# Maine LD 1691: An Act to Expand Access to Justice in Rural Maine by Incentivizing Attorneys to Practice in Underserved Areas Maine LD 1691, An Act to Expand Access to Justice in Rural Maine by Incentivizing Attorneys to Practice in Underserved Areas, is a 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) House bill sponsored by Amy Kuhn (Democratic); status became law, last action 2026-01-11 (ACTPUB Chapter 508); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1691-132 - 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 1691 - State: Maine - Session: 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) - Title: An Act to Expand Access to Justice in Rural Maine by Incentivizing Attorneys to Practice in Underserved Areas - Status: became law - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-04-17 - Last action: 2026-01-11, ACTPUB Chapter 508 - Sponsor: Amy Kuhn (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 8 - Subjects: UNIVERSITY OF MAINE SYSTEM, UNIVERSITY OF MAINE SYSTEM - LAW SCHOOL - Touches household money: yes - Economic provisions PRIA read: 4 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Loan help for Maine law students and grads: benefit, high. The law creates the Access to Justice Loan Program. You can get up to $25,000 a year for up to 4 years to pay for law school or repay your law school loans. Each year you serve in an underserved area, 25% of your original law school debt is forgiven. Recent grads within 5 years who are licensed or… - Loan program fund and small start-up money: benefit, low. The Finance Authority of Maine keeps a nonlapsing revolving fund for the loan program. The fund can take gifts, grants, donations, state money, and loan repayments, which are invested and earn interest. Principal is used for loans and repayment awards; interest can support the program or admin cost… - Rural law track with housing and internships: benefit, low. The University of Maine School of Law runs a rural practice track if funding is available. Each year, up to six first- or second-year students get a housing stipend that covers dorm costs at the University of Southern Maine. Up to six second- or third-year students get internships, externships, and… - Maine residency required for law loan aid: cost, low. To qualify for the loan program, you must have lived in Maine for at least two years for reasons other than attending law school. The authority also considers your high school, your parents’ legal residence, where you are registered to vote, and where you pay taxes. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Amy Kuhn (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Adam LEE - Cosponsor: Anne M. Carney (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: David Sinclair (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Eleanor Sato (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Jennifer Poirier (Republican), House - Cosponsor: John Ducharme (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Kelly Murphy (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Rachel Henderson (Republican), House ## Actions (16) - 2026-01-11: ACTPUB Chapter 508 - 2025-07-08: HELD BY THE GOVERNOR. (Senate) - 2025-06-16: PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence. (Senate) - 2025-06-13: PASSED TO BE ENACTED. Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-06-13: Taken from the table by the President pending Motion by Senator RAFFERTY of York The RAFFERTY of York Majority by Ought to Pass As Amended Report READ and ACCEPTED, in concurrence.READ ONCE.Committee Amendment "A" (H-325) 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-325), in concurrence.Ordered sent down forthwith. (Senate) - 2025-06-13: Unfinished Business (Senate) - 2025-06-11: Unfinished Business (Senate) - 2025-06-10: Unfinished Business (Senate) - 2025-06-09: Unfinished Business (Senate) - 2025-06-05: Unfinished Business (Senate) - 2025-06-04: Unfinished Business (Senate) - 2025-06-03: Unfinished Business (Senate) - 2025-06-02: Report READ Senator RAFFERTY of York moved to ACCEPT The Majority Ought to Pass As Amended Report. On motion by Senator PIERCE of Cumberland Tabled until Later in Today's Session, pending Motion by Senator RAFFERTY of York to ACCEPT The Majority Ought to Pass As Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (H-325) in concurrence Unfinished Business (Senate) - 2025-05-29: Reports READ.On motion of Representative MURPHY of Scarborough, the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report was ACCEPTED.The Bill was READ ONCE.Committee Amendment "A" (H-325) 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" (H-325). Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-04-17: The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS in concurrence (Senate) - 2025-04-17: Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered printed. The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS.Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) ## Bill text - Amendment C-A (H-325), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP1126&item=2&snum=132) - Enacted: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP1126&item=3&snum=132) - Introduced: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP1126&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-325), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP1126&item=2&snum=132) - [Enacted (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP1126&item=3&snum=132) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP1126&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-LD1691-132 (as of 2026-10-17).