New Maine laws taking effect January 1, 2026
23 laws take effect January 1, 2026.
Of the 971 bills enacted since 2025, 962 have an effective date and 9 don't yet (listed below). A law here takes effect that day by its main provisions; parts of a staggered act may take effect on other dates.
Updated Oct 31, 2026 at 11:25 a.m. EDT.
Taxes (5)
LD 1275 · 2025 Regular SessionStated
An Act to Promote the Production of Natural Resources Bioproducts by Amending the Renewable Chemicals Tax Credit
How we got this date
The date of the act's main provisions (act).
This Act applies to tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2026.
LD 1325 · 2025 Regular SessionStated
An Act to Create Clarity in the Laws Regarding Property Tax Abatement Appeals
How we got this date
The date of the act's main provisions (act).
This Act applies to property tax abatement appeals filed on or after January 1, 2026.
LD 15 · 2025 Regular SessionStated
An Act to Modify the Excise Tax on Camper Trailers
How we got this date
This Act takes effect January 1, 2026.
LD 68 · 2025 Regular SessionStated
An Act to Amend the State Tax Laws
How we got this date
The date of the act's main provisions (act).
This Part applies to sales made on or after January 1, 2026.
LD 982 · 2025 Regular SessionStated
An Act to Establish Equal Tax Treatment for the Mi'kmaq Nation
How we got this date
The date of the act's main provisions (Title 36, Part 3).
Title 36, Part 3: this Part applies to sales occurring on or after January 1, 2026
Crime (3)
LD 1189 · 2025 Regular SessionStated
An Act to Allow an Attorney for the State to Determine Whether to Charge Certain Class E Crimes as Civil Violations
How we got this date
This Act takes effect January 1, 2026.
LD 259 · 2025 Regular SessionStated
An Act to Establish the Criminal Records Review Commission in Statute
How we got this date
This Act takes effect January 1, 2026.
LD 586 · 2025 Regular SessionStated
An Act to Provide a Court Authority to Issue Proximity Restrictions in Protection from Abuse Orders
How we got this date
This Act takes effect January 1, 2026.
Government (3)
LD 1576 · 2025 Regular SessionStated
An Act to Extend a One-year Lobbying Prohibition to Partisan and Nonpartisan Staff of the Legislature
How we got this date
This Act takes effect January 1, 2026.
LD 358 · 2025 Regular SessionStated
An Act to Increase Fees Paid to Registers of Deeds
How we got this date
This Act takes effect January 1, 2026.
LD 654 · 2025 Regular SessionStated
An Act to Increase the Maximum Small Claim Limit
How we got this date
This Act takes effect January 1, 2026.
Healthcare (3)
LD 1580 · 2025 Regular SessionStated
An Act to Prohibit Carriers and Pharmacy Benefits Managers from Using Spread Pricing
How we got this date
The date of the act's main provisions (act).
This Act applies to contracts entered into or renewed on or after January 1, 2026.
LD 163 · 2025 Regular SessionStated
An Act to Require Health Insurance Coverage for Federally Approved Nonprescription Oral Hormonal Contraceptives and Nonprescription Emergency Contraceptives
How we got this date
The date of the act's main provisions (act).
This Act applies to all policies, contracts and certificates executed, delivered, issued for delivery, continued or renewed in this State on or after January 1, 2026.
LD 178 · 2025 Regular SessionStated
An Act Regarding Coverage for Step Therapy for Metastatic Cancer
How we got this date
The date of the act's main provisions (Sec. 4).
Sec. 4: The expanded requirements apply to health plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026.
Public Lands (2)
LD 214 · 2025 Regular SessionStated
An Act to Create a For-hire Charter Boat Operator License and to Require Individuals Recreationally Fishing for Halibut in Coastal Waters to Register with the Saltwater Recreational Fishing Registry
How we got this date
This Act takes effect January 1, 2026.
LD 750 · 2025 Regular SessionStated
Resolve, Regarding Legislative Review of Portions of Chapter 27: Standards for Timber Harvesting and Timber Harvesting Related Activities Within Unorganized and Deorganized Areas of the State, a Major Substantive Rule of the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Bureau of Forestry
How we got this date
is authorized as long as the effective date of the rule is January 1, 2026
Traffic (2)
LD 1042 · 2025 Regular SessionStated
An Act to Require a Person Operating a Watercraft for Recreational Purposes to Ensure All Children Under 13 Years of Age Wear United States Coast Guard Approved Personal Flotation Devices
How we got this date
This Act takes effect January 1, 2026.
LD 1276 · 2025 Regular SessionStated
An Act to Align Intrastate Commercial Motor Vehicle Insurance Requirements with Federal Standards
How we got this date
The date of the act's main provisions (act).
This Act applies to all commercial motor vehicle liability insurance policies executed, delivered, issued for delivery, continued or renewed in this State on or after January 1, 2026.
Affordability (1)
LD 1642 · 2025 Regular SessionStated
An Act to Protect Maine Consumers by Simplifying Subscription and Health Club Membership Cancellations
How we got this date
The date of the act's main provisions (act).
this Act applies only to offers or agreements entered into or renewed on or after January 1, 2026
Defense (1)
LD 1430 · 2025 Regular SessionStated
An Act Regarding the Transfer of Moose Permits to Disabled Veterans
How we got this date
This Act takes effect January 1, 2026.
Housing (1)
LD 403 · 2025 Regular SessionStated
An Act to Protect Holders of Distressed Mortgages from Fraud
How we got this date
This Act takes effect January 1, 2026.
Mining and Drilling (1)
LD 936 · 2025 Regular SessionStated
An Act to Amend the Laws Regarding the Mining Excise Tax
How we got this date
The date of the act's main provisions (act).
This Act applies to tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2026
Parts of this act take effect on other dates.
Wages (1)
LD 1575 · 2025 Regular SessionStated
An Act to Allow a Legislator to Choose to Be Paid on an Annual Basis
How we got this date
The date of the act's main provisions (Sec. 1).
Sec. 1: effective January 1, 2026, a Legislator may choose to be paid the salary for each year of the biennium
Parts of this act take effect on other dates.
Enacted, but not yet dated (9)
These laws' texts tie their dates to something outside the legislative record (Contingent), or not enough is recorded yet to give one (Unresolved). They may take effect January 1, 2026 too; the record doesn't say.
Show all 9
- LD 1427ContingentAn Act Extending the Statute of Limitations on Criminal Actions Involving Aggravated Sex Traffickingapplies to aggravated sex trafficking committed on or after the Act's effective date or not yet time-barred under prior statute of limitations
- LD 1747UnresolvedAn Act to Repeal and Replace the Charter of the Yarmouth Water Districttwo clauses set different dates for the same provision
- LD 1986UnresolvedAn Act to Fund Collective Bargaining Agreements with Judicial Branch Employeestwo clauses set different dates for the same provision
- LD 293ContingentAn Act to Increase the Debt Limit of the Boothbay Region Water DistrictAcceptance of the debt limit proposal by a majority of the legal voters within the district voting at the referendum
- LD 3ContingentAn Act to Adopt Eastern Daylight Time Year-round Contingent on Federal ApprovalFulfillment of the condition in subsection 1 (while the State is observing eastern daylight time)
- LD 378UnresolvedAn Act to Clarify That Health Insurers Must Comply with Plan Sponsors' Statutory Rights to Audit Claims and Data Requests Related to Those Auditstwo clauses set different dates for the same provision
- LD 529ContingentAn Act to Establish the Alamoosook Lake Watershed Management DistrictApproval by a majority of the legal voters of the Town of Orland voting at a referendum held after June 1, 2025 within 2 years after the Act's effective date
- LD 531UnresolvedAn Act to Establish the Toddy Pond Watershed Management Districttwo clauses set different dates for the same provision
- LD 550UnresolvedAn Act to Support Outdoor, Agricultural-based and Hands-on Experiential Learning in Public Schoolstwo clauses set different dates for the same provision