# Maine LD 1686: An Act to Clarify, Align and Amend Provisions of the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35-A Maine LD 1686, An Act to Clarify, Align and Amend Provisions of the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35-A, is a 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) House bill sponsored by Melanie Sachs (Democratic); status signed, last action 2025-05-23 (Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 110); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1686-132 - 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 1686 - State: Maine - Session: 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) - Title: An Act to Clarify, Align and Amend Provisions of the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35-A - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-04-17 - Last action: 2025-05-23, Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 110 - Sponsor: Melanie Sachs (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Subjects: PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION, PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION - PROCEDURES - Touches household money: yes - Economic provisions PRIA read: 5 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Limits on consumer-owned water rate hikes: benefit, low. A consumer-owned water utility can only ask for a rate increase up to 1.5% of current rates. It may not file for a rate change more than once every 11 months. - Funding rules for interconnection ombudsman: mixed, low. Funding for the interconnection ombudsman comes from fees collected under the interconnection law, federal money, and public or private contributions. A specific set of interconnection activities follows the funding rules in section 116. - New exemption for consumer-owned water utilities: mixed, low. Consumer-owned water utilities, as defined in state law, are exempt from this chapter’s requirements. This reduces state rules on those utilities and may change how they are regulated. - Gas safety fines tied to federal cap: mixed, low. The Public Utilities Commission now sets gas safety penalties by rule. Per-violation and related maximum fines cannot exceed the federal limits in 49 C.F.R. §190.223. Each day of a violation counts as a separate offense. - Phone providers fund school internet access: mixed, low. The commission creates a telecommunications education access fund. Voice providers must contribute when they put Maine phone numbers into service; no payment is due for numbers not yet in service. Money, with interest, is available to qualified schools, libraries, and the Raymond H. Fogler Library… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Melanie Sachs (Democratic), House ## Actions (7) - 2025-05-23: Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 110 - 2025-05-21: PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence. (Senate) - 2025-05-20: PASSED TO BE ENACTED. Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-05-14: Report READ and ACCEPTED, in concurrence.READ ONCEUnder suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED, in concurrence.Ordered sent down forthwith. (Senate) - 2025-05-13: CONSENT CALENDAR - FIRST DAYUnder suspension of the rules CONSENT CALENDAR - SECOND DAY.The Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED.Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-04-17: The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on ENERGY, UTILITIES AND TECHNOLOGY in concurrence (Senate) - 2025-04-17: Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology suggested and ordered printed. The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on ENERGY, UTILITIES AND TECHNOLOGY.Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) ## Bill text - Enacted: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP1121&item=3&snum=132) - Introduced: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP1121&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 - [Enacted (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP1121&item=3&snum=132) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP1121&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-LD1686-132 (as of 2026-10-17).