# Maine LD 46: An Act to Establish a Grant Program to Increase Postsecondary Educational Opportunities for Students with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities or Autism Spectrum Disorder

Maine LD 46, An Act to Establish a Grant Program to Increase Postsecondary Educational Opportunities for Students with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities or Autism Spectrum Disorder, is a 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) House bill sponsored by Kelly Murphy (Democratic); status became law, last action 2026-01-11 (ACTPUB Chapter 519); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD46-132
- 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 46
- State: Maine
- Session: 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026)
- Title: An Act to Establish a Grant Program to Increase Postsecondary Educational Opportunities for Students with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities or Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Status: became law
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-06
- Last action: 2026-01-11, ACTPUB Chapter 519
- Sponsor: Kelly Murphy (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 6
- Subjects: SPECIAL EDUCATION, SPECIAL EDUCATION - PLANNING
- Touches household money: yes
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- College programs and scholarships for students with disabilities: benefit, medium. The law creates a competitive grant program run by the Maine Department of Education. Maine colleges can get funds to build inclusive programs for students with intellectual or developmental disabilities or autism. Programs must let students take regular classes, use campus resources, and take part…
- One-time $50,000 to start the program: benefit, low. The state provides a one-time $50,000 General Fund appropriation in fiscal year 2025-26. The money goes to the Maine Department of Education to launch the Inclusive Higher Education Grant Program. This is startup funding only; the law does not provide money for 2026-27.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Kelly Murphy (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Amy Kuhn (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Holly Sargent (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Janice Dodge (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Joseph Rafferty (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Lori Gramlich (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Teresa S. Pierce (Democratic), Senate

## Actions (12)

- 2026-01-11: ACTPUB Chapter 519
- 2025-07-08: HELD BY THE GOVERNOR. (Senate)
- 2025-06-25: PASSED TO BE ENACTED - Emergency - 2/3 Elected Required, in concurrence. (Senate)
- 2025-06-25: 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)
- 2025-06-25: The House RECEDED and CONCURRED to PASSAGE TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (H-430) as Amended by Senate Amendment "A" (S-443) thereto.ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2025-06-25: On motion by Senator ROTUNDO of Androscoggin taken from the Special Appropriations Table On motion by Same Senator the Senate SUSPENDED THE RULES to RECONSIDER their actions whereby the Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED by Committee Amendment "A" (H-430) On further motion by Same Senator the Senate SUSPENDED THE RULES to RECONSIDER their actions whereby Committee Amendment "A" (H-430) was ADOPTED. On further motion by Same Senator Senate Amendment "A" (S-443) to Committee Amendment "A" (H-430) READ and ADOPTED. Committee Amendment "A" (H-430) as Amended by Senate Amendment "A" (S-443) thereto ADOPTED. PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY Committee Amendment "A" (H-430) as Amended by Senate Amendment "A" (S-443) thereto in NON-CONCURRENCE. Sent down for concurrence. (Senate)
- 2025-06-05: On motion by Senator ROTUNDO of Androscoggin PLACED ON THE SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS TABLE pending ENACTMENT - Emergency -2/3 Elected Required (Senate)
- 2025-06-04: 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)
- 2025-06-03: Report READ and ACCEPTED, in concurrence.READ ONCE.Committee Amendment "A" (H-430) READ and ADOPTED, in concurrence.Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY Committee Amendment "A" (H-430), in concurrence.Ordered sent down forthwith. (Senate)
- 2025-06-03: 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" (H-430).Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 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. (House)
- 2025-01-06: Received by the Clerk of the House on January 6, 2025.The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 401. (House)

## Bill text

- Amendment C-A (H-430), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0010&item=2&snum=132)
- Amendment S-A to C-A (S-443), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0010&item=4&snum=132)
- Enacted: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0010&item=6&snum=132)
- Introduced: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0010&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 (H-430), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0010&item=2&snum=132)
- [Amendment S-A to C-A (S-443), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0010&item=4&snum=132)
- [Enacted (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0010&item=6&snum=132)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0010&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-LD46-132 (as of 2026-10-17).