132nd Maine Legislature
Legislation of Interest to Woodland Owners
The Second Regular Session of the 132nd Maine Legislature convened on January 7, 2026 Below are bills of interest to woodland owners.
LD 19 An Act to Change the Definition of “Oversized ATV” in the Laws Governing the Registration of All-Terrain Vehicles - In Opposition To Read our testimony HERE.
This bill raises the maximum weight of an ATV that can be registered in Maine from 2,000 to 2,500 pounds. Maine Woodland Owners testified against the bill in the last session and is watching this one very closely. As a refresher, the legal size (weight and width) limit of ATVs was established by the legislature in 2021 based on the unanimous recommendations of a Governor-appointed working group. Tom Doak served on that group. The limit was set due to the inability of Maine’s ATV system to accommodate the impacts of larger machines, as well as increasing landowner frustrations. All existing ATVs, regardless of size, were grandfathered, but future registrations were limited to the new standard.
Oversized ATVs may be operated on one’s own land, but cannot be registered for use off their land. Manufacturers continue to build bigger and bigger machines, and people continue to buy them, hoping to register them for use on trails. Lifting the size restrictions puts the ATV trail network at risk as many landowners may choose to implement their own size restrictions or deny access to ATVs altogether. One of the reasons that the existing size limit was chosen was that it was acceptable to most landowners, which ensured a unified and straightforward system that made it easy for users to ride across boundaries. The Maine Woodland Owners Board of Directors voted to close the ATV trails on land trust properties if the size restrictions are increased.
LD 2118 An Act to Eliminate the Natural Areas Program and Reassign Certain Responsibilities Under the Program to the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and to Amend the Law Governing Administration of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Bureau of Resource Management - In Support Of. Read Amanda Egan’s testimony HERE.
LD798 An Act to Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue to Fund Mass Timber Manufacturing (carried over). This bond issue would provide $50 million to help finance the design and construction or retrofitting of a manufacturing facility to produce mass timber. Mass timber manufacturing in the state would open up a new market and bolster Maine’s forest products industry. It would also put Maine on the leading edge of an innovative and increasingly popular construction technology.
LD1761 An Act to Prohibit Indemnification Agreements (carried over). This bill prohibits the inclusion of transfer of liability provisions in contracts in which a party transfers liability arising out of its own negligence or intentional act or omission. There are a number of exceptions added through an amendment, including for insurance policies, surety bonds, and a release or waiver of liability agreement. Legislation of this sort is typically narrowed to a particular industry, such as construction; however, this bill is very broad in scope. The logging industry is a strong supporter of the bill, which brought forest management more into the conversation than was anticipated. While the bill was voted Ought to Pass as Amended by the Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services Committee last session, they referred it to the Judiciary Committee, where it met a bipartisan Ought Not to Pass vote this session. Maine Woodland Owners testified Neither For Nor Against at Judiciary’s public hearing. Much of the testimony and committee discussion raised the high potential for unintentional consequences of this bill, and we think it is unlikely that it will pass. Neither For Nor Against Read Amanda Egan’s testimony HERE
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