An Act to Prohibit Liens on Principal Residences and Wage
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 2129
Committee: Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services
Sponsors: BAILEY, MATHIESON, DAUGHTRY
Amends: 9-A MRSA §5, 14 MRSA §4422, 32 MRSA §11013

Legislative Document
No. 2129
S.P. 818
In Senate, January 7, 2026
An Act to Prohibit Liens on Principal Residences and Wage 
Garnishments for Medical Debt
Reference to the Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services 
suggested and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator BAILEY of York.
Cosponsored by Representative MATHIESON of Kittery and
Senators: President DAUGHTRY of Cumberland, GROHOSKI of Hancock, HICKMAN of 
Kennebec, NANGLE of Cumberland, RENY of Lincoln, TIPPING of Penobscot, 
Representatives: FAIRCLOTH of Bangor, MORRIS of Turner.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  9-A MRSA §5-105, sub-§4 is enacted to read:
4.   A court may not make, execute or enforce an order or process under this section 
based on medical debt as defined in Title 32, section 11002, subsection 7-A.
Sec. 2.  9-A MRSA §5-116-A, sub-§5 is enacted to read:
5.  Prohibition of liens on principal place of residence.  An execution against a 
consumer's principal place of residence may not be filed for a judgment in any action in 
which the claim against the consumer is based on medical debt. For the purposes of this 
subsection, "medical debt" has the same meaning as in Title 32, section 11002, subsection 
7-A.
Sec. 3.  9-A MRSA §5-116-A, sub-§6 is enacted to read:
6.  Prohibition of salary or wage garnishment.  The garnishment of a consumer's 
salary or wages may not be issued for a judgment in any action in which the claim against 
the consumer is based on medical debt. For the purposes of this subsection, "medical debt" 
has the same meaning as in Title 32, section 11002, subsection 7-A.
Sec. 4.  14 MRSA §4422, sub-§1, ¶E, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 382, §2, is 
amended to read:
E.  The amount of any exemption claimed under this subsection is limited to the amount 
of the exemption in effect on the date of the recording of the lien on the property against 
which the exemption is claimed;.
Sec. 5.  14 MRSA §4422, sub-§1, ¶F is enacted to read:
F.  A debtor's principal place of residence is exempt from attachment and execution 
based on medical debt as defined in Title 32, section 11002, subsection 7-A;
Sec. 6.  32 MRSA §11013, sub-§12 is enacted to read:
12.  Prohibition of liens on principal place of residence. A debt collector may not 
initiate an action that attaches a consumer's principal place of residence for a judgment in 
any action in which the claim against the consumer is based on medical debt.
Sec. 7.  32 MRSA §11013, sub-§13 is enacted to read:
13.  Prohibition of wage garnishment.  A debt collector may not initiate an action to 
garnish the salary or wages of a consumer in which the claim against the consumer is based 
on medical debt.
SUMMARY
This bill prohibits the placement of a lien on the principal place of residence of a 
consumer and prohibits the garnishment of salary or wages of a consumer when the related 
action is based on medical debt.