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LD556 • 2025

An Act to Preserve Heating and Energy Choice by Prohibiting a Municipality from Prohibiting a Particular Energy System or Energy Distributor

An Act to Preserve Heating and Energy Choice by Prohibiting a Municipality from Prohibiting a Particular Energy System or Energy Distributor

Energy
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Senator Matthew Harrington
Last action
2025-07-01
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 Preserve Heating and Energy Choice by Prohibiting a Municipality from Prohibiting a Particular Energy System or Energy Distributor

An Act to Preserve Heating and Energy Choice by Prohibiting a Municipality from Prohibiting a Particular Energy System or Energy Distributor Sponsor: Senator Matthew Harrington Reference committee: State and Local Government Governor action: Signed by the Governor

What This Bill Does

  • An Act to Preserve Heating and Energy Choice by Prohibiting a Municipality from Prohibiting a Particular Energy System or Energy Distributor Sponsor: Senator Matthew Harrington Reference committee: State and Local Government 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.

Bill History

  1. 2025-07-01 Governor

    Signed by the Governor

  2. 2025-06-25 House

    RELEASED .

  3. 2025-06-25 Senate

    PASSED TO BE ENACTED , in concurrence. PREVAILED Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 646 Yeas 18 - Nays 14 - Excused 3 - Absent 0 Motion by Senator HARRINGTON of York to RECONSIDER PASSAGE TO BE ENACTED FAILED Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 646 Yeas 18 - Nays 14 - Excused 3 - Absent 0

  4. 2025-04-23 Committee

    Reported Out; OTP/ONTP

  5. 2025-04-09 Committee

    Work Session Held

  6. 2025-04-09 Committee

    Voted; Divided Report

  7. 2025-02-11 Committee

    Referred to Committee on State and Local Government.

Official Summary Text

An Act to Preserve Heating and Energy Choice by Prohibiting a Municipality from Prohibiting a Particular Energy System or Energy Distributor
Sponsor:
Senator Matthew Harrington
Reference committee:
State and Local Government
Governor action:
Signed by the Governor

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Page 1 - 132LR1016(02)
STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE
_____
S.P. 218 - L.D. 556
An Act to Preserve Heating and Energy Choice by Prohibiting a
Municipality from Prohibiting a Particular Energy System or Energy
Distributor
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 30-A MRSA §3015 is enacted to read:
§3015. Heating or energy system
Unless otherwise authorized by statute, a municipality may not adopt any ordinance or
regulation that prohibits the use of a safe and commercially available heating or energy
system of an individual's or entity's choice to serve the individual's or entity's heating or
energy needs, including the heating or energy needs of a motor vehicle, or that prohibits
the individual or entity from engaging the services of a person or energy distributor to
install, connect, service or resupply such a system. As used in this section, "energy
distributor" means an individual or entity allowed to distribute or supply oil, propane,
natural gas or wood or renewable resources or other related energy services to consumers
in the State and "renewable resources" has the same meaning as in Title 35-A, section 3210,
subsection 2, paragraph C.
This section does not limit the authority of a municipality to encourage the use of a
particular type of heating or energy system or to spend funds in support of a particular type
of heating or energy system. This section does not exempt any person or energy distributor
that installs, connects, services or resupplies a heating or energy system from applicable
licensing or other requirements governing such activities.
APPROVED
JULY 1, 2025
BY GOVERNOR
CHAPTER
456
PUBLIC LAW