Maine State Register

This is a technical change to the rule:

This is a technical change to the rule:

This routine technical rulemaking operationali

The Department proposes routine technical updates to 10-144 C.M.R. Ch. 331; Public Assistance Manual Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) consistent with legislative changes made to 22 M.R.S. § 3769-C(1)(D) made by P.L. 2023, Ch. 622, § 2.

The Commission initiates a rulemaking proceeding to consider possible amendments to Chapter 314 of the Commission’s rules which governs the Statewide Low Income Assistance Plan which provides financial assistance to electricity customers who are unable to pay their electricity bill in full. The intent of the rulemaking is to consider changes to the program and establish the overall program funding for the program year beginning October 1, 2026.

The proposed changes would update agency rules to reflect P.L. 2019, ch. 534 (contributions by lobbyists); incorporate a new statutory term, “public communication;” reflect P.L. 2025, ch. 181 (contributions to unenrolled candidates); authori

Because the State’s surface water and near surface groundwater resources are so extensive, wetlands can be hydrologically connected over large distances. Currently, wetlands that contain significant wildlife habitat, peatlands, or critically imperiled or imperiled plant communities are considered Wetlands of Special Significance and only a limited list of activities can be permitted within them, regardless of the distance between the proposed activity and the triggering feature. The proposed rule would allow the Department to permit additional activities within wetlands that are Wetlands of Special Significance because they contain significant wildlife habitat, peatlands, or critically imperiled or imperiled plant communities, provided: a) the activity is at least 750 feet from the triggering feature and b) the activity does not have an unreasonable adverse effect on the significant wildlife habitat, peatlands, or critically imperiled or imperiled plant community.

The Maine State Housing Authority uses funds from certain federal and state resources to give grants to agencies for a variety of activities to assist people who are experiencing homelessness. This Rule governs MaineHousing’s allocation of resources for such programs, program design, the publication and distribution of program guides, and potential selection criteria. Some resources are distributed according to a funding formula set forth in the applicable Program Guide and Application. Other resources may be distributed according to programs designed by MaineHousing.

The Department is proposing to amend Chapter 165, General Permit for Class IV-A Incinerators, to clarify applicability and exclusions, allow for the submission of registrations and other information through an electronic licensing system, align requirements for visible emissions with those in Chapter 101, Visible Emissions Regulation, and address the voluntary surrender and transfer of a general permit.

The Department is proposing to amend Chapter 164, General Permit for Concrete Batch Plants, to clarify applicability and exclusions, remove emission standards for nonroad engines, allow for the submission of registrations and other information through an electronic licensing system, align requirements for visible emissions with those in Chapter 101, Visible Emissions Regulation, and address the voluntary surrender and transfer of a general permit. All or parts of this rule may be submitted for inclusion in Maine's State Implementation Plan.

The Department is proposing to amend Chapter 149, General Permit Regulation for Nonmetallic Mineral Processing Plants, to clarify applicability and exclusions, remove emission standards for nonroad engines, allow for the submission of registrations and other information through an electronic licensing system, align requirements for visible emissions with those in Chapter 101, Visible Emissions Regulation, and address the voluntary surrender and transfer of a general permit. All or parts of this rule may be submitted for inclusion in Maine's State Implementation Plan.

This rule chapter sets forth the standards and processes for determining eligibility for disability retirement benefits. The proposed amendments to the rule eliminate the requirement for continuous service before a member can be eligible for disability retirement without meeting pre-existing condition criteria. The proposed amendments simplify continued eligibility for disability retirement benefits consistent with statute.

This rule establishes a consolidated retirement plan as required by 5 M.R.S. §18801 et seq. for local districts that are participating local districts under 5 M.R.S. Chapter 425 and Chapter 427. The proposed amendments to the rule allow Participating Local District (PLD) members with prior non-military federal service to purchase up to five years of service credit at actuarial cost. The proposed amendments also allows the chief administrative office of participating local district to clarify ambiguities in actions taken by the governing body regarding plan participation. The proposed amendments also ensures that 401(a) defined contribution plan elections conform with federal plan qualification requirements. The proposed amendments also removes an infrequently used and inefficient provision that permits a member retiring early to forgo cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) until they attain normal retirement age.

This rule sets forth the requirements for members to purchase or repurchase creditable service. The proposed amendments to the rule allows Maine Public Employees Retirement System members of the State Employee and Teacher Retirement Program and the Participating Local District Consolidated Plan with prior federal employment to purchase up to five years of service credit at actuarial cost.

The rule is updated to conform to changes in law made by Public Law 2025, Chapter 348.

The proposed rule changes are necessary to enforce compliance with PL 2023, Ch. 584 (LD 1740, “An Act to Protect a Patient’s Access to Affordable Health Care with Timely Access to Health Care Prices”).

As a result of the discovery of the presence of largemouth bass, an illegally introduced, warmwater species in West Musquash Lake located in T6 R1 NBPP, the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is proposing the following change to South

The Board of Licensure in Medicine proposes amendments to the rule to: define the terms “clinical license”, “post graduate medical education”, “reentry license”, and “telehealth”; change the term “permanent license” to “clinical license”; require applicants to personally complete application materials; amend the criteria regarding administratively incomplete applications; set the fee to renew an inactive status license at $100; add a “reentry license” type and define the requirements to obtain and renew a “reentry license”; change the fee structure for citations; and delegate review and approval of requests to withdraw applications to the Board Secretary.

The rule is amended in response to changes in law made by Public Law 2025, Chapter 291 to prohibit spread pricing by pharmacy benefits managers.

These proposed amendments to Chapter 5 will update the Maine Criminal Justice Academy Training Standards to implement a separate basic training course and certification standards for probation and parole officers as authori

These proposed amendments to Chapter 3 will create the entrance standards for the Basic Probation and Parole Training Program (BPPTP) as authori

The Department is proposing to amend rule Chapter 90, to establish designations for currently unavoidable uses of intentionally added PFAS in products subject to sales prohibition beginning January 1, 2026.

The purpose of this chapter is to implement changes made by statute P.L. 2023, Ch. 333, moderni

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

The proposed amended rules eliminates reference to the offset of disability retirement benefits for Social Security benefits received by a member for the same condition.

The Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is proposing to repeal Chapter 22 rules. The Chapter is now obsolete as the Department’s maga

The Land Use Planning Commission’s current fee schedule works well for complex and multi-faceted projects, but has adversely impacted the time needed to process residential development permits. The Commission is proposing to revise its fee schedule to simplify the application fee structure for residential development. Proposed revisions also include clerical edits.

Statutory authority for this Rule is 5 MRSA, Chapter 6, §95-C. This chapter prescribes policies, standards, and procedures for the economical and efficient management of State records. We will add a statement requiring state agencies to get approval from the Maine State Archives before purchasing a new document management system to ensure proper document management capability.