the control and management of Baxter State Park. The nominee would be appointed by the governor based on a joint recommendation by tribal governments of the Mi’kmaq Nation, the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Motahkomikuk, the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Sipayik and the Penobscot Nation.*
LD 1642: An Act to Strengthen the Teaching of Wabanaki Studies in Maine Schools
This bill aims to strengthen the Wabanaki Studies Law, landmark legislation passed in 2001 that requires Maine schools to teach K-12 students about Wabanaki history, culture, and economic and government systems, as well as the Wabanaki Nations’ relationships with other governments. A report released on Indigenous Peoples’ Day in 2022 found that many Maine schools have failed to include Wabanaki Studies consistently and appropriately in their curriculum and that the law is not being meaningfully enforced.
LD 1642 establishes the Wabanaki Studies Commission to ensure Wabanaki studies are included in education curricula. The bill also provides permanent funding for resources, materials, and continuing education for teachers and encourages teachers to acquire Wabanaki studies content knowledge and instructional skills to enhance their ability to teach Wabanaki studies curricula.*
*These summaries originate from the Wabanaki Alliance’s website. For the latest updates, additional information, and links to the full-text content of each bill, visit https://wabanakialliance.com/
How you can help
You can show your support for any or all of the above measures by sending a message to your legislators asking them to vote YES.
Click here to find contact information for your legislators.
Updates
L.D. 1215: An Act to End the Sale of Flavored Tobacco Products
On April 25, 2023, members of Healthy Acadia’s staff team and Board of Directors, in partnership with Flavors Hook Kids Maine, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, and organizations across the state, testified before the Maine Legislature in support of the measure to ban the sale of flavored tobacco products in Maine.
Flavors mask the harsh taste of tobacco and can make it easier for young people to initiate and continue tobacco use. Flavors such as fruit, candy, and mint make tobacco products more enticing to young people, increasing the likelihood of experimentation and addiction. Banning flavored tobacco products can protect kids by reducing their appeal and accessibility. By prohibiting flavored tobacco, especially in products like e-cigarettes, the aim is to discourage young individuals from starting to use tobacco altogether.
On May 18, the Maine Legislature’s committee on Health and Human Resources recommended L.D. 1215 as ought to pass, sending the bill to the full legislature for vote in the coming weeks.
Healthy Acadia has joined with Full Plates, Full Potential, and other organizations across the state to voice support for the following measures aimed at increasing access to healthy and nutritious food for all. Click on the links below for information and how you can take action.
L.D. 1002: An Act to Require at Least a 30-minute Lunch Period for All Students
This bill would require Maine schools to allow at least 30 minutes to eat lunch as part of the National School Lunch Program. It also directs school districts to allow adequate time for recess and to schedule recess before lunch, a best practice that encourages students to sit and eat lunch after fresh air and exercise. Districts are given the option to opt out if a 30-minute lunch period and recess before lunch do not fit into their daily schedule.**
L.D. 1183: An Act to Establish a School Meal Equipment and Program Improvement Fund
Many schools lack critical kitchen equipment to provide nutritious meals to meet the needs of their students. This bill would establish a fund to support purchases of school kitchen and cafeteria equipment needed to provide nutritious meals to Maine students, as well as funding to support medically necessary dietary restrictions.**
L.D. 921: An Act to Improve the Local Foods Fund for Public Schools
A previous expansion in the Local Foods Fund resulted in a 350% increase in local food purchasing in schools. Only 71 out of 217 school districts utilized the fund last year, likely because the definition of processed food accepted for reimbursement through the fund leaves out many great Maine products that could add value to school meals. This bill gives the Maine Department of Education the authority to create standards for allowable value-added and processed Maine foods like bread, salsa, breaded local fish, and marinara sauce to be reimbursed through the Local Foods Fund.**
This measure was passed by the 131st Maine Legislature on May 11 and became law on May 22, 2023.
**Summary adapted from that originally published by Full Plates, Full Potential.
How You Can Help.
Contact your legislators to voice your support for the above measures. To find your legislators, follow this link.
For more information about the status of any of these bills in the legislative process, you can search using the L.D. number listed above through this Bill Tracker.