BANGOR, Maine — Maine’s plan to provide two years of free community college is going into effect. The Maine Legislature approved a plan backed by Democratic Gov. Janet Mills to provide free community college to students who were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program applies to high school graduates from the classes of 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. The community college system said in a statement that the program also applies to students who recently earned the equivalent of a high school diploma, such as a High School Equivalency Test.