# Maine LD 1771: An Act to Strengthen Oversight of Kennels by Changing the Licensing Authority from Municipalities to the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Maine LD 1771, An Act to Strengthen Oversight of Kennels by Changing the Licensing Authority from Municipalities to the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, is a 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) Senate bill sponsored by Donna Bailey (Democratic); status became law, last action 2025-06-22 (ACTPUB Chapter 414); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1771-132 - 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 1771 - State: Maine - Session: 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) - Title: An Act to Strengthen Oversight of Kennels by Changing the Licensing Authority from Municipalities to the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry - Status: became law - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-04-24 - Last action: 2025-06-22, ACTPUB Chapter 414 - Sponsor: Donna Bailey (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 6 - Subjects: ANIMALS, ANIMALS - DOGS - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 1 (71 yes, 69 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 5 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Funding for Animal Welfare administration: benefit, low. The law provides $21,577 for 2025–26 and $21,577 for 2026–27 to the Animal Welfare Fund. This money supports administration of the Animal Welfare Act. - Kennel background checks and penalties: cost, medium. Applicants must submit and pay for a background check with their license application. The department cannot license someone with certain serious or animal-cruelty convictions in the past 10 years. The department can deny, suspend, or revoke a license for false statements, rule or quarantine violati… - State license fees for kennels and pet shops: cost, low. Kennel license fees are $50 for 5–10 dogs, $100 for 11–20 dogs, and $150 for 21 or more dogs. Breeding kennels pay $125 (Category 1), $150 (Category 2), or $200 (Category 3). Boarding kennels and animal shelters each pay $125. Pet shops pay $200. The department sends 20% of each kennel fee to the t… - State now licenses kennels annually: cost, low. Maine moves kennel licensing from towns to the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. If you run a kennel, you must get a state kennel license. The license ends each year on December 31. If you already hold a facility license as a boarding kennel, breeding kennel, animal shelter, or… - Inspections and quarantine rules for kennels: mixed, low. Before a kennel license is issued or renewed, you need a signed inspection. The first inspection must be within 30 days before your first application, and renewals need a yearly inspection. If a humane agent inspects in a town without an animal control officer or in special cases, the town pays tha… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Donna Bailey (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Allison Hepler (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Amy Roeder (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Henry L. Ingwersen (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: James Dill (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Mark Cooper (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Poppy Arford (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-06-04 | House | ACC MAJ OTP AS AMENDED REP | pass | 71 | 69 | | ## Actions (10) - 2025-06-22: ACTPUB Chapter 414 - 2025-06-09: PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence. (Senate) - 2025-06-09: PASSED TO BE ENACTED. Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-06-05: On motion by Senator PIERCE of Cumberland the Senate RECEDED and CONCURRED to The Majority Ought to Pass As Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-220) as Amended by House Amendment "A" (H-488) and PASSAGE TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-220) as Amended by House Amendment "A" (H-488) in concurrence. (Senate) - 2025-06-04: Speaker laid before the HouseSubsequently, on motion of Representative PLUECKER of Warren, the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report was ACCEPTED.ROLL CALL NO. 332(Yeas 71 - Nays 69 - Absent 11 - Excused 0)The Bill was READ ONCE.Committee Amendment "A" (S-220) was READ.On motion of Representative PLUECKER of Warren, House Amendment "A" (H-488) to Committee Amendment "A" (S-220) was READ and ADOPTED.Committee Amendment "A" (S-220) as Amended by House Amendment "A" (H-488) thereto was 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-220) as Amended by House Amendment "A" (H-488) thereto.In NON-CONCURRENCE and sent for concurrence.ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-06-03: Unfinished Business (House) - 2025-06-03: Reports READ.On motion of Representative PLUECKER of Warren, TABLED pending ACCEPTANCE of Either Report.Later today assigned. (House) - 2025-06-02: Reports READ On motion by Senator TALBOT ROSS of Cumberland The Majority Ought to Pass As Amended Report ACCEPTED. Bill READ ONCE Committee Amendment "A" (S-220) READ and ADOPTED Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED by Committee Amendment "A" (S-220) Sent down for concurrence (Senate) - 2025-04-24: The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY.In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-04-24: Committee on AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY suggested and ordered printed REFERENCE to the Committee on AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrence (Senate) ## Bill text - Amendment C-A (S-220), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0689&item=2&snum=132) - Amendment H-A to C-A (H-488), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0689&item=4&snum=132) - Enacted: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0689&item=5&snum=132) - Introduced: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0689&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-220), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0689&item=2&snum=132) - [Amendment H-A to C-A (H-488), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0689&item=4&snum=132) - [Enacted (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0689&item=5&snum=132) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0689&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-LD1771-132 (as of 2026-10-17).