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LD 70

An Act To Fund Free Health Clinics

132nd Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Michael Brennan

Provides one-time $50,000 General Fund funding to DHHS over two years to support Maine’s free health clinics.

Signed by Governor
#clinics #funding #healthcarefacilities
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Bill Summary · LD 70

Summary — LD 70: An Act To Fund Free Health Clinics

Purpose

LD 70 provides one-time state funding to support free health clinics in Maine. The bill directs General Fund appropriations to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to assist the State’s free clinics.

Key provisions

  • Appropriates one-time General Fund amounts to DHHS:
    • $50,000 in fiscal year (FY) 2025–26
    • $50,000 in FY 2026–27
  • Funds are intended to “support the State’s free health clinics.” The fiscal documents do not specify detailed eligibility criteria, distribution method, or allowable uses; those administrative details would be handled by DHHS (and earlier fiscal commentary noted an option to place funding in the Maine CDC account, though that change was not required).

Fiscal impact

  • Net cost to the General Fund: $50,000 (FY2025–26) and $50,000 (FY2026–27). No ongoing cost projected for FY2027–28 and beyond.
  • The bill was originally estimated (preliminary and earlier committee versions) to appropriate $250,000 in each of the two fiscal years; a subsequent Senate amendment reduced the appropriation to $50,000 per year, which is the amount enacted.

Who is affected

  • Primary beneficiaries: community-based free health clinics across Maine that provide low- or no-cost health services.
  • Administering agency: Maine Department of Health and Human Services, which will receive and administer the appropriated funds.
  • General Fund: minor one-time expenditure in two fiscal years.

Legislative history and timeline

  • Introduced: January 6, 2025 (Rep. Brennan of Portland; referred to Health and Human Services).
  • Committee work and amendments: work sessions and divided reports March–April 2025; Committee Amendment “A” (H-63) adopted in April.
  • Senate action: Senate Amendment “A” (S-444) to Committee Amendment A was adopted on June 25, 2025, reducing appropriations from $250,000 to $50,000 per year.
  • Floor votes (June 25, 2025): multiple votes on amendments, concurrence and passage (e.g., roll calls showing House concurrence and final passage).
    • House concurrence (recused/concurred to engrossed version): Roll Call No. 588 — Yeas 73, Nays 67.
    • Final passage/engrossed: Roll Call No. 601 — Yeas 70, Nays 62.
  • Signed by the Governor: July 1, 2025 (enacted).

Notes and limitations

  • Fiscal notes and committee materials show earlier higher funding proposals; the final enacted amount is the reduced $50,000 per year for two years.
  • The legislative record and fiscal notes do not include statutory text detailing distribution criteria, application process, or reporting requirements — those operational details would be set by DHHS or by the law’s text (not provided here).

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

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