Maine AI Laws and Regulation (2026)

Maine has taken a measured but increasingly active approach to artificial intelligence regulation. The state enacted two targeted AI laws in 2025, one requiring chatbot transparency in consumer transactions and another extending deepfake protections under the state's revenge porn statute. Governor Janet Mills's AI Task Force delivered 33 policy recommendations in October 2025, and the 2026 legislative session has produced several significant pending bills addressing election deepfakes, healthcare AI, and child safety.

This guide covers Maine's enacted AI laws, the Task Force's findings, pending legislation, and how federal AI policy affects the state.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. AI regulation is evolving rapidly. Consult a licensed Maine attorney for advice about your specific situation.

Enacted AI Laws in Maine

Maine has two enacted laws that directly address artificial intelligence. Unlike states such as Colorado or Illinois that have passed comprehensive AI frameworks, Maine's approach has been targeted, addressing specific consumer protection and criminal law concerns.

AI Chatbot Transparency Law (Title 10, Section 1500-DD)

Maine's most significant AI legislation is LD 1727, the "Act to Ensure Transparency in Consumer Transactions Involving Artificial Intelligence," signed by Governor Janet Mills on June 12, 2025. The law took effect on September 16, 2025.

The law is codified at Title 10, Section 1500-DD of the Maine Revised Statutes and requires any person who uses an AI chatbot in trade or commerce to disclose that fact to consumers.

Key Provisions:

The statute defines an "artificial intelligence chatbot" as a software application, web interface, or computer program that simulates human-like conversation through textual or aural communications. This definition covers traditional chatbots, web widgets, pre-recorded message systems, and soundboard or avatar systems.

Under the law, it is prohibited to use an AI chatbot in a manner that may mislead or deceive a reasonable consumer into believing they are engaging with a human being, unless the consumer is notified in a clear and conspicuous manner.

Enforcement and Penalties:

Violations of Section 1500-DD are treated as violations of the Maine Unfair Trade Practices Act, enforceable by the Maine Attorney General. Penalties can include fines of up to $1,000 per violation, injunctive relief, and consumer restitution.

Scope and Exemptions:

The law applies broadly to anyone conducting trade or commerce in Maine who uses AI chatbots to interact with consumers. It does not impose requirements on internal business use of AI tools or AI systems that do not directly interact with consumers.

Deepfake Amendment to Revenge Porn Statute (Title 17-A, Section 511-A)

In 2025, Maine expanded its existing revenge porn statute to explicitly cover AI-generated deepfake content. The amendment to Title 17-A, Section 511-A makes it a crime to create or disseminate AI-generated images or videos that depict a person in a state of nudity or engaged in sexual activity without their consent.

Key Provisions:

The law applies when a person, with intent to harass, torment, or threaten, intentionally or knowingly disseminates an image that has been created or modified to appear to show a depicted person in a state of nudity or engaged in a sexual act.

Classification and Penalties:

Unauthorized dissemination of certain private images, including AI-generated deepfakes, is a Class D crime in Maine. A Class D crime carries a maximum penalty of less than one year of imprisonment and a fine of up to $2,000.

Gap in Child Protection:

Legal analysts have noted that the version of the bill that passed did not explicitly label AI-generated images of children as child sexual abuse material. This gap means that law enforcement may face challenges prosecuting cases involving AI-generated CSAM under state law, though federal law, including the TAKE IT DOWN Act, provides additional protections.

Governor Mills's AI Task Force

Executive Order and Establishment

In December 2024, Governor Janet Mills signed an executive order establishing the Maine Artificial Intelligence Task Force. The 21-member body was supported by a 10-member Technical Advisory Committee and included state and local officials, legislators, education representatives, and business and nonprofit leaders.

Governor Mills charged the Task Force with exploring three key areas:

1. How to prepare Maine's economy and workforce for the opportunities and risks from AI advances
2. How to protect Maine residents from potentially harmful uses of AI
3. How to deploy AI at state agencies and public entities to improve service delivery

33 Recommendations (October 2025)

The Task Force released its final report on October 31, 2025, delivering 33 recommendations organized around several themes:

AI Literacy: The Task Force recommended launching a public AI literacy campaign to help all Mainers, including older adults and youth, navigate the emerging technology in their daily lives.

Economic and Workforce Development: The recommendations identified opportunities to increase productivity, create new industries, and support entrepreneurs through AI while acknowledging the potential for job disruption across manufacturing and professional services.

Consumer and Privacy Protections: The report emphasized protecting personal data privacy, strengthening cybersecurity, and addressing deepfake risks including manipulated voices, images, and personas.

Government Use: The Task Force recommended enhancing planning and transparency around AI tools used at state agencies and developing structured approaches to AI-related development projects, including data centers.

The report drew from testimony by nearly 30 AI experts and public input gathered during the Task Force's process. Many of the 2026 legislative session's AI bills directly reflect these recommendations.

Pending AI Legislation (2026 Session)

The 2026 session of the Maine Legislature has produced several significant AI-related bills, ranging from election deepfake disclosures to healthcare AI regulation and child safety protections.

Election Deepfake Disclosure (LD 517)

LD 517 would require political campaigns to disclose when an advertisement contains images or audio altered with artificial intelligence. The Maine House advanced the bill in March 2026 largely along party lines.

Disclosure Requirement: Campaigns using AI-altered media in political communications must include a statement reading: "THIS COMMUNICATION CONTAINS AUDIO, VIDEO AND/OR IMAGES THAT HAVE BEEN MANIPULATED OR ALTERED." The Maine Ethics Commission would develop detailed rules on size and placement through routine technical rulemaking.

Penalties: Noncompliant campaigns face fines of up to 500% of the amount spent on the offending expenditure.

Exemptions: Satire and parody are exempt, as are radio and television stations broadcasting AI content as part of documentaries or newscasts with appropriate acknowledgment.

The Maine Senate also advanced the bill along partisan lines, though it had not reached the governor's desk as of March 2026.

Healthcare AI Regulation (LD 955 and LD 1301)

LD 955 is one of the most significant healthcare AI bills in the country. Beginning January 1, 2026, it prohibits health insurance carriers from denying coverage or claims solely based on AI. Before any AI-driven denial of benefits or reduction in payment, the carrier must conduct a utilization review by a physician licensed in Maine. The review must consider:

• The medical necessity of the services
• The professional judgment of the enrollee's provider
• The impact of any denial on the enrollee's health outcomes

LD 1301, the "Act to Prohibit the Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Denial of Health Insurance Claims," establishes additional guidelines for how AI can be used in medical review and utilization review processes by health insurance carriers and their third-party contractors.

Children's AI Safety (LD 2162)

LD 2162, introduced in January 2026, would prohibit operators and distributors of AI chatbots and social AI companions from making accessible to minors any chatbots with human-like features. This includes chatbots that convey humanity, simulate emotions, or attempt to build emotional relationships with users.

As of March 2026, the bill had received a divided committee report, indicating ongoing debate about the scope of the restrictions.

Mental Health AI Regulation (LD 2082)

LD 2082 would regulate how AI technology is used in mental health settings, reflecting growing concerns about AI-powered therapy and counseling tools. Details on the bill's specific requirements are still being finalized.

AI in Employment

Maine does not currently have enacted legislation specifically addressing AI in employment and hiring decisions. The state's existing human rights law prohibits employment discrimination based on protected characteristics, but does not include AI-specific requirements for bias audits, algorithmic transparency, or candidate notification.

The AI Task Force's report acknowledged the potential for AI to disrupt Maine's workforce and recommended developing policies around AI's impact on employment. Some Maine municipalities, such as Camden, have independently developed guidelines that identify hiring as a high-risk AI use case requiring formal policies.

No specific employment AI bill has advanced in the 2026 session, though the Task Force recommendations could form the basis for future legislation.

Federal AI Policy Impact on Maine

TAKE IT DOWN Act

The federal TAKE IT DOWN Act (P.L. 119-12) provides an important supplement to Maine's deepfake protections. While Maine's Title 17-A, Section 511-A covers nonconsensual intimate deepfakes at the state level, the federal law extends criminal penalties nationally and requires platforms to remove reported deepfake content within 48 hours. The federal law is particularly relevant given the gap in Maine's state law regarding AI-generated child sexual abuse material.

Federal Preemption Concerns

President Trump's Executive Order 14365 (December 2025) established a DOJ AI Litigation Task Force that could challenge state AI laws. For Maine, this creates uncertainty around whether the state's AI chatbot transparency law and pending healthcare AI bills could face federal preemption challenges. However, Maine's existing laws are narrowly tailored to address consumer protection and criminal conduct, which are traditionally areas of state authority.

Federal AI Standards

Maine's AI Task Force report explicitly referenced the importance of aligning state policies with federal frameworks, including NIST AI standards. The Task Force recommended that Maine monitor federal AI developments and adjust state policies accordingly.

Looking Ahead

Maine's AI regulatory trajectory is shaped by the 33 recommendations of the Governor's Task Force and the active 2026 legislative session. The state has positioned itself as a deliberate but proactive regulator, focusing on transparency, consumer protection, and healthcare guardrails rather than attempting comprehensive AI governance.

Key developments to watch include the final outcome of LD 517 (election deepfakes), the implementation of LD 955 (healthcare AI restrictions effective January 2026), and whether the legislature addresses the gap in state law regarding AI-generated child exploitation material.

More Maine Laws

• Maine Recording Laws
• Maine Surveillance Camera Laws
• Maine Data Privacy Laws
• Maine Sexting Laws
• Maine Background Check Laws
• Maine Whistleblower Laws
• All AI Laws by State

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. AI regulation is evolving rapidly, and new legislation may be enacted after this article was last reviewed. Consult a licensed Maine attorney for advice about your specific situation. Last reviewed: March 2026.