Committee unanimously approves Sen. Hickman bill to grant Indigenous people free access to Maine’s state parks

AUGUSTA – On Wednesday, Feb. 1, the Legislature’s Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry voted in favor of a bill sponsored by Sen. Craig Hickman, D-Winthrop, to grant Indigenous people free access to Maine’s state parks. The bill LD 25, “An Act to Provide Indigenous Peoples Free Access to State Parks,” passed unanimously. 

“This bill speaks for itself. We must do all we can to advance and improve our tribal-state relations, and this is one step in that direction.” said Sen. Hickman. “Our state parks are some of the most sacred sites for the Wabanaki people, and they have every right to enjoy this unceded land without paying a fee, just as their ancestors did before them. I am grateful to the committee for their unanimous vote of support on this bill.” 

LD 25 would exempt members of a federally recognized Indian nation, tribe or band from being required to pay a fee for admission to any state-owned park or historic site. 

Aaron Dana, Tribal Representative for the Passamaquoddy Nation, testified during the public hearing before the committee in support of LD 25. 

“These unceded lands and sites have been of major importance to all the Wabanaki Nations here in Maine,” said Representative Dana. “We use these lands for ceremonial use in our traditional and spiritual practices since time immemorial. The Wabanaki Nations have utilized the monuments for generations and have been restricted access in just the recent history and are required to pay a monetary fee to sit and pray where our ancestors, grandparents and our parents have all sat to pray. I ask you all here wholeheartedly and respectively that you consider the request of LD 25 in allowing unhindered access to these sacred sites where our children, our grandchildren and our future generations can share the same beauty in prayer and access that our ancestors have since the beginning of our creation as Wabanaki Nations here in the territory that we call Maine.” 

The Natural Resources Council of Maine, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, and Sierra Club all testified in support of LD 25 as well. 

LD 25 now faces votes in the Senate and House.