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LD1406 • 2025

An Act to Amend Certain Definitions in the Child and Family Services and Child Protection Act

An Act to Amend Certain Definitions in the Child and Family Services and Child Protection Act

Children
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Representative Michele Meyer
Last action
2025-06-10
Official status
Signed by the Governor (Emergency Measure)
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 Amend Certain Definitions in the Child and Family Services and Child Protection Act

An Act to Amend Certain Definitions in the Child and Family Services and Child Protection Act Sponsor: Representative Michele Meyer Reference committee: Health and Human Services Governor action: Signed by the Governor (Emergency Measure)

What This Bill Does

  • An Act to Amend Certain Definitions in the Child and Family Services and Child Protection Act Sponsor: Representative Michele Meyer Reference committee: Health and Human Services Governor action: Signed by the Governor (Emergency Measure)

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 - 132LR1322(02) COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 1 L.D.

  • Page 1 - 132LR1322(02) COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 1 L.D.
  • 1406 2 Date: (Filing No.
  • H- ) 3HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 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. 2025-06-10 Governor

    Signed by the Governor (Emergency Measure)

  2. 2025-06-03 House

    This being an emergency measure, a two-thirds vote of all the members elected to the House was necessary. PASSED TO BE ENACTED . Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.

  3. 2025-06-03 Senate

    PASSED TO BE ENACTED - Emergency - 2/3 Elected Required, in concurrence.

  4. 2025-06-02 Committee

    Reported Out; OTP-AM

  5. 2025-04-25 Committee

    Work Session Held

  6. 2025-04-25 Committee

    Voted; OTP-AM

  7. 2025-04-01 Committee

    Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services.

Official Summary Text

An Act to Amend Certain Definitions in the Child and Family Services and Child Protection Act
Sponsor:
Representative Michele Meyer
Reference committee:
Health and Human Services
Governor action:
Signed by the Governor (Emergency Measure)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Page 1 - 132LR1322(03)
STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE
_____
H.P. 928 - L.D. 1406
An Act to Amend Certain Definitions in the Child and Family Services and
Child Protection Act
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, this legislation needs to take effect before the expiration of the 90-day
period in order to apply to cases of abuse or neglect of a child or jeopardy to health or
welfare of a child as soon as possible; and
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now,
therefore,
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §4002, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2021, c. 176, §1, is further
amended to read:
1. Abuse or neglect. "Abuse or neglect" means a threat to a child's health or welfare
by physical, mental or emotional injury or impairment, or sexual abuse or exploitation
including under Title 17‑A, sections 282, 852, 853 and 855 or deprivation of essential
needs, or lack of protection from these, by a person responsible for the child. "Abuse or
neglect" also means serious harm or threat of serious harm by a person responsible for the
child due to inadequate care or supervision of the child or deprivation of food, clothing,
shelter, education or medical care necessary for the child's health or welfare by that person
when that person is financially able to provide food, clothing, shelter, education or medical
care necessary for the child's health or welfare or is offered lawful and reasonable financial
means or resources to do so. "Abuse or neglect" also means truancy under Title 20‑A,
section 3272, subsection 2, paragraph C or section 5051‑A, subsection 1, paragraph C or D
when truancy is the result of neglect by a person responsible for the child. "Abuse or
neglect" also means a threat to a child's health or welfare caused by child sex trafficking
by any person, regardless of whether or not the person is responsible for the child.
APPROVED
JUNE 10, 2025
BY GOVERNOR
CHAPTER
240
PUBLIC LAW
Page 2 - 132LR1322(03)
Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation
takes effect when approved.