# Maine LD 697: An Act to Direct the Maine Prescription Drug Affordability Board to Assess Strategies to Reduce Prescription Drug Costs and to Take Steps to Implement Reference-based Pricing Maine LD 697, An Act to Direct the Maine Prescription Drug Affordability Board to Assess Strategies to Reduce Prescription Drug Costs and to Take Steps to Implement Reference-based Pricing, is a 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) Senate bill sponsored by Cameron D. Reny (Democratic); status became law, last action 2026-01-11 (ACTPUB Chapter 530) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD697-132 - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Maine LD 697 - State: Maine - Session: 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) - Title: An Act to Direct the Maine Prescription Drug Affordability Board to Assess Strategies to Reduce Prescription Drug Costs and to Take Steps to Implement Reference-based Pricing - Status: became law - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-02-20 - Last action: 2026-01-11, ACTPUB Chapter 530 - Sponsor: Cameron D. Reny (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 6 - Subjects: PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, PRESCRIPTION DRUGS - AFFORDABILITY BOARD - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 2 (160 yes, 9 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 3 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Maine must plan for lower drug costs: benefit, low. Maine’s Prescription Drug Affordability Board must study ways to lower drug costs and patients’ out-of-pocket spending. It must review spending and use data, seek public input, and consult its advisory council and any technical committees. Required studies cover upper payment limits and reference p… - One board member loses expense payments: cost, low. The Maine Health Data Organization director or designee cannot receive legislative daily pay or expense reimbursement for board service. This exclusion applies to service on the Prescription Drug Affordability Board. Other board members and the specified advisory council member remain eligible for… - Maine funds drug affordability board staff: mixed, low. Beginning October 1, 2025, the Office of Affordable Health Care receives funding for one Public Service Manager III position. The manager supports the drug affordability board’s planning, government and stakeholder relations, research, writing, and administrative work. The law appropriates $107,817… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Cameron D. Reny (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Anne-Marie Mastraccio (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Denise Tepler (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Donna Bailey (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Henry L. Ingwersen (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Joseph Rafferty (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Kristi Mathieson (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-06-02 | House | ACC MAJ OTP AS AMENDED REP | pass | 125 | 9 | | | 2025-05-29 | Senate | ACCEPT MAJORITY OUGHT TO PASS AS AMENDED REPORT | pass | 35 | 0 | | ## Actions (13) - 2026-01-11: ACTPUB Chapter 530 - 2025-07-08: HELD BY THE GOVERNOR. (Senate) - 2025-06-25: PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence. (Senate) - 2025-06-25: 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" (S-159) as Amended by Senate Amendment "A" (S-459) 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" (S-159) On further motion by Same Senator the Senate SUSPENDED THE RULES to RECONSIDER their actions whereby Committee Amendment "A" (S-159) was ADOPTED. On further motion by Same Senator Senate Amendment "A" (S-459) to Committee Amendment "A" (S-159) READ and ADOPTED. Committee Amendment "A" (S-159) as Amended by Senate Amendment "A" (S-459) thereto ADOPTED. PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY Committee Amendment "A" (S-159) as Amended by Senate Amendment "A" (S-459) thereto in NON-CONCURRENCE. Sent down for concurrence. (Senate) - 2025-06-02: On motion by Senator ROTUNDO of Androscoggin PLACED ON THE SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS TABLE pending ENACTMENT in concurrence (Senate) - 2025-06-02: PASSED TO BE ENACTED. Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-06-02: Reports READ.On motion of Representative MATHIESON of Kittery, the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report was ACCEPTED.ROLL CALL NO. 249(Yeas 125 - Nays 9 - Absent 17 - Excused 0)The Bill was READ ONCE.Committee Amendment "A" (S-159) 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" (S-159). In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-05-29: Taken from the table by the President On motion by Senator BAILEY of York The Majority Ought to Pass As Amended Report ACCEPTED. PREVAILED Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 269 Yeas 35 - Nays 0 - Excused 0 - Absent 0 Bill READ ONCE Committee Amendment "A" (S-159) READ and ADOPTED Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED by Committee Amendment "A" (S-159) Sent down for concurrence (Senate) - 2025-05-28: Reports READ On motion by Senator BAILEY of York Tabled until Later in Today's Session, pending ACCEPTANCE OF EITHER REPORT. Unfinished Business (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) - 2025-02-20: Received by the Secretary of the Senate on February 20, 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-159), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0314&item=2&snum=132) - Amendment S-A to C-A (S-459), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0314&item=4&snum=132) - Enacted: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0314&item=6&snum=132) - Introduced: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0314&item=1&snum=132) ## Related bills - LD 1522: An Act to Establish the Maine Eviction Prevention Program (failed) - LD 2067: An Act to Include Community Mental Health Workers Under the 1998 Special Plan for Retirement (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 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-159), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0314&item=2&snum=132) - [Amendment S-A to C-A (S-459), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0314&item=4&snum=132) - [Enacted (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0314&item=6&snum=132) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0314&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 2067: An Act to Include Community Mental Health Workers Under the 1998 Special Plan f…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD2067-132) - [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 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-LD697-132 (as of 2026-10-19).