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LD 800

An Act To Fund The Provision Of Advocacy Services To Persons With Intellectual Disabilities

132nd Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Drew Gattine and 3 co-sponsors

Authorizes an ongoing $50,000/year General Fund appropriation to Disability Rights Maine to fund advocacy services for people with intellectual disabilities in Maine.

Signed by Governor
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Bill Summary · LD 800

Summary — LD 800: An Act To Fund The Provision of Advocacy Services to Persons with Intellectual Disabilities

Status: Signed by Governor (July 1, 2025)
Introduced: February 27, 2025
Sponsor: Rep. Gattine (Westbrook)
Committee: Health and Human Services
Subjects: Developmentally disabled persons; disabled persons; services

Purpose and intent

LD 800 provides ongoing state funding to support advocacy services for people with intellectual disabilities. The stated intent is to ensure continued access to advocacy (individual and/or systemic) by financing a designated advocacy organization to serve this population.

Key provisions

  • Establishes an ongoing General Fund appropriation of $50,000 annually beginning in fiscal year 2025‑26.
  • Directs these funds to Disability Rights Maine (the designated recipient identified in the fiscal notes) to provide advocacy services to persons with intellectual disabilities.
  • No other programmatic details or eligibility changes are reflected in the fiscal documents provided; the bill appears to be a funding appropriation rather than a substantive change in statutory rights or program rules.

Fiscal impact

  • General Fund cost: $50,000 per year (FY 2025‑26 and each subsequent year shown — FY 2026‑27 through FY 2028‑29 projections).
  • Appropriation/Allocation: $50,000 General Fund annually to Disability Rights Maine.
  • Fiscal notes (LR 1779(01) through LR 1779(03)) consistently report this ongoing $50,000 appropriation.

Who is affected

  • Primary recipient: Disability Rights Maine (provider of advocacy services).
  • Beneficiaries: Persons with intellectual disabilities in Maine who need advocacy services (individual representation, rights protection, systemic advocacy), to the extent Disability Rights Maine uses the funds to expand or sustain services.
  • State budget: modest annual General Fund outlay of $50,000.

Legislative and procedural timeline (selected)

  • 2025-02-27: Bill received and referred to Health and Human Services Committee.
  • 2025-03-26: Committee work session; voted OTP‑AM (recommended with amendment).
  • 2025-05-28: Committee Amendment "A" (H-271) adopted; bill read and passed to be engrossed as amended.
  • 2025-05-29 to 2025-06-25: Passed by both chambers in concurrence; temporarily placed on Special Appropriations Table and later removed.
  • 2025-07-01: Signed by Governor (enacted).

Notes and uncertainties

  • The full bill text is not included in the fiscal documents; details about allowable uses, reporting requirements, or program conditions (if any) are not available in the provided materials.
  • Effective date of the law is not specified in the fiscal note excerpts; enactment occurred when the Governor signed the bill on July 1, 2025, unless another effective date is stated in the final bill text.

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

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