AARP Maine Announces Legislative Priorities for 2025
AARP Maine Releases 2025 Legislative Priorities
Looks Ahead to 132nd Legislative Session and Advocating on Behalf of Mainers 50-plus
PORTLAND: With the First Regular Session of the 132nd Legislature now underway, AARP Maine announces its 2025 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 more than 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 Maine proudly puts forward the following legislative priorities and calls upon Maine’s lawmakers to work in support of Mainers 50-plus and their loved ones.
Financial Support for Family Caregivers: AARP Maine urges Maine legislators to take action this session to lessen the financial burden on Maine’s 166,000 family caregivers. Unpaid family caregivers are the backbone of Maine’s long-term care system. A recent AARP Maine survey found that nearly 85 percent of caregivers have spent their own money to help care for a loved one. A national AARP report found that caregivers assume out-of-pocket care costs that average $7,200 a year. These costs can lead to financial repercussions for family caregivers’ economic security.
Maine lawmakers have an opportunity to create a lasting, positive impact for Maine’s family caregivers by codifying Maine’s Respite for ME program. Launched in the fall of 2022 and funded by the Maine Jobs and Recovery Act, the Respite for ME pilot program provided eligible family caregivers with grants that enabled caregivers to access services such as respite care, assistive technology and other resources.
The program provides important support to Maine’s caregivers whose collective financial contributions reach a value of $2.9 billion annually in the Pine Tree State. AARP Maine calls on our lawmakers to work together to reinstate the Respite for ME program since the pilot program ended in the fall of 2024.
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 protections, 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 that cause undue burdens to electricity customers. Any costs, particularly those covering government subsidies, etc., which are transferred to ratepayers, should be re-evaluated and re-structured in a fair and reasonable manner.
Affordable Housing: People of all ages and ability levels need safe, decent, and affordable housing that will enable them to continue living safely in their homes and communities as they age. Policy solutions to create affordable housing in Maine must also prioritize opportunities that will ensure long-term equity, safety, choice, stability and accessibility. AARP Maine encourages solutions that offer a sustainable range of housing sizes and types suitable for all forms of neighborhoods, and age-friendly housing designed for people of all ages and ability levels, including those with disabilities.
Home and Community-Based Services: AARP Maine’s 2024 Vital Voices survey found that 87 percent of Mainers 45-plus say that it is extremely or very important to be able to stay in their own home as they get older. Many older Mainers will need support through either a family caregiver or home and community-based services to facilitate aging in place. AARP Maine calls on lawmakers to fund the services needed to meet individuals’ long-term services and support needs that will enable them to remain, in a meaningful manner, in their own communities which is preferred both socially and financially.
High-Speed Internet Service and Digital Equity: AARP is fighting for Mainers to have affordable, reliable high-speed internet access in their communities and to have the skills, technology and capacity needed to succeed in today’s digital economy. While federal investments will bring much-needed Internet service to many parts of Maine over the next several years, there is still work to be done to ensure older adults and other vulnerable populations are able to make the most of the service once it is available to them. AARP Maine will engage with lawmakers, municipal officials, and local advocacy groups to work towards digital equity so that all Mainers are able to use the internet to learn, connect, and succeed in today’s digital world.
“AARP Maine and all of our member advocates look forward to productively engaging with 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 2025, 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.
