Maine State Register

The Commission proposes changes to Chapter 410 to (1) clarify the confidentiality provision for buyer names and addresses and (2) respond to the Joint Standing Committee on Housing and Economic Development’s request that the Commission review the rules and standards of practice and adopt further rule changes to combat deed fraud. The Commission is proposing to address deed fraud issues with a new section in the rule to require an affiliated licensee to take reasonable steps to verify the identity of a seller and the seller‘s legal authority to transfer a property prior to entering into a brokerage agreement or providing real estate brokerage services in a real estate transaction.

In accordance with 12 MRS, §11401, the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife in conjunction with the Town of Tremont in Hancock County is proposing to conduct a special deer hunt during the month of November beginning in 2026 and extending for 3 years. Deer taken during this special hunt are in addition to the statewide bag limit. All other specifications of the special hunt set by the Town and all other laws and rules relating to deer hunting shall apply. Please contact the agency contact person for a complete copy of the rule proposal.

On February 17, 2026, Public Law Chapter 540 “An Act to Address Maine’s Health Care Workforce Shortage and Improve Access to Care” was enacted authori

Maine Revenue Services (“MRS”) is proposing to amend Rule 104 (“Filing of Maine Tax Returns”) to add any tax return and tax return schedules and worksheets for which MRS provides a program of electronic filing or electronic data submission to the list of forms that are subject to the electronic filing mandate. The rule also proposes to impose an electronic filing requirement beginning in 2026 on certain taxpayers and tax return preparers filing fuel tax or cigarette tax refund applications and, beginning in 2027, that file mining excise tax or composite income tax forms. The rule removes service provider and initiator of deposit tax returns from the list of returns that are required to be filed electronically. Other technical changes are made to the rule to enhance clarity.

This proposed rule amends the current rule to clarify eligibility, aligns the rule with the statutory framework governing line-of-duty death benefits for law enforcement officers, updates and refines key definitions including those relating to children, parents, official duty, and line-of-duty deaths, provides greater clarity regarding who may qualify for benefits and under what circumstances, and conforms with recent updates to 25 MRS §§1611 – 1612 and conforms to federal Protecting America’s First Responders Act of 2021 (P.L. 117-61)

This chapter provides guidance on compensation limits and offsets applicable to disability retirement benefits. The proposed amended rule chapter updates references in conformity with PL 2025, c. 598 and eliminates the requirement that excess benefit payments addressed by this chapter be reimbursed to the System.

This chapter sets forth the standards and processes for determining eligibility for disability retirement benefits. The proposed amended rule chapter implements changes enacted in PL 2025, c. 598 and clarifies that a member reinstated to service under certain conditions is considered to have been in service throughout the period of reinstatement.

The Department proposes updates to 10-144 C.M.R. Ch. 609; Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – Employment and Training (SNAP E&T) rules to ensure consistency with other Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Family Independence Employment and Training programs. Section 4 (III)(B) would provide clarity that the most cost-effective approach reasonable for the Participant’s Individuali

The Public Utilities Commission initiates a rulemaking to promulgate a new rule, Chapter 398. In this rule the Commission proposes to adopt the standards, requirements, and procedures it will employ in reviewing: (1) Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for Renewable and Clean Resources submitted by the Department of Energy Resources (Department); and (2) contracts between an entity selected by the Department pursuant to an RFP and a transmission and distribution (T&D) utility.

Routine rate adjustment

The proposed changes to Chapter 7 are intended to benefit the harness racing industry by making the rules clearer for participants and officials. The changes will keep racing practices current and protect the equines that compete by adding more restrictions to the whipping rule and requiring that claims not be announced until after the race is official.

The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is proposing to amend the areas open to hunting during the expanded archery season. The proposed change adds land area and joins and consolidates several existing expanded archery deer hunting areas along the southern and central Maine coast and adds some coastal islands to expanded archery. This proposed change provides additional deer harvest opportunities in areas where doe harvest tends to be below desired levels and where hunting as a management tool is limited by land access, challenging geography such as islands and peninsulas, and high levels of development. Please contact the agency contact person for a complete copy of the rule proposal.

MRS is proposing an amendment to Rule 205 that (1) clarifies the administration of carry-forward continuing education credits; (3) creates a framework for the approval or denial of continuing education credit-awarding activities; (4) creates a framework for the enforcement of continuing education requirements, including advanced continuing education; (5) restructures the inactive/withdrawn and retired CMA statuses; and (6) makes other technical and clarifying changes.

The proposed changes would update agency rules to reflect P.L. 2025, Chapter 593, which requires paid communications to the public containing images or audio of a candidate that have been misleadingly manipulated or altered to contain a specific disclosure statement, and P.L. 2025, Chapter 600, which increased the spending threshold for communications to the public that require the filing of an “independent expenditure report” from spending $250 per candidate to spending $1,000 per candidate.

The Department proposes routine technical changes to 10-144 C.M.R. Ch. 301; Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Rules to ensure compliance with P.L. 2025, Ch. 647, 1-A signed into law on April 6, 2026. Consistent with P.L. 2025, Ch. 647, 1-A, the proposed rule would update Section 111-2 to provide clarity for participants, applicants, and Department staff for Special Immigrant Juvenile requirements and survivors of human trafficking that do not qualify for federal food assistance benefits who may be potentially eligible for State Funded SNAP. Other non-substantive changes were made to align the language of the rule with the amended language in the law.

The Board of Licensure of Water System Operators, established within the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, proposes changes to its Water System Operators Licensing Rule. This rule regulates the licensure of Public water system operators, establishes classifications, sets license fees, and outlines complaint procedures. The primary purpose of the Department’s and Board’s proposed amendments include updating the classification of public water systems by adding a third classification - Very Small Water System (VSWS) - at Section 3(A); reorgani

The existing rule will be amended to incorporate by reference the new and amended NESHAP promulgated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency between July 1, 2022, and July 1, 2025, for which the Department seeks delegation of enforcement authority.

The existing rule will be amended to incorporate by reference the new and amended NSPS promulgated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency between July 1, 2022, and July 1, 2025, for which the Department seeks delegation of enforcement authority.

The rule package is being updated to reflect the changes in law requiring all licensees to pay 10% of gross fantasy contest revenues due on the 10th of January each year for the previous year.

This regulation would establish open harvest days for the taking of sea urchins by divers, rakers, trappers, and draggers in

This proposed rule-making amends the limited entry system for scallop licenses. Scallop dive licenses are proposed to be issued through a license lottery held annually, as is currently the case. Scallop drag licenses would be issued through a license lottery annually, but individuals selected through the lottery will need to complete a Scallop Drag Apprenticeship Program before they will be eligible to purchase their scallop drag license.

This Chapter establishes the procedures for the submission, consideration and disposition for requests for advisory rulings as required by 5 M.R.S. § 9001.