An Act To Improve Tribal-State Relations
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 0651
Committee: Judiciary
Sponsors: PRIEST, BLISS, BEAULIEU, MITCHELL, MOULTON, NASS, ROCHELO, SOCTOMAH, GERZOFSKY
Amends: 30 MRSA §6206, 30 MRSA §6206-C

Legislative Document 
No. 651 
H.P. 481 
House of Representatives, February 17, 2011 
An Act To Improve Tribal-State Relations 
Reference to the Committee on Judiciary suggested and ordered printed. 
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative PRIEST of Brunswick. 
Cosponsored by Senator BLISS of Cumberland and 
Representatives: BEAULIEU of Auburn, MITCHELL of the Penobscot Nation, MOULTON of 
York, NASS of Acton, ROCHELO of Biddeford, SOCTOMAH of the Passamaquoddy Tribe, 
Senator: GERZOFSKY of Cumberland. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  30 MRSA §6206, sub-§4 is enacted to read: 
4.  Freedom of access laws not applicable.  The requirements of the State's freedom 
of access laws, Title 1, chapter 13, do not apply to the Passamaquoddy Tribe or the 
Penobscot Nation if the tribe or nation adopts and has in force a freedom of access 
ordinance certified by the Secretary of State to be equivalent to Title 1, chapter 13 with 
respect to the tribe or nation's meetings and documents.  Upon passing a freedom of 
access ordinance, the Passamaquoddy Tribe or the Penobscot Nation may submit the 
ordinance to the Secretary of State, who shall review the ordinance and either certify it as 
meeting the requirements of this subsection or provide to the tribe or nation a description 
of how the ordinance may be modified to satisfy the requirements of this subsection. 
This subsection is repealed July 1, 2016. 
Sec. 2.  30 MRSA §6206-C is enacted to read: 
§6206-C.  Freedom of access laws not applicable 
The Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians is not subject to any requirements of the 
State's freedom of access laws, Title 1, chapter 13, if the band adopts and has in force a 
freedom of access ordinance certified by the Secretary of State to be equivalent to Title 1, 
chapter 13 with respect to the band's meetings and documents.  Upon passing a freedom 
of access ordinance, the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians may submit the ordinance to 
the Secretary of State, who shall review the ordinance and either certify it as meeting the 
requirements of this section or provide to the band a description of how the ordinance 
may be modified to satisfy the requirements of this section. 
This section is repealed July 1, 2016. 
Sec. 3.  Contingent effective date; certification.  The provisions of this Act do 
not take effect except as follows. 
1.  Penobscot Nation; Passamaquoddy Tribe.  That section of this Act that enacts 
the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 30, section 6206, subsection 4 does not take effect 
unless, within 60 days of the adjournment of the First Regular Session of the 125th 
Legislature, the Secretary of State receives written certification by the Tribal Chief and 
Council of the Penobscot Nation and the Joint Tribal Council of the Passamaquoddy 
Tribe that the nation and tribe have agreed to the provision of this Act that enacts Title 
30, section 6206, subsection 4 pursuant to 25 United States Code, Section 1725(e), copies 
of which must be submitted by the Secretary of State to the Secretary of the Senate, the 
Clerk of the House of Representatives and the Revisor of Statutes, except that in no event 
may that section of this Act that enacts Title 30, section 6206, subsection 4 become 
effective until 90 days after the adjournment of the First Regular Session of the 125th 
Legislature. 
2.  Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians.  That section of this Act that enacts the 
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 30, section 6206-C does not take effect unless, within 60 
days of the adjournment of the First Regular Session of the 125th Legislature, the 
Secretary of State receives written certification by the Houlton Band Council of the 
Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians that the band has agreed to the provision of this Act 
that enacts Title 30, section 6206-C pursuant to 25 United States Code, Section 1725(e), 
copies of which must be submitted by the Secretary of State to the Secretary of the 
Senate, the Clerk of the House of Representatives and the Revisor of Statutes, except that 
in no event may that section of this Act that enacts Title 30, section 6206-C become 
effective until 90 days after the adjournment of the First Regular Session of the 125th 
Legislature. 
SUMMARY 
This bill allows the Passamaquoddy Tribe, the Penobscot Nation and the Houlton 
Band of Maliseet Indians to adopt ordinances, determined by the Secretary of State to be 
equivalent to the State's freedom of access laws, that will exempt them from the State’s 
freedom of access laws.  The authorization is subject to approval of the respective tribe, 
nation or band and is repealed July 1, 2016.