An Act To Promote Responsible Outdoor Lighting

132nd Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Joe Baldacci and 9 co-sponsors

The bill creates a state-supported model outdoor lighting ordinance for municipalities to adopt locally, with timing and funding contingent on available resources.

Became Law without Governor's Signature

#environmentalawareness #outdoorlighting #planning

Purpose / Intent

The bill is intended to promote responsible outdoor lighting practices across Maine by providing a model ordinance that municipalities can use or adapt to address outdoor lighting issues (e.g., light trespass, glare, energy use, and night-sky impacts). The central objective is to assist local governments in adopting consistent, effective outdoor lighting standards.

Key provisions

Directs the Office of Community Affairs (OCA) to develop a "responsible outdoor lighting" model ordinance for use by municipalities.

Requires distribution of that model ordinance to municipalities (originally by September 30, 2026 under the bill as introduced).

Legislative amendments (Senate Amendment S-349 to Committee Amendment H-561) modified the timing and funding:

A subsequent amendment removed the deadline and clarified that OCA must develop the model ordinance only when adequate resources are available to absorb the cost.
That amendment also removed a one‑time General Fund appropriation that had been included to pay for consultant help.

Fiscal impact

Original fiscal note (approved 6/4/2025) included a one‑time General Fund appropriation of $15,000 (FY 2025‑26) to allow OCA to contract with a consultant to help develop and distribute the model ordinance by 9/30/2026.

Revised fiscal note (6/10/2025) reflecting the amendment shows the $15,000 appropriation removed; net General Fund cost becomes ($15,000) in FY 2025‑26 (i.e., appropriation eliminated). Any additional costs to the Maine Turnpike Authority are expected to be minor and absorbable within existing resources.

Who is affected

Office of Community Affairs: tasked with developing the model ordinance; the timing and resourcing depend on available funds/staff capacity.

Municipalities: intended recipients and potential adopters of the model ordinance; provides a template to guide local outdoor lighting regulation.

Maine Turnpike Authority: may incur minor costs to comply with any resulting policies, but these are expected to be absorbable.

Consultants: originally anticipated to be contracted under the removed $15,000 appropriation.

Legislative history / procedural timeline

Referred to State and Local Government Committee (5/6/2025); work sessions and divided committee votes in May 2025.

Committee Amendment H‑561 and Senate Amendment S‑349 were adopted in the Senate and House processes.

Passed both chambers:

House concurrence recorded 6/11/2025 (Yeas 74 – Nays 67).
Final passage to be enacted recorded 6/13/2025 (Yeas 74 – Nays 72).

Fiscal notes issued 6/4/2025 (original) and revised 6/10/2025 after amendment.

Status as of 7/8/2025: HELD BY THE GOVERNOR (bill not signed or returned).

Notes / Implications

Because the requirement to produce the model ordinance was made contingent on available resources and the $15,000 appropriation was removed, the timeline for producing and distributing the model ordinance is uncertain and depends on OCA capacity or future funding.

The bill does not itself impose mandatory statewide lighting standards on municipalities; it creates a state-supported model to encourage local adoption.

Bill