# Maine LD 2142: An Act to Establish Guidance for Awarding General Spousal Support

Maine LD 2142, An Act to Establish Guidance for Awarding General Spousal Support, is a 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) Senate bill sponsored by Anne M. Carney (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-03-19 (Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 571) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD2142-132
- 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 2142
- State: Maine
- Session: 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026)
- Title: An Act to Establish Guidance for Awarding General Spousal Support
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-07
- Last action: 2026-03-19, Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 571
- Sponsor: Anne M. Carney (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: DOMESTIC RELATIONS, DOMESTIC RELATIONS - DIVORCE
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- New support rules for divorcing spouses: mixed, high. Maine's new rules apply to divorce actions pending on or after January 1, 2027. Marriage length runs from the wedding date to the divorce filing date. For marriages under 10 years, courts presume no general spousal support. For marriages lasting 10 through 20 years, support is presumed to last no l…
- Parents' spousal support after child support: mixed, low. Beginning January 1, 2027, Maine courts can set a separate general spousal-support award to start when child support ends. This option applies to child support for the divorcing spouses' minor children. Child support must be expected to end within 3 years of the expected final judgment awarding gen…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Anne M. Carney (Democratic), Senate

## Actions (8)

- 2026-03-19: Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 571
- 2026-03-12: PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence. (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: PASSED TO BE ENACTED. Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2026-03-05: 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-517).In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2026-03-03: COMMITTEE ON BILLS IN THE SECOND READING REPORTS NO FURTHER VERBAL AMENDMENTS NECESSARY. REPORT ACCEPTED.READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY Committee Amendment "A" (S-517)Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrence. (Senate)
- 2026-02-26: Report READ and ACCEPTED.Bill READ ONCE. Committee Amendment "A" (S-517) READ and ADOPTED. ASSIGNED FOR SECOND READING NEXT LEGISLATIVE DAY. (Senate)
- 2026-01-07: The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on JUDICIARY.In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2026-01-07: Committee on JUDICIARY suggested and ordered printed REFERENCE to the Committee on JUDICIARY Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrence (Senate)

## Bill text

- Amendment C-A (S-517), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0860&item=2&snum=132)
- Enacted: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0860&item=3&snum=132)
- Introduced: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0860&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-517), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0860&item=2&snum=132)
- [Enacted (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0860&item=3&snum=132)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0860&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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD2142-132 (as of 2026-10-17).