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MaineLD 294132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026)HouseWALLET

An Act to Expand Municipal Volunteer Program Eligibility Requirements in the Municipal Property Tax Assistance Laws

Sponsored By: Stephan Bunker (Democratic)

Became Law

INCOME TAXINCOME TAX - CREDITS

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Maine excludes local tax relief from income

Maine does not tax payments you get from town property tax assistance programs under the standard or expanded volunteer programs. The exclusion applies only to the part that is included in your federal adjusted gross income. This lowers your Maine income tax if you received those benefits.

Towns must aid both owners and renters

The law sets ground rules for most town property tax help programs. A town may require you to have lived in your homestead for a period it sets. Programs must serve both owners and renters. Benefits must give relatively more help to people with lower incomes compared to their taxes or rent. These rules do not apply to the volunteer programs created under the standard and expanded volunteer sections.

Seniors and volunteer responders get property tax help

Beginning January 1, 2026, your town can create an expanded volunteer property tax program. If you are 60 or older, a volunteer firefighter, or a licensed volunteer EMS who earns no more than 20% of full‑time minimum‑wage pay, you can qualify. You earn help based on your service, up to the larger of $1,000 or 100 times the state minimum hourly wage each year. You cannot use both the existing volunteer program and this expanded program in the same tax year. Payments from the expanded program are not counted as Maine income.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Stephan Bunker

    Democratic • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

Actions Timeline

  1. ACTPUB Chapter 337

    5/1/2026

  2. PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence.

    6/12/2025Senate

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

    6/11/2025House

  4. Reports ReadOn motion by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report ACCEPTED Bill READ ONCE. Committee Amendment "A" (H-621) READ and ADOPTED. Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED by Committee Amendment "A" (H-621) in concurrence.

    6/11/2025Senate

  5. Reports READ.On motion of Representative CLOUTIER of Lewiston, the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report was ACCEPTED.The Bill was READ ONCE.Committee Amendment "A" (H-621) was READ and ADOPTED.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 as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (H-621). Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.

    6/10/2025House

  6. Carried over, in the same posture, to the next special or regular session of the 132nd Legislature, pursuant to Joint Order SP 519.

    3/21/2025House

  7. Received by the Clerk of the House on January 30, 2025.The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on TAXATION pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 401.

    1/30/2025House

Bill Text

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