This bill provides for increases in the ongoing appropriation to the Judicial Department for civil legal services. The appropriation supplements existing revenue from ongoing
44 sources and replaces one-time funding with additional ongoing revenue to be distributed to
45 providers of civil legal services by determination of the Maine Civil Legal Services Fund
46 Commission. The bill also provides an ongoing minimum amount to be appropriated
47 annually to the Maine Civil Legal Services Fund. It requires the joint standing committee
48 of the Legislature having jurisdiction over judiciary matters to hold a public hearing on
49 civil legal services funding in 2026 and biennially thereafter and to make a
50 recommendation to the Governor and the Legislature based on those hearings regarding
51 additional funding for civil legal services. The bill also requires an annual report by the
52 commission to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over
53 judiciary matters.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text LD 1022, SP 440: 4.18