# Maine LD 23: An Act to Extend the Period of Time a Dentist May Operate the Practice of a Deceased or Incapacitated Dentist

Maine LD 23, An Act to Extend the Period of Time a Dentist May Operate the Practice of a Deceased or Incapacitated Dentist, is a 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) Senate bill sponsored by Richard A. Bennett (Independent); status signed, last action 2025-05-29 (Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 121); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD23-132
- 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 23
- State: Maine
- Session: 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026)
- Title: An Act to Extend the Period of Time a Dentist May Operate the Practice of a Deceased or Incapacitated Dentist
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-08
- Last action: 2025-05-29, Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 121
- Sponsor: Richard A. Bennett (Independent)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: HEALTH CARE PERSONNEL, HEALTH CARE PERSONNEL - DENTAL
- Touches household money: yes
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Longer window to run dentist's practice after death or incapacity: benefit, low. If a dentist licensed under state law dies or becomes incapacitated, their guardian or personal representative can contract with another dentist to run the practice. The practice can keep operating for up to 48 months, or until it is sold, whichever comes first. This replaces the old 24-month limit…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Richard A. Bennett (Independent), Senate
- Cosponsor: Nathan Wadsworth (Republican), House

## Actions (7)

- 2025-05-29: Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 121
- 2025-05-27: PASSED TO BE ENACTED - Emergency - 2/3 Elected Required, in concurrence. (Senate)
- 2025-05-27: This being an emergency measure, a two-thirds vote of all the members elected to the House was necessary.PASSED TO BE ENACTED.Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2025-05-22: 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-87).In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2025-05-20: Report READ and ACCEPTED.READ ONCE.Committee Amendment "A" (S-87) READ and ADOPTED.Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY Committee Amendment "A" (S-87).Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrence. (Senate)
- 2025-03-21: CARRIED OVER, in the same posture, to the next special or regular session of the 132nd Legislature, pursuant to Joint Order SP 519. (Senate)
- 2025-01-08: Received by the Secretary of the Senate on January 6, 2025 and REFERRED to the Committee on HEALTH COVERAGE, INSURANCE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 (Senate)

## Bill text

- Amendment C-A (S-87), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0037&item=2&snum=132)
- Enacted: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0037&item=3&snum=132)
- Introduced: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0037&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-87), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0037&item=2&snum=132)
- [Enacted (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0037&item=3&snum=132)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0037&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-LD23-132 (as of 2026-10-17).