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LD 844

An Act To Regulate Social Media Use By Minors Under 16 Years Of Age

132nd Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Ken Fredette

Aimed to regulate social media use by minors under 16; the bill died in 2025, with only minor budget effects and no enacted rules.

Placed in Legislative Files (DEAD)
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Bill Summary · LD 844

Summary of LD 844: An Act To Regulate Social Media Use By Minors Under 16 Years Of Age

Overview

  • Bill number and title: LD 844 — An Act To Regulate Social Media Use By Minors Under 16 Years Of Age
  • Status: DEAD (Placed in Legislative Files)
  • Introduced: March 4, 2025
  • Principal committee: Judiciary (referred from Housing and Economic Development)
  • Context: The bill aims to regulate social media use by minors under 16. The provided materials do not include the bill’s text, so specific substantive provisions are not enumerated here.

Purpose and intent

  • Based on the title, the bill sought to regulate social media use for minors younger than 16. The exact regulatory measures (requirements, prohibitions, enforcement mechanisms) are not detailed in the available documents.

Key provisions (as available)

  • The provided content does not include the textual provisions of the bill. Therefore, specific requirements (e.g., age verification, parental consent, access restrictions, or regulatory duties on platforms) cannot be confirmed from the materials provided.

Fiscal impact (from Document 2 – Fiscal Note for Original Bill)

  • General Fund:
    • Minor cost increase
    • Minor revenue increase
    • Additional filing fees would generate minor General Fund revenue
  • Court and enforcement implications:
    • The bill “may increase the number of civil suits filed in the court system,” but the workload is described as minimal and does not require additional funding at this time.
    • The collection of additional filing fees would yield minor revenue for the General Fund.
  • Attorney General/agency costs:
    • Any additional costs to the Office of the Attorney General for rulemaking are expected to be minor and absorbable within existing resources.

Who/what would be affected

  • Minors under age 16 (primary subject of regulation)
  • Parents or guardians (potential compliance and oversight role)
  • Social media platforms and service providers (subject to any enacted regulations)
  • Maine judiciary and court system (potential uptick in civil actions)
  • Maine Department of Justice (rulemaking activities, if authorized)

Procedural and timeline notes

  • 2025-03-04: Referred to the Judiciary Committee (initial referral from Housing and Economic Development)
  • 2025-03-04: Sent for concurrence
  • 2025-05-14: Work session held; bill voted Divided Report
  • 2025-05-14: Reported Out as ONTP/OTP
  • 2025-06-13 to 2025-06-16: Legislative actions leading to passage of reports; multiple readings and concurrence steps
  • 2025-06-16: Majority Ought Not to Pass Report accepted; placed in Legislative Files (DEAD)
  • 2025-06-16: Reports read, sent for concurrence, and final disposition as DEAD
  • Earlier: The bill carried over to the next session under Joint Order SP 519 (permanent carryover language) before ultimately being placed in Legislative Files (DEAD)

Observation

  • The bill progressed through multiple stages but did not advance to enactment. The fiscal note indicates only minor budgetary effects and suggests minimal additional court workload, with marginal revenue from filing fees and small rulemaking costs for the AG.

If you’d like, I can tailor this summary to focus on policy implications or compare it to similar prior proposals.

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

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