Legislature enacts continuing services budget
Funds will become available June 20 to avoid government shutdown and prevent further curtailment of MaineCare reimbursements
AUGUSTA – On Thursday, the Maine Legislature enacted a responsible continuing services budget that prioritizes core government functions–including funding for MaineCare and spruce budworm remediation from the failed emergency supplemental budget. Passing continuing services funding ensures that essential services remain operational, provides reliability for our communities, and prevents a costly state shutdown this summer. The legislature adjourned sine die allowing this budget to go into effect in 90 days on June 20, 2025. The Legislature will now continue policy discussions and address all bills carried over. This initial budget delivers stability and safeguards the state’s financial future.
Senate President Mattie Daughtry:
“Our duty to the Maine people is to keep the government running while ensuring fiscal responsibility in our state budget. This continuing services budget prevents a shutdown, upholds our commitments to constituents and allows for further debate on key policy priorities without jeopardizing programs Mainers rely on. Passage of this budget has ensured necessary funds will go into effect without interruption. It was critical that the legislature provided stability and certainty for families, businesses, and state programs that rely on this funding. I look forward to working with my Republican colleagues to pass a two-thirds new initiatives budget."
House Speaker Ryan Fecteau:
“This continuing services budget does essential things for Maine people and Maine communities. It takes a sensible approach to ensuring the state can continue to maintain its commitments to pay healthcare providers, meet revenue sharing requirements, and fund 55% of K-12 education. Maine municipalities are crafting their budgets right now. They deserve to know what they can expect from state government, and passing the budget today gives them some level of certainty. It also ensures that here in Maine, the Maine Legislature will be ready to respond more nimbly to ongoing shifts at the federal level.”
Appropriations Committee Chair Senator Peggy Rotundo:
“Passing this continuing services budget allows us the time and space to debate future policy changes and investments without any threat of a government shutdown in Maine. We do not know what is coming down the road from Washington, so passing this funding is the right thing to do in a time of uncertainty. This budget reassures Mainers that their government will not shut down over political disagreements and demonstrates that their representatives are committed to acting in a responsible and proactive way.”
Appropriations Committee Chair Representative Drew Gattine:
“This bill provides some stability to our communities and to our constituents in uncertain times. It tells towns preparing their budgets that they can count on the state to maintain its commitments to revenue sharing and supporting K-12 education. It tells our most vulnerable citizens and the health care providers who serve them that we will pay our bills to hospitals, and nursing homes and pharmacies and small agencies that help people with disabilities live in their communities. It tells all the people of Maine and the businesses that operate here that state government will be open for business when we begin a new fiscal year on July 1.”
Important Budget Highlights
This continuing services budget:
Meets the state’s obligation to fully fund public education in K-12 schools at 55% for the biennium.
Implements a cost-of-living adjustment for essential support and direct care workers.
Helps municipalities lower their property taxes by keeping Municipal Revenue Sharing at 5% for the biennium.
Honors free community college commitment for Maine students enrolled.
Supports rural hospitals and the health of Maine people by filling the $118 million MaineCare gap in 2025 so Maine people can continue to access critical healthcare services.
Protects Maine forests and forest product industry by providing $2 million for remediation of a severe spruce budworm outbreak in Maine.
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