Legislative Update: Rep. Ann Fredericks

Photo Credit: maine.gov

By Zendelle Bouchard

In the 131^st Maine Legislature, Sanford’s four state legislators have focused on priorities including taxation and health care. In this article, we profile the work of Rep. Ann Fredericks. Sen. Matt Harrington is also profiled in this issue (see that story). Last week, we profiled Rep. Lucas Lanigan and Rep. Anne-Marie Mastraccio.

Ann Fredericks (R) represents District 143, which includes part of Sanford. She sits on the Committee on Health and Human Services and was primary sponsor on two bills in 2023.

• LD 541 – An Act to Create Parity in the Taxation of Medicine. This bill proposed to include medical cannabis in the sales tax exemption that applies to medicines sold on a doctor’s prescription. The bill went to the Committee on Taxation, which recommended passage by a vote of 9-2, but no vote was taken, and the bill died when the legislature adjourned.
• LD 2005 – An Act to Eliminate the Aircraft Excise Tax. This bill sought to repeal the annual excise tax imposed on aircraft and provide an explicit exemption from the excise tax for aircraft. The bill was carried over to this year, but on Jan. 23, the Committee on Taxation voted Ought Not to Pass on the bill.

It should be noted that Fredericks is serving in her first term in the legislature. Freshmen lawmakers are advised not to submit too many bills. 

Fredericks also cosponsored several bills that were signed into law, including

• LD351, which increased access to birth control by making certain contraceptives available over the counter
• LD884, which authorized studying the creation of a state employee and legislative childcare center
• LD1155, which increased the salaries of legislators
• LD1936, which allows Certified Nurse Practitioners to provide in-home care without a home health care provider license.

Fredericks did not respond to our request for more information on her bills or her other legislative priorities.

You can track the status of any bill by entering the LD number on this page: https://legislature.maine.gov/.

For more information, read this detailed article on the path a bill takes through Maine’s legislature: https://legislature.maine.gov/house/house/Documents/PathofLegislation.

Fredericks’ House webpage is here: https://legislature.maine.gov/house/house/MemberProfiles/Details/1468.