Governor signs Nangle bills to support trafficking survivors, strengthen municipal enforcement

AUGUSTA – Maine Gov. Janet Mills has signed into law two bills sponsored by State Senator Tim Nangle, D-Windham, that ensures survivors of human trafficking in Maine can continue accessing essential support services and will aid local municipalities in protecting Maine’s natural resources by enforcing shoreland zoning laws when wealthy builders attempt to violate them.

Two bills proposed by State Senator Tim Nangle of Windham,
allowing survivors of human trafficking to access essential
support services and another helping municipalities 
protect Maine's natural resources by enforcing shoreland
zoning laws, have been signed into law by the governor.
COURTESY PHOYO  

Nangle’s bill LD 2136 will provide a one-time bridge to replace delayed federal funding that has supported Preble Street’s Anti-Trafficking Services program since 2013. The program has historically been funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime — funding that Congress approved and communities across the country rely on.

“Survivors of trafficking ought to be able to access these life-changing, sometimes life-saving services,” Nangle said. “Because the federal government wavered on maintaining its commitment, they are effectively telling survivors they have to wait for safety. That is unacceptable. That’s why I’m proud to have helped lead this bill across the finish line and make sure people who have already endured unimaginable trauma can still get the support they need to be safe and start rebuilding their lives.”

Preble Street’s most recent three-year federal grant expired on September 30, 2025. Normally, the next grant opportunity would have opened in April 2025, with new funds beginning Oct. 1, 2025 with no interruption. Instead, the U.S. Department of Justice delayed the grant competition for more than nine months and provided no public explanation. As a direct result of that gap, Maine’s largest provider of anti-trafficking services has been forced to begin wait-listing survivors. That funding has helped Preble Street support 157 survivors across seven Maine counties in recent years. Services include assistance with housing, food, clothing, medical and mental health care, legal services and relocation when necessary. Without this short-term state investment, survivors seeking help right now could face serious and lasting harm simply because of a federal administrative failure.

Nangle said this essential funding was passed by the Maine Legislature after Senate and House Republicans initially attempted to defeat the bill.

LD 2136 will go into effect 90 days after the Legislature adjourns sine die.

Nangle’s LD 1904 bolsters municipal enforcement authority and recognizes how important protecting our lakes and rivers are to Maine’s economy and future.

“We’re empowering our towns to use the tools at their disposal in a fiscally responsible manner,” Nangle said. “Defending access to clean water without passing massive legal bills on to property taxpayers is a win in my book, and I’m glad to see this become law.”

LD 1904 “An Act to Establish the Municipal Shoreline Protection Legal Fund,” establishes a dedicated revolving fund to provide financial assistance to municipalities facing substantial legal expenses when enforcing shoreland zoning violations, ensuring communities can act without placing the burden on local property taxpayers. The fund will live within the Department of Environmental Protection. The department will administer the fund as a revolving loan program, set clear standards through rulemaking and establish flexible repayment terms that reflect the realities municipalities face when bringing enforcement actions.

To ensure the fund remains viable over time and reduce the need for future appropriations from the Legislature, the committee also amended the bill to direct a portion of penalties collected under the Natural Resources Protection Act to support the fund. This approach allows enforcement-related penalties to be reinvested directly into protecting Maine’s lakes, rivers and shorelines. 

 

The bill was introduced by Nangle in response to a high-profile case in the town of Raymond, where a property owner replaced 400 feet of shoreline vegetation along Sebago Lake – one of the cleanest sources of drinking water in the country. The town spent more than half a million dollars over three years to enforce its shoreland zoning ordinance. Although the case was ultimately settled in 2024 with restoration beginning later that summer, the experience highlighted the financial barriers many municipalities face when holding violators accountable.

LD 1904 builds on the success of LD 2101 from the 131st Legislature, sponsored by Sen. Nangle and signed into law in 2024, which strengthened municipal enforcement authority for shoreland zoning violations. LD 1904 ensures those tools can be used effectively, regardless of a town’s size or budget.

LD 1904 will go into effect 90 days after the Legislature adjourns sine die.

State Senator Tim Nangle is serving his second term in the Maine Senate, representing Casco, Frye Island, Raymond, Windham and part of Westbrook. He serves as Senate chair of the Transportation Committee and sits on the Health and Human Services Committee. <