# Maine LD 1961: An Act to Clarify the Laws Relating to the Licensure of Certain Facilities by the Department of Health and Human Services Maine LD 1961, An Act to Clarify the Laws Relating to the Licensure of Certain Facilities by the Department of Health and Human Services, is a 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) Senate bill sponsored by Henry L. Ingwersen (Democratic); status signed, last action 2025-06-12 (Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 305); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1961-132 - 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 1961 - State: Maine - Session: 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) - Title: An Act to Clarify the Laws Relating to the Licensure of Certain Facilities by the Department of Health and Human Services - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-05-13 - Last action: 2025-06-12, Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 305 - Sponsor: Henry L. Ingwersen (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Subjects: HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPT, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPT - HEALTH CARE SERVICES - Touches household money: yes - Economic provisions PRIA read: 4 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Faster reporting of serious patient events: benefit, medium. Health care facilities must notify the division within 3 business days after they discover a sentinel event. They must file a CEO‑signed written report within 45 days that includes a full root‑cause analysis. Sentinel events now include a patient’s suicide within 48 hours of care and a major perman… - Who can work in direct care: mixed, high. People with a disqualifying offense cannot work as a CNA, direct care worker, or immediate supervisor. Employers face penalties if they hire a disqualified person. Disqualifying convictions carry 5, 10, or 30-year bans that the department assigns by rule. A substantiated finding on the registry cre… - Background checks and registry for caregivers: mixed, medium. Training programs must get and pay for a background check for each applicant and give the applicant a copy. Licensed and unlicensed providers must get and pay for background checks before hiring anyone with direct client contact. Checks must include current and prior names, and programs must tell a… - Updated licenses and facility definitions: mixed, low. The department may issue a conditional license when a provider has violations, if doing so is in the public interest. The license lists required corrections and deadlines and can last up to 12 months or the rest of the full license period. A nursing facility that also offers assisted housing gets o… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Henry L. Ingwersen (Democratic), Senate ## Actions (7) - 2025-06-12: Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 305 - 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-236).In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-06-03: Report READ and ACCEPTED.READ ONCE.Committee Amendment "A" (S-236) READ and ADOPTED.Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY Committee Amendment "A" (S-236).Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrence. (Senate) - 2025-05-13: The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-05-13: Committee on HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES suggested and ordered printed REFERENCE to the Committee on HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrence (Senate) ## Bill text - Amendment C-A (S-236), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0768&item=2&snum=132) - Enacted: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0768&item=3&snum=132) - Introduced: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0768&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-236), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0768&item=2&snum=132) - [Enacted (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0768&item=3&snum=132) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0768&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-LD1961-132 (as of 2026-10-17).