Text of ME LD 2107 (2026)

Printed on recycled paper 132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE SECOND REGULAR SESSION-2026 Legislative Document No. 2107 H.P. 1422 House of Representatives, January 7, 2026 An Act to Establish the Maine Nonprofit Security Grant Program Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 203. Reference to the Committee on Judiciary suggested and ordered printed. ROBERT B. HUNT Clerk Presented by Representative BRENNAN of Portland. Cosponsored by Representatives: DHALAC of South Portland, GATTINE of Westbrook, STOVER of Boothbay, Senators: DUSON of Cumberland, RENY of Lincoln, ROTUNDO of Androscoggin. Page 1 - 132LR2869(01) 1 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 2 Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §200-O is enacted to read: 3 §200-O. Maine Nonprofit Security Grant Program 4 1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the 5 following terms have the following meanings. 6 A. "Hate crime" means a crime in which the perpetrator selected the victim or the 7 property that was damaged or otherwise affected by the crime because of the race, 8 color, religion, sex, ancestry, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual 9 orientation, gender identity or homelessness of the victim or of the owner or occupant 10 of that property. 11 B. "Program" means the Maine Nonprofit Security Grant Program established in 12 subsection 2. 13 C. "Serious bodily injury" has the same meaning as in Title 17-A, section 2, subsection 14 23. 15 D. "Terror attack" means an attack that causes serious bodily injury or death to multiple 16 persons or causes substantial damage to a structure and is made for the purpose of 17 intimidating or coercing a civilian population or to affect the conduct of government. 18 2. Program established. The Maine Nonprofit Security Grant Program is established 19 in the Office of the Attorney General to provide grants to assist nonprofit organizations to 20 improve security at property owned or occupied by those nonprofit organizations to protect 21 against hate crimes and terror attacks. 22 3. Eligibility. To be eligible for a grant from the program, a nonprofit organization 23 must: 24 A. Be a tax-exempt organization under 26 United States Code, Section 501(c)(3); and 25 B. Demonstrate that the organization or the organization's facilities are at high risk of 26 a hate crime or terror attack. 27 4. Use of grants. A nonprofit organization awarded a grant from the program shall 28 use that grant for: 29 A. Physical security enhancements; 30 B. The cost of security personnel; or 31 C. The development or enhancement of security plans and protocols. 32 5. Administration. The Office of the Attorney General shall administer the program 33 and shall develop guidelines and criteria to award grants to eligible nonprofit organizations 34 under subsection 3 using a request for proposals process. 35 6. Rules. The Office of the Attorney General may adopt routine technical rules as 36 described in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A to implement this section. 37 Sec. 2. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and 38 allocations are made. 39 ATTORNEY GENERAL, DEPARTMENT OF THE Page 2 - 132LR2869(01) 1 Maine Nonprofit Security Grant Program N561 2 Initiative: Provides one-time funding to provide grants to assist nonprofit organizations in 3 improving security to protect against hate crimes and terror attacks. GENERAL FUND 2025-26 2026-27 All Other $0 $2,000,000 __________ __________ GENERAL FUND TOTAL $0 $2,000,000 4 SUMMARY 5 This bill establishes the Maine Nonprofit Security Grant Program in the Office of the 6 Attorney General to provide grants to assist nonprofit organizations to improve security at 7 property owned or occupied by those nonprofit organizations to protect against hate crimes 8 and terror attacks. The office administers the program and must develop guidelines and 9 criteria to award grants to nonprofit organizations using a request for proposals process. 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Page 1 - 132LR2869(07) STATE OF MAINE _____ IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX _____ H.P. 1422 - L.D. 2107 An Act to Establish the Maine Nonprofit Security Grant Program Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: Sec. 1. 37-B MRSA §748 is enacted to read: §748. Maine Nonprofit Security Grant Program 1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. A. "Hate crime" means a crime in which the perpetrator selected the victim or the property that was damaged or otherwise affected by the crime because of the race, color, religion, sex, ancestry, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or homelessness of the victim or of the owner or occupant of that property. B. "Program" means the Maine Nonprofit Security Grant Program established in subsection 2. C. "Serious bodily injury" has the same meaning as in Title 17-A, section 2, subsection 23. D. "Terror attack" means an attack that causes serious bodily injury or death to multiple persons or causes substantial damage to a structure and is made for the purpose of intimidating or coercing a civilian population or to affect the conduct of government. 2. Program established. The Maine Nonprofit Security Grant Program is established in the agency to provide grants to assist nonprofit organizations to improve security at property owned or occupied by those nonprofit organizations to protect against hate crimes and terror attacks. 3. Eligibility. To be eligible for a grant from the program, a nonprofit organization must: A. Be a tax-exempt organization under 26 United States Code, Section 501(c)(3); and B. Demonstrate that the organization or the organization's facilities are at high risk of a hate crime or terror attack. APPROVED APRIL 16, 2026 BY GOVERNOR CHAPTER 728 PUBLIC LAW Page 2 - 132LR2869(07) 4. Use of grants. A nonprofit organization awarded a grant from the program shall use that grant for: A. Physical security enhancements; B. The cost of security personnel; or C. The development or enhancement of security plans and protocols. 5. Administration. The agency shall administer the program and shall develop guidelines and criteria to award grants to eligible nonprofit organizations under subsection 3 using a request for proposals process. 6. Rules. The agency may adopt routine technical rules as described in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A to implement this section. Sec. 2. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made. DEFENSE, VETERANS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF Administration - Maine Emergency Management Agency 0214 Initiative: Provides one-time funding to provide grants to assist nonprofit organizations in improving security to protect against hate crimes and terror attacks. A portion of allocated funds may be used by the Maine Emergency Management Agency for program administration. Any balance remaining in the Maine Nonprofit Security Grant Program, General Fund account at the end of any fiscal year must be carried forward for use in the next fiscal year. GENERAL FUND 2025-26 2026-27 All Other $0 $200,000 __________ __________ GENERAL FUND TOTAL $0 $200,000