An Act To Require Law Enforcement Officers To Wear Body Cameras
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 0636
Committee Amendment CA_A_S236 (Senate)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "J4,-y, to S.P. 198, L.D. 636, Bill, "An Act To 
Require Law Enforcement Officers To Wear Body Cameras" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'Resolve, To Establish the Work Group To Study the Use of Body Cameras by Law 
Enforcement Officers' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 
Work Group To Study the Use of Body Cameras by Law 
Enforcement Officers established. Resolved: That the Work Group To Study the 
Use of Body Cameras by Law Enforcement Officers, referred to in this resolve as "the 
work group," is established. 
Sec. 2. Work group membership. Resolved: That, notwithstanding Joint Rule 
353, the work group consists of 9 members appointed as follows: 
1. One member of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate; 
2. Two members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the 
House; 
3. The Attorney General or the Attorney General's designee; and 
4. Five members appointed by the Attorney General. The 5 members appointed by 
the Attorney General must include 3 representatives of law enforcement agencies at the 
local, county and state levels; one representative of a statewide organization that works to 
further the interests of municipalities; and one representative of a statewide organization 
that works to ensure the privacy rights of citizens of the State. 
Sec. 3. Chair. Resolved: That the Attorney General or the Attorney General's 
designee shall serve as chair of the work group. 
Sec. 4. Appointments; convening of work group. Resolved: 
That all 
appointments must be made no later than 30 days following the effective date of this 
resolve. The appointing authorities shall notify the Executive Director of the Legislative 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" n "to S.P. 198, L.D. 636 ( ':::, J~\c~\ 
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Council once all appointments have been completed. After appointment of all members, 
the chair shall call and convene the first meeting of the work group. If 30 days or more 
after the effective date of this resolve a majority of but not all appointments have been 
made, the chair may request authority and the Legislative Council may grant authority for 
the work group to meet and conduct its business. 
Sec. 5. Notice of meetings. Resolved: That the Attorney General shall provide 
notice of the meetings of the work group to the general public and to the following 
organizations: the Maine Prosecutors Association, the Maine Association of Criminal 
Defense Lawyers, the Maine Chiefs of Police Association, the Maine Sheriffs' 
Association, the Maine State Police, the Maine Association of Police, the Maine Criminal 
Justice Academy, the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine, the Immigrant Resource 
Center of Maine, the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, the Maine Hospital Association, 
the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence, the National Association for the 
Advancement of Colored People, the National Alliance on Mental Illness - Maine, the 
Maine Municipal Association, the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault and the Maine 
Commission on Domestic and Sexual Abuse. 
Sec. 6. Duties. Resolved: That the work group shall study the use of body 
cameras by law enforcement officers, review current practices in the State and outside of 
the State, review research on the use of body cameras and, before issuing its report 
pursuant to section 8, consider the following issues with regard to the use of body 
cameras by law enforcement officers on a voluntary basis and on a mandatory basis as 
required by law, rule or policy applicable to the law enforcement agency: 
1. Cost and potential revenue sources; 
2. Whether to mandate use and operation or adoption of a policy regarding use and 
operation; 
3. Collective bargaining issues; 
4. Ownership, use, storage and chain of custody issues; 
5. Training for officers and supervisors; 
6. Recording sensitive or private situations and circumstances; 
7. Promoting accountability, privacy and transparency; 
8. Providing access to individuals involved in the criminal justice system, the public 
and the court; 
9. Meeting the needs of different communities and populations; and 
10. Respect for victims of crime and their families and children. 
Sec. 7. Staff assistance. Resolved: That, notwithstanding Joint Rule 353, the 
Legislative Council shall provide necessary staffing services to the work group, except 
that Legislative Council staff support is not authorized when the Legislature is in regular 
or special session. 
Sec. 8. Report. Resolved: That, no later than March 1, 2020, the work group 
shall submit a report that includes its findings and any work group recommendations, 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" fl-" to S.P. 198, L.D. 636 (c:::.·3 '2:)s9~ 
including suggested legislation, to the Joint Standing Committee on Criminal Justice and 
Public Safety.' 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill with a resolve establishing the Work Group To 
Study the Use of Body Cameras by Law Enforcement Officers, consisting of 9 members 
appointed by the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House and the Attorney 
General. The Attorney General or the Attorney General's designee serves as chair. The 
Attorney General is required to give notice of meetings of the work group to the general 
public and a broad array of organizations. The work group is required to study the use of 
body cameras by law enforcement officers, to review current practices in Maine and 
outside of Maine, to review research on the use of body cameras and to report by March 
1, 2020 with any recommendations to the Joint Standing Committee on Criminal Justice 
and Public Safety. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 05/24/19 feac.. 
LD636 
LR 1884(02) 
An Act To Require Law Enforcement Officers To Wear Body Cameras 
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Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment 'Y1" ( ',> -,)
1::L, ,) 
Committee: Criminal Justice and Public Safety 
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Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Legislative Cost/Study 
Legislative Cost/Study 
The general operating expenses of this study are projected to be $1,960 in fiscal year 2019-20. An estimated $6,190 is 
available in each of fiscal years 2019-20 and 2020-21 in the Legislature's proposed budget for legislative studies as 
well as any balances from prior years for this purpose. Whether these amounts are sufficient to fund all studies will 
depend on the number of studies authorized by the Legislative Council and the Legislature. The additional costs of 
providing staffing assistance to the study during the interim can be absorbed utilizing existing budgeted staff 
resources. 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Additional costs to the Office of the Attorney General and the Depaiiment of Public Safety associated with 
paiiicipating in the work group can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
LRl 884(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1