---
type: "Bill"
title: "An Act To Require A Person Operating A Watercraft For Recreational Purposes To Ensure All Passengers Under 13 Years Of Age Wear Coast Guard Approved Personal Flotation Devices"
description: "An Act To Require A Person Operating A Watercraft For Recreational Purposes To Ensure All Passengers Under 13 Years Of Age Wear Coast Guard Approved Personal Flotation Devices"
jurisdiction: "us/states/me"
legislature: "Maine Legislature"
session: "132"
identifier: "LD 1042"
citation: "Maine LD 1042 (132)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["FLOTATION DEVICES", "RECREATION", "WATERCRAFT"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Allison HEPLER"]
version_count: 3
action_count: 28
vote_count: 0
first_action: "2025-03-12"
last_action: "2025-05-29"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/6f41d177-6404-4efc-b6b7-36323782092a"
source_url: "https://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/dockets.asp?ID=280097440"
source_hash: "d87f43d597791c2c8d4bf85f0eb50b9aa321e1f782058d5a560a236c8684c977"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-me"]
---

# Maine LD 1042 (132) — An Act To Require A Person Operating A Watercraft For Recreational Purposes To Ensure All Passengers Under 13 Years Of Age Wear Coast Guard Approved Personal Flotation Devices

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Amendment C-A (H-233)** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0671&item=2&snum=132)
2. **Chapter 148** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0671&item=3&snum=132)
3. **LD 1042 HP 671** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0671&item=1&snum=132)

## Sponsors

- Allison HEPLER — primary (person)
- Holly SARGENT — cosponsor (person)
- James DILL — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2025-03-12** Received by the Clerk of the House on March 12, 2025. `receipt`
- **2025-03-12** The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on MARINE RESOURCES pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 401. `referral-committee`
- **2025-03-20** Report of the Chair-Pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2
- **2025-03-20** Representative HEPLER from the Committee on MARINE RESOURCES Reports a recommendation for a CHANGE OF COMMITEE.
- **2025-03-20** Report was READ and ACCEPTED.
- **2025-03-20** On motion of Representative HEPLER, the Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on INLAND FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE. `referral-committee`
- **2025-03-20** Sent for concurrence.
- **2025-03-20** Report READ and ACCEPTED, in concurrence.
- **2025-03-20** On motion by Senator Tepler of Sagadahoc for the Committee on Marine Resources REFERRED to the Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, in concurrence. `referral-committee`
- **2025-03-21** Carried over, in the same posture, to the next special or regular session of the 132nd Legislature, pursuant to Joint Order SP 519.
- **2025-05-22** CONSENT CALENDAR - FIRST DAY
- **2025-05-22** Under suspension of the rules CONSENT CALENDAR - SECOND DAY.
- **2025-05-22** The Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (H-233). `reading-3`
- **2025-05-22** Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- **2025-05-22** Report READ and ACCEPTED, in concurrence.
- **2025-05-22** READ ONCE. `reading-1`
- **2025-05-22** Committee Amendment "A" (H-233) READ and ADOPTED, in concurrence. `committee-passage-favorable, passage`
- **2025-05-22** Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY Committee Amendment "A" (H-233), in concurrence. `reading-2, reading-3`
- **2025-05-22** Ordered sent down forthwith.
- **2025-05-27** PASSED TO BE ENACTED. `passage`
- **2025-05-27** Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- **2025-05-27** PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence. `passage`
- **2025-05-29** Signed by Governor `executive-signature`
- **2025-03-18T04:00:00+00:00** Refer Approved by Chairs/Leads - REFER TO OTHER
- **2025-03-18T04:00:00+00:00** Reported Out - REFER TO OTHER
- **2025-04-16T04:00:00+00:00** Work Session Held
- **2025-04-16T04:00:00+00:00** Voted - OTP-AM
- **2025-05-20T04:00:00+00:00** Reported Out - OTP-AM

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/6f41d177-6404-4efc-b6b7-36323782092a`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Maine legislature records).