MaineMaine law protects patient choice in practitioner noncompete agreements
Enforceable agreements must protect patients’ right to choose their practitioner, while the law states when noncompete terms can take effect.
What it does
An enforceable agreement between an employer and a health care practitioner must recognize each person’s right to choose their own practitioner.
A practitioner’s noncompete terms generally wait until one year after employment starts or six months after signing, whichever is later; the marked exception excludes practitioner agreements from that delay.
The law lists a practitioner employed by an entity they do not own as a category in the noncompete statute.
Argument forPatients may have more say in their care because covered agreements must recognize their right to choose their own practitioner.
Argument againstEnforceable agreements may still limit where practitioners can work, which could make it harder for some patients to keep seeing a practitioner they choose.
More detail
An enforceable agreement between an employer and a health care practitioner must recognize each person’s right to choose their own practitioner. A health care practitioner is someone qualified or licensed under Maine law to provide health care services in the state.
A health care practitioner’s noncompete terms do not take effect until the stated waiting period has passed. The provision covers agreements between an employer and a health care practitioner. The waiting period is one year after the employee starts work or six months after signing, whichever is later. The page’s amendment markings show that the exception to this waiting period now refers to a health care practitioner, replacing the named physician types. The stated waiting period applies before noncompete terms take effect.
The law lists a health care practitioner employed by an entity in which they have no ownership interest as a category in subsection 3. This category covers a practitioner employed by an entity they do not own.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 15Signed by Governor Janet MillsLatest
- Apr 8PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence.Passed 2nd Chamber
- Apr 8Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- Apr 8PASSED TO BE ENACTED.Became Law
- Apr 7ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- Apr 7The House RECEDED and CONCURRED to PASSAGE TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (H-919) as Amended by Senate Amendment "A" (S-625) thereto.Minor
- Apr 6Sent down for concurrence
- Vote recorded ADOPT SENATE AMENDMENT (S-625) to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 6Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED by Committee Amendment "A" (H-919) as Amended by Senate Amendment "A" (S-625) thereto In NON-CONCURRENCEMinor
- Apr 6Committee Amendment "A" (H-919) as Amended by Senate Amendment "A" (S-625) thereto ADOPTEDMinor
- Apr 6Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 889 Yeas 21 - Nays 11 - Excused 3 - Absent 0
- Apr 6On motion by Same Senator Senate Amendment "A" (S-625) to Committee Amendment "A" (H-919) READ and ADOPTED
- Apr 6Committee Amendment "A" (H-919) READ
- Apr 6READ ONCEMinor
- Apr 6On motion by Senator BAILEY of York The Majority Ought to Pass As Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (H-919) Report ACCEPTED
- Apr 6Taken from the table by the President
- Apr 2On motion by Senator PIERCE of Cumberland Tabled until Later in Today's Session, pending ACCEPTANCE OF EITHER REPORT.
- Mar 30Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- Vote recorded acc maj otp-am report. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 30The Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (H-919).Minor
- Mar 30Under suspension of the rules, the Bill was given its SECOND READING without REFERENCE to the Committee on Bills in the Second Reading.
- Mar 30Committee Amendment "A" (H-919) was READ and ADOPTED.Minor
- Mar 30The Bill was READ ONCE.Minor
- Mar 30(Yeas 73 - Nays 68 - Absent 9 - Excused 0 - Vacant 1)
- Mar 30ROLL CALL NO. 702
- Mar 30Subsequently, the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report was ACCEPTED.
- Mar 30On further motion of the same Representative the House RECONSIDERED ACCEPTANCE of the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report.
- Mar 30On further motion of the same Representative, the House RECONSIDERED ADOPTION of Committee Amendment "A" (H-919).
- Mar 30Subsequently, on motion of Representative CLUCHEY of Bowdoinham, the House RECONSIDERED its action whereby the Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (H-919).Minor
- Mar 30Speaker laid before the House
- Mar 30HELD.
- Mar 30The Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (H-919).Minor
- Mar 30Under suspension of the rules, the Bill was given its SECOND READING without REFERENCE to the Committee on Bills in the Second Reading.
- Mar 30Committee Amendment "A" (H-919) was READ and ADOPTED.Minor
- Mar 30The Bill was READ ONCE.Minor
- Mar 30On motion of Representative MATHIESON of Kittery, the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report was ACCEPTED.
- Mar 30Reports READ.
- Mar 27Reported Out - OTP-AM/OTP
- Feb 25Voted - Divided Report
- Feb 25Work Session Held
- Feb 10On motion by Senator Bailey of York REFERRED to Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services, in concurrence.
- Feb 10Report READ and ACCEPTED, in concurrence.
- Feb 10Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- Feb 10The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on HEALTH COVERAGE, INSURANCE AND FINANCIAL SERVICESMinor
- Feb 10Report was READ and ACCEPTED.
- Feb 10Representative MATHIESON for the Joint Standing Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services pursuant to Resolve 2025, chapter 106, section 8 reports that the Bill be REFERRED to the Committee on HEALTH COVERAGE, INSURANCE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES and printed pursuant to Joint Rule 218.Introduced
Healthcare