Overview

• Governor Janet Mills vetoed a proposal aimed to prevent charging petty theft as a felony after two prior convictions.
• The vetoed bill proposed a threshold of $500 for theft by repeat offenders to avoid felony charges.
• Mills argued the change could make Maine an outlier in New England, where other states are toughening their laws.
• Supporters, including the ACLU of Maine, believe the bill would have made criminal codes more proportionate to the offenses.
• The bill was criticized for its fast-track approval and lack of broad input from affected parties.