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Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in the Maine Human Rights Act  
Updated through the 130th Legislature

Introduction

This legislative history covers efforts to amend the Maine Human Rights Act (5 MRS §4551 et seq) to include protections from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.








Browse by Session Law / LD:  

Year LD Amendments Final
Disposition
Legislative Record
Debate & Remarks
Other Documents & News Clips Full LD
History
1977 LD 1419

An Act to Include the Term "Sexual or Affectional Preference" in the Maine Human Rights Act
Proposed amendment:

H-444
ONTP House, June 1. 1977
p. 1350-1356

Senate, June 2, 1977
p. 1411-1412

Roll Call Votes
News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. N/A
1979 LD 860

An Act to Include the Term "Sexual or Affectional Orientation" in the Maine Human Rights Act
N/A ONTP House, April 26, 1979
p. 880-883

Senate, April 27, 1979
p. 916

Roll Call Votes
News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. N/A
1981 LD 961

An Act to Include the Term "Sexual or Affectional Orientation" in the Maine Human Rights Act
N/A Died between houses Senate, May 8, 1981
p. 1006-1009

House, May 11, 1981
p. 1013-1016

Roll Call Votes
News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
1983 LD 679

An Act to Include the Term "Sexual or Affectional Orientation" in the Maine Human Rights Act
Proposed amendments:

S-117
S-123
Died between houses Senate, May 16, 1983
p. 885-887

House, May 17, 1983
p. 890-895

House, May 18, 1983
p. 916

Roll Call Votes
Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.

News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.
Yes
1985 LD 1249

An Act to Include the Term 'Sexual Orientation' in the Maine Human Rights Act
Proposed amendment:

S-221
Died between houses House, June 7, 1985
p. 1075-1079

Senate, June 7, 1985
p. 1093-1094

House, June 10, 1985
p. 1097-1098

Roll Call Votes
Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.

News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.

Yes
1987 LD 602

An Act to Include the Term Sexual Orientation in the Maine Human Rights Act
N/A Majority ONTP accepted by Senate

House: Indefinitely postponed
House, May 27, 1987
p. 1055-1063

Senate, May 27, 1987
p. 1071-1074

Roll Call Votes
Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.

News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.
Yes
1989 LD 556

An Act to Prevent Discrimination
Proposed amendments:

H-211
H-236
H-319
Died between houses House, May 18, 1989
p. 852-859

House, May 19, 1989
p. 882-887

Senate, May 22, 1989
p. 916-924

House, May 30, 1989
p. 1016-1019

Senate, May 31, 1989
p. 1043-1045

Roll Call Votes
Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.

News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.
Yes
1991 LD 430

An Act to Prevent Discrimination
Proposed amendments:

H-60
S-32
S-33
Died between houses Senate, March 28, 1991
p. S-396-S-411

House, April 1, 1991
p. H-411-H-428

Senate, April 11, 1991
p. S-459-S-460

Senate, April 11, 1991
p. S-472

House, April 16, 1991
p. H-507-H-515

Senate, April 16, 1991
p. S-481

Roll Call Votes
Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.

News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.
Yes
1993 LD 246

An Act to Prevent Discrimination
Proposed amendments:

S-57     H-147 
S-60     H-149
S-61     H-151
S-62     H-152
S-63     H-153
S-64     H-159
S-65     H-160
S-66     H-161
S-77     H-162
            
Veto sustained Senate, April 12, 1993
p. S-387-S-390

Senate, April 12, 1993
p. S-390-S-398

House, April 13, 1993
p. H-474-H-495

Senate, April 13, 1993
p. S-409-S-417

House, April 15, 1993
p. H-512-H-513

Senate, May 4, 1993
p. S-531-S-533

Senate, May 6, 1993
p. S-553-S-559

Senate, May 6, 1993
p. S-579

Roll Call Votes
Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.

News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.
Yes
1995 LD 1448

An Act to Reconcile Rights and Responsibilities with Respect to Sexual Orientation and Related Matters
N/A ONTP No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.

News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.
Yes
1997 LD 1116

An Act to Prevent Discrimination
Proposed amendments:

H-397
H-401
H-402
H-421
PL 1997, c. 205

Repealed in People's Veto referendum
Feb. 10, 1998


Yes: 145,452
No:  138,135
Senate, May 7, 1997
p. S-727-S-733

House, May 8, 1997
p. H-696-H-713

House, May 9, 1997
p. H-726

Senate, May 9, 1997
p. S-794-S-795

Senate, February 10, 1998
p. S-1590

Roll Call Votes
Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.

News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.
Yes
1999 LD 2239

An Act to Ensure Civil Rights and Prevent Discrimination
Enacted with amendment:

S-624

Proposed amendments:

S-625
H-1046
H-1052
H-1053
 PL 1999, c. 629

Failed at referendum
Nov. 7, 2000


Yes: 314,012
No:  318,846
Senate, April 3, 2000
p. S-2001-S-2007

House, April 4, 2000
p. H-2243-H-2256

House, April 5, 2000
p. H-2296-H-2298

Roll Call Votes
Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.

News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.
Yes
2005 LD 1196

An Act To Extend Civil Rights Protections to All People Regardless of Sexual Orientation
Enacted with amendment:

H-92

Proposed amendments:

H-82     H-89
H-83     H-94
H-84     H-95
H-85     S-38
H-86     S-44
H-87     S-48
H-88
 PL 2005, c. 10

Survived People's Veto referendum  Nov. 8, 2005 

Yes: 181,926
No:  223,274
Senate, March 28, 2005
p. S-336-S-339

House, March 29, 2005
p. H-291-H-307

Senate, March 29, 2005
p. S-349-S-352

Senate, March 29, 2005
p. S-353-S-355

Senate, March 30, 2005
p. S-365

Roll Call Votes
Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.

News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.
Yes
2005 LD 1365

An Act To End Discrimination
N/A ONTP No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
2019 LD 1701

An Act To Clarify Various Provisions of the Maine Human Rights Act
Enacted with amendment:

H-652
PL 2019, c. 464 Senate, June 19, 2019
p. S-1201-S-1203

Roll Call Votes
Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.

Yes
2019 LD 1703

An Act To Improve Consistency within the Maine Human Rights Act
Proposed amendments:

H-643
H-654
H-663
H-665
S-349
Died upon conclusion of the 129th Legislature Senate, June 19, 2019
p. S-1200-S-1201

Senate, March 3, 2020
p. S-1499-S-1501

Roll Call Votes
Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.

Yes
2021 LD 1688

An Act To Improve Consistency in Terminology and within the Maine Human Rights Act
Enacted with amendment:

S-323
PL 2021, c. 366 No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
2022 LD 982

An Act To Protect against Discrimination by Public Entities
Enacted with amendment:

H-1033
Died on adjournment No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes