An Act Regarding the
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 0695
Committee Amendment CA_B_S628 (Senate)
Amends: 3 MRSA §170-C, 25 MRSA §2003, 25 MRSA §2904

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "j3 " to S.P, 312, L.D, 695, "An Act Regarding the
Laws of the State of Maine"
Amend the bill by striking out tlie title and substituting tlie following:
'An Act to Permit Legislators to Carry a Handgun in the State Capitol Area'
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and inserting the
following:
'See. 1. 3 MRSA §170-C is enacted to read:
§170"C. Reimbursement for handgun safety course
A member of the Leeislature. or an immediate fa milv member of a member of the
Legislature, who is issued a permit to carry a concealed handeun by an issuine authority
pursuant to Title 25, sectLQO 2003 must be reimbursed by the Legislature for the cost of
cQtnt>letinfi_a course^ handeun safety if that member or that member's
immediate family member was required pursuant to Title 25. section 2003, subsection 1,
paragraph E. subparagraph (5) to take a course that includes handgun safety to be eligible
for the Dermit, For the_tHU"E>Qse^ofthis section, "immediate family member" means, with
regard to a member of the Legislature, that member's spouse, child, sibling, parent.
RfandDarent or grandchild who is over 18 years of aee and who shares the same place of
residence as that member.
Sec. 2. 25 MRSA §2003, sub-§13, as enacted by PL 1991,c.865,§4, is amended
to read:
13. Fee waiver. An issuing authority may waive the permit fee for a permit issued to
a law enforcement officer certified by the Maine Criminal Justice Academy and shall waive
the permit fee for a permit issued to a member of the Legislature.
Sec. 3. 25 MRSA §2904, sub-§3 is enacted to read;
3. Carryine ofjiandeun by Leeislators in capitoI area. Notwithstandine any
provision of law to the contrary, rules adopted pursuant to subsections 1 and 2 must allow
Page I - 132LR2170(03)
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
-}.y-J COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "i(^ " to S.P, 312, L.D. 695f ^-(
a member of the Legislature to carry a handeun. includine a concealed handeun. in the
capitol area as long as the member of the Leeisiature has received a concealedjiandgyn
permit issued by an issuing authority pursuant to section 2003. For the purposes of this
subsection, "handgun" has the same meaning as in section 2002. subsection 8-A and
"capitol area" has the same meaning as in Title 1. section 814, subsection 2.
Sec. 4. Department of Public Safety; resources for implementation. The
Department of Public Safety shall implement the requirements of this Act, as applicable,
within existing resources,'
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any noticonsecutive Part letter or section
number to read consecutively.
SUMMARY
This amendment, which is a minority report of the committee, replaces the bill, which
is a concept draft, and changes the title. Tlie amendment provides that a member of the
Legislature, or an immediate family member of a member of the Legislature, who is issued
a permit to carry a concealed handgun must be reimbursed for the cost of completing a
handgun safety course if that member or that member's immediate family member was
required to take the handgun safety course to be eligible for the permit. "Immediate family
member" is defined to mean a member's spouse, child, sibling, parent, grandparent or
grandchild who is at least 18 years of age and who resides in the same place as the member,
It directs an issuing authority to waive the permit fee for a permit issued to a member of
the Legislature. The amendment also requires that rules adopted by certain state agencies
governing security at the state capital area must allow a member of the Legislature to cany
a handgun, including a concealed handgun, in the capitol area as long as the member of the
Legislature has received a concealed handgun permit.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)
Page2-132LR2I70(03)
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Revised: 04/01/26 t^Kt-
LD 695 LR 2170(03)
An Act Regarding the Laws of the State of Maine
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment ^f<\ .{
Committee; State and Local Government
Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
Current biennium cost increase - General Fund
Current biennium cost increase - Highway Fund
S'iscal Detail and Notes
The bill provides that a member of the Legislature or an immediate family member of a member of the Legislature,
who is issued a permit to carry a concealed handgun shall be reimbursed for the cost of completing a handgun safety
course if that member or that member's immediate family member was required to take the handgun safety course to
be eligible for the permit. The cost to the Legislature will depend on the number of legislators and family members
seeking reimbursement for such courses at a cost of approximately $100 to $200 per course.
The Department of Public Safety has indicated that it would need a General Fund appropriation of $68,050 and a
Highway Fund allocation of $36,640 in fiscal year 2026-27 for one Management Analyst I position and related costs
to process concealed handgun permit applications for members of the Legislature and family members. Since the
amendment includes language for the Department to perform these tasks within existing resources, no funding has
been included, The impact of these new unfunded costs on other department programs and activities cannot be
determined at this time.
LR2170(03) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1