Maine State Register

The 132nd Legislature enacted LD 1730 (P.L. 2025, c. 644, effective July 29, 2026) to amend Title 35-A. The law adds a new section 3475 and authori

The proposed rulemaking makes changes to the existing rules governing mandatory testing of cannabis and cannabis by adult use licensees to address concerns identified by the Office and program participants through the administration of the existing rule and to incorporate changes to the laws regarding mandatory testing of edible cannabis products. Specifically the proposed changes to the rule clarify what tests are required for cannabis and cannabis products in its final form, clarify the requirements applicable to retests for potency, and updating the standard operating procedure that must be used by all adult use cannabis program participants collecting, handling, transporting and receiving samples of cannabis or cannabis products for mandatory testing.

The proposed rulemaking makes changes to the existing rules governing the certification of cannabis testing facilities and the processes and procedures used to collect, receive, prepare, process, test adult use cannabis and cannabis products and the reporting of the results of such testing. These changes were identified through administration of the rule by the Maine CDC and OCP, feedback from cannabis testing facilities and other licensees and changes to the laws governing the adult use cannabis program and include: the definition of often-used but previously undefined terminology, clarification of the annual assessment process, clarification of the requirements applicable to quality control, standard operating procedures, chain of custody records and sample rejection, including a requirement that samples not meeting acceptance criteria be rejected by the cannabis testing facility that received it, and updates to the mandatory testing requirements applicable to edible cannabis products manufactured from cannabis concentrate that has already passed mandatory testing.

​​Statutory changes to M.R.S.A. Chapter 26, sub 1193(5) per Public Law 419, signed into law by the governor on June 20, 2019, removed both Holiday and Vacation pay from the main statute governing Other Remuneration. The rule is being updated to reflect those changes.

​​The primary reason for updating the rule is the result of PL 456, signed into law on July 12, 2021, which added a new provision to M.R.S.A. Chapter 26, sub. 1193(1) for individuals who have to voluntarily leave their employment due to the unexpected loss of child- or eldercare. In addition to this significant change, the chapter was last updated in 2004 and required miscellaneous clean-up and edits to become consistent with current statutes.

Maine Revenue Services (“MRS”) is proposing to amend Rule 807 (“Residency”) to clarify the determination of when an individual is treated as a “safe harbor” resident (i.e. a resident treated as a nonresident due to spending a significant amount of time outside Maine) and to clarify that certain military compensation derived by a Maine resident from service in the Space Force outside Maine is not taxable to Maine. Other technical changes are made to enhance clarity.

Maine Revenue Services (“MRS”) is proposing to amend Rule 806 (“Nonresident Individual Income Tax”) to clarify that contributions to the Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave Act program is compensation for purposes of determining income of a nonresident individual subject to Maine income tax. Also, consistent with the federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act and the provisions of other Maine tax law, the rule adds to certain military pay earned or derived by a nonresident individual that is not subject to Maine income tax to include, in addition to compensation paid to active members of other branches of the military, the compensation paid by the United States to active duty members of the Space Force, the commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service who are assigned to a military air base, naval station, or any facility in Maine, public or private, to which they must report under service orders. Other technical changes are made to the rule to enhance clarity and to remove gender-specific language.

This rulemaking proposal is to update Chapter 424’s dust-lead ha

In this rulemaking, the Department intends to update Appendix A of Chapter 418 (“Appendix A”) to reflect the current allowed levels of chemicals in waste to be permitted at beneficial use sites. Appendix A’s screening levels for waste are derived using the standard risk assessment methodology described in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Regional Screening Levels (“RSLs”) for Chemical Contaminants at Superfund Sites (last updated March 13, 2026). Acceptable risk levels were set at one-half the risk standard used by the Department for clean up of sites contaminated with ha

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