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LD 1404

Resolve, To Create A Working Group On The Status Of School Libraries And On Public Libraries In Maine

132nd Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Amy Arata and 9 co-sponsors

Maine creates a statewide working group to study school and public libraries, funded for an outside facilitator and member mileage, with findings guiding future policy and funding.

Signed by Governor
#libraries #schoolandpubliclibraries #workinggroup
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Bill Summary · LD 1404

Summary — LD 1404 (132nd Legislature)

Resolve, To Create a Working Group on the Status of School Libraries and on Public Libraries in Maine

Status: Signed by the Governor (July 1, 2025)
Introduced: April 1, 2025
Sponsor: Rep. Murphy of Scarborough
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Subject: School and public libraries; working group

Purpose / Intent

LD 1404 establishes a statewide working group charged with examining the status of school libraries and public libraries in Maine. The intent is to gather information, facilitate discussion among stakeholders, and produce findings that can inform future policy, funding, and practice related to library services in the state.

Key provisions

  • Creates a working group to study the status of:
    • School libraries across Maine; and
    • Public libraries across Maine.
  • Directs the Maine State Library to support the working group by:
    • Contracting with an outside facilitator experienced in leading community and library discussions; and
    • Providing mileage reimbursement to working group members for travel to meetings.
  • The bill was amended (Committee Amendment "A", H-210) before final passage; the amendment language was adopted by the Legislature.

(Full membership, detailed duties, reporting deadlines, or required deliverables are not included in the fiscal notes supplied here; those specifics are contained in the text of the Resolve itself.)

Who is affected

  • Maine State Library: administrative responsibility for contracting a facilitator and handling reimbursements.
  • Members of the working group: will participate in meetings and are eligible for mileage reimbursement.
  • School districts, school librarians, public libraries, library boards, patrons, and other stakeholders: likely subjects of the working group's review and potential beneficiaries of any subsequent recommendations or policy changes.

Fiscal impact

  • General Fund one-time appropriations:
    • FY 2025–26: $9,000
    • FY 2026–27: $9,000
    • FY 2027–28 and beyond: $0 projected
  • Uses of funds: contracting an outside facilitator and mileage reimbursement for working group members.
  • Fiscal notes (preliminary and final) consistently report the same estimated amounts.

Legislative timeline / procedural history

  • Referred to Education and Cultural Affairs: April 1, 2025
  • Committee work, work session, and divided report during April–May 2025; Committee Amendment "A" (H-210) adopted.
  • Passed by the Legislature (readings, engrossment, concurrence) in late May and June 2025; placed temporarily on the Special Appropriations Table and later taken from that table.
  • Finally passed in concurrence: June 25, 2025
  • Signed by the Governor: July 1, 2025

Potential impact

  • Small direct fiscal cost to the General Fund for facilitator services and member mileage.
  • The working group’s findings could shape future legislative or administrative action affecting library staffing, services, funding priorities, and community engagement for both school and public libraries in Maine.

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

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