PRIA Logo™
MaineLD 1900132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026)HouseWALLET

An Act to Bring Parity to the State's Recognition of the Wabanaki Nations' Authority to Provide Electric Power Districts and Child Support Enforcement

Sponsored By: Aaron Dana (T)

Became Law

NATIVE AMERICANSNATIVE AMERICANS - WABANAKI PEOPLE

Your PRIA Score

Score Hidden

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to start

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

Tribal child support tied to licenses

The Penobscot Nation and the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians use Maine licensing boards to enforce child support. If you get a notice, you have 20 days to ask for a hearing in the relevant tribal court. A timely hearing request pauses any certification to boards. If you do not ask in time, or you ignore a final order or a payment plan, the tribe can certify you as not in compliance. After certification, the board must deny, refuse, or revoke your license until the tribe sends written proof you are compliant. The board must notify you, and that notice is final agency action. You can seek review in Superior Court, and the court can consider tribal court records. If you cannot pay all arrears, you may sign a written payment plan after full financial disclosure and must keep paying current support. If you break the plan and do not quickly show you cannot pay, the board can still revoke or deny your license, and the tribe may seek a money judgment after a hearing. Boards and the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation send the tribes, at least yearly, machine-readable lists with names, addresses, federal ID or SSN, license type, dates, and status; the Office of Securities shares this only for Maine residents. The Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife also sends yearly electronic lists of watercraft, snowmobile, and ATV registrations for Maine residents with owner, vehicle, and date details. Once the tribe sends written proof you are in compliance, the board can reissue or renew your license and may waive burdensome steps if it serves the public interest.

Tribal electric utilities gain powers

The Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, the Mi’kmaq Nation, the Penobscot Nation, and the Passamaquoddy Tribe can form power districts on their trust lands or Indian territory. The Maine Public Utilities Commission must approve any plan to provide transmission, distribution, or supply, and the application must show the service area. Inside the district, the utility does not need commission approval to generate electricity or to make wholesale or private‑contract sales for use within the district. Tribal districts have the same powers as municipal utilities. They can issue revenue bonds, and district property can be tax‑exempt. With required commission approvals, they may use eminent domain for public use under existing law.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Aaron Dana

    T • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 95 • No: 79

Senate vote • 6/5/2025

ACCEPT MAJORITY OUGHT TO PASS REPORT

Yes: 20 • No: 12

House vote • 6/4/2025

ACC MAJ OUGHT TO PASS REP

Yes: 75 • No: 67

Actions Timeline

  1. ACTPUB Chapter 303

    5/1/2026

  2. PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence.

    6/9/2025Senate

  3. PASSED TO BE ENACTED. Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.

    6/9/2025House

  4. Reports ReadOn motion by Senator CARNEY of Cumberland the Majority Ought to Pass Report ACCEPTED. PREVAILED Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 374 Yeas 20 - Nays 12 - Excused 3 - Absent 0 Bill READ ONCE. Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED in concurrence.

    6/5/2025Senate

  5. Reports READ.On motion of Representative KUHN of Falmouth, the Majority Ought to Pass Report was ACCEPTED.ROLL CALL NO. 328(Yeas 75 - Nays 67 - Absent 9 - Excused 0)The Bill was READ ONCE.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.Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.

    6/4/2025House

  6. Received by the Clerk of the House on May 1, 2025.The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on JUDICIARY pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 401.

    5/1/2025House

Bill Text

Related Bills

Back to State Legislation