An Act To Appropriate and Allocate Funds To Strengthen the State's Efforts To Investigate, Prosecute and Punish Persons Committing Drug Crimes
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 1811
Committee: Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Sponsors: PLUMMER
Amends: 4 MRSA §157

Legislative Document 
No. 1811 
S.P. 725 
In Senate, March 11, 2014 
An Act To Appropriate and Allocate Funds To Strengthen the 
State's Efforts To Investigate, Prosecute and Punish Persons 
Committing Drug Crimes 
Reference to the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety suggested and ordered 
printed. 
DAREK M. GRANT 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by Senator PLUMMER of Cumberland.  (GOVERNOR'S BILL) 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  4 MRSA §157, sub-§1, ¶A, as amended by PL 2005, c. 519, Pt. III, §2, is 
further amended to read: 
A.  The Governor, subject to review by the joint standing committee of the 
Legislature having jurisdiction over judiciary matters and to confirmation by the 
Legislature, shall appoint to the District Court 36 40 judges.  At least one judge must 
be appointed from each district who is a resident of a county in which the district lies, 
except that in District 3 there must be 2 judges appointed who are residents of a 
county in which the district lies; in District 6 there must be 2 judges appointed who 
are residents of a county in which the district lies; and in District 9 there must be 2 
judges appointed who are residents of a county in which the district lies.  Four judges 
must be appointed to the District Court to hear drug-related criminal cases 
exclusively; of those judges, one sits in Presque Isle in District 2, one sits in Bangor 
in District 3, one sits in Lewiston in District 8 and one sits in Portland in District 9.  
Each District Court Judge has a term of office of 7 years. 
To be eligible for appointment as a District Judge, a person must be a member of the 
bar of the State.  The term "District Judge" includes the Chief Judge and Deputy 
Chief Judge. 
Sec. 2.  Appropriations and allocations.  The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
PUBLIC SAFETY, DEPARTMENT OF 
Drug Enforcement Agency 0388 
Initiative:  Provides funding for 14 Investigative Agent positions from the General Fund 
and funding for training and costs associated with conducting investigations from Other 
Special Revenue Funds. 
Sec. 3.  Appropriations and allocations.  The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
ATTORNEY GENERAL, DEPARTMENT OF THE 
GENERAL FUND 
2013-14
2014-15
All Other 
$0
$1,465,090
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
$0
$1,465,090
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 
2013-14
2014-15
All Other 
$0
$227,033
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL 
$0
$227,033
Administration - Attorney General 0310 
Initiative:  Provides ongoing funding for 4 Assistant Attorney General positions that will 
be dedicated to prosecuting drug crimes. 
SUMMARY 
This bill creates 4 new District Court Judge positions within the Judicial Department.  
These judges must hear and decide drug-related criminal cases and sit in the cities of 
Presque Isle, Bangor, Lewiston and Portland. 
This bill provides funding for 14 Investigative Agent positions in the Department of 
Public Safety, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and funding for training and costs 
associated with conducting investigations. 
This bill also provides funding for 4 Assistant Attorney General positions in the 
Department of the Attorney General that will be dedicated to prosecuting drug crimes. 
GENERAL FUND 
2013-14
2014-15
Personal Services 
$0
$327,180
All other 
$0
$19,764
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
$0
$346,944