In response to the COVID-19, the Maine Legislature adjourned on Tuesday March 17, 2020. It is unclear whether lawmakers will re-convene for a Special Session before November. Many important pieces of environmental legislation remain unfinished. NRCM will be following the situation closely and will update this page if the Legislature decides to return for further votes this session.
NRCM reviews every bill under consideration at the State House to determine which ones deserve support and which ones should be opposed based on their potential impact on Maine’s environment. This page provides updates on the priority bills that we will be following during the 2020 legislative session. More bills will be added in January, 2020, after the session begins.
Another great way to stay informed during the session is to sign up for NRCM's Action Network. You can choose issues of importance to you and get emails and links to action alerts so that you can make your voice heard at a moment's notice when your legislators need to hear from you most on issues related to Maine's clean air, clean water, sustainable forestry, wildlife habitat, and more.
- Learn about our 2020 legislative priorities
- Take action on important issues by visiting our Take Action page.
- Read legislative testimony by NRCM staff.
| 2020 Bill Information & Summary | NRCM Position | Status Update |
|---|---|---|
| Reduce plastic pollution & increase recycled content in plastic bottles (LD 102) | NRCM Supports | Bill tabled on February 13. Work session held on February 27. Facts about LD 102 and list of supporting organizations & businesses |
| Preserve State landfill capacity (LD 401) | NRCM Supports | Voted out of committee as Ought to Pass as Amended on February 5. |
| Product stewardship for tobacco product waste (LD 544) | NRCM Supports | Bill tabled on February 13. Work session held on February 27. |
| Funding for Land for Maine's Future & State Parks (LD 911) | NRCM Supports | Bill still in Appropriations Committee Read fact sheet. |
| Bond funding for municipal clean energy projects (LD 1119) | NRCM Supports | Bill still in Appropriations Committee |
| Increase safe disposal of prescription drugs (LD 1460) | NRCM Supports | Work session held on February 13. Read bill fact sheet. |
| Product stewardship program for batteries (LD 1594) | NRCM Supports | Voted by ENR Committee as Ought Not to Pass on February 12. |
| Restore local ownership of state's power delivery systems (LD 1646) | NRCM Supports | Bill tabled at February 13 work session. Read NRCM testimony from 2019. |
| Commercial property-assessed clean energy loan program (LD 1748) | NRCM Supports | Bill tabled in committee at work session on January 30. |
| Establish appliance energy and water standards (LD 1750) | NRCM Supports | Work session held on February 5. Read NRCM testimony. |
| Clean water standards for public treatment systems & plants (LD 1779) | NRCM Supports | Voted by ENR Committee Ought to Pass as Amended Read NRCM testimony. |
| Increase funding to implement Maine's clean water program (LD 1832) | NRCM Supports | Read NRCM testimony. |
| Protect public lands and require legislative approval for leases of public lands for commercial use (LD 1893) | NRCM Supports with significant amendments | Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry Committee voted Ought to Pass as Amended on February 18. Read NRCM testimony. |
| Purchasing electric school buses (LD 1894) | NRCM Supports | Read NRCM testimony. |
| Promote retail bulk purchasing & allow people to bring own reusable containers to fill up (LD 1933) | NRCM Supports | Voted out of committee as Ought to Pass as Amended. Read NRCM testimony. |
| Consumer's right to repair electronic products (LD 1977) | NRCM Supports | Bill tabled at February 13 work session. Read NRCM testimony. |
| Ban certain uses of Neonicotinoids & publish annual info about pesticides (LD 2083) | NRCM Supports | Voted out of committee on Feb. 20 with a divided report. Read NRCM testimony. |
| Lift 10-person community solar limit for northern Maine (LD 2093) | NRCM Supports | Public hearing held on February 11. |
| Recycling reform bill (LD 2104) | NRCM Supports | Public hearing held on February 26. Read bill fact sheet. Learn more about recycling reform & sign the petition in support Read NRCM testimony. |
| Limit HFC climate pollution (LD 2112) | NRCM Supports | Passed out of committee with unanimous Ought to Pass as Amended. Read NRCM testimony. |
| Prohibit foreign influences in Maine elections (LD 2136) | NRCM Supports | Public hearing held on March 11. Read NRCM testimony. |
| Outcome-based forestry and use of glyphosate (LD 2142) | NRCM Supports | Public hearing held on March 10. Work session held on March 12. |
| Bill to slightly tweak the plastic bag law (LD 2148) | NRCM Supports | No public hearings or work sessions have been scheduled yet. |
Today’s Happenings at the State House—LIVE ONLY DURING SESSION
Note: Bills are listed in order by bill LD number (found in the left column).
Be sure to stay informed about important actions on bills affecting Maine's environment by signing up for NRCM's Action Network. You will be able to take action at a moment's notice on bills related to Maine's air, land, water, and wildlife.
To view past years' legislative bill information, scroll to the green footer at the bottom of this page.
