# Maine LD 1796: An Act to Implement the Recommendations of the Maine Commission on Public Defense Services to Clarify the Types of Cases for Which the Commission Is Responsible for Providing Counsel

Maine LD 1796, An Act to Implement the Recommendations of the Maine Commission on Public Defense Services to Clarify the Types of Cases for Which the Commission Is Responsible for Providing Counsel, is a 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) Senate bill sponsored by no sponsor on record; status became law, last action 2026-01-11 (ACTPUB Chapter 511) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1796-132
- 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 1796
- State: Maine
- Session: 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026)
- Title: An Act to Implement the Recommendations of the Maine Commission on Public Defense Services to Clarify the Types of Cases for Which the Commission Is Responsible for Providing Counsel
- Status: became law
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-04-24
- Last action: 2026-01-11, ACTPUB Chapter 511
- Sponsors: no sponsor on record
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: FREEDOM OF ACCESS, FREEDOM OF ACCESS - RECORD CONFIDENTIALITY
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- More low-income cases get paid counsel: benefit, medium. The law clarifies which low-income cases get a lawyer. It covers criminal, some civil, and juvenile cases when the law requires counsel. If the Commission handled your case, it also covers asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review a loss. Work done by attorneys at the Commission’s direction is includ…
- Public defender staffing and assignments change: benefit, low. The Commission can employ one attorney as both employed counsel and a public defender. Courts can no longer directly assign a public defender or employed counsel; the Commission makes assignments. The law also adds $1,000 in 2025-26 and $1,000 in 2026-27 to reclassify one defender position.
- Involuntary commitment: court will not pay lawyers: cost, low. In mental health commitment cases under the cited law, the District Court still pays witness and notice fees and transport costs. It no longer pays fees for appointed counsel under that section. Applicant-paid costs listed in the law do not change.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- (none)

## Actions (13)

- 2026-01-11: ACTPUB Chapter 511
- 2025-07-08: HELD BY THE GOVERNOR. (Senate)
- 2025-06-25: PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence. (Senate)
- 2025-06-25: PASSED TO BE ENACTED. Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2025-06-25: The House RECEDED and CONCURRED to PASSAGE TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-418) as Amended by Senate Amendment "B" (S-481) thereto.ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2025-06-25: On motion by Senator ROTUNDO of Androscoggin taken from the Special Appropriations Table On motion by Same Senator the Senate SUSPENDED THE RULES to RECONSIDER their actions whereby the Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED by Committee Amendment "A" (S-418) On further motion by Same Senator the Senate SUSPENDED THE RULES to RECONSIDER their actions whereby Committee Amendment "A" (S-418) was ADOPTED. On further motion by Same Senator the Senate SUSPENDED THE RULES to RECONSIDER their actions whereby Senate Amendment "A" (S-424) was ADOPTED and moved to INDEFINITLY POSTPONE the same. On further motion by Same Senator Senate Amendment "B" (S-481) to Committee Amendment "A" (S-418) READ and ADOPTED. Committee Amendment "A" (S-418) as Amended by Senate Amendment "B" (S-481) thereto ADOPTED. PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY Committee Amendment "A" (S-418) as Amended by Senate Amendment "B" (S-481) thereto in NON-CONCURRENCE. Sent down for concurrence. (Senate)
- 2025-06-18: On motion by Senator ROTUNDO of Androscoggin PLACED ON THE SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS TABLE pending ENACTMENT in concurrence. (Senate)
- 2025-06-17: PASSED TO BE ENACTED. Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2025-06-17: Reports READ.On motion of Representative KUHN of Falmouth, the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report was ACCEPTED.The Bill was READ ONCE.Committee Amendment "A" (S-418) was READ.Senate Amendment "A" (S-424) to Committee Amendment "A" (S-418) was READ and ADOPTED.Committee Amendment "A" (S-418) as Amended by Senate Amendment "A" (S-424) 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-418) as Amended by Senate Amendment "A" (S-424) thereto.In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2025-06-17: Taken from the table by the President Subsequently The Majority Ought to Pass As Amended Report ACCEPTED. Bill READ ONCE Committee Amendment "A" (S-418) READ On motion by Senator CARNEY of Cumberland Senate Amendment "A" (S-424) to Committee Amendment "A" (S-418) READ and ADOPTED Committee Amendment "A" (S-418) as Amended by Senate Amendment "A" (S-424) thereto ADOPTED. Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED by Committee Amendment "A" (S-418) as Amended by Senate Amendment "A" (S-424) thereto. Sent down for concurrence (Senate)
- 2025-06-17: Reports READ Senator CARNEY of Cumberland moved to ACCEPT The Majority Ought to Pass As Amended Report On motion by Same Senator Tabled until Later in Today's Session, pending Motion to ACCEPT The Majority Ought to Pass As Amended Report Unfinished Business (Senate)
- 2025-04-24: Report was READ and ACCEPTED.The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on JUDICIARYIn concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2025-04-24: Reported by Senator CARNEY of Cumberland for the Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 4, section 1804, subsection 3, paragraph H.Report READ and ACCEPTED.REFERRED to the Committee on Judiciary and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 218.Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrence. (Senate)

## Bill text

- Amendment C-A (S-418), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0698&item=2&snum=132)
- Amendment S-B to C-A (S-481), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0698&item=6&snum=132)
- Enacted: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0698&item=8&snum=132)
- Introduced: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0698&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-418), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0698&item=2&snum=132)
- [Amendment S-B to C-A (S-481), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0698&item=6&snum=132)
- [Enacted (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0698&item=8&snum=132)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0698&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-LD1796-132 (as of 2026-10-17).