Students Top Off Conners Emerson Build, Peggy Rockefeller Farm Day, Legislative Update and More
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Swan Agency Real Estate.
A Quick Note From Us: Each week, we compile briefs and press releases and event images and share them all in one (sometimes very long) story.
Our briefs article is mostly just press releases that we don’t write, or claim to write, but just share from the agencies, businesses, people, and organizations that send them in.
If things are not a press release, they are labelled “BRIEF” in their headlines. The press releases will not have that label. We’ve also started to put singular local briefs up on our website in their own tab as well. This will happen ahead of this weekly collection article. You can find those and past briefs/press releases here if you want those briefs a bit more timely. It’s just that there are so many that we’d be bombarding your email constantly if we sent them out individually or making you click through for each one.
Brief: STUDENTS TOP OFF NEW SCHOOL BUILDING
BAR HARBOR—Students at the Conners Emerson School took out their Sharpies and signed the last of the large steel beams that were installed at the new school.
“Students signed their names with sharpies to the last of the large beams to be installed (and painted white),” Principal Dr. Heather Weir Webster wrote in Tiger Talk, the school bulletin. “With lots of cheers and excitement, the giant crane lifted the beam with their signatures and put into place. A piece of history!!!”
Tonight, May 1, the school features its first Family Culture Night:
Learn traditional Wabanaki, Jewish, and Irish dances
Try food and/or learn about Luxembourg, Turkey, Argentina, France, Czechia, United States, Norway, Jamaica, China, Taiwan, Mexico, India, Spain and Italy
Make European crafts
Check out traditional Norwegian, Indian, and Mexican clothing ... and so much more!
Next PTSA meeting: Tuesday May 6, 3:15-4:15. More info HERE
Upcoming Events:
Family Festival Night on Thursday, May 1, from 5:30-7:00 pm
Early Release Day on May 16
"I'm your biggest fan..." Spirit Day on Friday, May 16 (wear team gear, school spirit, fave band, etc...)
Leaping into Spring at Peggy Rockefeller Farm
BAR HARBOR—Join us for this simple, lighthearted spring event at COA’s Peggy Rockefeller Farm, and mark the start of grazing season as we let our flock and their adorable lambs out for their first taste of spring grass! Turnout will be let out at 10:30 a.m. sharp. After watching them frolic, guests can enjoy exploring the farm, roll out a picnic blanket and stay for some lawn games and a fiber spinning demo. Farm products will be available for sale, and COA student farm staff will be on hand to share about their food and farming projects and answer your questions. This is a free family-friendly event; all are welcome. Parking is limited and carpooling is encouraged.
The event is Saturday, May 10 from 10:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m.
ABBE MUSEUM ANNOUNCES TWO NEW SPECIAL EXHIBIT OPENINGS
BAR HARBOR—The Abbe Museum has brand new exhibits—including two new featured shows—opening on May 27, 2025.
“We’re extremely excited to be presenting two new contemporary art exhibitions: In the Shadow of the Eagle and Mi’kmaw Tepgunsejig—13 Moons Full Suite by Jordan Bennett. These two shows mark the beginning of an exhibition calendar that will bring an exciting new exhibit to the Abbe every season. The museum is recommitting to its devotion of showcasing contemporary Wabanaki art and ancestral belongings in ways that put Wabanaki voices at the forefront,” the Abbe Museum’s Luce Curator of Exhibits & Collections Dr. Aaron Miller, said.
New featured shows include In the Shadow of the Eagle, (May 2025—October 2026), timed to coincide with the moment where the United States marks 250 years since its founding. This contemporary art exhibit aims to share a greater understanding of Wabanaki Nations’ place within the ongoing national narrative.
Using the Semiquincentennial and Wabanaki involvement in the Revolutionary War as a jumping off point, In the Shadow of the Eagle focuses on themes such as military service, treaties, and self-governance.
The exhibition features new artworks by leading Wabanaki artists such as James E. Francis, Sr. and Geo Neptune, alongside important historical belongings, a Wabanaki Veterans’ interactive kiosk, and loans of work by key Native artists such as G. Peter Jemison and Marie Watt from outside the Dawnlands. Support from the Terra Foundation for American Art was critical in staging the monumental show.
The second special exhibition features the dynamic print series 13 Moons by Jordan Bennett (Mi’kmaq). Working at the confluence of contemporary and tradition, Bennett’s signature style brings vibrant color and form to his two-dimensional work. Mi’kmaw Tepgunsejig: 13 Moons Full Suite (May 2025—October 2025) showcases Bennett’s visual examination of the Mi'kmaq lunar calendar.
The print series shares the gallery with complementary works by other Mi’kmaq artists from the past and present—many of them focused on the quillwork from which Bennett draws inspiration. Support of the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation was key in making Bennett’s show a reality.
The Abbe’s May 27, 2025 season opening also includes the 24th annual Waponahki Student Art Show, a collaboration with Maine Indian Education and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Border Towns which brings together a wonderful variety of K-12 art created by Passamaquoddy, Penobscot, Maliseet, and Mi'kmaq students, and a refresh of our permanent exhibition People of the First Light that feature rarely seen works from our collections, and pop up exhibitions from our three Wabanaki Curatorial Fellows Lynn Mitchell (Passamaquoddy), Emma Soctomah (Passamaquoddy), and Danikah Chartier (Mi’kmaq).
For more information about the Abbe’s 2025 season, new exhibits and calendar of events, go to abbemuseum.org, email the Abbe staff at info@abbemuseum.org, or call 207-288-3519.
About the Abbe: The Abbe is a museum of Wabanaki art, history, and culture, with the mission to illuminate and advance greater understanding of and support for Wabanaki Nations’ heritage, living cultures, and homelands.
Poet Christian Barter Will Read at Hidden Barn Books' May 18 Opening
BAR HARBOR—Christian Barter, former Poet Laureate of Acadia National Park, will read from his new collection of poems, The Ends, on May 18th at 4:00 p.m., at Hidden Barn Books in Bar Harbor, a new bookstore opening on that date.
These poems are about a life lived in Downeast Maine from childhood to middle age and about searching for meaning in the “woods’ cathedral” of its environs. The book includes his poem “The Venture,” delivered on the centennial of the founding of Acadia, and a poem commissioned by the Academy of American Poets for the centennial of the National Park Service, “Île des Monts Déserts.”
Barter has received numerous awards including The Maine Literary Award for best poetry volume and a Hodder Fellowship in Creative Writing from Princeton University. His poetry has been published widely and shared on The PBS Newshour website as well as read on NPR’s The Writer's Almanac. Other events, as well as information about ordering the book and more on the author, are listed on his website, christianbarterpoetry.org.
Hidden Barn Books will be at 31 Kennebec Place in Bar Harbor.
BRIEF: LAND AND GARDEN PRESERVE LEASH RULES CHANGE TODAY
MOUNT DESERT—The Land and Garden Preserve welcomes you and your four-legged friends to the Preserve's natural lands.
Please note that starting May 1, 2025, updated dog leash policies will be in place.
Visit its website to learn more https://www.gardenpreserve.org/dog-policies.
MAY 9 - MIDDLE SCHOOL NIGHT AT THE MDI YMCA
Brief:Intro to Ecotherapy begins May 2-There is still time to sign up!
During this training and upon completion, you will gain:
- A roadmap—an adaptable 6-step process to create and structure nature-based offerings for individuals and groups.
- Understanding Ecotherapy—how to translate research to the real world and get the most from outdoor nature-based experiences.
- Practical tools to share this work, whether you’re a therapist, coach, educator, or someone who wants to learn for personal wellbeing.
Nature won’t solve everything. But unlike that mythical bottle of ’tussin, it does offer something to everyone—no side effects, no expiration date, just the quiet, steadfast wisdom of the earth.
FINBACK’S LIVE MUSIC SATURDAYS BEGIN AGAIN!
GOLDEN APPLE AWARD NOMINATIONS SOUGHT
MOUNT DESERT ISLAND REGION—The Bar Harbor (MDI) Rotary Club is accepting nominations for its annual Golden Apple Award, which honors one exceptional educator with a $1,000 honorarium and well-deserved recognition for their impact and dedication.
This is a great opportunity to recognize a deserving teacher, and nominations are open to community members, colleagues, and administrators.
The deadline is May 24, 2025, and the nomination form can be filled out HERE.
KENTUCKY DERBY DAY EVENTS
SIDE STREET -
IVY MANOR INN
Advancing Drug Discovery Through Innovation
Monday, May 12, 2025 at 5 p.m.
Online event via Zoom
BAR HARBOR—Scientific discovery thrives on collaboration. This discussion will highlight how MDI Bioscience and its partners, including the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, are accelerating drug discovery through innovative research and cutting-edge technologies.
Join Dr. Hermann Haller, President of MDI Biological Laboratory, and Jim Strickland, Ph.D., Senior Director of Research Partners and Translation at the Roux Institute at Northeastern University, for an engaging conversation about how innovative collaborations in Maine are transforming biomedical research.
Discover how MDI Bioscience is advancing drug discovery by developing disease-related screening systems that identify promising drug candidates early—before the costly stages of pre-clinical studies and human trials. A key focus of this initiative is an exciting partnership with the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, exploring microalgae-derived compounds for their potential anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. Other groundbreaking projects include research on potential treatments for kidney disease, eye disease, and anti-aging therapies. This collaboration harnesses Bigelow’s unique algae collection and integrates it with MDI Bio Lab’s advanced model systems to accelerate discovery.
This discussion will also highlight the importance of exposing students to both bench science and pharmaceutical research—preparing the next generation of scientists to drive future innovations.
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how cutting-edge partnerships are shaping the future of medicine!
REP. GARY FRIEDMANN LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
Rep. Gary Friedmann emailed an update on his work in the state legislature, writing:
“I have sponsored and co-sponsored several bills this session but want to spotlight the following three in particular:
LD 746, An Act to Authorize a Local Option Sales Tax on Short-term Lodging to Fund Municipalities and Affordable Housing
LD 1082, An Act to Invest in Maine's Families and Workforce by Amending the Real Estate Transfer Tax
LD 1578, An Act to Require the Department of Health and Human Services to Review Disruption to or Removal of Health Services
“My support for each of these bills stems from the fact that each measure is deeply important to our community. LD 746 and LD 1082 work to create more affordable housing opportunities for residents throughout our state. Maine's housing crisis is a complex issue that calls for a wide range of solutions to address; if enacted, these bills will do just that.
“LD 1578 is in response to the disruption of medical care throughout the state, including right here in District 14. The imminent closure of Mount Desert Island Hospital's OB unit is heartbreaking, and this measure, if passed, will create a review before future closures can take place.”
National Disaster Preparedness Training
NORTHEAST HARBOR—The National Disaster Preparedness Training Center (NDPTC), a group within the congressionally-authorized National Disaster Preparedness Consortium, will be offering two courses on Mount Desert Island in May. Join us at the Neighborhood House in Northeast Harbor on May 28th and 29th for these two FEMA courses offered by instructors from the NDPTC.
These will be the ONLY offerings of each of these courses in New England this year. Please spread the word to anyone who would be interested in taking these courses, and reach out to Gus at gus@aclimatetothrive.org if you have any questions.
Wednesday, May 28 – AWR-228: Community Resilience
Time: 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Location: The Neighborhood House, 1 Kimball Road, Northeast Harbor, ME
Description: This course introduces resilience principles and tools for integrating community resilience into planning processes. It will explore practical strategies for understanding and addressing natural hazard risk.
Register:https://ndptc.hawaii.edu/training/delivery/3979/
Thursday, May 29 – AWR-379: Coastal Hazards Awareness
Time: 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Location: The Neighborhood House, 1 Kimball Road, Northeast Harbor, ME
Description: This session focuses on short- and long-term coastal hazards such as high surf, storm surge, sea level rise, and erosion. It introduces tools and approaches for assessing and mitigating coastal hazard risks.
Register:https://ndptc.hawaii.edu/training/delivery/3980/
Important: Both courses are in person and registration is required ASAP. The sessions are free of charge.
ISLE Theater Company’s Down East Speaks Returns May 9 After Previous Sellout Success
DEER ISLE— ISLE Theater Company announces the highly-anticipated return of its popular storytelling event Down East Speaks to the stage of the Reach Performing Arts Center on Friday, May 9, 2025, at 7:00 p.m.
This year’s featured storytellers include fisheries activist Bailey Bowden of Penobscot; aerospace engineer Lisa DePasqual of Brooklin; night nurse Alison Eaton of Stonington; homesteader Abby Hafey of Isle au Haut; and visual artist Robert Shetterly of Brooksville, best known for his portrait series Americans Who Tell the Truth. Each storyteller will share a personal, true story inspired by the theme “Astonished.”
Following the stories, the evening will continue with a town hall-style conversation between the storytellers and the audience, led by journalist Alicia Anstead of Castine. A reception with light refreshments will conclude the evening.
Tickets are $20 and can be purchased online at www.isletheater.org. A number of free tickets are available through a grant from the Maine Humanities Council to those for whom cost is a barrier and can be requested by emailing info@isletheater.org. Early purchase is strongly encouraged because of past sellouts.
Down East Speaks is an intergenerational storytelling event that brings together community members from towns across Maine to share personal, true stories connected by a common theme. Directed by Alicia Anstead and Marvin Merritt IV, the event fosters empathy by illuminating the diverse experiences of Maine’s communities.
“Down East Speaks is about the courage it takes to tell our truest stories — and the transformation that happens when we listen,” said Anstead. “This year’s storytellers bring worlds of experience that will astonish, challenge and ultimately connect us in surprising ways.”
Alicia Anstead is a writer, editor, producer and educator based in Castine. A former arts reporter for the Bangor Daily News, she teaches narrative journalism at Harvard University Extension School and has been a fellow at the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard and the National Arts Journalism Program at Columbia University.
Marvin Merritt IV, a Deer Isle native, is the founding Artistic and Executive Director of ISLE Theater Company. A graduate of Harvard University, he has trained internationally at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, the AST National Academy of Theatre Arts in Krakow, and the Moscow Art Theatre School.
“Storytelling is one of the oldest and most powerful ways of building community. At a time when division often dominates our life, Down East Speaks reminds us that we all share the need to be heard and to belong,” added Merritt.
About ISLE Theater Company
ISLE Theater Company bridges communities through storytelling. Founded in 2020 by Anna Fitzgerald and Marvin Merritt IV, ISLE is a performing arts organization dedicated to creating professional, community-driven work in unique spaces that connect audiences with new places, people, and perspectives. Based out of the Shakespeare School in Deer Isle, ISLE fosters deeper community engagement and cultural exchange through innovative programming.
In 2025, ISLE Theater Company celebrates its fifth-anniversary season. For more information, visit www.isletheater.org.
About Maine Humanities Council
The Maine Humanities Council, a statewide non-profit organization, uses books, poetry, and big ideas to bring people together to discuss issues of importance and create positive change in Maine communities. Their programs and grants encourage critical thinking and conversations across social, economic, and cultural boundaries. The Maine Humanities Council is a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities and is the home of Maine’s Center for the Book through the Library of Congress.
For more information, visit www.mainehumanities.org.
REAL ESTATE
The following are recent recorded real estate transfers.
BAR HARBOR
Patricia M. Nolan, Bar Harbor to Patricia M. Nolan Revocable Trust, Bar Harbor, land.
Estate of Ernest P. Abdelnour, a/k/a Ernest Abdelnour and/or Ernie Abdelnour, Medway, Mass., to Kenneth R. Put-nam and Angelia S. Putnam, Moravia, N.Y., as joint tenants, land with buildings and improvements.
Nancy C. D’Agostino to Stacey Rahm, Port Orange, Fla., land.
Nancy C. D’Agostino to Chadwick Carpenter, Bayfield, Colo., land with buildings.
CRANBERRY ISLES
Katherine C. Truesdale, Waitsfield, Vt., and Cameron W. Frothingham, Cranberry Isles to James Smith Bradley Revocable Trust Agreement Oct. 28, 2013, Alexandria, Va., land with buildings.
MOUNT DESERT
John S. Clunan, Virginia Beach, Va., to John S. Clunan and Marie Kirk-Clunan, Virginia Beach, Va., as joint tenants, land with improvements.
Estate of Ernest M. Loebl, Brooklyn, N.Y., to Exemption Trust, Brooklyn, N.Y., land with improvements.
Clayton D. Jones and Joan F. Jones, Mt. Desert to Alissa Wetherbee, Ellsworth, land.
SOUTHWEST HARBOR
Katheryn C. Keene Revocable Trust, Clinton, Mass., to Annette M. Nicolas and Peter Nicolas, Marblehead, Mass., as joint tenants, land with buildings and improvements.
Conservation Limited Development LLC, Topsham to Town of Southwest Harbor, land.
Harbor Ridge Condominium Association, Southwest Harbor to Peter H. Taylor, Milford, Conn., interest in time-share estate at Harbor Ridge Condominium, Southwest Harbor, unit 16, week 17.
Evelyn K. Littlefield Living Trust March 13, 2002, Belfast to Casey L. Littlefield, Prospect, interest in time-share estate at Harbor Ridge Condominium, Southwest Harbor, unit 15, week 17.
Erica Jean Wagstaff and Tate Evan Wagstaff, Southwest Harbor to Frank A. Miller, Cecilia Miller and Tonya Cay Goodwin, Merritt Island, Fla., as joint tenants, 50% interest, time-share estate at Harbor Ridge Condominium, Southwest Harbor, unit 42, week 40.
Linda Poland, Turner, Amy Poland, Livermore and Bonnie Poland, f/k/a Bonnie Addison, Lewiston to Miranda Wadsworth, Gary Wadsworth and Roberta Douglass, Turner, as joint tenants, 50%interest, time-share estate at Harbor Ridge Condominium, Southwest Harbor, unit 11, week 5.
Peter A. Nielsen, f/k/a Peter A. Neilsen, Swanzey, N.H., to Peter Austin, Miami, Fla., interest in time-share estate at Harbor Ridge Condominium, Southwest Harbor, unit 48, week 22.
TREMONT
Sandra Scott, Carlisle, Mass., to Sandra Scott Revocable Trust, West Tremont, land with buildings and improvements.
TRENTON
Sherryl Fields to CD Camp LLC, Trenton, land with improvements.
STATE NEWS
Maine Awards $3 Million for Research to Support Farmers Impacted by PFAS
AUGUSTA—The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) announced today that the PFAS Fund has awarded $3 million to researchers to conduct studies that will help commercial farmers make informed decisions about utilizing agricultural property impacted by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
PFAS chemicals from the application of municipal sludge and other sources have impacted 90 Maine farms to varying degrees. Until the practice was banned in Maine in 2022, sludge, or biosolids from wastewater treatment plants was used as a low-cost, abundant fertilizer on certain farms. Some of these biosolids contained PFAS, a class of widely used synthetic chemicals known for their ability to repel oil, grease, water, and heat. PFAS compounds are highly resistant to breaking down and can cycle through soil, water, plants, animals, and humans once released into the environment. Health effects linked to PFAS exposure include decreased vaccine response, increased cholesterol levels, reduced infant and fetal growth, heightened risk of kidney and testicular cancers, and pregnancy complications such as hypertension and pre-eclampsia.
“Maine has been a national leader in addressing the impacts of PFAS on our food supply, establishing a range of technical and financial assistance programs to help commercial farms continue operating successfully while protecting public health,” said DACF Commissioner Amanda Beal. “These research grants will build on that work and deepen our understanding of how PFAS move through agricultural systems and identify better ways for farms to manage and minimize risks.”
The PFAS Fund received 22 grant applications requesting over $9 million. The application selection process was highly competitive. Each proposal was evaluated by a team of peer reviewers drawn from academia, State and Federal agencies, and the private sector.
The seven projects supported by the PFAS Fund include research on detection in soil and other media, uptake by animals and plants, and remediation from soil.
Full project descriptions are available at https://www.maine.gov/dacf/ag/pfas/pfas-fund-research.shtml.
Further information about DACF’s PFAS Fund and PFAS Response Program can be found online at https://www.maine.gov/dacf/ag/pfas/index.shtml. Because of the technical and financial support provided by DACF, the vast majority of PFAS-impacted farms have been able to adjust their operations and continue to farm safely.
Paid Family & Medical Leave - April 30 Deadline to Register, Submit Wage Reports & Premiums
AUGUSTA - The Maine Department of Labor is reminding employers that the deadline to register for the Maine Paid Family & Medical Leave portal, and to submit wage reports and premiums, is April 30.
The PFML portal is the online system for employers to file quarterly wage reports and remit quarterly premium contributions. If an employer wishes to authorize their payroll company to file on their behalf, the payroll company must also register in the portal and request access to your account to file for you after you register. The portal also allows self-employed individuals and tribal governments to elect coverage.
Any employer with at least one Maine-based employee must have begun payroll withholdings January 1, 2025:
Employers with 15 or more employees contribute 1 percent of wages and may deduct up to half of the contribution from the employees' wages.
Employers with less than 15 employees contribute 0.5 percent of wages and may deduct the entire amount from the employees' wages.
Those with questions can call the PFML call center at (207) 621-5024 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Benefits are scheduled to begin May 1, 2026.
For more information, visit https://www.maine.gov/paidleave/
Follow PFML on Instagram!
Environmental Finance Center Offers Free Technical Assistance.
If you are a small, coastal or inland community looking to optimize your wastewater process for nutrient removal (nitrogen and/or phosphorus compounds), you may be eligible for FREE technical assistance offered by Nick Willis of the Environmental Finance Center (EFC).
Nick Willis, Senior Program Manager of the EFC at Wichita State University, is a Professional Engineer and operator who has assisted over 140 wastewater treatment plants in reducing nutrients to meet permit limits across New England and the Midwest. Nick recently taught Nutrient Optimizations classes at the North Country Convention (NCC) in Presque Isle and Wastewater Process Control and Troubleshooting in Bangor.
Nick’s assistance includes receiving operational data prior to the site visit, meeting with operational staff onsite to understand the issues, and following up with recommendations via email and phone. He is currently scheduling visits through the fall of 2026.
If you are interested in finding out more about the types of services offered, please email Nicholas Willis, Senior Program Manager, EFC at Wichita State University, Nicholas.Willis@wichita.edu.
Legislative Update - $50,000,000 Water Quality Bond – Public Hearing Held
The Department of Environmental Protection has submitted a Department bill for a $50,000,000 bond that would provide grants to publicly owned treatment works for infrastructure projects facilitating proper management and disposal of wastewater sludge or biosolids, such as dryer and digestor projects. The bill is LD 25, An Act to Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue to Fund Wastewater Treatment Facility Planning and Construction of Infrastructure Projects. The intent of the bill is to address current concerns with state sludge disposal capacity. The bill can be tracked here under LD 25:
https://legislature.maine.gov/
A public hearing on LD 25 was held on April 10, 2025, by the Appropriations and Financial Affairs (AFA) Committee: https://legislature.maine.gov/committee/#Committees/AFA
The Department, along with several other entities, testified in support of the bill. The legislative website above for LD 25 currently contains 27 testimony submissions in support of the bill.
The Department has discussed this bill with MeWEA, MWUA, and MRWA and we expect these associations will be reaching out to their members and other partners to promote this important bill and garner support via submittal of testimony to the AFA Committee and contact with your local legislative representatives.
Typically, there are many bond requests in each legislative session and only a few are approved by the legislature. Currently there are a total of 18 bond requests before the legislature. The next step in the process will be work sessions held by the AFA Committee to deliberate on LD 25, and the other bond bills. Each of these will then be voted on by the AFA Committee. A unanimous vote of “ought to pass” from the AFA Committee would strengthen the possibility of LD 25 being passed by the full legislature.
Those bonds bills that are approved by the full legislature must then go to the voters for final approval. Voter approval for bonds is typically in November. If approved by the voters, the Department intends to solicit proposals for funding in early 2026 along with the annual CWSRF request for proposals.
Questions on this issue should be directed to Brian Kavanah, Director of the Bureau of Water Quality, brian.w.kavanah@maine.gov , 530-0293.
ME Voters Overwhelmingly Support Gun Secure Storage Laws
As Judiciary Committee Considers Storage Bills, New Polling Proves Popularity of Gun Violence Prevention Policies in Maine
PORTLAND – Today, as gun violence prevention advocates await action on a pair of firearm secure storage bills held up in the Judiciary Committee, new polling shows an overwhelming majority of Maine voters support the proposed legislation.
A staggering 79% of Maine voters approve of secure storage laws that would require gun owners to use a locking device or secure storage container for any firearm not in their immediate possession or control, including a super-majority of Democrats (88%), Republicans (70%), and Independents (79%). Three-in-four gun owners who responded that they keep firearms in the home also support new secure storage laws.
Additionally, new secure storage laws are supported by at least 70% of voters in every region of the state.
“These are common-sense proposals to ensure that firearms are stored safely and securely, supported by an overwhelming majority of Maine voters, including a majority of Democrats, Republicans, and independents,” said Nacole Palmer, executive director of the Maine Gun Safety Coalition. “Lawmakers should listen to the nearly 80 percent of voters who want action on gun safety and expect them to pass these secure storage laws.”
Easy access to unsecured and unsafely stored firearms continues to be a significant factor in teen suicide, and one in five Maine high school students seriously consider suicide. Requiring secure storage of firearms in the home significantly lowers the risk of both self-inflicted and accidental firearm harm among children and teens.
In addition to LD 1120, which would require secure storage of firearms in homes, lawmakers on the Judiciary Committee are also considering LD 1299, a bill to require the secure storage of handguns in parked vehicles – one of the primary sources of stolen firearms. From 2016-2019, Maine averaged 897 thefts from motor vehicles per year. Four years later, that number had almost doubled to 1,450 thefts per year.
“By requiring the safe storage of handguns in unoccupied cars, we can make it harder for criminals and dangerous people to get their hands on weapons that they later use to commit crimes in our communities,” said Palmer.
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