# Maine LD 840: An Act to Modernize the State Supplement to Supplemental Security Income by Removing Marriage Disincentives

Maine LD 840, An Act to Modernize the State Supplement to Supplemental Security Income by Removing Marriage Disincentives, is a 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) Senate bill sponsored by Michael Tipping; status signed, last action 2026-04-16 (Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 753); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD840-132
- 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 840
- State: Maine
- Session: 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026)
- Title: An Act to Modernize the State Supplement to Supplemental Security Income by Removing Marriage Disincentives
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-03-04
- Last action: 2026-04-16, Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 753
- Sponsor: Michael Tipping
- Cosponsors: 4
- Subjects: GENERAL ASSISTANCE, GENERAL ASSISTANCE - INCOME
- Touches household money: yes
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Full state benefits for Maine couples: benefit, medium. For eligible blind, disabled, or older Mainers, a couple’s state income supplement equals each partner’s full benefit added together. Standard benefits cannot vary by individual budgeted need, benefit category, or location; federal rules still allow living-arrangement differences. The state adds at…
- New benefit benchmarks for Maine recipients: mixed, low. Maine measures need for its state income supplement using the latest one-person, lower-living-level Portland budget, not a retired-couple budget. The benchmark comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or a consistent budget; marriage does not change it. Federal rules still allow living-arrang…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Michael Tipping
- Cosponsor: Amy Roeder (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Henry L. Ingwersen (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Laurie Osher (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Marianne Moore (Republican), Senate

## Actions (13)

- 2026-04-16: Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 753
- 2026-04-14: PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence. (Senate)
- 2026-04-13: PASSED TO BE ENACTED. Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2026-04-13: The House RECEDED and CONCURRED to PASSAGE TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-18) as Amended by Senate Amendment "A" (S-701) thereto.ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2026-04-13: 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-18) in concurrence. On further motion by Same Senator the Senate SUSPENDED THE RULES to RECONSIDER their actions whereby Committee Amendment "A" (S-18) was ADOPTED. On further motion by Same Senator Senate Amendment "A" (S-701) to Committee Amendment "A" (S-18) READ and ADOPTED. Committee Amendment "A" (S-18) as Amended by Senate Amendment "A" (S-701) thereto ADOPTED. PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY Committee Amendment "A" (S-18) as Amended by Senate Amendment "A" (S-701) thereto in NON-CONCURRENCE. Sent down for concurrence. (Senate)
- 2025-06-25: CARRIED OVER, in the same posture, to any special or regular session of the 132nd Legislature, pursuant to Joint Order SP 800. (Senate)
- 2025-04-24: On motion by Senator ROTUNDO of Androscoggin PLACED ON THE SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS TABLE pending ENACTMENT in concurrence (Senate)
- 2025-04-23: PASSED TO BE ENACTED. Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2025-04-22: 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" (S-18).In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2025-04-17: Report READ and ACCEPTED.READ ONCE.Committee Amendment "A" (S-18) READ and ADOPTED.Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY Committee Amendment "A" (S-18).Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrence. (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)
- 2025-03-04: The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2025-03-04: Committee on HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES suggested and ordered printed REFERENCE to the Committee on HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrence (Senate)

## Bill text

- Amendment C-A (S-18), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0373&item=2&snum=132)
- Amendment S-A to C-A (S-701), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0373&item=4&snum=132)
- Enacted: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0373&item=5&snum=132)
- Introduced: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0373&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 (S-18), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0373&item=2&snum=132)
- [Amendment S-A to C-A (S-701), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0373&item=4&snum=132)
- [Enacted (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0373&item=5&snum=132)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0373&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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD840-132 (as of 2026-10-17).