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Legislative Update

If you're following along with the Maine Legislature, then you know we're a full week+ into the second session of the 132nd Legislature. There is no doubt this session is off to the races, with packed committee schedules, the pace and tone fast, conversations happening behind the scenes, and temperatures and tempers rising already, despite it only being January 15.  
 
Above all the politics and personalities, it's important to note that the community of people who make up the legislature suffered a big loss with the passing of their coworker, sitting Representative, Kathy Javner, a fourth term ranking member of the Health and Human Service Committee. Memorials poured in for Rep. Javner, and the loss was certainly noticeable as the HHS committee began their work.  
 
Back to the bills... 
 
Providing an update on two bills moving through committees currently:  
 
LD 1932- An Act to Support Essential Support Workers and Enhance Workforce Development (Speaker Fecteau) 
  • Bill aims to do a few things, the most important of which is to raise the reimbursement rate for essential care and support workers (CNA, DSP, PSS, ISS, BHP, and others) to 140% of minimum wage and tie a wage increase of 125% of minimum wage to that reimbursement rate. 
  • MHCA has been involved in this bill, in particular ensuring that wage increases are tied to reimbursement rate increases so as not to create an unfunded mandate.  
  • The work session on the bill is January 20, 2026 @ 1pm in the Committee on Health and Human Services.   
  • Follow this link to watch the work session live.  
 
LD 1890- An Act to Facilitate the Development of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities by Exempting Certain Facilities from the Requirement to Obtain a Certificate of Need (Rep. Foley)  
  • This bill was introduced in the first session of the 132nd Legislature and carried over to be worked in the second session.  
  • This bill was also considered as part of a trio of bills (LDs 1578, 985, 1972) discussed off session within the Commission to Evaluate the Scope of Regulatory Review and Oversight over Health Care Transactions That Impact the Delivery of Health Care Services in the State. 
  • MHCA CEO/President Angela Westhoff served on this commission 
  • The work session on this bill took place January 14, 2026, in the committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services (HCIFS) with bill sponsor Rep. Foley introducing amendments. One amendment was specific to LTC, requiring a new nursing facility to obtain a certificate of need if that new NF requires a capital expenditure of more than $5 million; or if the new NF proposes to add new NF beds to the inventory of NF beds within the state.  
  • After a healthy discussion on the bill and the amendment, the committee decided to table the bill (which means hold it temporarily) until they can get answers to the various questions they had. (This is a fairly normal practice).  
 Stay tuned for more legislative fun!
 
Staff contact: ablack[at]mehca.org 

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