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.
MRTL 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 07/17/26:
MAINE LEGISLATIVE NOTES
Out of session.
Even though the Maine Legislature has adjourned sine die (meaning it has formally ended its regular session), it can reconvene before the November 3, 2026 election in a special session.
There are a few ways this can happen:
The Governor can call a special session when there is an extraordinary need.
The Legislature can call itself back. Under the Maine Constitution, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House may call a special session with the consent of a majority of the members of each political party, after members have been polled.
Special sessions are typically limited to a small number of pressing issues and may last only a day or a few days.
Is it likely before Election Day?
It is possible, but generally not common unless there is a significant reason, such as:
- A budget emergency.
- A natural disaster or other public emergency.
- The need to act quickly because of federal law or funding changes.
- Confirmation of appointments or another urgent matter.
In recent years, Maine has occasionally held special sessions after adjourning, so it is certainly not unprecedented. In fact, the frequency of post-adjournment sessions has become enough of an issue that legislation has even been proposed to limit how soon the Legislature could be called back after adjourning
In National News
National Right To Life We all seek equality, right?
https://nrlc.org/nrlnewstoday/2026/07/equality-begins-in-the-womb/
LifeNews Amazing how the age keeps getting younger!
https://www.lifenews.com/2026/07/09/baby-born-at-22-weeks-and-given-10-chance-to-live-celebrates-1st-birthday/
National News “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
https://townhall.com/columnists/thomasglessner/2026/06/30/the-sentence-that-forever-changed-history-n2678528
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 426-An Act to Protect the Human Rights of Individuals in the State
Sponsor: Rep. Kuhn
Committee: Judiciary
Committee Vote: Ought to Pass
Update: The legislation was later flagged as “Leave to Withdraw.”
What this means:
The sponsor was granted permission to withdraw the bill, and the Legislature agreed to stop considering it. The legislation is effectively dead for this session. 🙂
LD 1119-An Act Regarding Reproductive Health Care
Sponsor: Rep. Mooney
Committee: Committee: Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services
Update: The legislation was flagged as “Leave to Withdraw.”
What this means: The sponsor was granted permission to withdraw the bill, ending further consideration by the Legislature. 🙂
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
What this means: The legislation was defeated during the committee process and did not advance further. 🙂
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
Committee Vote: Ought to pass
Update: Bill Terminated
What this means:
No final action was taken on this legislation. At a time when Maine continues to face serious concerns regarding deaths of youth connected to or in the custody of Maine DHHS, the failure to advance greater legislative oversight is deeply troubling. 🙁
bills we oppose.
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.
New SUMMARY
Sponsor: Rep. Kuhn
Committee: Health and Human Services
Work Session: 01/06/26
Public Hearing: February 25, 2026 @ 1:30pm
Work Session:Tuesday March 10, 2026 at 1pm
Committee Vote: Ought to Pass in a split vote
Update: Legislation Passed
What this means: Maine will now include $5 million annually in the state budget to offset potential federal funding reductions affecting abortion providers in Maine. 🙁 🙁
LD 2212 (Supplemental Budget) An Act Making Supplemental Appropriations and Allocations from the General Fund and Other Funds for the Expenditures of State Government and Changing Certain Provisions of the Law Necessary to the Proper Operations of State Government for the Fiscal Years Ending June 30, 2026 and June 30, 2027 –
A one-time funding of $2.25 Million has been added to the supplemental budget for Maine’s Big Abortion.
Our concern here is this would even more funding for them when you consider the LD 335 funding that is pending.
Sponsor: Rep. Drew Gattine of Westbrook
Committee: Appropriations & Financial Affairs
Update: The bill passed and was signed into law by Janet Mills.
What this means: The supplemental budget includes a one-time allocation of $2.25 million for abortion-related funding in Maine. 🙁
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
legislators who support life.
We thank these legislators for their willingness to publicly affirm the value and dignity of every human life and for their continued service to the people of Maine.
Maine State Senators
Sen. Harold “Trey” Stewart III — District 2
Sen. Richard Bradstreet — District 15
Sen. Susan Bernard — District 1
Maine State Representatives
Rep. Katrina Smith – District 62
Rep. Tracy Quint — District 8
Rep. Dick Campbell — District 19
Rep. Steven Foster — District 32
Rep. Reagan Paul — District 37
Rep. Alicia Collins — District 61
Rep. Laurel Libby — District 90
Rep. John “Jack” Ducharme—District 71
Rep. Elizabeth Caruso—District 72
Rep. Rachel Henderson—District 78
If you are a legislator and would like to be added to the list, please contact mike@mainerighttolife.org
2026 Maine Elections
General Election November 3, 2026
Maine Democrat Party Process to Replace and choose a US Senate Candidate
Candidate Platner resigned within a time frame that allows the Democrat Party to pick a new candidate. They are calling all 16 Maine County Democrat Party’s to meet on July 18 or 19 to pick Delegates. Every Maine Democrat who was a Democrat on June 9th can participate in these local county meetings. The meeting can be in person or virtual. The state party will announce the date, time and location of all these meetings by July 15th.
If you want to be a delegate, you must file your intent by 5pm, July 15th. If you wish to go to your local meeting, they ask you to pre-register by July 16 to make it a smoother transition. Here is their voter guide to help you understand: https://mainedems.org/senate-race/
The nominating meeting will occur in Bangor on July 25th at 9am.
Election Day
Tuesday November 3, 2026
116 Days until Election Day
Are you registered, especially consider if you have moved recently?
Are you registered to Vote in Maine? https://www.maine.gov/sos/elections-voting/registering-to-vote
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____.