An Act To Prohibit a Person from Providing False Testimony to a Committee of the Legislature
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 0850
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: SIROCKI, BRAKEY, DILLINGHAM, GINZLER, MALABY, O'CONNOR, TIMBERLAKE, TURNER, SAVIELLO, WOODSOME

Legislative Document
No. 850
H.P. 599
House of Representatives, March 7, 2017
An Act To Prohibit a Person from Providing False Testimony to a 
Committee of the Legislature
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative SIROCKI of Scarborough.
Cosponsored by Senator BRAKEY of Androscoggin and
Representatives: DILLINGHAM of Oxford, GINZLER of Bridgton, MALABY of Hancock, 
O'CONNOR of Berwick, TIMBERLAKE of Turner, TURNER of Burlington, Senators: 
SAVIELLO of Franklin, WOODSOME of York.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  3 MRSA c. 22 is enacted to read: 
CHAPTER 22 
TESTIMONY BEFORE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES 
§491.  Requirement to provide truthful testimony 
1.  Definitions.  As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the 
following terms have the following meanings. 
A.  "Legislative committee" means a committee, subcommittee or joint or select 
committee of the Legislature or any special committee or commission, by whatever 
name, established by the Legislature to make recommendations for legislative action 
or to develop legislation, when convened for a hearing, work session or other official 
purpose. 
B.  "Person" means a: 
(1)  Legislative designee, as defined in section 312-A, subsection 8-A; 
(2)  Lobbyist, as defined in section 312-A, subsection 10; 
(3)  Lobbyist associate, as defined in section 312-A, subsection 10-A; 
(4)  Member of the public;  
(5)  Official in the executive branch, as defined in section 312-A, subsection 
10-C; or 
(6)  State employee or state agency employee, as defined in section 312-A, 
subsection 17. 
C.  "Testimony" means information, provided either in person or by other means, and 
includes information provided orally, in writing or by other means of communication. 
2.  Testimony.  A person who provides testimony to a legislative committee may not: 
A.  Purposely provide false testimony regarding a material fact pertaining to that 
person's testimony; 
B.  Purposely falsify any testimony; or 
C.  Purposely omit or conceal a material fact related to the testimony. 
3.  Oath.  Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, any member of a legislative 
committee may require that the chair of the committee place a person providing 
testimony under oath. 
4.  Penalty.  A person who violates subsection 2 commits a Class E crime.  If that 
person violates this section while under oath pursuant to subsection 3, that person 
commits a Class D crime. 
5.  Suspension.  If a person who violates subsection 2 is a lobbyist or lobbyist 
associate, the Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices may suspend 
that person from further lobbying before the Legislature for a period of up to 2 years, in 
addition to any penalty imposed pursuant to subsection 4. 
SUMMARY 
This bill prohibits a person such as a lobbyist, state employee, executive branch 
official or member of the public from purposely providing, either in person or through 
another means, false testimony, either orally, in writing or by other means, to a legislative 
committee or purposely omitting or concealing a material fact related to testimony 
provided to a legislative committee.  This bill allows any member of a legislative 
committee to require the chair of that committee to place a person testifying before that 
committee under oath. 
A person who purposely provides false testimony to a legislative committee or who 
omits or conceals a material fact commits a Class E crime.  If the person was under oath 
at the time, the person commits a Class D crime.  If the person is a lobbyist or lobbyist 
associate, the person may be suspended from lobbying before the Legislature for up to 2 
years.