LD924 • 2025

Resolve, Directing the Judicial Branch to Authorize the Lease of a Courthouse That Meets Accessibility and Functional Needs in the Town of Newport

Active

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

Sponsor: Representative Kenneth Fredette
Last action: 2025-06-05
Official status: Reports Read On motion by Senator CARNEY of Cumberland the Majority Ought Not to Pass Report ACCEPTED in concurrence. 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.

Resolve, Directing the Judicial Branch to Authorize the Lease of a Courthouse That Meets Accessibility and Functional Needs in the Town of Newport

Resolve, Directing the Judicial Branch to Authorize the Lease of a Courthouse That Meets Accessibility and Functional Needs in the Town of Newport Sponsor: Representative Kenneth Fredette Reference committee: Judiciary Latest committee action: Reported Out; ONTP/OTP-AM

What This Bill Does

Resolve, Directing the Judicial Branch to Authorize the Lease of a Courthouse That Meets Accessibility and Functional Needs in the Town of Newport Sponsor: Representative Kenneth Fredette Reference committee: Judiciary Latest committee action: Reported Out; ONTP/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.

C-A (H-459)

Filed

Plain English: Page 1 - 132LR0858(02) COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 1 L.D.

Page 1 - 132LR0858(02) COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 1 L.D.
924 2 Date: (Filing No.
H- ) 3JUDICIARY 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

2025-06-05 Senate
Reports Read On motion by Senator CARNEY of Cumberland the Majority Ought Not to Pass Report ACCEPTED in concurrence. Placed in Legislative Files (DEAD)
2025-06-04 House
Reports READ . On motion of Representative GRAMLICH of Old Orchard Beach, the Majority Ought Not to Pass Report was ACCEPTED . Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
2025-06-03 Committee
Reported Out; ONTP/OTP-AM
2025-04-04 Committee
Work Session Reconsidered
2025-04-04 Committee
Voted; Divided Report
2025-03-27 Committee
Work Session Held
2025-03-27 Committee
Voted; ONTP
2025-03-05 Committee
Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Official Summary Text

Resolve, Directing the Judicial Branch to Authorize the Lease of a Courthouse That Meets Accessibility and Functional Needs in the Town of Newport
Sponsor:
Representative Kenneth Fredette
Reference committee:
Judiciary
Latest committee action:
Reported Out; ONTP/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. 924
H.P. 589 House of Representatives, March 11, 2025
Resolve, Directing the Judicial Branch to Authorize the Lease of a
Courthouse That Meets Accessibility and Functional Needs in the
Town of Newport
Received by the Clerk of the House on March 5, 2025. Referred to the Committee on
Judiciary pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative FREDETTE of Newport.
Cosponsored by Senator BALDACCI of Penobscot and
Representatives: BLIER of Buxton, WADSWORTH of Hiram, Senators: FARRIN of
Somerset, MARTIN of Oxford, STEWART of Aroostook.

Page 1 - 132LR0858(01)
1Sec. 1. Authorization and directive for lease. Resolved: That the judicial branch
2 shall enter into a long-term lease for a new courthouse facility in the Town of Newport.
3 The facility must:
4 1. Comply with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and with the Maine
5 Revised Statutes, Title 5, chapter 337, subchapter 5, to ensure accessibility for individuals
6 with disabilities; and
7 2. Provide adequate space for court operations, including but not limited to:
8 A. Courtrooms and judicial offices; and
9 B. Conference rooms for attorney-client meetings, mediation sessions and other
10 judicial purposes.
11Sec. 2. Funding for maintenance and repairs. Resolved: That the lease
12 agreement under section 1 must require the judicial branch to expend up to $200,000 for
13 maintenance and repair costs to the facility over the term of the lease. These funds must be
14 drawn from within existing resources of the judicial branch.
15Sec. 3. Report. Resolved: That the judicial branch shall submit a report to the Joint
16 Standing Committee on Judiciary no later than December 31, 2025, detailing:
17 1. The progress in securing the lease agreement under section 1;
18 2. Confirmation that the selected facility meets the requirements specified in section 1;
19 and
20 3. An outline of the budgetary adjustments made to accommodate the lease and
21 maintenance costs as required by section 2.
22SUMMARY
23 This resolve directs the judicial branch to enter into a long-term lease agreement for a
24 new courthouse facility in Newport. The leased facility must comply with the federal
25 Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the public accommodations provisions of the
26 Maine Human Rights Act and include adequate space for courtroom operations. The
27 resolve requires the judicial branch to dedicate up to $200,000 from the judicial branch's
28 existing resources for maintenance and repair. Finally, the resolve directs the judicial
29 branch to report to the Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary no later than December 31,
30 2025 with information on the judicial branch's progress in securing the lease agreement.
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30