Janet Mills on Jobs

Allow state minimum wage to apply to agricultural workers

Summary by Maine Morning Star, 6/11/25: Farmworkers will now have the right to state minimum wage like most other employees in Maine. The law creates a new section in state statute that affords agricultural workers the state minimum wage, which is currently $14.65 an hour, since current laws exclude them. The newly enacted law mirrors a proposal Mills put forward last session, but ultimately vetoed after it was changed to include a private right of action. [The new law] gives the Department of Labor exclusive authority to bring action. Although some argued the law still doesn't go far enough in offering farmworkers basic labor protections, agricultural and labor leaders still praised the progress.

Legislative Outcome:Passed Senate 22-12-1 on Jun/2/25; passed House 74-73-0 on Jun/3/25; signed by Governor Janet Mills on Jun/10/25.

Goal: 100% of students have option of paid internships

Scholarships & boosted retirement benefits for firefighters

Raise minimum wage to $12 by 2020

Mills: Yes. Preserve recent increase passed by voters, to $12/hr by 2020.

Moody: No. Roll back recent increase. This is among the initiatives he opposed.