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LD 1451

An Act To Strengthen Coordination Of Community Transportation

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

Establishes the Maine Coordinating Working Group on Access and Mobility to improve interagency coordination and report findings on strengthening community transportation.

Became Law without Governor's Signature
#agencycoordination #infrastructure #publictransportation
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Bill Summary · LD 1451

Summary — LD 1451: An Act To Strengthen Coordination of Community Transportation

Overview / Purpose

LD 1451 directs the Maine Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish a statewide working group to improve coordination around community transportation, access and mobility. The bill (a resolve) is intended to bring state agencies and stakeholders together to identify gaps, improve interagency coordination, and report findings and recommendations for strengthening community transportation services.

Key provisions

  • Directs the Department of Transportation to establish the "Maine Coordinating Working Group on Access and Mobility."
  • Requires the working group to meet and develop findings and report results (the fiscal notes reference the DOT’s obligation to report on the working group’s results).
  • Specifies participation by multiple state agencies: the fiscal notes identify the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, Education and the Maine Office of Community Affairs as members to serve on the working group alongside DOT. (The bill’s title and fiscal materials make clear this is an interagency coordination effort; the enacted language is a resolve rather than a statutory program or large funding appropriation.)

Who is affected

  • State agencies: primarily the Maine Department of Transportation, plus the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, Education and the Maine Office of Community Affairs (all expected to participate).
  • Local communities, transit providers, and users of community transportation may be indirectly affected by any policy recommendations or coordination improvements that result from the working group’s work.
  • No immediate changes to funding levels for transit services are established by this resolve.

Fiscal impact

  • The fiscal notes show only minor cost increases:
    • Early fiscal note (05/28/25) indicated a minor cost increase to the Highway Fund; costs could be absorbed within existing budgets.
    • Final fiscal note (06/04/25, as engrossed with Committee Amendment C "A" (S-262)) shows a minor cost increase to both the General Fund and the Highway Fund; again, agencies report these costs can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources.
  • No new ongoing appropriation or major capital spending is included.

Legislative / procedural timeline

  • Introduced: April 8, 2025. Referred to the Committee on Transportation.
  • Committee recommended OTP-AM (ought to pass as amended); Committee Amendment "A" (S-262) was adopted.
  • Passed both chambers (final concurrence June 9, 2025).
  • Became law without the Governor’s signature on June 22, 2025.

Implementation notes / likely effects

  • The immediate, concrete outcome is the formal establishment and convening of the working group and a resulting report.
  • Potential longer-term effects depend on the working group’s recommendations and whether the Legislature or agencies adopt any resulting policy, regulatory or funding changes to improve coordination of community transportation and access.

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

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