Thank you, Maine Legislators!

Each year, there are a number of legislative issues that require our attention. Always be prepared to take action on an issue of importance to homeschoolers! Read our Legislative Information page to become acquainted with the Maine Legislature and the legislative process in our state.

To stay informed of any threat to homeschool freedoms, sign up to receive HOME Email Updates!  Learn more about the importance of protecting homeschool freedom.

Be ready to contact current Maine Education and Cultural Affairs Committee Members, your area's Senators and Representatives, or other legislative committee members, as needed, on Maine legislative issues of importance to homeschoolers. 

• Members of the Maine Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs and their contact information are listed here.

• In addition, you can text your US postal code to (520)200-2223, and you will receive a text back with the phone numbers of your area's state and federal representatives and senators. Save them in your phone.

• Submit testimony on a bill here. 

• Choose a committee and watch or listen to a public hearing here.

• The full Directory of Bills can be found here. (New bills are added as they are printed.)

WATCH 

LD 1902, Resolve, To Establish a Pilot Program To Encourage Climate Education in Maine Public Schools

This resolve establishes the Climate Education Professional Development Pilot Program as a 3-year pilot program within the Department of Education to provide grants for professional development for educators on climate science and to support the preparation of courses on interdisciplinary climate education and provides $3,000,000 in one-time funds for grants to school districts to partner with nonprofit community-based organizations to create and implement plans to provide teacher training in next generation science standards and interdisciplinary climate education.

Follow the Status of this bill. 

POSITION: HOME will be monitoring this bill. 

ACTION NEEDED: None at this time.

OPPOSE

LD 1939, An Act to Protect School Administration Officials from Harassment and Abuse

This bill amends the definition of "public servant" for the Maine Criminal Code to clarify that the definition includes principals, school board members, superintendents, teachers, and persons serving in similar positions.

Follow the Status of this bill.   

POSITION: This bill would give school board members and school employees a "public servant" status under the Maine criminal code (Title 17-A, chapter 31, section 751, "Obstructing government administration.")  If passed, this bill would further the divide between parental rights and education and thus by its intrinsic nature is a threat to homeschool freedom (a parental right).  If passed, this bill would likely push parents already frustrated by their lack of agency in public school decisions, now fearful of recrimination for protesting, toward alternate forms of education and would thus affect homeschool numbers. 

ACTION NEEDED: None at this time.

For more information on current federal issues of concern, please visit HSLDA.