An Act to Ban the Video Hosting Service TikTok on All State-owned Devices
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 1007
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: CARLOW, ARDELL, BABIN, BLIER, BOYER, MORRIS
Amends: 5 MRSA §20-A

Legislative Document
No. 1007
H.P. 643
House of Representatives, March 7, 2023
An Act to Ban the Video Hosting Service TikTok on All State-owned 
Devices
(EMERGENCY)
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative CARLOW of Buxton.
Cosponsored by Representatives: ARDELL of Monticello, BABIN of Fort Fairfield, BLIER of 
Buxton, BOYER of Poland, MORRIS of Turner.
Emergency preamble.  Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, employees of the State are issued computers, cellular telephones and other 
necessary electronic devices to carry out their duties in their employment by the State; and
Whereas, certain software applications and programs such as TikTok represent a 
potential security risk as they may contain hidden and unknown capabilities to install 
spyware or otherwise compromise the integrity and security of official state 
communications and business that may be contained on state computers and devices; and
Whereas, employees of the State may have currently installed or used TikTok or other 
concerning software applications and programs in the absence of a policy or official 
restrictions against doing so; 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.  5 MRSA §20-A, sub-§4 is enacted to read:
4.  Computers and other electronic devices.  A computer or other electronic device 
owned by the State may not be used to access, contain or download any program, 
application or electronic service prohibited by the Commissioner of Administrative and 
Financial Services, in accordance with rules adopted by the commissioner. For purposes of 
this section, "electronic device" has the same meaning as in Title 16, section 647, 
subsection 3. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules under 
Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 2. Commissioner of Administrative and Financial Services to adopt 
rules to prohibit the video hosting service TikTok from all state computers and 
electronic devices.  Pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, section 20-A, 
subsection 4, the Commissioner of Administrative and Financial Services shall adopt rules 
to prohibit the use, presence or downloading of the video hosting service TikTok, owned 
by ByteDance Ltd., which is incorporated in the Cayman Islands, on any state computer or 
other electronic device.
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation 
takes effect when approved.
SUMMARY
This bill authorizes the Commissioner of Administrative and Financial Services to 
prohibit any program, application or electronic service on a state-owned computer or other 
electronic device and directs the commissioner to prohibit the access, presence or 
downloading of the video hosting service TikTok on all state computers and electronic 
devices.