An Act to Reinstate the Property Tax Stabilization Program
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1144
Committee: Taxation
Sponsors: LIBBY
Amends: 36 MRSA §6281

Legislative Document
No. 1144
S.P. 475
In Senate, March 18, 2025
An Act to Reinstate the Property Tax Stabilization Program
Reference to the Committee on Taxation suggested and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator LIBBY of Cumberland.
Cosponsored by Senators: BICKFORD of Androscoggin, STEWART of Aroostook.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  36 MRSA §6281, first ¶, as enacted by PL 2023, c. 412, Pt. S, §10, is 
amended to read:
This chapter applies only to the property tax year years beginning on or after April 1, 
2023 2026.
Sec. 2.  36 MRSA §6281, sub-§1, ¶D, as amended by PL 2023, c. 441, Pt. D, §1, 
is further amended to read:
D.  "Stabilize" means to maintain the property tax billed to an eligible individual for 
up to $900,000 of assessed value for the individual's eligible homestead at the amount 
billed for up to $900,000 of assessed value for that homestead for the property tax year 
preceding the property tax year for which the individual is requesting stabilization.
Sec. 3.  36 MRSA §6281, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 751, §1, is amended to 
read:
3.  Stabilization for eligible individual.  If a municipality determines that an applicant 
for stabilization under subsection 2 is an eligible individual and that the individual's 
homestead is an eligible homestead, the municipality shall stabilize the property tax on the 
individual's homestead billed for the property tax year for which stabilization was 
requested. Except as provided in subsection 4, an eligible individual may have the property 
tax stabilized on only one eligible homestead in a property tax year.
Sec. 4.  36 MRSA §6281, sub-§5, as amended by PL 2023, c. 441, Pt. D, §2, is 
further amended to read:
5.  State compensation.  A municipality that has stabilized property tax for an eligible 
individual under this chapter may recover from the State 100% of the amount by which the 
property tax assessed on the homestead of an eligible individual in the usual manner 
exceeds the stabilized amount of property tax billed under subsection 3. A municipality 
may recover from the State the cost to administer this chapter. A municipality claiming 
compensation under this subsection shall submit a claim to the bureau on the annual return 
required by section 383.  The bureau shall review claims and determine the total amount to 
be paid to each municipality.  The bureau shall certify and the Treasurer of State shall pay 
the amount due to each municipality by January 15th of the year following the year for 
which the claim for compensation was submitted or within 60 days of the date the claim 
was filed, whichever is later.
SUMMARY
This bill reinstates the program that stabilizes property taxes on homesteads of 
permanent residents 65 years of age or older for property tax years beginning on or after 
April 1, 2026. It limits stabilization to $900,000 of the assessed value of an eligible 
homestead and provides that an eligible individual may have the property tax stabilized on 
only one eligible homestead in a property tax year. It provides that a municipality may 
recover from the State the cost to administer the program.