{"id":2222,"date":"2026-02-04T14:53:26","date_gmt":"2026-02-04T19:53:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mainepeoplesalliance.org\/?page_id=2222"},"modified":"2026-02-05T10:21:34","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T15:21:34","slug":"legislative-priorities","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/mainepeoplesalliance.org\/legislative-priorities\/","title":{"rendered":"Legislative Priorities"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Legislative Priorities<\/h1><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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What we\u2019re fighting for in the 2026 legislative session<\/b><\/h3>\n

During the long session of the 132nd legislature in 2025, MPA\u2019s members made significant progress advancing tax fairness, childcare and health care as well as protecting paid family and medical leave, transgender Mainers and reproductive rights.<\/span><\/p>\n

During the short session in 2026, the legislature will consider some of the most important and complicated legislation held over from last year as well as vital new initiatives. Policy debates and votes on bills will be taking place in the heightened environment of an election year.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Building a fair budget, taxing the wealthy and stopping cuts<\/b><\/h4>\n

The 2026 supplemental budget will be a showdown between a scarcity mindset and continued cuts to health care and other vital programs and the opportunity to finally make our tax system more fair and fund what Mainers care about most.<\/span><\/p>\n

The session will begin with a debate over federal tax conformity<\/span>, will continue as Gov. Janet Mills introduces her supplemental budget proposal and will see maneuvering over three held-over pieces of legislation that would restructure Maine\u2019s income tax code to favor the middle class, tax millionaires and make sure large profitable corporations finally pay their fair share.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Winning funding for childcare now, creating a real plan for the future<\/h4>\n

The upcoming budget must include funding to expand Maine\u2019s childcare assistance program, to help childcare providers cover childcare for their own kids and to fully fund wage supplements for early childhood educators. We\u2019ll also keep building power for a universal childcare future.<\/span><\/p>\n

Families also deserve a real seat at the table and we\u2019ll be working to make sure the administration\u2019s \u2018Plan for 2030\u2019 includes a transparent public engagement process with real seats for parents and providers.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Protecting Mainers from ICE<\/b><\/h4>\n

The legislature passed a bill to limit local law enforcement\u2019s cooperation with ICE, but there is much more to be done, including protecting specific locations from ICE arrests, fund legal services, provide support for people who were unable to work because of ICE activity, and more. New legislation is also being considered this year to prevent the worst of ICE actions and check the ongoing abuse of federal power. <\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Advancing housing justice<\/b><\/h4>\n

We advanced some important policies to increase affordable housing and protect mobile home park residents last year, but there\u2019s a lot more to do as Maine continues to face an affordable housing crisis. Unfortunately, efforts this winter to create a statewide rental registry and anti-discrimination protections for voucher holders were thwarted by landlords and the real estate industry. Our housing efforts will be focused on winning stable funding for emergency shelters and emergency rental assistance.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Holding health insurance corporations accountable<\/b><\/h4>\n

The major focus of our healthcare work will be funding to backfill the federal cuts to healthcare and stabilize our rural healthcare providers. One of our priority health care bills is also still in play: a bill to limit repeated prior authorization demands for chronic conditions. Even as health care cuts are made on the federal level and premiums increase, we\u2019ll have a chance to confront the worst practices of the insurance corporations and make sure more Mainers can get the care they need.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019ll also continue our work with the All Means All coalition to make sure everyone is included and no one is left behind.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

How you can make a difference<\/h2>\n

Personal advocacy by real people is the most powerful tool we have in shaping the decisions of the Maine legislature. Our grassroots lobby team<\/a> is gearing up for these important fights.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some of the most effective tactics we\u2019ll need your help with include:<\/span><\/p>\n\n