An Act to Designate January 6th as A Day to Remember and to
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 0702
Sponsors: MACIAS
Amends: 1 MRSA §150-V, 5 MRSA §95-C

Legislative Document
No. 702
H.P. 441
House of Representatives, February 25, 2025
An Act to Designate January 6th as A Day to Remember and to 
Preserve the Accounts of Witnesses to the Events of January 6, 2021
Received by the Clerk of the House on February 20, 2025.  Referred to the Committee on 
State and Local Government pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint 
Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative MACIAS of Topsham.
Cosponsored by Representatives: ARCHER of Saco, BELL of Yarmouth, BRIDGEO of 
Augusta, ROLLINS of Augusta, TERRY of Gorham.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  1 MRSA §150-V is enacted to read:
§150-V.  A Day to Remember
January 6th of each year is designated as A Day to Remember, and the Governor shall 
annually issue a proclamation honoring the resilience of democracy during the events of 
January 6, 2021 in Washington, D.C., encouraging the people of the State to use the day as 
an opportunity for reflection on the values of democracy, civic responsibility and the 
importance of protecting constitutional governance and encouraging educational 
institutions, civic organizations and public libraries to observe the day with discussions, 
events and programming to educate citizens about the importance of civic engagement and 
the rule of law. 
Sec. 2.  5 MRSA §95-C, sub-§3 is enacted to read:
3.  Collection of witness accounts from January 6, 2021.  The State Archivist, in 
collaboration with the Maine Historical Society, shall collect and preserve firsthand 
accounts from individuals who witnessed or were involved in the events of January 6, 2021 
in Washington, D.C., including, but not limited to:
A.  The State's congressional delegation and the congressional delegation's staff who 
were present in Washington, D.C. on January 6, 2021;
B.  Residents of the State who were at the United States Capitol Building in 
Washington, D.C. on January 6, 2021 or who played a role in responding to the events 
of that day; and
C.  Law enforcement personnel, historians and other individuals whose accounts 
provide insight into the significance of the events of January 6, 2021.
The State Archivist shall develop a standardized process for conducting interviews under 
this subsection that ensures the respectful and accurate documentation of participants' 
experiences and shall record and transcribe all interviews, with participants' consent, for 
inclusion in the Maine State Archives.  The State Archivist shall collaborate with schools, 
universities and civic organizations to create informational materials based on the 
interviews for integration into educational initiatives and shall make all recorded and 
transcribed interviews and materials accessible to the public through an online archive and 
physical exhibits.
Beginning January 6, 2026, the State Archivist shall provide an annual report to the joint 
standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education and cultural 
affairs detailing the progress of the witness account collection and educational initiatives 
under this subsection.  
SUMMARY
This bill establishes January 6th of each year as A Day to Remember to honor the 
resilience of democracy during the events of January 6, 2021 in Washington, D.C.  It also 
directs the State Archivist to collect and preserve firsthand accounts from the State's 
congressional delegation and staff and others connected to the events of January 6, 2021, 
to create educational materials based on those accounts and to make those materials and 
accounts available to the public through an online archive and physical exhibits.