An Act to Aid Law Enforcement in Complying with Maine's Freedom of Access Laws
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 0249
Committee: Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Sponsors: KOFFMAN, MILLS, MARTIN, COWGER, DUNLAP, NORBERT, PINGREE, SIMPSON, CATHCART, ROTUNDO
Amends: 25 MRSA §2803-B

Legislative Document 
No. 249 
H.P.204 
House of Representatives, January 23,2003 
An Act to Aid Law Enforcement in Complying with Maine's 
Freedom of Access Laws 
Reference to the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by Representative KOFFMAN of Bar Harbor. 
I!/~ 
/J7.11l0£~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Cosponsored by Representative MILLS of Farmington, Senator MARTIN of Aroostook and 
Representatives: COWGER of Hallowell, DUNLAP of Old Town, McLAUGHLIN of Cape 
Elizabeth, NORBERT of Portland, PINGREE of North Haven, SIMPSON of Auburn, 
Senators: CATHCART of Penobscot, ROTUNDO of Androscoggin. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 25 MRS A §2803-B, sub-§I, ~~G and H, as enacted by PL 
1993, c. 744, §5, are amended to read: 
G. 
Citizen complaints of police misconduct; aBa 
H. 
Criminal 
conduct 
engaged 
in 
by 
law 
enforcement 
officersTi and 
Sec. 2. 25 MRSA §2803-B, sub-§I, 1fI is enacted to read: 
I. 
Compliance with the reguirements of Title L 
sections 
to 410. 
Sec. 3. 25 MRSA §2803-B, sub-§§2 and 3, as amended by PL 2001, 
c. 686, Pt. B, §1, are further amended to read: 
2. 
Minimum policy standards. 
The board shall establish 
minimum standards for each law enforcement policy no later than 
June 1, 1995, except that policies for expanded requirements for 
domestic violence under subsection 1, paragraph D, subparagraphs 
(1) to (3) may be established no later than January 1, 2003 and 
policies for compliance under subsection L 
paragraph I must be 
established no later than June 1, 2004. 
3. 
Agency compliance. 
The chief administrative officer of 
each law enforcement agency shall certify to the board no later 
than January 1, 1996 that the agency has adopted written policies 
consistent with the minimum standards established by the board 
pursuant to subsection 2, except that certification to the board 
for expanded policies for domestic violence under subsection L 
paragraph D, subparagraphs (1) to (3) must be made to the board 
no later than June 1, 
2003 and policies for compliance under 
subsection 1, paragraph 
I 
must be established no later than 
January 1, 
2005. 
This certification must be 
accompanied 
by 
copies of the agency policies. 
The chief administrative officer 
of each agency shall certify to the board no later than June 1, 
1996 that the agency has provided orientation and training for 
its 
members 
with 
respect 
to 
the 
policies, 
except 
that 
certification 
for 
orientation 
and 
training 
with 
respect 
to 
expanded policies 
for 
domestic 
violence 
under 
subsection 
1, 
paragraph D must be made to the board no later than January 1, 
2004 and policies for compliance under subsection 1, paragraph I 
must be established no later than June 1, 2005. 
Page l-LR0882(1) 
SUMMARY 
This bill requires that all law enforcement agencies add to 
their existing collection of mandatory written policies one that 
addresses compliance with Maine's freedom of access laws, which 
govern citizen access to public records 
and proceedings. 
It 
further provides that the Board of Trustees of the Maine Criminal 
Justice Academy shall establish, by June 2004, minimum standards 
that each agency policy is required to meet 
and establishes 
deadlines 
in 
2005 
by 
which 
each 
law 
enforcement 
agency 
is 
required to adopt a policy and provide training and orientation 
to its personnel regarding the policy.