Me. Rev. Stat. » Title 5
Maine Revised Statutes

Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, § 4591 (2026)

Equal access to public accommodations

✓ current as of May 2026
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The opportunity for every individual to have equal access to places of public accommodation without discrimination because of race, color, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry or national origin is recognized as and declared to be a civil right.   [PL 2021, c. 366, §12 (AMD).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1971, c. 501, §1 (NEW). PL 1973, c. 347, §11 (AMD). PL 1975, c. 355, §10 (AMD). PL 1975, c. 358, §§13-A (AMD). PL 1975, c. 770, §38 (RPR). PL 1991, c. 99, §20 (AMD). PL 2005, c. 10, §16 (AMD). PL 2021, c. 366, §12 (AMD).
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Notes of Decisions
Cited in 12 cases (4 in the last 5 years), 1986–2025 · leading case: Telescope Media Grp. v. Rebecca Lucero, 936 F.3d 740 (8th Cir. 2019).
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Telescope Media Grp. v. Rebecca Lucero, 936 F.3d 740 (8th Cir. 2019). “7 (1) (West 2019); Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 5, § 4591 (2005); Md.”
Blackhouse v. Doe, 2011 ME 86 (Me. 2011). · cites it 2× “us/court_ info/ada/accommodation.html ("Accommodations may be initiated by court personnel or in response to a request from a person needing an accommodation.”
Maine Human Rights Comm'n v. City of South Portland, 508 A.2d 948 (Me. 1986). · cites it 4× “The City of South Portland (South Portland) appeals from a judgment of the Superior Court (Kennebec County) for the Maine Human Rights Commission (Commission), Maine Association of Handicapped Persons (MAHP) and Judy Roberts holding South Portland in violation of 5 M.R.S.A. §§…”
Jackson v. State, 544 A.2d 291 (Me. 1988). “The court ruled that the State’s denial of Jackson’s application violated Jackson’s right to equal protection, the Rehabilitation Act, and the public accommodations provision of the Maine Human Rights Act, 5 M.R.S.A. § 4591. The court found that the State was not Jackson’s…”
Dudley v. Hannaford Bros. Co., 190 F. Supp. 2d 69 (D. Me. 2002). “§ 12182 (b)(2)(A)(ii), and MHRA, 5 M.R.S.A. § 4591, by failing to make reasonable modifications to its policy of not reconsidering a cashier’s refusal to sell alcohol to a customer she believes is intoxicated.”
Fitzpatrick v. Town of Falmouth, 2005 ME 97 (Me. 2005). “” 5 M.R.S.A. § 4591 (2002). It is unlawful for a place of public accommodation to discriminate on the basis of a disability.”
Conners v. Maine Med. Ctr., 42 F. Supp. 2d 34 (D. Me. 1999). “See 5 M.R.S.A. § 4591. However, the Supreme Court, in the interest of uniformity within a state as to time periods for filing civil rights actions, has advised that courts should characterize civil rights claims generally, rather than predicate a choice of the correct statute of…”
Pines Church v. Hermon Sch. Dep't (D. Me. 2024). “” 5 M.R.S. § 4591. It is unlawful for any place of public accommodation, such as a school, see id.”
Birlem v. Munz (Me. Super. Ct 2019). “§ 12182 (a) (2018); 5 M.R.S. §§ 4591 et seq. (2018). Liability is imposed upon "any person who owns, leases (or leases to), or operates a place of public accommodation" that discriminates against an individual on the basis of disability.”
Olszewski v. Hutchins (D. Me. 2025). “Turning to Count Three, Defendants state that 5 M.R.S. § 4591 requires equal access to places of public accommodation and 5 M.”
Pines Church v. Hermon Sch. Dep't (D. Me. 2025). “Subchapter V of the MHRA pertains to public accommodations and includes 5 M.R.S. § 4591, which Plaintiffs invoke in their Amended Complaint (ECF No.”
Tiffany Vargas v. Riverbend Mgmt. LLC, 2024 ME 27 (Me. 2024). “” 5 M.R.S. § 4591. A “place of public accommodation” is “a facility, operated by a public entity or private entity, whose operations fall within” a number of categories, including “a restaurant, eating house, .”
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