KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Maine

LD241 • 2025

An Act to Authorize the Public Utilities Commission to Approve Rate Adjustments for Low-income Water Utility Ratepayers

An Act to Authorize the Public Utilities Commission to Approve Rate Adjustments for Low-income Water Utility Ratepayers

Energy Technology
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Senator Mark Lawrence
Last action
2025-05-29
Official status
Signed by the Governor
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 Authorize the Public Utilities Commission to Approve Rate Adjustments for Low-income Water Utility Ratepayers

An Act to Authorize the Public Utilities Commission to Approve Rate Adjustments for Low-income Water Utility Ratepayers Sponsor: Senator Mark Lawrence Reference committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology Governor action: Signed by the Governor

What This Bill Does

  • An Act to Authorize the Public Utilities Commission to Approve Rate Adjustments for Low-income Water Utility Ratepayers Sponsor: Senator Mark Lawrence Reference committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology Governor action: Signed by the Governor

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 - 132LR0540(02) COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 1 L.D.

  • Page 1 - 132LR0540(02) COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 1 L.D.
  • 241 2 Date: (Filing No.
  • S- ) 3ENERGY, UTILITIES AND TECHNOLOGY 4 Reproduced and distributed under the direction of the Secretary of the Senate.
  • 5STATE OF MAINE 6SENATE 7132ND LEGISLATURE 8FIRST SPECIAL SESSION 9 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT “ ” to S.P.

Bill History

  1. 2025-05-29 Governor

    Signed by the Governor

  2. 2025-05-27 House

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

  3. 2025-05-27 Senate

    PASSED TO BE ENACTED , in concurrence.

  4. 2025-05-14 Committee

    Reported Out; OTP-AM/ONTP

  5. 2025-03-12 Committee

    Work Session Held

  6. 2025-03-12 Committee

    Voted; Divided Report

  7. 2025-01-16 Committee

    Referred to Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology.

Official Summary Text

An Act to Authorize the Public Utilities Commission to Approve Rate Adjustments for Low-income Water Utility Ratepayers
Sponsor:
Senator Mark Lawrence
Reference committee:
Energy, Utilities and Technology
Governor action:
Signed by the Governor

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Page 1 - 132LR0540(03)
STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE
_____
S.P. 107 - L.D. 241
An Act to Authorize the Public Utilities Commission to Approve Rate
Adjustments for Low-income Water Utility Ratepayers
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §6115 is enacted to read:
§6115. Low-income assistance
Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, a water utility or group of water
utilities may petition the commission for approval of a low-income assistance program to
allow a qualifying low-income residential ratepayer to receive a discount or credit applying
to the amount the residential ratepayer would otherwise owe to the water utility. The
commission may approve the proposed discount or credit if it determines that the proposal
is a cost-effective means of keeping water affordable for low-income residential ratepayers.
The commission may not require a water utility to initiate a low-income assistance program
pursuant to this section.
For the purposes of this section, "residential ratepayer" means a customer who is
considered residential under the terms and conditions of the water utility.
APPROVED
MAY 29, 2025
BY GOVERNOR
CHAPTER
137
PUBLIC LAW