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LD 1406

An Act To Amend Certain Definitions In The Child And Family Services And Child Protection Act

132nd Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Michael Brennan and 1 co-sponsor

LD 1406 updates definitions in Maine's Child and Family Services and Child Protection Act, reshaping mandated reporting and service eligibility; emergency, effective immediately.

Signed by Governor
#abuseandneglect #childrenandfamilies #mandatedreporters
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Bill Summary · LD 1406

Summary — LD 1406 (132nd Maine Legislature)

Title: An Act To Amend Certain Definitions in the Child and Family Services and Child Protection Act
Sponsor: Rep. Meyer of Eliot
Status: Signed by Governor (Emergency measure) — Signed 2025-06-10
Introduced: 2025-04-01
Committee: Health and Human Services

Purpose and intent

LD 1406 updates definitions contained in Maine’s Child and Family Services and Child Protection Act. The stated aim (by title and legislative actions) is to amend “certain definitions” in order to clarify or modify how terms in the child protection framework are interpreted and applied. Clarifying statutory definitions can change the scope of who is protected, who is required to report suspected abuse or neglect, and how agencies administer services.

Key provisions (high level)

  • Amends unspecified definitions within the Child and Family Services and Child Protection Act.
  • A Committee Amendment (Committee Amendment “A”, H-419) was adopted and the bill as amended was passed and enacted.
  • The enacted measure was designated an emergency measure and therefore required a two‑thirds vote of the House; it became effective immediately upon the Governor’s signature.

Note: The available documents do not include the bill text or the specific definition changes. For precise language and exact changes to statutory terms, consult the enacted bill text on the Maine Legislature website or the Office of the Revisor of Statutes.

Who is affected

  • Children and families who are the subject of child protection assessments and family services.
  • Mandated reporters (e.g., teachers, healthcare providers, social workers, law enforcement) if the amendments change who is defined as a mandated reporter or the scope of reportable conduct.
  • Department of Health and Human Services and other agencies responsible for intake, investigation, and service provision under the Child and Family Services and Child Protection Act.
  • Courts, attorneys, and service providers whose work depends on statutory definitions (e.g., definitions of “abuse,” “neglect,” “caregiver,” or “mandated reporter”).

Fiscal and procedural notes

  • Fiscal impact: Multiple fiscal notes (preliminary and as amended) state “No fiscal impact.”
  • Legislative actions: Referred to Health and Human Services (4/1/2025); work session and OTP‑AM recommendation (4/25/2025); Committee Amendment “A” adopted; passed both chambers (6/2/2025); signed by Governor as an emergency measure (6/10/2025).
  • Because it was enacted as an emergency measure, the law took effect immediately upon the Governor’s signature.

Practical implications

Amending statutory definitions can have important operational effects—changing who must report abuse, which situations are considered reportable, or which individuals qualify for services—even if no direct fiscal impact is projected. Entities responsible for compliance (schools, health care providers, DHHS) should review the enacted bill text to determine whether their reporting obligations or practices require updates (training, forms, policies).

Where to find the text

To see the exact statutory language amended, consult:
- The Maine Legislature’s bill tracking pages for LD 1406 (132nd Legislature) or
- The Office of the Revisor of Statutes for the enacted language.

If you’d like, I can retrieve and summarize the specific amendments once the bill text is provided or located online.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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