An Act To Strengthen Protection from Abuse and Protection from Harassment Laws
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 1722
Committee Amendment CA_A_H705 (House)
Amends: 5 MRSA §4654, 5 MRSA §4655, 19-A MRSA §4006, 19-A MRSA §4007

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "It " 
to H.P. 1223, L.D. 1722, Bill, "An Act To 
Strengthen Protection from Abuse and Protection from Harassment Laws" 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the 
summary and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §4654, sub-§8 is enacted to read: 
8. Sel-vice of order; use of electronic copies. Notwithstanding any other provision 
of law, service of an order may be made pursuant to this section through the use of 
electronically transmitted printed copies of orders that have been transmitted directly 
from the court to the law enforcement agency or correctional facility making service. 
Return of proof of service may be made by electronic transmission of the proof of service 
directly to the court from the law enforcement officer making service 01' the chief 
administrative officer, or the chief administrative officer's designee, of the correctional 
facility making service. 
In any subsequent criminal prosecution for violation of this section when the service of an 
order was made through the use of an electronically transmitted printed copy of the order, 
with 10 days' advance written notice to the prosecution, the defendant may request that 
the prosecution call as a witness the law enforcement officer who served the order or the 
chief administrative officer, or the chief administrative officer's designee, of the 
correctional facility that served the order. 
Sec. 2. 5 MRSA §4655, sub-§6, ~A is enacted to read: 
A. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, service of an order may be made 
pursuant to this section through the use of electronically transmitted printed copies of 
orders that have been transmitted directly from the couli to the law enforcement 
agency or correctional facility making service. Return of proof of service may be 
made by electronic transmission of the proof of service directly to the court from the 
law enforcement officer making service or the chief administrative officer, or the 
chief administrative officer's designee, of the correctional facility making service. 
Sec. 3. 5 MRSA §4655, sub-§6, ~ 
is enacted to read: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" /1, to H.P. J 2~3, L.D. 1722 
B. 
In any subsequent criminal prosecution for violation of this section when the 
service of an order was made through the use of an electronicaIly transmitted printed 
copy of the order, with 10 days' advance written notice to the prosecution,. the 
defendant may' request that the prosecution caIl as a witness the law enforcement 
officer who served the order or the chief administrative officer, or the' chief 
administrative officer's designee, of the correctional facility that served the order. 
Sec. 4. 19-A MRSA §4006, sub-§6, ~A is enacted to read: 
A. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, service of an order may be made 
pursuant to this section through the use of electronicaIly transmitted printed copies of 
orders that have been transmitted directly from the co1111 to the law enforcement 
agency or correctional facility making service. Return of proof of service may be 
made by electronic transinission of the proof of service directly to the court from the 
law enforcement officer making service or the chief administrative officer, or the 
chief administrative officer's desigriee, of the correctional facility making service. 
Sec. S. 19-A MRSA §4006, sub-§6, ~ 
is enacted to read: 
B. 
In any subsequent criminal prosecution for violation of this section when the. 
service of an order was made through the use of an electronicaIly transmitted printed 
copy of the order, with 10 days' advance written notice to the prosecution, the 
defendant may request that the prosecution call as a witness the law enforcement 
officer who served the order or the chief administrative officer, or the chief 
administrative officer's designee, of the correctional facility that served the order. 
Sec. 6. 19-A MRS A §4007, sub-§6, ~A is enacted to read: 
A. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, service of an order may be made 
pursuant to this section through the use of electronicaIly transmitted printed copies of 
orders that have been transmitted directly trom the coi.lrt to the law enforcement 
agency or correctional facility making service. Return of proof of service may be 
made by electronic transmission of the proof of service directly to the c01l11 from the 
law enforcement officer making service or the chief administrative officer, or the 
chief administrative officer's designee, of the correctional facility making. service. 
Sec. 7. 19-A MRSA §4007, sub-§6,,s is enacted to re~d: 
B. 
In any subsequent criminal prosecution for violation of this section when the 
service of an order was made through the use of an electronically transmitted printed 
copy of the order, with 10 days' advance written notice. to the prosecution, the 
defendant may request that the prosecution caIl as a witness the law enforcement 
officer who served the order or the chief administrative officer, or the chief 
administrative officer's designee, of the correctional facility that served the order.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill but carries out the original intent to facilitate the 
proper and timely service of protection from harassment and protection from abuse 
orders. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,,{t .. to I-J.P. 1223, L.D. 1722 
This amendment allows the service of temporary orders and final orders when the 
original cOUl1 orders have been electronically transmitted directly from the coul1 issuing 
the order to the authorized law enforcement agency or correctional facility making the 
service. 
This amendment ensures that a person served with an electronically transmitted order 
has an 0ppOliunity in a prosecution for violating the order to exercise the right to 
confrontation with regard to the law enforcement officer who served the order or the chief 
administrative officer, or the chief administrative officer's designee, of the correctional 
facility that served the order. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT