legislative efforts.
Pro-life advocacy.
Maine Right to Life actively engages in legislative advocacy to promote pro-life values. Our organization works closely with state legislators to draft, support, and advance bills that protect the sanctity of life at all stages. Through educational efforts, public awareness campaigns, and grassroots mobilization, we encourage citizens to voice their support for pro-life legislation.
We also monitor legislative developments to oppose measures that could expand access to abortion or legalize practices like assisted suicide. By providing expert testimony and educating policymakers, the organization seeks to influence state laws to align with its mission of preserving and defending human life.
legislative update.
RTL updates this page as needed during the Maine Legislative session and in the “off” season, we strive to update each Friday. Thank you for checking back often!
Update 02/27/26:
The Maine Legislature is back in session, scheduled to end on April 15th. We start week 9.
We are watching committee schedules:
Maine State House and Maine State Senate
March schedule: Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday, 10am start scheduled
April schedule: Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday-Friday, 10 am start scheduled
March 4, 2026 is Hands At The Capital, 1pm to 4pm. Please join us!
We Need You There!
March 4, 2026 is Hands At The Capital, 1pm to 4pm. Please join us!
Speakers with planned 1:30 start:
Mike McClellan – Executive Director, Maine Right To Life
Suzanne Lafreniere – Director, Office of Public Policy and Pro-Life Ministry Liaison
Senator Trey Stewart – Maine State Senate Minority Leader
Meet many of the non-profits who are in the field in Maine.
MAINE LEGISLATIVE NOTES
During the time up to last fall’s vote on Voter ID, The Maine Democrat Party missed filing State Ethics Forms at least 4 times. Maine Ethics is currently studying the situation and agrees with the premise.
MRTL typically is watching:
Education and Cultural Affairs (EDU)
Health and Human Services (HHS)
Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services (HCIFS)
Judiciary (JUD)
https://legislature.maine.gov/committee/#Committees
This Week:
*Watching for the LD 335 Work Session
*HCIFS Committee has LD 1119 on the schedule for 3/4/26, it is a concept draft and a member of the committee says there are no details available as of 2/27/26.
*Visit your legislators at Hands At The Capital on 3/4/26 at 1pm.
2026 Elections
*In the coming weeks/months -Local Party Caucuses
*June 9, 2026 – Maine Primary Day
*June 9, 20226 – Maine House #29 Special Election to fill vacant seat
*November 3, 2026 – US and Maine Election Day
Are you registered to Vote in Maine?
https://www.maine.gov/sos/elections-voting/registering-to-vote
Projected Maine Legislative Calendar 2026
March 4, 2026 Hands at the Capitol, 1:00–4:00 p.m. Maine State House, Hall of Flags
April 15, 2026 Projected adjournment of the 132nd Legislature (subject to change)
Thank you for standing with us. Together, we remain committed, vigilant, and ready to act for the dignity and value of every human life.
concept draft bills.
This means the intent of the bill is not being presented at this point. We do not yet know if we will support or oppose the content/intent of the bill.
LD 335-An Act to Safeguard Reproductive Rights
LD 355 would create a Maine funding stream in future years to protect Big Abortion in Maine when the Federal Government follows the law and denies taxpayer funding for abortion. An amount of $5,000,000 per year was suggested by the sponsor.
THE NEW BILL WITH CHANGES! (Seems different??)
SUMMARY 1. It establishes the Fund to Maintain Access to Statewide Family Planning Services to be distributed to a single grantee to provide management and oversight of the delivery of family planning services. Beginning in fiscal year 2027-28, the Fund has $5,000,000 in general funds appropriated each year.
2. It requires the Department of Health and Human Services to provide funding to Title X grantees in the State if funding has been reduced or eliminated by the federal government or the grantee has withdrawn from Title X due to the imposition of conditions attached to the funding.
3. It requires the Department of Health and Human Services to cover family planning services for MaineCare members who receive services from a provider that is a prohibited provider under Section 71113 of the federal HR 1 and any future similar federal law. Services provided after July 1, 2025 are reimbursed retroactively.
Sponsor: Rep. Kuhn
Committee: Health and Human Services
Work Session: 01/06/26
Public Hearing: February 25, 2026 @ 1:30pm
Work Session: waiting
LD 378-An Act to Strengthen the Health Care System in Maine
Sponsor: Sen. Bailey
Committee: Committee: Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services
LD 426-An Act to Protect the Human Rights of Individuals in the State
Sponsor: Rep. Kuhn
Committee: Judiciary
LD 1119-An Act Regarding Reproductive Health Care
Sponsor: Rep. Mooney
Committee: Committee: Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services
LD 1418-An Act to Protect Access to Reproductive Health Care, Including Fertility Treatments and Contraceptives
Sponsor: Sen Nangle
Committee: Health and Human Services
Committee Voted: Ought Not to Pass-Bill Terminated
LD 2005-An Act Regarding Mail Order Delivery of Prescription Drugs
It seems this bill seeks to prohibit the Commissioner of DHHS from adopting rules that ban or restrict access to reproductive healthcare.
Sponsor: Sen. Bailey
Committee: Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services
bills we support.
LD 127 An Act to Strengthen Legislative Oversight of Government Agencies and Programs by Reaffirming the Legislature’s Access to Confidential Records
This bill was carried over from 2025. With the recent announcements of 2 more child deaths, it is past time to shed integrity on the issue that shows Maine is the leading state for deaths of children connected to the state DHHS in the past few years. The bill summary states: This bill provides that the Government Oversight Committee may receive information and records that are privileged and confidential and that that information and those records are exempt from public disclosure.
Sponsor: Sen. Hickman
Committee: Judiciary
bills we oppose.
support pro-life legislation & legislators.
Maine Right to Life’s statewide structure is uniquely and ideally suited for coordinating support for
pro-life legislation as well as blocking legislation harmful to the protection of life.
Maine Legislator Voting Records
2026 Maine Elections
Primary Election June 2026
General Election November 3, 2026
Candidates are starting to enter the Maine US Senate, US Congressional, and Maine Governor’s (Open) races.
As of July 23, 2025, these folks have announced:
Maine US Senate 2026 announced candidates
- Sen. Susan Collins (R)
- Daniel Smeriglio (R)
- Carmen Calabrese (R)
- Natasha Alcala (D)
- David Costello (D)
- Tucker Favreau (D)
- Andrea LaFlamme (D)
- Graham Platner (D)
- Dan Kleban (D)
- Janet Mills (D)
- David Evans (D)
- Tim Rich (I)
Maine Governor 2026 announced candidates
- Robert J. Wessels (R)
- Kenneth Capron (R)
- Robert (Bobby) Charles (R)
- David Jones (R)
- James Libby (R)
- Owen McCarthy (R)
- Ben Midgley (R)
- Jonathan Bush (R)
- David Foster (R)
- Garrett Mason (R)
- Shenna Bellows (D)
- Troy Jackson (D)
- Angus King, III (D)
- Hannah Pingree (D)
- Jason Cherry (D)
- Nirav Shah (D)
- Rick Bennett (I)
- Alexander Murchison (I)
- John Glowa Sr (I)
- Edward Crockett (I)
- Derek Levasseur (I)
2026 Maine US Congressional District 1 Announced Candidates
- Joshua James Duprey (R)
- Andrew Piantidosi (R)
- Ronald Russell (R)
- Joshua Pietrowicz (R)
- Chellie Pingree (D)
- Tiffany Roberts (D)
get involved by attending and/or Providing testimony at a public hearing.
Visit Maine.gov for explanations and instructions for testifying.
Visit the Legislative Committee’s on-line calendar.
- Be prepared for the day. Depending on the number of people testifying, it could go for many hours.
- Testimony is usually 1-3 minutes long per person.
- Personal short stories or experiences related to the bill are especially impactful.
- Bring 20 paper copies of your testimony with you to give the committee
- See example below on how to address the committee in verbal and written testimonies.
- Submit testimony online directly on www.mainelegislature.org/testimony/
- Personal short stories or experiences related to the bill are especially impactful
- Know the LD# and committee
- See the example below on how to address the committee in verbal and written testimonies.
(Note: start with addressing the Senator and Representative leads of the committee and the committee itself, state who you are and where you are from, state if you support/oppose, and the LD# and title of the bill and sponsor.)
Judiciary Committee example:
Senator Carney and Representative Kuhn and distinguished members of the Maine Judiciary Committee. My name is __________ from __(town)___. I am here to testify in _____support of/opposition of_____
______LD# and bill title and sponsor_____.
Health and Human Services Committee example:
Senator Ingwersen and Representative Meyer and distinguished members of the Maine Health and Human Services Committee. My name is __________ from __(town)___. I am here to testify in _____support of/opposition of_______LD# and bill title and sponsor_____.
Maine State and Local Government Committee example:
Senator Baldacci and Representative Salisbury and distinguished members of the Maine State and Local Government Committee. My name is _________, from ___(town)___. I am here to testify in ____support/opposition of____ ____LD# and bill title and sponsor____.