We’ve all been there. You sign up for a free trial or a monthly service — maybe it’s a streaming platform, a meal kit, or an MLB stats tracking app. It seems simple enough. Then months go by, and you’re still getting charged for something you barely use. You try to cancel, but suddenly it feels like you need a law degree just to find the right button.

It shouldn’t be that hard to stop paying for something you no longer want.

This year, the Maine Legislature took action to fix that. Thanks to a bill sponsored by Senator Tim Nangle of Cumberland, consumers in Maine will soon have an easier, fairer way to cancel unwanted subscriptions. The new law, LD 1642, “An Act to Protect Maine Consumers by Simplifying Subscription and Health Club Membership Cancellations,” takes effect on Sept. 24 and will make a real difference in how Mainers interact with companies that offer subscription services.

Here’s what the law does: First, it requires companies to get your clear, express permission before automatically renewing a subscription. No more hiding renewal language in fine print or burying it in a long user agreement. Second, if you signed up online, you must also be able to cancel online through a process that is as simple as it was to sign up. Finally, if you’re enrolled in a long-term subscription, companies must give you advance notice before renewing, so you’re not caught off guard by a sudden charge.

These changes are about fairness and transparency — something every consumer deserves.

Too many businesses count on the idea that you’ll forget to cancel or won’t have the time or energy to navigate their intentionally complicated systems. It’s a predatory process. They make signing up easy but canceling difficult, because it benefits their bottom line. Sen. Nangle’s bill puts an end to that practice in Maine.

This is the kind of legislation that addresses a daily frustration that many of us have experienced. Whether it’s a $12 streaming service or a $100 annual subscription you forgot about, these recurring charges add up. For working Maine families, that money matters.

I’m proud to have supported this bill and grateful to Sen. Nangle for leading the charge. It’s a reminder that consumer protection can be practical, meaningful, and quietly powerful. When we make the fine print a little clearer, we help people make decisions with confidence — and that’s what good policy is all about.

So take a few minutes to check your statements, review your subscriptions—and mark your calendar for September because starting then, Mainers will be in the driver’s seat when it comes to managing the services they use and pay for.

That’s how it should be.

Mattie Daughtry represents State Senate District 23, Brunswick, Chebeague Island, Freeport, Harpswell, Pownal, and part of Yarmouth in the Maine Senate. She also serves as Maine’s Senate President. She can be reached at Mattie.Daughtry@legislature.maine.gov or 207-287-1515.