# Maine LD 654: An Act to Increase the Maximum Small Claim Limit

Maine LD 654, An Act to Increase the Maximum Small Claim Limit, is a 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) House bill sponsored by Christopher Kessler (Democratic); status signed, last action 2025-06-11 (Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 261); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD654-132
- 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 654
- State: Maine
- Session: 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026)
- Title: An Act to Increase the Maximum Small Claim Limit
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-02-20
- Last action: 2025-06-11, Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 261
- Sponsor: Christopher Kessler (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 3
- Subjects: CIVIL PROCEDURE, CIVIL PROCEDURE - SMALL CLAIMS
- Touches household money: yes
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Maine small claims cap now $10,000: mixed, high. Beginning January 1, 2026, Maine’s small claims limit is $10,000. The $10,000 does not include interest or court costs. You can use small claims even if the full contract was for more, as long as the amount you seek is $10,000 or less. Cases about who owns real estate are not allowed in small claim…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Christopher Kessler (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Jennifer Poirier (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Mark W. Lawrence (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Mathew McIntyre (Republican), House

## Actions (7)

- 2025-06-11: Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 261
- 2025-06-05: PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence. (Senate)
- 2025-06-04: 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-451) 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-451), 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-451).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)
- 2025-02-20: Received by the Clerk of the House on February 20, 2025.The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on JUDICIARY pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 401. (House)

## Bill text

- Amendment C-A (H-451), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0422&item=2&snum=132)
- Enacted: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0422&item=3&snum=132)
- Introduced: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0422&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-451), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0422&item=2&snum=132)
- [Enacted (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0422&item=3&snum=132)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0422&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-LD654-132 (as of 2026-10-17).