An Act To Preserve Fair Housing in Maine
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 1269
Committee: Labor and Housing
Sponsors: TALBOT ROSS, FAY, FECTEAU, PERRY, SYLVESTER, WARREN, MAXMIN
Amends: 30-A MRSA §4741

Legislative Document
No. 1269
H.P. 929
House of Representatives, March 29, 2021
An Act To Preserve Fair Housing in Maine
Received by the Clerk of the House on March 25, 2021.  Referred to the Committee on 
Labor and Housing pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 
401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative TALBOT ROSS of Portland.
Cosponsored by Representatives: FAY of Raymond, Speaker FECTEAU of Biddeford, 
PERRY of Calais, SYLVESTER of Portland, WARREN of Scarborough, Senator: MAXMIN 
of Lincoln.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  30-A MRSA §4741, sub-§18, as amended by PL 2015, c. 494, Pt. B, §3, is 
further amended to read:
18.  State designee for homeless programs.  The Maine State Housing Authority is 
designated the coordinating agency for the State for programs dealing with homeless 
persons and may apply for, receive, distribute and administer federal, state and other funds 
on behalf of the State for homeless programs including, without limitation, the Emergency 
Community Services Homeless Grant Program and the programs authorized pursuant to 
the federal Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act, Public Law 100-77, (1987), as 
amended; and
Sec. 2.  30-A MRSA §4741, sub-§19, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 494, Pt. B, §4, is 
amended to read:
19.  State designee for National Housing Trust Fund.  The Maine State Housing 
Authority is designated as the entity to receive and allocate funds from the National 
Housing Trust Fund established by the federal Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 
2008.; and
Sec. 3.  30-A MRSA §4741, sub-§20 is enacted to read:
20.  Affirmatively further fair housing.  The Maine State Housing Authority shall 
ensure that any federal funding or any state or local funding is used in a manner that will 
affirmatively further fair housing in this State.  For the purposes of this subsection, 
"affirmatively further fair housing" means to engage actively in efforts to address barriers 
to and create opportunities for full and equal access to housing without discrimination on 
the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, physical or mental 
disability, religion, ancestry, national origin, familial status or receipt of public assistance.
Sec. 4.  Report to the Legislature.  The Maine State Housing Authority shall 
develop a plan to ensure public funds are used to affirmatively further fair housing in this 
State in accordance with the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 30-A, section 4741, subsection 
and report the development of that plan to the Joint Standing Committee on Labor and 
Housing by January 15, 2022.  The Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing may 
report out legislation based on the report to the Second Regular Session of the 130th 
Legislature.
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Maine State Housing Authority to ensure that public funds are 
used to affirmatively further fair housing, which is defined as to engage actively in efforts 
to address barriers to and create opportunities for full and equal access to housing without 
discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, 
physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, national origin, familial status or receipt of 
public assistance.  The bill requires the Maine State Housing Authority to develop a plan 
and report back to the Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing by January 15, 
2022.