Legislative Session Wrap

This session MCA advocated for state policies and funding to improve critical systems for children and families, including early care and education, health and well-being, and family economic security. We are grateful to the administration and legislature for the advances made for child and family health and well-being we can count now as the session has come to an end. See below for a recap of priority legislation and budget items.

Priority Legislative Wins

Early Care and Education. All Maine children birth to age eight and their families should have the resources, opportunities, and support needed to provide young children the foundation to thrive and meet their full potential. To achieve this, MCA advocated for these policy wins:

Investing in the Early Care Workforce

Social and Emotional Support for Children Goes Statewide

Health, Safety & Well-being. All Maine children should have a safe, permanent home, and receive quality physical, oral, and mental health care that is accessible and affordable for their families. To achieve this, MCA advocated for these policy wins:

Strengthening Maine’s Child Welfare System

Improving Access to Health Care for Maine Children

Family Economic and Food Security. All Maine children and families should have access to the resources they need to stay out of poverty and achieve economic stability. This includes safe, affordable housing; free school meals; and improved access to safety net services. To achieve this, MCA advocated for these policy wins:

Improving Supports for Low-Income Families

Unfinished Work

Rarely do advocates win all their policy goals every session. As we take stock of our wins, we also acknowledge the work left unsatisfied, to carry forward and support in the next legislative session. These include:

Improving Maine’s Child Development Services system. Maine must increase the screening, identification, and coordination of early intervention services for our youngest children, so parents and providers can respond early and effectively when there are developmental concerns for children.

Establishing a Paid Family and Medical Leave system that works for all Mainers. The Commission received funding to continue its work and should report a plan out to the next legislature.

Tribal sovereignty . While there were some wins this session in terms of access to clean water and online betting, the work to restore self-government to the tribes in Maine remains ( LD 1626 ).

Investments in Children and Families in the Budget

In addition to this legislation, the  bipartisan supplemental budget  that passed held additional important provisions for children and families, including:

Child care and Preschool. $12 million to increase wages for providers, by funding  Speaker Fecteau’s child care workforce bill. This is a promising foundation for needed investment in Maine’s early care and education system. $5.2 million will support construction, renovation, and expansion of child care facilities. $2.9 million in General Fund dollars will expand public preschool.

Child welfare . $8 million directed to initiatives to support effective casework and services for families involved with Child Protective Services. This includes investment in staffing after-hours coverage.

Education . $30 million into the Education Stabilization Fund to maintain the state’s commitment to funding 55% of education spending. $27 million to fund school meals for all. $20 million to fund two years of free community college for the high school classes of 2020-2023.

Paid Family and Medical Leave . $300k to fund an actuarial study of paid leave policy. 

EITC . $27.6 million to increase the maximum benefit for low-income families, though the Earned Income Tax Credit.

The change package also included  an important investment of $19.7 million to stabilize the behavioral and mental health sector. These services are critical to ensure children and families have access to the support they need to be healthy. 

MCA fought for priority policies and investments to support the well-being of Maine children, youth, and families – many of which resulted in wins that will improve the lives of families across our state. Beyond this summary of our priorities, you can see the final status of all the bills MCA was following this session on our  Bill Tracker. Thank you for joining us this session in advocating for what’s best for children and families – we are stronger when we raise our voices together!