# Maine LD 709: An Act to Establish the Respite for ME Program

Maine LD 709, An Act to Establish the Respite for ME Program, is a 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) House bill sponsored by Kristen Cloutier (Democratic); status signed, last action 2025-04-18 (Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 30); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD709-132
- 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 709
- State: Maine
- Session: 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026)
- Title: An Act to Establish the Respite for ME Program
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-02-20
- Last action: 2025-04-18, Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 30
- Sponsor: Kristen Cloutier (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: HEALTH CARE SERVICES, HEALTH CARE SERVICES - HOME HEALTH CARE
- Touches household money: yes
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- New respite care help for caregivers: benefit, medium. The law creates the Respite for ME Program. The Department runs the program for the state. It provides respite care and supplemental services as described in the federal Older Americans Act. It serves family caregivers and older relative caregivers, as defined by that law. This section does not lis…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Kristen Cloutier (Democratic), House

## Actions (7)

- 2025-04-18: Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 30
- 2025-04-15: PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence. (Senate)
- 2025-04-10: PASSED TO BE ENACTED. Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2025-04-08: Report READ and ACCEPTED, in concurrence.READ ONCEUnder suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED, in concurrence.Ordered sent down forthwith. (Senate)
- 2025-04-01: CONSENT CALENDAR - FIRST DAYUnder suspension of the rules CONSENT CALENDAR - SECOND DAY.The Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED.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 HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 401. (House)

## Bill text

- Enacted: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0448&item=2&snum=132)
- Introduced: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0448&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
- [Enacted (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0448&item=2&snum=132)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0448&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-LD709-132 (as of 2026-10-17).