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LD 1832

An Act To Clarify Available Relief For The Protection Of At-Risk Children

132nd Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Amy Arata and 5 co-sponsors

Clarifies available judicial relief to protect at-risk children, including immigrant children, guiding courts, families, and agencies with clearer remedies.

Signed by Governor
#abuseandneglect #childrenandfamilies #immigrantchildren
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · LD 1832

Summary — LD 1832: "An Act To Clarify Available Relief For The Protection Of At‑risk Children"

Status: Signed by Governor (June 17, 2025)
Introduced: April 30, 2025
Sponsor: Sen. Bailey of York
Committee: Judiciary (also suggested and ordered printed by Health and Human Services)
Subjects: Abuse and neglect; Children and families; Immigrant children

Purpose / Intent

LD 1832 is intended to clarify what legal relief is available to protect children who are identified as “at‑risk.” The bill aims to make clearer the remedies and procedures that courts, families, caregivers, child‑protective agencies, and service providers may use to prevent harm to children — including children who are immigrants — by specifying applicable relief options in statute.

Note: The legislative materials provided do not include the full bill text; this summary is based on the bill title, committee actions, and fiscal notes.

Key provisions (summary based on available documents)

  • Clarifies the types of judicial relief and procedures available for protecting at‑risk children (the bill’s title indicates statutory clarification of available relief; specific statutory language was not provided in the materials reviewed).
  • Applies to matters involving abuse and neglect and explicitly lists immigrant children among relevant subject areas, indicating the clarifications extend to cases involving children with immigration-related circumstances.
  • Committee Amendment “A” (S‑310) was adopted and is the version enacted; the amendment produced a small fiscal effect compared with the original text.

Because the actual statutory changes are not in the documents provided, readers seeking exact language should consult the enrolled bill or the Maine Revised Statutes after enrollment.

Fiscal impact

  • As amended, the bill produces a minor General Fund cost increase and a minor General Fund revenue increase (fiscal notes approved 05/28/25 and 06/10/25).
  • Rationale: The bill may lead to a small increase in civil suits filed in Maine courts (additional workload judged minimal and not requiring new funding). Any increase in filing fees would generate minor additional revenue.

Who is affected

  • At‑risk children and their families/caregivers, including immigrant children.
  • Child protective services and public agencies engaged in child welfare.
  • Maine courts, judges, clerks, and civil litigants (potential slight increase in filings).
  • Attorneys and legal service providers representing children, families, or agencies.

Legislative history & timeline

  • Referred to Judiciary: April 30, 2025.
  • Work session and divided report in May 2025; Committee Amendment A adopted (June 9–10, 2025).
  • Passed both chambers and enrolled: June 10, 2025.
  • Signed by the Governor: June 17, 2025.
  • Effective date: Not specified in the provided documents — consult the enrolled act for the effective date and full statutory text.

Implementation / Next steps

  • Agencies, courts, and practitioners should review the enrolled law to determine specific procedural or statutory changes.
  • Court clerks and administrative offices may monitor filings for any change in case volume tied to the clarified relief options.

If you want, I can retrieve the enrolled bill text or the enacted statute language so we can summarize the precise statutory changes and any new or modified remedies the law creates.

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

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