An Act Regarding the Review of Law Enforcement Use of Deadly Force
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 1480
Committee: Judiciary
Sponsors: TALBOT ROSS, EVANGELOS, HARNETT, WARREN
Amends: 5 MRSA §200-K, 16 MRSA §803

Legislative Document
No. 1480
H.P. 1095
House of Representatives, April 14, 2021
An Act Regarding the Review of Law Enforcement Use of Deadly 
Force
Received by the Clerk of the House on April 12, 2021.  Referred to the Committee on 
Judiciary pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative TALBOT ROSS of Portland.
Cosponsored by Representatives: EVANGELOS of Friendship, HARNETT of Gardiner, 
WARREN of Hallowell.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  5 MRSA §200-K, sub-§8 is enacted to read:
8.  Attorney General's investigation.  The Attorney General shall complete an 
investigation of and submit to the panel the findings regarding the use of deadly force 
pursuant to section 200-A within 180 days of receiving notice of the use of deadly force by 
a law enforcement officer.  If the Attorney General is unable to complete the investigation 
and submit the findings within 180 days, the Attorney General shall notify the panel prior 
to the expiration of the 180-day period.  The Attorney General's notice to the panel under 
this subsection must provide a summary of the investigation up to the date of the notice, 
identify the reason for the delay and provide an anticipated conclusion date for the 
investigation and findings, which may not exceed 270 days from receiving notice of the 
use of deadly force.
Sec. 2.  16 MRSA §803, sub-§7, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 267, Pt. A, §3, is 
amended to read:
7.  Intelligence and investigative record information.  "Intelligence and investigative 
record information" means information of record collected by or prepared by or at the 
direction of a criminal justice agency or kept in the custody of a criminal justice agency 
while performing the administration of criminal justice or, exclusively for the Department 
of the Attorney General and district attorneys' offices, the administration of civil justice.  
"Intelligence and investigative record information" includes information of record 
concerning investigative techniques and procedures and security plans and procedures 
prepared or collected by a criminal justice agency or other agency.  "Intelligence and 
investigative record information" does not include criminal history record information as 
defined in section 703, subsection 3 and does not include, a video recording of the use of 
force by a law enforcement officer or information of record collected or kept while 
performing the administration of juvenile justice.
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Attorney General to complete an investigation of and submit the 
findings regarding the use of deadly force by a law enforcement officer to the Attorney 
General's Deadly Force Review Panel within 180 days of receiving notice of the use of 
deadly force. The Attorney General is required to provide notice to the panel if the 
investigation and findings are not complete within 180 days and provide a summary of the 
investigation up to the date of the notice, identify the reason for the delay and provide an 
anticipated conclusion date for the investigation and findings, which may not exceed 270 
days from receiving notice of the use of deadly force.  The bill also excludes from the 
definition of "intelligence and investigative record information", which is confidential 
under the law, a video recording of the use of force by a law enforcement officer.