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LD 739

An Act To Reimburse The City Of Ellsworth For An Access Road To A New Court Facility In Hancock County

132nd Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Steve Bishop and 4 co-sponsors

Provides a one-time $750,000 General Fund appropriation to reimburse or fund a public access road for a new Hancock County courthouse project in Ellsworth.

Died in Possession of the Senate when the Legislature adjourned Sine Die and was PLACED IN THE LEGISLATIVE FILES. (DEAD)
#courts #facilities #hancockcounty
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Bill Summary · LD 739

Summary — LD 739 (132nd Legislature)

Title: An Act To Reimburse The City Of Ellsworth For An Access Road To A New Court Facility In Hancock County

Introduced: February 25, 2025
Fiscal note approved: April 4, 2025
Current status: CARRIED OVER, in the same posture, to any special or regular session of the 132nd Legislature (per Joint Order SP 800). Passed to be enacted in concurrence June 9, 2025; placed on the Special Appropriations Table pending final enactment.

Purpose

LD 739 authorizes state funding to support construction of an access road connected with a new Hancock County courthouse project in Ellsworth. The bill’s stated objective is to reimburse (or otherwise fund) the local costs of creating public access to the courthouse site so the project can proceed.

Key provisions

  • Provides a one-time General Fund appropriation of $750,000 in fiscal year 2025–26.
  • The fiscal note specifies that the appropriation is to the Judicial Branch to build a public road that facilitates access to the property where the city and the Judicial Branch are working to build a new courthouse in Hancock County.
  • Committee Amendment A (H-472) was adopted; the fiscal note reflects the amended bill. (Text of the amendment is not included in the provided materials.)

Fiscal impact

  • Net cost to the General Fund: $750,000 in FY 2025–26; $0 in FY 2026–27 and thereafter.
  • The appropriation is one-time; the bill does not create ongoing operating costs according to the fiscal note.

Who is affected

  • City of Ellsworth: intended beneficiary (reimbursement or support for access road construction).
  • Judicial Branch: recipient of the appropriation per the fiscal note; involved in courthouse construction efforts.
  • State General Fund/taxpayers: will bear the $750,000 one-time cost.
  • Hancock County residents: potential benefit from improved access to a new local courthouse and related infrastructure.

Legislative status / next steps

  • Referred to the Committee on Judiciary; work sessions and a divided committee report occurred.
  • Committee Amendment H‑472 adopted; the House voted Aye 79 — Nay 61 on accepting the committee’s recommendation.
  • Passed to be enacted in concurrence and ordered sent forthwith, but as of June 25, 2025 the bill was carried over to any special or regular session of the 132nd Legislature and remains pending final enactment and appropriation approval.

Notes

  • The bill appears targeted to remove a local funding barrier to a courthouse project by covering road construction costs. The exact mechanism (direct reimbursement to the city vs. Judicial Branch-managed construction funding) should be confirmed by reviewing the final amended bill text (H‑472).

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

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