An Act To Amend the Statute of Limitations under the Maine Human Rights Act
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 1537
Sponsors: BLODGETT, BLISS, BUTTERFIELD, DUCHESNE, MAZUREK, O'BRIEN, RUSSELL, CRAVEN, JACKSON
Amends: 5 MRSA §4612

Legislative Document 
No. 1537 
H.P.1081 
House of Representatives, December 21, 2009 
An Act To Amend the Statute of Limitations under the Maine 
Human Rights Act 
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
203. 
Received by the Clerk of the House on December 17,2009. Referred to the Committee on 
Judiciary ptirsuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 40l. 
Presented by Representative BLODGETT of Augusta. 
Cosponsored by Senator BLISS of Cumberland and 
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MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: BUTTERFIELD of Bangor, DUCHESNE of Hudson, MacDONALD of 
Boothbay, MAZUREK of Rockland, O'BRIEN of Lincolnville, RUSSELL of Portland, 
Senators: CRAVEN of Androscoggin, JACKSON of Aroostook. 
Primed nn I'cc.vdeJ papt:r 
Be it enacted by the People ofthe State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §4612, sub-§l, ~, as amended by PL 2009, c. 235, §2, is 
further amended to read: 
B. 
The commission or its delegated commissioner or investigator shall conduct 
such preliminary investigation as it determines necessary to determine whether there 
are reasonable grounds to believe that unlawful discrimination has occurred. In 
conducting an investigation, the commission, or its designated representative, must 
have access at all reasonable times to premises, records, documents, individuals and 
other evidence or possible sources of evidence and may examine, record and copy 
those materials and take and record the testimony or statements of such persons as are 
reasonably necessary for the furtherance of the investigation. The commission may 
issue subpoenas to compel access to or production of those materials or the 
appearance of those persons, subject to section 4566, subsections 4-A and 4-B, and 
may serve interrogatories on a respondent to the same extent as interrogatories served 
in aid of a civil action in the Superior Court. The commission may administer oaths. 
The complaint and evidence col1ected during the investigation ofthe complaint, other 
than data identifying persons not parties to the complaint, is a matter of public record 
at the conclusion of the investigation of the complaint prior to a determinl).tion by the 
commission. An investigation is concluded upon issuance of a letter of dismissal or 
upon listing of the complaint on a published commission meeting agenda, whichever 
first occurs. Prior to the conclusion of an investigation, all information possessed by 
the commission relating to the investigation is confidential and may not be disclosed, 
except that the commission and its employees have discretion to disclose such 
information as is reasonably necessary to further the investigation. Notwithstanding 
any other provision of this section, the complaint and evidence collected during the 
investigation of the complaint may be used as evidence in any subsequent 
proceeding, civil or criminal. The commission must conclude an investigation under 
this paragraph within 2 years one year after the complaint is filed with the 
commission. 
SUMMARY 
This bill shortens from 2 years to one year the period within which the Maine Human 
Rights Commission must conclude an investigation of a complaint. 
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