# Maine LD 65: An Act to Update the Definition of "Coastal Wetlands" Under the Natural Resources Protection Act and the Mandatory Shoreland Zoning Laws

Maine LD 65, An Act to Update the Definition of "Coastal Wetlands" Under the Natural Resources Protection Act and the Mandatory Shoreland Zoning Laws, is a 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) House bill sponsored by Victoria Doudera (Democratic); status signed, last action 2025-05-29 (Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 128); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD65-132
- 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 65
- State: Maine
- Session: 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026)
- Title: An Act to Update the Definition of "Coastal Wetlands" Under the Natural Resources Protection Act and the Mandatory Shoreland Zoning Laws
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-06
- Last action: 2025-05-29, Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 128
- Sponsor: Victoria Doudera (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: PROTECTED NATURAL RESOURCES, PROTECTED NATURAL RESOURCES - WETLANDS
- Touches household money: yes
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- New coastal wetland rules for property owners: mixed, high. The law updates and aligns the definition of coastal wetlands used in Maine’s shoreland zoning and Natural Resources Protection Act rules. Land counts as coastal wetlands if it has salt tolerant plants in saltwater or estuary habitat. It also covers all tidal and subtidal areas and connected lowlan…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Victoria Doudera (Democratic), House

## Actions (7)

- 2025-05-29: Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 128
- 2025-05-27: PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence. (Senate)
- 2025-05-27: PASSED TO BE ENACTED. Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2025-05-21: Report READ and ACCEPTED, in concurrence.READ ONCE.Committee Amendment "A" (H-161) 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-161), in concurrence.Ordered sent down forthwith. (Senate)
- 2025-05-20: 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-161).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 ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 401. (House)

## Bill text

- Amendment C-A (H-161), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0029&item=2&snum=132)
- Enacted: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0029&item=3&snum=132)
- Introduced: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0029&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-161), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0029&item=2&snum=132)
- [Enacted (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0029&item=3&snum=132)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0029&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-LD65-132 (as of 2026-10-17).