Governor Mills Announces State of Civil Emergency To End June 30th

Governor Janet Mills has announced that Maine’s State of Civil Emergency will end June 30, 2021 – the end of this month.

The Governor temporarily extended the current State of Civil Emergency, which was set to expire on Sunday, June 13, through June 30, 2021, to ensure an orderly transition out of the emergency, allowing State government departments to continue necessary pandemic-related services. During this time, departments will identify any policies that may need temporary extensions past June 30, 2021, such as flexibilities for child care providers and home-and community-based services given ongoing pandemic-related challenges.

The State’s last remaining face covering requirement, which only applies to indoor preK-12 schools and child care settings, will also end on June 30, 2021. However, Maine CDC will continue to recommend, though not require, that unvaccinated people – including those under 12 who are not yet eligible for a COVID vaccine – wear face coverings indoors. School Administrative Units and child care settings may require face coverings, as some businesses have done. Additionally, the Department of Health and Human Services continues to encourage schools to participate in its free pooled testing program, which reduces the spread of the virus in schools and eliminates the need for quarantining for participating students and staff who are asymptomatic.

The State of Civil Emergency allowed the Governor to implement public health measures and deploy all available governmental tools to respond to and contain COVID-19. As of June 11, most states in the nation still have active emergency declarations, according to the National Governors Association.

Maine continues to demonstrate nation-leading progress in administering vaccinations and containing the spread of COVID-19. More than 73 percent of Maine people age 12 and older have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 64.9 percent are fully vaccinated, according to the U.S. CDC vaccination tracker. Maine, adjusted for population, also ranks 4th lowest in total number of cases and 4th lowest in number of deaths from COVID-19, according to the U.S. CDC.

Megan Diver

Megan has worked in Maine politics for more than ten years and all of her professional career, having served in many roles for elected officials (including former Secretary of State Charlie Summers), in-house with the Maine Association of REALTORS®, legislative specialist at Pierce Atwood LLP providing lobbying services and support to Pierce Atwood’s government relations clients and most recently senior government relations specialist at the Maine State Chamber of Commerce. Megan currently is the Vice President at the Maine Energy Marketers Association, utilizing her vast knowledge and legislative experience at the State House to represent MEMA on policies relating to the Association and its members.