Maine Senate Bill LD1012

Maine 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/12/25
• Refer: 3/12/25
• Refer: 4/8/25
• Refer: 4/10/25
• Engrossed: 6/4/25
• Enrolled: 6/25/25
• Passed: 6/25/25

Caption

An Act to Fund the Operations of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Tick Laboratory

Summary

LD 1012 establishes a dedicated University of Maine Cooperative Extension Tick Laboratory Operations Fund and ties it to a new Maine State Lottery instant game. The fund would receive 20% of the net proceeds from the “tick laboratory” scratch ticket game, along with any private or public contributions directed to it, and those monies would be carried forward year to year and administered by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. The bill specifies that money in the fund must be used for the operations of the tick laboratory or any successor laboratory, including supplies, educational materials development, salaries, equipment, and travel. It also requires the State Liquor and Lottery Commission, in consultation with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, to develop and launch the game, sell tickets for $4, and periodically change the game throughout the year. A report on the game’s status and revenues is due by December 15, 2028, to the legislative committee with jurisdiction over lottery matters, which may then propose further legislation in 2029.

Impact

The bill amends Maine’s statutes governing both university-related special revenue funds and the state lottery. It creates a new chapter in Title 7 establishing the Tick Laboratory Operations Fund, adds a new lottery game authorization in Title 8, and adjusts the distribution of lottery proceeds so that the new fund receives a designated share while the General Fund continues to receive the remainder. It also includes an appropriation/allocation to authorize spending from the new special revenue fund, affecting the University of Maine System’s budgeting and the State Liquor and Lottery Commission’s game administration responsibilities.

Sentiment

The voting history suggests the bill was somewhat divisive rather than broadly unanimous. A majority report to pass as amended initially failed in committee, but the House later voted to recede and concur, indicating enough support to advance the measure after further consideration. Overall, the bill appears to have had practical support for funding the tick laboratory, but not without disagreement over the mechanism and fiscal structure.

Contention

The main point of contention appears to have been the use of a state lottery game to fund a university laboratory, including how much revenue should go to the General Fund versus the new dedicated fund. The committee vote split narrowly on the majority report, suggesting disagreement over the amended approach, even though the bill ultimately moved forward. No transcript is available, but the structure of the bill indicates likely debate over whether a specialized public health or agricultural service should be financed through lottery proceeds and whether that is an appropriate ongoing funding source.