An Act To Allow School Resource Officers To Have Jurisdiction at Off-site Events
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 1516
Committee Amendment CA_A_H529 (House)
Amends: 30-A MRSA §2674

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 1041, L.D. 1516, Bill, "An Act To 
Allow School Resource Officers To Have Jurisdiction at Off-site Events" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act To Clarify the Authority of County Sheriffs To Grant Law Enforcement 
Powers' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and before the summary and 
inserting the following: 
'Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, the enforcement of Maine's laws by county sheriffs requires additional 
personnel that are available through deputizing municipal law enforcement officers; and 
Whereas, this legislation needs to take effect immediately in order to ensure that 
Maine's county sheriffs are adequately staffed to perform their law enforcement duties; 
and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore, 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 30-A MRSA §2674, as amended by PL 2013, c. 261, §2, is further 
amended by adding at the end a new paragraph to read: 
Notwithstanding section 501 and except as otherwise provided by municipal charter 
or ordinance. the municipal officers may authorize the chief of police or other designee to 
request a county sheriff to appoint as a deputy sheriff a municipal law enforcement 
officer who has satisfied the training requirements of Title 25, sections 2804-C and 
2804-E. 
The authorization of the municipal officers must be accompanied by an 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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·nor- ' 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 1041, L.D. 1516 
agreement between the requesting municipality and the respective county that specifies 
the pur;pose and time period for which the authorization is granted and which 
governmental entity is liable, if any liability is determined to exist, for personal inimy or 
property damage caused by or occurring to law enforcement officers of the municipality 
in the course of exercising their authority as deputy sheriffs. 
A municipal law 
enforcement officer appointed pursuant to this paragraph has the same authority as a 
deputy sheriff within the respective county, except as to the service of civil process, and 
has the same privileges and immunities as when acting within the officer's own 
jurisdiction. 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill and changes the title. The amendment provides a 
process by which a trained municipal law enforcement officer may be appointed as a 
deputy sheriff, have the duties of a deputy sheriff to enforce the criminal laws and have 
the same privileges and immunities as when acting within the officer's own jurisdiction. 
The amendment requires an agreement between the municipality and the county that 
specifies the time period and purpose for which authorization is granted and liability 
between the sheriff's office and the municipal law enforcement agency. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT