# Maine LD 1718: An Act to Establish the Maine Charter School Commission as a Public Instrumentality of the State Maine LD 1718, An Act to Establish the Maine Charter School Commission as a Public Instrumentality of the State, is a 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) Senate bill sponsored by Joseph Rafferty (Democratic); status became law, last action 2025-06-15 (ACTPUB Chapter 320); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1718-132 - 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 1718 - State: Maine - Session: 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) - Title: An Act to Establish the Maine Charter School Commission as a Public Instrumentality of the State - Status: became law - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-04-17 - Last action: 2025-06-15, ACTPUB Chapter 320 - Sponsor: Joseph Rafferty (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 3 - Subjects: EDUCATIONAL OPTIONS, EDUCATIONAL OPTIONS - CHARTER SCHOOLS - Touches household money: yes - Economic provisions PRIA read: 2 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Maine creates single charter school authorizer: benefit, low. The law creates the Maine Charter School Commission as a public instrumentality of the State. Its powers are treated as essential government functions. The Commission is the only authorizer for virtual public charter schools; local boards may authorize only schools that mix online and in-person lea… - Rules for Charter Commission members: mixed, low. The Commission has seven members and elects a chair; four members make a quorum. Three seats are filled by State Board members for 3-year terms, and four seats are appointed by the Governor for 4-year terms, with legislative review and Senate confirmation. Appointees need diverse experience, and th… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Joseph Rafferty (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Christina Mitchell (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Holly Sargent (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Janice Dodge (Democratic), House ## Actions (7) - 2025-06-15: ACTPUB Chapter 320 - 2025-06-02: PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence. (Senate) - 2025-05-29: PASSED TO BE ENACTED. Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-05-28: 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" (S-140) 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-140). In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-05-27: Reports ReadOn motion by Senator RAFFERTY of York the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report ACCEPTED. Bill READ ONCE. Committee Amendment "A" (S-140) READ and ADOPTED. Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED by Committee Amendment "A" (S-140) Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrence. (Senate) - 2025-04-17: The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS.In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-04-17: Committee on EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS suggested and ordered printed REFERENCE to the Committee on EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrence (Senate) ## Bill text - Amendment C-A (S-140), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0671&item=2&snum=132) - Enacted: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0671&item=3&snum=132) - Introduced: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0671&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 (S-140), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0671&item=2&snum=132) - [Enacted (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0671&item=3&snum=132) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0671&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-LD1718-132 (as of 2026-10-17).