# Maine LD 1423: An Act to Improve Recycling by Updating the Stewardship Program for Packaging Maine LD 1423, An Act to Improve Recycling by Updating the Stewardship Program for Packaging, is a 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) Senate bill sponsored by Joseph M. Baldacci (Democratic); status signed, last action 2025-06-20 (Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 383) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1423-132 - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Maine LD 1423 - State: Maine - Session: 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) - Title: An Act to Improve Recycling by Updating the Stewardship Program for Packaging - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-04-01 - Last action: 2025-06-20, Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 383 - Sponsor: Joseph M. Baldacci (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Subjects: WASTES, WASTES - RECYCLING - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 1 (88 yes, 59 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 5 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Recycling access for homes and towns: benefit, medium. The law requires the stewardship organization to collect and recycle readily recyclable packaging made in each town. “Consumer” includes single- and multi‑family homes, schools, State and municipal buildings, public spaces, and businesses that use municipal or State waste services. It excludes manu… - Exemptions and relief for small producers: benefit, medium. Producers with prior‑year gross revenue under $2,000,000 are exempt. For a temporary period starting one year after the stewardship contract takes effect and ending three years later, the exemption applies under $5,000,000. For perishable food, the first 15 tons of packaging used in the prior year… - Stronger recycled content and toxics rules: benefit, low. The law defines “post‑consumer recycled material” as new material made from recovered waste that was originally sold for consumers. It also ties “toxicity” in packaging to State lists of regulated metals and chemicals, including food‑contact chemicals of high concern. Packaging that intentionally a… - Who must pay as the producer: cost, low. The law sets who is the “producer” responsible for packaging. For in‑store sales, the producer is, in order, the manufacturer, licensee, brand owner, importer of record, or first distributor. For online sales, packaging that holds the product follows the same rule; other shipping packaging is assig… - Possible changes to producer fees: mixed, low. The stewardship organization can recommend changes to the producer payment schedule. The department may start rulemaking to change fees based on a statewide recycling needs assessment and other information. Changes can raise incentives for readily recyclable packaging and adjust costs for harder‑to… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Joseph M. Baldacci (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-06-17 | House | ACC MAJ OTP AS AMENDED REP | pass | 88 | 59 | | ## Actions (7) - 2025-06-20: Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 383 - 2025-06-17: PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence. (Senate) - 2025-06-17: PASSED TO BE ENACTED. Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-06-17: Reports READ.On motion of Representative DOUDERA of Camden, the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report was ACCEPTED.ROLL CALL NO. 554(Yeas 88 - Nays 59 - Absent 2 - Excused 2)The Bill was READ ONCE.Committee Amendment "A" (S-419) 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-419).In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-06-16: Reports ReadOn motion by Senator TEPLER of Sagadahoc the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-419) Report ACCEPTED READ ONCE Committee Amendment "A" (S-419) READ and ADOPTED Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED by Committee Amendment "A" (S-419) Sent down for concurrence (Senate) - 2025-04-01: The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES.In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-04-01: Committee on ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES suggested and ordered printed REFERENCE to the Committee on ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrence (Senate) ## Bill text - Amendment C-A (S-419), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0579&item=2&snum=132) - Enacted: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0579&item=4&snum=132) - Introduced: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0579&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-419), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0579&item=2&snum=132) - [Enacted (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0579&item=4&snum=132) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0579&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-LD1423-132 (as of 2026-10-19).