Gov. Janet Mills signs Sen. Rafferty bill to prevent student homelessness
AUGUSTA — On July 1, Gov. Janet Mills signed into law LD 384, “An Act to Prevent Student Homelessness,” a bill sponsored by Sen. Joe Rafferty, D-Kennebunk.
“I am grateful for the support of my colleagues and Gov. Mills for helping get this important piece of legislation over the finish line,” said Sen. Rafferty. “Students should only have to worry about things like their grades, sports and making friends — not if they’ll have a roof over their heads at night. This legislation takes steps to ensure more students are safely housed, and that is a measure worth investing in.”
The law will establish the Student Homelessness Prevention Program within the Department of Education. The purpose of the program is to provide direct financial assistance to students and their families so they may find stable, permanent housing, avoiding vulnerability to homelessness. This is done by providing designated McKinney-Vento liaisons, which each Maine school has, with the ability to provide students facing housing instability emergency financial assistance in an amount of up to $750 per student.
In the 131st Legislature, Sen. Rafferty led the effort to create a pilot version of the Student Homelessness Prevention Program. The measure became law with overwhelming support, and has been popular and successful in Maine schools.
“It has been so refreshing and such a change to actually have something tangible to be able to offer families when they reach out for help,” wrote one school district in response to the pilot program. “For the longest time, it’s been tough not being able to do a whole lot to help other than making referrals and getting families on waitlists. To be able to actually be able to help in the moment of hardship is so wonderful.”
According to the Maine Affordable Housing Coalition, over 73 percent of evictions in Maine occur as a result of less than $1,300 in outstanding costs, highlighting the precarious financial situations that many families in our state are facing.
The new law will take effect on September 24, 2025.
Sen. Rafferty represents Senate District 34, which includes Berwick, Cape Porpoise, Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, North Berwick and Wells in York County.