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LD78 • 2025

Resolve, Directing the Department of Education to Collect Data on Cursive Instruction in Maine Public Schools

Resolve, Directing the Department of Education to Collect Data on Cursive Instruction in Maine Public Schools

Education
Active

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

Sponsor
Representative Joseph Underwood
Last action
2026-04-29
Official status
Died in Possession of the Senate when the Legislature adjourned Sine Die and was PLACED IN THE 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.

Resolve, Directing the Department of Education to Collect Data on Cursive Instruction in Maine Public Schools

Resolve, Directing the Department of Education to Collect Data on Cursive Instruction in Maine Public Schools Sponsor: Representative Joseph Underwood Reference committee: Education and Cultural Affairs Latest committee action: Reported Out; OTP-AM

What This Bill Does

  • Resolve, Directing the Department of Education to Collect Data on Cursive Instruction in Maine Public Schools Sponsor: Representative Joseph Underwood Reference committee: Education and Cultural Affairs Latest committee action: Reported Out; OTP-AM

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 - 132LR0324(02) COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 1 L.D.

  • Page 1 - 132LR0324(02) COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 1 L.D.
  • 78 2 Date: (Filing No.
  • H- ) 3EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS 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. 2026-04-29 Senate

    Died in Possession of the Senate when the Legislature adjourned Sine Die and was PLACED IN THE LEGISLATIVE FILES . (DEAD)

  2. 2025-05-20 House

    FINALLY PASSED . Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.

  3. 2025-05-07 Committee

    Reported Out; OTP-AM

  4. 2025-03-05 Committee

    Work Session Held

  5. 2025-03-05 Committee

    Voted; OTP-AM

  6. 2025-01-06 Committee

    Referred to Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs.

Official Summary Text

Resolve, Directing the Department of Education to Collect Data on Cursive Instruction in Maine Public Schools
Sponsor:
Representative Joseph Underwood
Reference committee:
Education and Cultural Affairs
Latest committee action:
Reported Out; OTP-AM

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Printed on recycled paper
132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 78
H.P. 42 House of Representatives, January 8, 2025
An Act to Require Elementary School Students to Learn Cursive
Writing
Received by the Clerk of the House on January 6, 2025. Referred to the Committee on
Education and Cultural Affairs pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to
Joint Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative UNDERWOOD of Presque Isle.

Page 1 - 132LR0324(01)
1Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
2Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §4711, as amended by PL 2021, c. 190, §1, is further amended
3 by enacting at the end a new paragraph to read:
4 Beginning July 1, 2026, the parameters for essential instruction and graduation
5 requirements adopted by the department pursuant to section 6209 for English language arts
6 must provide for regular instruction in and opportunities to use cursive handwriting
7 beginning no later than grade 3 and continuing to the end of grade 5. The instruction must
8 be designed to enable students to demonstrate competency in cursive handwriting by the
9 end of grade 5.
10SUMMARY
11 This bill requires the Department of Education to provide for regular instruction in and
12 opportunities to use cursive handwriting beginning no later than grade 3. The instruction
13 must be designed to enable students to demonstrate competency in cursive handwriting by
14 the end of grade 5.
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