Mattie Daughtry represents state Senate District 23, Brunswick, Chebeague Island, Freeport, Harpswell, Pownal and part of Yarmouth in the Maine Senate.

When laws change, there’s often very little fanfare. The political debates that shape these laws can sometimes feel like something happening far away in Augusta or Washington, D.C. I believe lawmaking, at its best, should be focused on improving people’s lives. This week, six new laws go into effect that are all about making life better for Mainers right here at home.

These aren’t flashy bills. In fact, real governing rarely lives in the clickbait. These laws are about solving problems Mainers face every day — whether it’s trying to buy concert tickets without getting ripped off, making sure our kids have healthy meals at school, helping workers stay housed in a very rough housing market or protecting access to primary health care. In a time of rising national uncertainty and deepening challenges across the country, it can feel like progress is out of reach. But Maine proves it doesn’t have to be that way. Even when the world feels unsettled, we can still make meaningful, practical changes that help people in their daily lives.

On the consumer protection front, we’re making nation-leading progress. Take ticket buying, for example: Trying to snag tickets to a concert or game shouldn’t feel like a battle. Bots and hidden fees often leave fans frustrated and out of luck. My bill, LD 913 — a first-in-the-nation law banning bots, prohibiting speculative ticket listings (where tickets are sold before the seller even has them) and requiring full price transparency — will kick in this week.

Another win for consumers that will take effect is Sen. Tim Nangle’s “click-to-cancel” bill, LD 1642. If you’ve ever gotten stuck in complicated cancellation processes, this law ensures it’s just as easy to cancel a subscription as it is to start one. No hoops, no tricks. This change is especially important given ongoing lawsuits over deceptive subscription practices, and it guarantees Mainers won’t be trapped paying for services they no longer want.

And consumer protection doesn’t stop at subscriptions or ticketing. If you or a loved one has ever dealt with scammers, Maine will now have a law to help prevent the very worst from happening. Scammers often target the hard-earned retirement savings of older adults. As the oldest state in the nation by median age, we have a responsibility to put up guardrails and prevent these scams from going through. Thanks to LD 1445, introduced by my colleague Sen. Anne Carney, financial institutions and investment firms now have stronger tools to detect and prevent financial abuse of vulnerable adults. This bill, “An Act to Prevent Financial Exploitation of Vulnerable Adults,” empowers professionals to delay suspicious transactions and report potential abuse to authorities.

For our kids, my bill LD 1858 is about more than school lunches. It’s about supporting Maine’s fishing communities and giving students healthy, local food. This law makes it easier for schools to buy fresh seafood from Maine fishermen and processors, ensuring kids get nutrient-rich meals while helping keep local jobs and traditions alive. It’s a simple step that benefits our children’s health and our coastal communities. With the start of the new school year, I’m bubbling with excitement that our shrimply irresistible Maine seafood will now be in school cafeterias!

Supporting our kids and communities means making sure they have healthy food and also a stable place to live. LD 1287, my bill to address housing stability by helping Maine workers keep their homes and stay connected to their jobs, provides targeted rental assistance. When people have a safe, affordable place to call home, it prevents homelessness and strengthens communities across the state.

And finally, supporting Maine families means helping keep them healthy. LD 143, sponsored by Sen. Teresa Pierce, strengthens access to family planning services across the state. This law helps ensure that Mainers can make informed decisions about their reproductive health, a fundamental part of personal and economic stability. Mainers rely on these centers for primary care, cancer prevention screenings, STI tests and birth control. When families have access to the care and resources they need, they’re better positioned to thrive.

These laws may not make national headlines, but they matter deeply. They show what good government looks like: practical, community-centered solutions that help people live better lives. Every one of these ideas had a public hearing and benefitted from healthy debate. In Maine, we still believe in rolling up our sleeves and delivering for our communities, one step at a time, and with people at the center of it all.