# Maine LD 1500: An Act to Establish the Maine Community Development Financial Institution Fund to Support Small Businesses, Rural Economic Development and Affordable Housing Maine LD 1500, An Act to Establish the Maine Community Development Financial Institution Fund to Support Small Businesses, Rural Economic Development and Affordable Housing, is a 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) House bill sponsored by Melanie Sachs (Democratic); status became law, last action 2026-01-11 (ACTPUB Chapter 502); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1500-132 - 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 1500 - State: Maine - Session: 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) - Title: An Act to Establish the Maine Community Development Financial Institution Fund to Support Small Businesses, Rural Economic Development and Affordable Housing - Status: became law - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-04-08 - Last action: 2026-01-11, ACTPUB Chapter 502 - Sponsor: Melanie Sachs (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 9 - Subjects: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - PLANNING - Touches household money: yes - Economic provisions PRIA read: 3 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Maine community lender fund boosts lending: benefit, low. The law creates a dedicated Maine Community Development Financial Institution Fund in the economic development department. Money can come from the Legislature and the Treasurer as low- or no‑cost loaned capital. Federal, state, and private sources can also add funds. Interest stays in the fund, and… - Rules and reports for community lender program: benefit, low. The department must write routine rules to run the program and monitor funded groups. Starting January 1, 2026, it reports to lawmakers every two years. Reports include how much funding is committed to projects. The committee can request more items and may propose laws after review. These steps imp… - State deposits up to $10M with community lenders: benefit, low. The Treasurer may deposit up to $10 million each calendar year with community lenders that do business in Maine. Deposits can last up to two years. The interest rate is no more than two percentage points below similar market rates. This low‑cost capital lets these lenders make more loans to small b… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Melanie Sachs (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Aaron Dana (T), House - Cosponsor: Amy Roeder (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Cameron D. Reny (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Trey L. Stewart (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: John Ducharme (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Marc Malon (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Matthea E. L. Daughtry (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Ryan Fecteau (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Traci Gere (Democratic), House ## Actions (12) - 2026-01-11: ACTPUB Chapter 502 - 2025-07-08: HELD BY THE GOVERNOR. (Senate) - 2025-06-25: PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence. (Senate) - 2025-06-25: PASSED TO BE ENACTED. Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-06-25: The House RECEDED and CONCURRED to PASSAGE TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (H-446) as Amended by Senate Amendment "A" (S-477) thereto.ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-06-25: On motion by Senator ROTUNDO of Androscoggin taken from the Special Appropriations Table On motion by Same Senator the Senate SUSPENDED THE RULES to RECONSIDER their actions whereby the Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED by Committee Amendment "A" (H-446) On further motion by Same Senator the Senate SUSPENDED THE RULES to RECONSIDER their actions whereby Committee Amendment "A" (H-446) was ADOPTED. On further motion by Same Senator Senate Amendment "A" (S-477) to Committee Amendment "A" (H-446) READ and ADOPTED. Committee Amendment "A" (H-446) as Amended by Senate Amendment "A" (S-477) thereto ADOPTED. PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY Committee Amendment "A" (H-446) as Amended by Senate Amendment "A" (S-477) thereto in NON-CONCURRENCE. Sent down for concurrence. (Senate) - 2025-06-05: On motion by Senator ROTUNDO of Androscoggin PLACED ON THE SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS TABLE pending ENACTMENT in concurrence. (Senate) - 2025-06-04: PASSED TO BE ENACTED. Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-06-03: Report READ and ACCEPTED, in concurrence.READ ONCE.Committee Amendment "A" (H-446) READ and ADOPTED, in concurrence.Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY Committee Amendment "A" (H-446), in concurrence.Ordered sent down forthwith. (Senate) - 2025-06-03: CONSENT CALENDAR - FIRST DAYUnder suspension of the rules CONSENT CALENDAR - SECOND DAY.The Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (H-446).Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-04-08: The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT in concurrence (Senate) - 2025-04-08: Committee on Housing and Economic Development suggested and ordered printed. The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) ## Bill text - Amendment C-A (H-446), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0984&item=2&snum=132) - Amendment S-A to C-A (S-477), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0984&item=5&snum=132) - Enacted: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0984&item=7&snum=132) - Introduced: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0984&item=1&snum=132) ## Related bills - LD 1522: An Act to Establish the Maine Eviction Prevention Program (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 2067: An Act to Include Community Mental Health Workers Under the 1998 Special Plan for Retirement (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 (H-446), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0984&item=2&snum=132) - [Amendment S-A to C-A (S-477), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0984&item=5&snum=132) - [Enacted (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0984&item=7&snum=132) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0984&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 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 2067: An Act to Include Community Mental Health Workers Under the 1998 Special Plan f…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD2067-132) - [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-LD1500-132 (as of 2026-10-17).