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LD1091 • 2025

An Act to Reinforce Free Speech at Town Meetings by Requiring Opportunity for Public Comment

An Act to Reinforce Free Speech at Town Meetings by Requiring Opportunity for Public Comment

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Representative Benjamin Hymes
Last action
2025-06-22
Official status
Became Law without Governor's Signature
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act to Reinforce Free Speech at Town Meetings by Requiring Opportunity for Public Comment

An Act to Reinforce Free Speech at Town Meetings by Requiring Opportunity for Public Comment Sponsor: Representative Benjamin Hymes Reference committee: State and Local Government Governor action: Became Law without Governor's Signature

What This Bill Does

  • An Act to Reinforce Free Speech at Town Meetings by Requiring Opportunity for Public Comment Sponsor: Representative Benjamin Hymes Reference committee: State and Local Government Governor action: Became Law without Governor's Signature

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Adopted by House & Senate

Plain English: Page 1 - 132LR1413(02) COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 1 L.D.

  • Page 1 - 132LR1413(02) COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 1 L.D.
  • 1091 2 Date: (Filing No.
  • H- ) 3STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT 4 Reproduced and distributed under the direction of the Clerk of the House.
  • 5STATE OF MAINE 6HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 7132ND LEGISLATURE 8FIRST SPECIAL SESSION 9 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT “ ” to H.P.

Bill History

  1. 2025-06-22 Governor

    Became Law without Governor's Signature

  2. 2025-06-09 House

    PASSED TO BE ENACTED . Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.

  3. 2025-06-09 Senate

    PASSED TO BE ENACTED , in concurrence.

  4. 2025-06-04 Committee

    Reported Out; OTP-AM

  5. 2025-04-16 Committee

    Work Session Held

  6. 2025-04-16 Committee

    Voted; OTP-AM

  7. 2025-03-14 Committee

    Referred to Committee on State and Local Government.

Official Summary Text

An Act to Reinforce Free Speech at Town Meetings by Requiring Opportunity for Public Comment
Sponsor:
Representative Benjamin Hymes
Reference committee:
State and Local Government
Governor action:
Became Law without Governor's Signature

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Page 1 - 132LR1413(03)
STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE
_____
H.P. 713 - L.D. 1091
An Act to Reinforce Free Speech at Town Meetings by Requiring
Opportunity for Public Comment
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 30-A MRSA §2608 is enacted to read:
§2608. Public comment at public meetings of municipal officers
A reasonable opportunity for public comment must be provided on matters addressed
by the municipal governing body at any regularly scheduled public meeting of the
municipal officers. This section does not apply to a subcommittee meeting of a municipal
governing body. This section does not preempt or restrict the municipal governing body
from adopting and enforcing reasonable standards governing public comment, including
time limits and conduct standards.
LAW WITHOUT
GOVERNOR'S
SIGNATURE

JUNE 22, 2025
CHAPTER
409
PUBLIC LAW