AARP Maine Releases 2026 Legislative Priorities

AARP Maine Releases 2026 Legislative Priorities

Looks Ahead to 132nd Legislative Session and Advocating on Behalf of Mainers 50-plus

With the Second Regular Session of the 132nd Legislature now underway, AARP Maine announces its 2026 legislative agenda which includes strengthening caregiver support resources in Maine, as well as a focus on fair and affordable utility rates.

“On behalf of our nearly 200,000 members statewide, AARP Maine looks forward to working with Governor Mills and our legislative leaders in Augusta from both sides of the aisle,” said Noël Bonam, AARP Maine State Director. “We know that Mainers 50-plus continue to experience the strain of providing care for loved ones, the state’s affordable housing crisis, and unaffordable electricity rates. It is critical that both elected and appointed leaders work to address these important issues that affect Mainers 50-plus and their families.”

AARP’s overarching vision is a society that allows all people to live with dignity and purpose as they age and to fulfill their goals, ambitions and dreams. AARP has a long and proud history of nonpartisan voter engagement. Maine voters aged 50 and over continue to dominate turnout across the state, consistently shaping election outcomes. In 2022, voters 50-plus made up 65% of the electorate. Candidates who want to win should listen to older voters and address issues that matter to them and their families.  

Support for Family Caregivers: When a loved one needs care, family members, friends, and neighbors step up. That’s what Mainers do: we take care of our own. But too often, society and elected officials overlook the critical role of family caregivers in our state. This must change.

In Maine, 324,000 adults are caregivers. Many Maine family caregivers provide essential care to loved ones without pay, and function as the backbone of Maine’s long-term care system. Across New England, 44% of family caregivers experienced at least one negative financial impact from caregiving such as taking on more debt, being unable to afford basic expenses or ceasing to save for the future. 

Family caregivers are taking on multiple tasks from bathing and meal preparation to managing medications, arranging transportation, and handling medical situations will little to no training. On average, they devote 27 hours a week to providing care, and nearly 1 in 4 provide the equivalent of a full-time job at 40 hours per week.

Maine lawmakers can take action to save caregivers time and help them access meaningful resources by supporting state and local programs, including those provided by Area Agencies on Aging which help family caregivers and the loved ones for whom they provide care. 

Fair Utility Costs: Another issue that affects many Maine families is volatile utility costs. AARP Maine continues to fight to keep utility rates fair and reasonable in the state with the country’s oldest population. High utility rates, coupled with rising housing, food, and medicine expenses, force many vulnerable, older adults to make tough choices. Mainers need more consumer protection, and AARP Maine is committed to ensuring that all Mainers have access to fair and reasonable electric rates.

Any discussion of rate changes must be transparent and allow for public engagement. AARP Maine will continue working to address current laws and policies that cause undue burden to electricity customers. We will continue urging lawmakers to fund LD 995 which will provide funding to the Low-Income Assistance Program (LIAP) and deliver much needed resources to Maine families struggling to keep warm. We will also continue to urge the Public Utilities Commission to change its practices to reduce volatility in electricity bills.  

Home and Community-Based Services: AARP Maine’s 2024 Vital Voices survey found that 87% of Mainers age 45-plus say it is extremely or very important to stay in their own home as they age. To make aging in place possible, many older Mainers will need support from either family caregivers, or through home and community-based services. 

AARP Maine urges lawmakers to fund the services necessary to meet individuals’ long-term care needs, enabling them to remain in their communities. Maine has an opportunity to advance this goal through LD 814: The Older Mainers Act. This bill expands access to proven home and community-based services offered by Maine’s Area Agencies on Aging. LD 814 empowers Mainers to age in place while delivering savings.  

“AARP Maine and all of our member advocates look forward to productively engaging with lawmakers during the 132nd legislative session to ensure that Maine continues to be a place where people 50-plus want to live, work, retire and thrive,” Bonam said. “In 2026, we will be in Augusta on a regular basis with our AARP Maine Tuesdays at the State House program. We invite more volunteer advocates to join our efforts as we speak up for Mainers 50-plus and their families on these critical issues.”

For more information about AARP Maine, visit www.aarp.org/me and follow us on social media @aarpmaine.