# Maine LD 1298: An Act Establishing Alternative Pathways to Social Worker Licensing

Maine LD 1298, An Act Establishing Alternative Pathways to Social Worker Licensing, is a 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) Senate bill sponsored by Rachel Talbot Ross (Democratic); status failed, last action 2025-06-18 (RELEASED.ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1298-132
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Maine LD 1298
- State: Maine
- Session: 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026)
- Title: An Act Establishing Alternative Pathways to Social Worker Licensing
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-03-25
- Last action: 2025-06-18, RELEASED.ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- Sponsor: Rachel Talbot Ross (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 9
- Subjects: HEALTH CARE PERSONNEL, HEALTH CARE PERSONNEL - SOCIAL WORKERS
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (47 yes, 135 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Rachel Talbot Ross (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Deqa Dhalac (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Donna Bailey (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Holly Stover (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Joseph M. Baldacci (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Joshua Morris (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Lydia Crafts (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Marianne Moore (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Poppy Arford (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Richard A. Bennett (Independent), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-06-18 | House | RECEDE AND CONCUR | fail | 39 | 108 |   |
| 2025-06-16 | Senate | ACCEPT MAJORITY OUGHT TO PASS AS AMENDED REPORT | fail | 8 | 27 |   |

## Actions (9)

- 2025-06-18: RELEASED.ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2025-06-18: Speaker FECTEAU of Biddeford MOVED to INSIST.Motion of Representative BOYER of Poland, to RECEDE and CONCUR to ACCEPTANCE of the Minority Ought to Pass as Amended Report and as Amended by Committee Amendment "B" (S-397) FAILED.ROLL CALL NO. 580(Yeas 39 - Nays 108 - Absent 2 - Excused 2)Subsequently, The House INSISTED on ACCEPTANCE of the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report and PASSAGE TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-396) Placed in the Legislative Files. (DEAD)HELD. (House)
- 2025-06-18: RELEASED. Sent down for concurrence (Senate)
- 2025-06-17: On motion by Senator PIERCE of Cumberland The Senate INSISTED on ACCEPTANCE of The Minority Ought to Pass As Amended by Committee Amendment "B" (S-397) and PASSAGE TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED by Committee Amendment "B" (S-397) HELD at the Request of Senator TALBOT ROSS of Cumberland. (Senate)
- 2025-06-17: RELEASED. (House)
- 2025-06-17: Reports READ.On motion of Representative MATHIESON of Kittery, the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report was ACCEPTED.The Bill was READ ONCE.Committee Amendment "A" (S-396) was READ and ADOPTED.Under suspension of the rules, the Bill was given its SECOND READING without REFERENCE to the Committee on Bills in the Second Reading.The Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-396). In NON-CONCURRENCE and sent for concurrence.ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.HELD. (House)
- 2025-06-16: Reports ReadSenator BAILEY of York moved to ACCEPT the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-396) Report. On motion by Same Senator Tabled until Later in Today's Session, pending Motion by Senator BAILEY of York to ACCEPT the Majority Ought to Pass As Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-396) Taken from the table by the President ACCEPTANCE of The Majority Ought to Pass As Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-396) Report FAILED Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 572 Yeas 8 - Nays 27 - Excused 0 - Absent 0 Subsequently, The Minority Ought to Pass As Amended by Committee Amendment "B" (S-397) Report ACCEPTED READ ONCE Committee Amendment "B" (S-397) READ and ADOPTED Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED by Committee Amendment "B" (S-397) Sent down for concurrence (Senate)
- 2025-03-25: The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on HEALTH COVERAGE, INSURANCE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES.In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2025-03-25: Committee on HEALTH COVERAGE, INSURANCE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES suggested and ordered printed REFERENCE to the Committee on HEALTH COVERAGE, INSURANCE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrence (Senate)

## Bill text

- Amendment C-A (S-396), adopted by House: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0528&item=2&snum=132)
- Amendment C-B (S-397), adopted by Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0528&item=3&snum=132)
- Introduced: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0528&item=1&snum=132)

## Related bills

- LD 1522: An Act to Establish the Maine Eviction Prevention Program (failed)
- LD 2067: An Act to Include Community Mental Health Workers Under the 1998 Special Plan for Retirement (failed)
- LD 1665: An Act to Provide Property Tax Relief to Maine Families (failed)
- LD 1872: An Act to Reinvest in the Pension Funds of the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (failed)
- LD 1611: An Act to Decrease the Retirement Contributions Required for Teachers and State Employees (failed)
- LD 1294: An Act to Expand the Dependent Exemption Tax Credit (failed)

## Sources
- [Amendment C-A (S-396), adopted by House (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0528&item=2&snum=132)
- [Amendment C-B (S-397), adopted by Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0528&item=3&snum=132)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0528&item=1&snum=132)

## Related
- [LD 1522: An Act to Establish the Maine Eviction Prevention Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1522-132)
- [LD 2067: An Act to Include Community Mental Health Workers Under the 1998 Special Plan f…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD2067-132)
- [LD 1665: An Act to Provide Property Tax Relief to Maine Families](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1665-132)
- [LD 1872: An Act to Reinvest in the Pension Funds of the Maine Public Employees Retiremen…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1872-132)
- [LD 1611: An Act to Decrease the Retirement Contributions Required for Teachers and State…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1611-132)
- [LD 1294: An Act to Expand the Dependent Exemption Tax Credit](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1294-132)
- [Maine bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/maine/bills)
- [Maine state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/maine)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1298-132 (as of 2026-10-17).