Established by Part IV of the Criminal Code, the Criminal Advisory Commission has been in place for more than 25 years to review the sufficiency of the Criminal Code and submit legislation to modify and amend the Criminal Code. L.D. 823 was not submitted by the Criminal Advisory Commission. Rather, it was developed initially by the Maine Forest Products Council, in a version introduced in 1999 as L.D. 1925. Although the legislation has been modified since then to lessen the constitutional issues it raises in connection with the protection of free speech, we do not believe that a case has been made that this bill is warranted. Certainly there are many other public policy issues for which a specific crime might be established.
Criminal acts are criminal acts, regardless of intent.
It is difficult not to conclude that the purpose behind LD 823 is somehow to suggest that individuals who care about the protection of our environment are somehow more prone toward criminal activity and terrorism than is the public as a whole. Such a suggestion is wrong and offensive and should be rejected outright by this Committee and the Legislature. Not To Pass recommendation, as you did with similar legislation two years ago. Copyright 1999- 2000 Natural Resources Council of Maine. All rights reserved.