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LD601 • 2025

An Act to Remove State-imposed Referendum Requirements Regarding Nuclear Power

An Act to Remove State-imposed Referendum Requirements Regarding Nuclear Power

Energy Technology
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Representative Reagan Paul
Last action
2025-04-10
Official status
Reports Read On motion by Senator LAWRENCE of York the Majority Ought Not to Pass Report ACCEPTED . in concurrence PREVAILED Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 97 Yeas 20 - Nays 14 - Excused 1 - Absent 0 Placed in Legislative Files (DEAD)
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 Remove State-imposed Referendum Requirements Regarding Nuclear Power

An Act to Remove State-imposed Referendum Requirements Regarding Nuclear Power Sponsor: Representative Reagan Paul Reference committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology Latest committee action: Reported Out; ONTP/OTP

What This Bill Does

  • An Act to Remove State-imposed Referendum Requirements Regarding Nuclear Power Sponsor: Representative Reagan Paul Reference committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology Latest committee action: Reported Out; ONTP/OTP

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. 2025-04-10 Senate

    Reports Read On motion by Senator LAWRENCE of York the Majority Ought Not to Pass Report ACCEPTED . in concurrence PREVAILED Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 97 Yeas 20 - Nays 14 - Excused 1 - Absent 0 Placed in Legislative Files (DEAD)

  2. 2025-04-08 House

    Reports READ . On motion of Representative SACHS of Freeport, the Majority Ought Not to Pass Report was ACCEPTED . ROLL CALL NO. 68 (Yeas 81 - Nays 63 - Absent 6 - Excused 0 - Restricted - 1) Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.

  3. 2025-04-04 Committee

    Reported Out; ONTP/OTP

  4. 2025-03-19 Committee

    Work Session Held

  5. 2025-03-19 Committee

    Voted; Divided Report

  6. 2025-02-20 Committee

    Referred to Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology.

Official Summary Text

An Act to Remove State-imposed Referendum Requirements Regarding Nuclear Power
Sponsor:
Representative Reagan Paul
Reference committee:
Energy, Utilities and Technology
Latest committee action:
Reported Out; ONTP/OTP

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Printed on recycled paper
132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 601
H.P. 369 House of Representatives, February 25, 2025
An Act to Remove State-imposed Referendum Requirements
Regarding Nuclear Power
Received by the Clerk of the House on February 20, 2025. Referred to the Committee on
Energy, Utilities and Technology pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to
Joint Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative PAUL of Winterport.
Cosponsored by Senator HARRINGTON of York and
Representatives: ALBERT of Madawaska, CAMPBELL of Orrington, FOSTER of Dexter,
MCINTYRE of Lowell, WADSWORTH of Hiram.

Page 1 - 132LR0446(01)
1Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
2Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA c. 43, sub-c. 1, as amended, is repealed.
3Sec. 2. 38 MRSA §1474, sub-§2, as amended by PL 1993, c. 541, §1, is further
4 amended to read:
52. Ratification. Except for an agreement with the Southeast Compact Commission
6 for acceptance through June 30, 1994 of low-level radioactive waste generated by and on
7 the premises of any facility of the United States Navy in Kittery, Maine, any compact or
8 agreement with any other state or states or the Federal Government for low-level waste
9 disposal must be ratified by legislative act and, in accordance with subchapter IV, by the
10 voters of the State.
11Sec. 3. 38 MRSA §1479, 2nd ¶, as amended by PL 1995, c. 642, §17, is further
12 amended to read:
13 Approval under this section does not replace any other license required by law and is
14 in addition to the voter approval required by section 1493.
15Sec. 4. 38 MRSA §1482, sub-§4, as amended by PL 1995, c. 642, §20, is further
16 amended to read:
174. Licensing. A low-level radioactive waste disposal facility developed in the State
18 must be licensed by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The facility must
19 be approved by the Legislature in accordance with section 1479 and approved by the voters
20 in accordance with section 1493.
21Sec. 5. 38 MRSA c. 14-A, sub-c. 4, as amended, is repealed.
22SUMMARY
23 This bill removes the requirements that the following may not commence without
24 approval by the voters by referenda:
25 1. Constructing nuclear power plants;
26 2. Constructing or operating low-level radioactive waste disposal or storage facilities;
27 and
28 3. Entering into compacts or agreements with other states or the Federal Government
29 concerning the disposal or storage of low-level radioactive waste.
30 It also repeals and amends provisions of law related to those referendum requirements.
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