Speaker Fecteau Celebrates Wins for Working Mainers
Provisions to keep Mainers fed and boost pay for the direct care workforce among laws taking effect this week
AUGUSTA – House Speaker Ryan D. Fecteau (D-Biddeford) is applauding two new laws now in effect that will help ensure food security for Maine families, seniors, and veterans during federal government shutdowns and boost pay for the direct care workforce.
Protecting SNAP Benefits for Mainers
In the 132nd legislature, Speaker Fecteau proposed LD 2122, An Act to Prevent Negative Impacts from Federal Funding Changes to and Fund Eligibility Determinations and Outreach for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The bill included a proposal to establish a nonlapsing SNAP contingency fund to provide SNAP benefits in the event the Federal Government fails to provide this critical funding. Based upon the Speaker’s initial proposal, the legislature’s Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee included an amendment in the supplemental budget authorizing the Governor to spend up to $30M to provide SNAP and WIC benefits to Mainers in the state of an emergency.
“During the longest ever government shutdown last year, vital food assistance funds were on the brink of being withheld from those in need. As calls and emails from anxious Mainers flooded in, I realized that we simply did not have enough tools at the state level to help,” said Speaker Fecteau. “Food for Maine families should not be used as a bargaining chip by the Trump Administration or Congress. The newly established SNAP contingency fund will make sure that Mainers will be able to put food on the table even if politicians in Washington can’t do their jobs.”
Maine Equal Justice, which works on various issues including food and economic security for Maine people, highlighted the importance of the new fund.
"Everyone in Maine should have enough food in the fridge,” said Alex Carter, Senior Policy Advocate at Maine Equal Justice. “SNAP is the most effective tool we have to fight hunger, but cruel federal budget cuts and shutdowns have created real emergencies and anxiety for families. Now Maine's Governor will be able to tap a SNAP "contingency fund" to pay up to one month of benefits if the federal government fails to send SNAP funds to the states. Maine's smart planning and budget investments in response to federal funding cuts will continue to make a real difference for families putting food on the table."
Strengthening Maine’s Direct Care Workforce
A $10M investment in cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for direct care workers is also now law. Based upon provisions in Speaker Fecteau’s LD 1932, An Act to Support Essential Support Workers and Enhance Workforce Development, the legislature funded 3% COLAs for direct care workers who provide services to adults and kids with disabilities and older Mainers in all 16 counties.
Speaker Fecteau has long been a champion for the direct care workforce. In 2025 he successfully secured a partial COLA to help retain direct care workers and access to services for Maine families. The $10M allocation in this supplemental budget will boost wages and help with recruitment of new workers.
“My mom – like so many other direct care workers – has spent many years giving her all to the clients and families who depend on quality care to thrive in our communities,” said Speaker Fecteau. “And yet these folks have historically been among the lowest-paid workers in Maine. The cost-of-living adjustment passed by the legislature this year is a step toward matching the size of their paychecks to the importance of their work. It will help employers retain these skilled employees and encourage more Mainers to consider a career in direct care.”
Leaders with Maine’s Essential Care and Support Workforce Partnership thanked Speaker Fecteau for his support, saying the COLAs will make a real difference for workers and the families who depend on them.
"Speaker Fecteau's commitment to strengthening Maine's direct care workforce has been extraordinary,” said Laura Cordes, Executive Director of the Maine Association for Community Service Providers. “In a state where the minimum wage continues to rise, annual cost-of-living adjustments are not a luxury; they're a necessity. This investment helps direct support professionals remain in a field that provides essential services and supports to thousands of Mainers with disabilities and their families. We are deeply grateful for the Speaker's leadership in advancing policies that strengthen workforce stability and support community inclusion across our state."
"Tens of thousands of Mainers need care and support from skilled and compassionate professionals," said Jess Maurer, Executive Director of Maine Council on Aging. "The investments made in the supplemental budget reflect the critical need for essential care workers and will help shrink the care gap and stabilize the workforce. This will provide predictability for those seeking care and those who provide it. That's good news for Mainers."
As rising costs hit Maine families, these important measures, now law, reflect Speaker Fecteau’s commitment to lowering costs, strengthening local communities, and ensuring government is responsive to the real needs of hardworking people across our state.
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