# Maine LD 1773: An Act to Criminalize Certain Offenses Related to Gift Card Thefts

Maine LD 1773, An Act to Criminalize Certain Offenses Related to Gift Card Thefts, is a 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) Senate bill sponsored by Matthew Harrington; status signed, last action 2026-04-15 (Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 714) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1773-132
- 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 1773
- State: Maine
- Session: 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026)
- Title: An Act to Criminalize Certain Offenses Related to Gift Card Thefts
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-04-24
- Last action: 2026-04-15, Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 714
- Sponsor: Matthew Harrington
- Cosponsors: 4
- Subjects: CRIMES, CRIMES - THEFTS
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Clearer theft rules for gift cards: benefit, low. The law defines what "retail merchandise" means in theft cases. It covers any item a store displays, keeps, or sells to shoppers. It expressly includes gift cards, electronics, and other tangible goods. Police, prosecutors, and courts now use this meaning when charging theft. This makes it clearer…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Matthew Harrington
- Cosponsor: Chad Perkins (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Robert Nutting (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Scott Cyrway (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: W. Crockett (Independent), House

## Actions (9)

- 2026-04-15: Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 714
- 2026-04-13: On motion by Senator ROTUNDO of Androscoggin taken from the Special Appropriations Table. Subsequently, PASSED TO BE ENACTED in concurrence. (Senate)
- 2025-06-25: CARRIED OVER, in the same posture, to any special or regular session of the 132nd Legislature, pursuant to Joint Order SP 800. (Senate)
- 2025-06-02: On motion by Senator ROTUNDO of Androscoggin PLACED ON THE SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS TABLE pending ENACTMENT in concurrence (Senate)
- 2025-06-02: PASSED TO BE ENACTED. Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2025-06-02: Reports READ.On motion of Representative HASENFUS of Readfield, the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report was ACCEPTED.The Bill was READ ONCE.Committee Amendment "A" (S-177) 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-177). In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2025-05-29: Reports READ On motion by Senator BEEBE-CENTER of Knox The Majority Ought to Pass As Amended Report ACCEPTED. Bill READ ONCE. Committee Amendment "A" (S-177) READ and ADOPTED. Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED by Committee Amendment "A" (S-177) Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrence (Senate)
- 2025-04-24: The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY.In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2025-04-24: Committee on CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY suggested and ordered printed REFERENCE to the Committee on CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrence (Senate)

## Bill text

- Amendment C-A (S-177), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0691&item=2&snum=132)
- Enacted: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0691&item=3&snum=132)
- Introduced: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0691&item=1&snum=132)

## Related bills

- LD 1522: An Act to Establish the Maine Eviction Prevention Program (failed)
- LD 2067: An Act to Include Community Mental Health Workers Under the 1998 Special Plan for Retirement (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 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-177), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0691&item=2&snum=132)
- [Enacted (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0691&item=3&snum=132)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0691&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 2067: An Act to Include Community Mental Health Workers Under the 1998 Special Plan f…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD2067-132)
- [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 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-LD1773-132 (as of 2026-10-17).