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LD 1323

An Act To Prohibit The Use Of Neonicotinoid Pesticides And The Use And Sale Of Neonicotinoid-Treated Seeds

132nd Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Sally Cluchey and 9 co-sponsors

Maine bans neonicotinoid pesticides and the sale or use of neonicotinoid-treated seeds; the Board of Pesticides Control implements the ban and funds research.

Signed by Governor
#neonicotinoidpesticides #pestmanagement #pesticides
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Bill Summary · LD 1323

Summary — LD 1323

An Act To Prohibit The Use Of Neonicotinoid Pesticides And The Use And Sale Of Neonicotinoid‑Treated Seeds
(Enacted; Signed by Governor June 12, 2025)

Purpose

LD 1323 prohibits the use of neonicotinoid insecticides and the use and sale of seeds treated with neonicotinoids in Maine. The stated intent is to reduce environmental exposure to neonicotinoids—chemicals implicated in pollinator decline and aquatic toxicity—and to encourage alternative pest management practices.

Key provisions

  • Prohibits the use of neonicotinoid pesticides in the State of Maine.
  • Prohibits the sale, offer for sale, or use of seed that has been treated with neonicotinoid compounds.
  • Provides for implementation and related activities through the Board of Pesticides Control (within the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry); the enacted version includes funding for the Board to conduct contracted research on neonicotinoid effects.
  • The bill was amended in committee (Committee Amendment "A" H‑347) and then further amended by House Amendment "A" (H‑507); those amended provisions were adopted prior to final passage. (Text of enacted amendments should be consulted for precise statutory language, definitions, exemptions, enforcement mechanisms, and effective dates.)

Who is affected

  • Agricultural producers, nurseries, greenhouse operators, landscapers, seed suppliers and retailers, and commercial pesticide applicators who currently use or sell neonicotinoid products or treated seed.
  • Municipalities and state agencies that apply pesticides or purchase treated seed.
  • Consumers who purchase retail seed and some commercial seed uses.
  • Ecosystems and pollinators (bees, other pollinating insects, aquatic invertebrates) — expected environmental beneficiaries.

Fiscal impact

  • The final fiscal notes identify a one‑time Other Special Revenue Fund appropriation of $156,500 to the Board of Pesticides Control in FY 2025‑26 for contracted services to research the effects of neonicotinoids. No ongoing (annual) fiscal impact was projected in the fiscal notes provided.
  • Earlier versions of the fiscal note had inconsistent entries (one indicated no fiscal impact), but the engrossed/enacted bill includes the $156,500 one‑time allocation.

Legislative and procedural timeline

  • Introduced: March 27, 2025; referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.
  • Reported out as OTP‑AM (with amendment) and work‑session held April 22, 2025. Committee and House amendments were adopted in early June.
  • The bill was treated as an emergency measure in the Legislature (a two‑thirds vote was required in the House at one point).
  • Finally passed by the Legislature: June 9, 2025.
  • Signed by the Governor: June 12, 2025. Emergency designation in legislative records indicates the law likely takes effect upon enactment; consult the enacted statute for the official effective date and any delayed/phase‑in dates or specific exemptions.

Implementation and next steps

  • The Board of Pesticides Control will be the primary implementing authority; the Board has one‑time funding to commission research on neonicotinoid effects.
  • Regulated entities should review the final statutory text for definitions (which chemicals are covered as “neonicotinoids”), compliance deadlines, permitted uses or exemptions (if any), labeling and retail requirements, penalties, and any transition/phase‑in provisions adopted in amendments.

Note: This summary focuses on the bill’s structure and known fiscal and procedural details. For compliance obligations and precise legal requirements, consult the final enrolled law text and any implementing rules from the Board of Pesticides Control.

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

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