TESTIMONY FOR LD 1646
LD 1646: An Act to Amend Maine’s Good Samaritan Laws Regarding Suspected Drug-related Overdoses
Assigned Committee: Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Public hearing date: January 07th, 2026
Maine Green Independent Party urges the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety to vote Ought to Pass (OTP) on LD 1646
Good afternoon, Chairs Sen Anne Beebe-Center and Rep. Tabis Hasenfus and Members of the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety.
My name is Kelly Merrill. I Co-Chair the Maine Green Independent Party, which has 37K members statewide.
We support LD 1646 “An Act to Amend Maine’s Good Samaritan Law Regarding Suspected Drug-related Overdoses” and urge the committee to vote Ought To Pass in order to restore the original intent of the Good Sam Law.
We know how powerful Maine’s Good Samaritan Law is as a life-saving measure. One study attributed a 15% reduction in deaths to a combination of such laws, where there is also robust naloxone access, such as here in our state. That data is supported by the National Bureau of Economic Research.
Strengthening the Good Sam Law will also continue to educate law enforcement partners, who are needed to ensure effective application.
As everyone here knows, Maine has historically been one of the hardest hit places in the country as far as the overdose epidemic is concerned, peaking mid-pandemic in 2022 with 723 deaths. But for 3 consecutive years since, overdose deaths have fallen. It’s not one measure that is responsible for this, but all of the measures we have supported to mitigate the loss of our family members, friends and neighbors.
I’d like to take a moment to review the numbers. From 2022 to 2023, the number of overdose deaths fell dramatically from their peak of 723 souls in 2022 to 606 in 2023. That’s 117 less deaths, just over 16%. From 2023 to 2024 the number of deaths went from 606 to 490. That’s 116 less overdose deaths, an over 19% reduction. And projected numbers for 2025 demonstrate the same trend. We anticipate those numbers will be below 400, so let’s just say 395, which would be 95 less overdose deaths, again, over 19%.
Harm reduction measures are taking us in the right direction. Let us continue that trend and save lives. We urge this committee to vote OTP on LD 1646 to strengthen Maine’s Good Sam Law.
Respectfully submitted,
Kelly F. Merrill
Co-Chair, Maine Green Independent Party
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