# Maine LD 1802: An Act to Implement the Recommendations of the Maine Commission on Public Defense Services to Clarify When an Indigent Criminal Defendant Is Entitled to Counsel at State Expense

Maine LD 1802, An Act to Implement the Recommendations of the Maine Commission on Public Defense Services to Clarify When an Indigent Criminal Defendant Is Entitled to Counsel at State Expense, is a 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) Senate bill sponsored by no sponsor on record; status vetoed, last action 2025-06-25 (LD 1802 In Senate, June 25, 2025, this Bill, having been returned by the Governor, together with objections to the same pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution of the State of Maine, after reconsideration, the Senate proceeded to vote on the question: "Shall this Bill become a law notwithstanding the objections of the Governor?" 3 and 28, accordingly it was the vote of the Senate that the Bill not become law and the VETO was SUSTAINED.Placed in Legislative Files (DEAD)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1802-132
- As of: 2026-10-19
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Maine LD 1802
- 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 When an Indigent Criminal Defendant Is Entitled to Counsel at State Expense
- Status: vetoed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-04-29
- Last action: 2025-06-25, LD 1802 In Senate, June 25, 2025, this Bill, having been returned by the Governor, together with objections to the same pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution of the State of Maine, after reconsideration, the Senate proceeded to vote on the question: "Shall this Bill become a law notwithstanding the objections of the Governor?" 3 and 28, accordingly it was the vote of the Senate that the Bill not become law and the VETO was SUSTAINED.Placed in Legislative Files (DEAD)
- Sponsors: no sponsor on record
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: CRIMINAL PROCEDURE, CRIMINAL PROCEDURE - APPOINTED COUNSEL
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 1 (3 yes, 28 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- (none)

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-06-25 | Senate | VETO OVERRIDE (2/3) | fail | 3 | 28 |   |

## Actions (8)

- 2025-06-25: LD 1802 In Senate, June 25, 2025, this Bill, having been returned by the Governor, together with objections to the same pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution of the State of Maine, after reconsideration, the Senate proceeded to vote on the question: "Shall this Bill become a law notwithstanding the objections of the Governor?" 3 and 28, accordingly it was the vote of the Senate that the Bill not become law and the VETO was SUSTAINED.Placed in Legislative Files (DEAD) (Senate)
- 2025-06-18: Vetoed by Governor
- 2025-06-09: PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence. (Senate)
- 2025-06-09: PASSED TO BE ENACTED. Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2025-06-04: CONSENT CALENDAR - FIRST DAYUnder suspension of the rules CONSENT CALENDAR - SECOND DAY.The Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-249).In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2025-06-03: Report READ and ACCEPTED.READ ONCE.Committee Amendment "A" (S-249) READ and ADOPTED.Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY Committee Amendment "A" (S-249).Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrence. (Senate)
- 2025-04-30: Report was READ and ACCEPTED.The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on JUDICIARYIn concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2025-04-29: 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-249), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0701&item=2&snum=132)
- Introduced: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0701&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-249), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0701&item=2&snum=132)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0701&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-LD1802-132 (as of 2026-10-19).