Democrats Block Bipartisan Public Safety and Mental Health Bill
Proposal Supported by Department of Public Safety, NAMI Maine, and Governor Mills Rejected on Party-Line Vote
AUGUSTA — By a 6-4 party-line vote, Democrats on the Legislative Council today blocked LR 2585, “An Act to Strengthen Maine’s Extreme Risk Protection Order Process by Supporting Crisis Receiving Centers, Requiring School Resource Officer Education, and Establishing the Yellow Flag Public Safety Fund,” sponsored by Rep. Jennifer Poirier (R-Skowhegan).
The bill proposed a comprehensive, bipartisan plan to enhance school safety, expand mental health infrastructure, and strengthen Maine’s nationally recognized “Yellow Flag” law, which balances public safety with due process and responsible firearm ownership.
LR 2585 included four major components:
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Training for School Resource Officers on Maine’s Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs) to ensure consistency and lawful crisis response in schools.
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Creation of a “Yellow Flag Public Safety Fund” to support law enforcement training, firearm safety storage, and suicide prevention materials statewide.
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Expansion of Crisis Receiving Centers in Aroostook and Kennebec Counties to divert individuals in crisis from jails and ERs to appropriate clinical care.
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Establishment of Five Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) to expand access to 24/7 outpatient mental health and substance use treatment.
The proposal received backing from the Department of Public Safety, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Maine, and Governor Janet Mills, underscoring its broad bipartisan support and practical focus on prevention, training, and mental health care.
“This bill represents commonsense, balanced safety reform that could help prevent tragedies like Lewiston,” said Rep. Poirier. “Democrats have continually rejected opportunities for the public to weigh in on strengthening Maine’s highly successful Yellow Flag law, opting instead for a flawed Red Flag approach that ignores the critical link between mental health and public safety.”
The Legislative Council will have an opportunity to reconsider the measure when bill sponsor appeals are heard on November 20.
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