An Act Regarding Public Records Maintained by the Department of
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 2236
Committee: Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Amends: 12 MRSA §10110, 12 MRSA §10111, 12 MRSA §13106-E, 12 MRSA §13157-D

Legislative Document
No. 2236
H.P. 1512
House of Representatives, March 17, 2026
An Act Regarding Public Records Maintained by the Department of 
Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Reported by Representative ROBERTS of South Berwick for the Joint Standing Committee 
on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife pursuant to Resolve 2025, chapter 37, section 6.
Reference to the Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife suggested and ordered printed 
pursuant to Joint Rule 218.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  12 MRSA §10110, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 185, §1, is repealed.
Sec. 2.  12 MRSA §10111 is enacted to read:
§10111.  Records and databases related to licenses, permits, registrations, harvest 
records and applications
1.  Definitions.  For purposes of this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, 
the following terms have the following meanings.
A.  "Commercial record" means any record the department holds that is intended for 
business operations or that allows a person or entity to charge a fee for a product or 
service.
B.  "Data" means information existing in an electronic medium and contained in a 
records database.
C.  "Noncommercial record" means any paper or electronic record the department 
holds, including, but not limited to, a license, permit, registration, harvest record and 
any application for these records, that is not intended for business operations and that 
does not allow a person or entity to charge a fee for a product or service.
D.  "Personally identifiable information" means:
(1)  A person's name;
(2)  A person's social security number;
(3)  A person's telephone number;
(4)  A person's e-mail address;
(5)  A person's physical address;
(6)  A person's identification number in the department's online electronic system 
for people who hunt, fish or trap;
(7)  A person's date of birth;
(8)  A person's driver's license number;
(9)  A person's taxpayer identification number;
(10)  Information contained in any free text data field; and
(11)  Any other information contained in a data field that may be used to identify 
a person.
With respect to a commercial record, "personally identifiable information" does not 
include a person's telephone number, e-mail address or physical address.
2.  Individual records requests; confidentiality of personally identifiable 
information in records.  Any personally identifiable information included in any 
commercial or noncommercial record, whether contained in a records database or in 
individual or multiple records, is confidential, except that the department may disclose 
personally identifiable information:
A.  For law enforcement purposes in accordance with section 13106-E and Title 16, 
section 805-A;
B.  For the purposes described in section 13106-E, subsection 2 or section 13157-D, 
subsection 2;
C.  For fish and wildlife management purposes;
D.  To other state and federal government entities; or
E.  To the person who is the subject of the record or to that person's agent.
3.  Disclosure of data not personally identifiable.  The department may publicly 
disseminate data that is not personally identifiable information that is contained in a 
database and may provide to persons, businesses and other entities copies of individual 
records and whole or partial databases of records that do not contain personally identifiable 
information.
4.  Reasonable fees.  The department may charge reasonable fees for both individual 
record requests and database requests at the expense of the person making the request.  The 
cost of furnishing a copy of the record is not subject to the limitations of Title 1, section 
408-A.
Sec. 3.  12 MRSA §13106-E is enacted to read:
§13106-E.  Snowmobile accident report data
1.  Definitions.  For purposes of this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, 
the following terms have the following meanings.
A.  "Data" means information existing in an electronic medium and contained in an 
accident report database.
B.  "Nonpersonally identifiable accident report data" means any data in an accident 
report that are not personally identifiable accident report data.
C.  "Personally identifiable accident report data" means:
(1)  A person's name, residential and post office box mailing address, social 
security number, date of birth and driver's license number;
(2)  A snowmobile registration number;
(3)  An insurance policy number;
(4)  Information contained in any free text data field of an accident report; and
(5)  Any other information contained in a data field of an accident report that may 
be used to identify a person.
2.  Accident report information.  An accident report made by a law enforcement 
officer or a report made by an operator as required by section 13106-B or 13106-C is for 
the purposes of statistical analysis and accident prevention.  A report or statement contained 
in the accident report, or a report as required by section 13106-C, subsection 1, or a decision 
made as a result of that report or statement contained in the accident report or report 
required by section 13106-C, subsection 1 is confidential and may not be admitted as 
evidence in any trial, civil or criminal, arising out of the accident. Such a report may be 
admissible as evidence solely to prove compliance with this section.
Notwithstanding this section or section 13106-C, the Game Warden Colonel may disclose 
the date, time and location of the accident reported under section 13106-B or 13106-C; the 
names and addresses of operators, owners and injured persons; the names and addresses of 
witnesses; and the name and address of the investigating officer. On written request, the 
Game Warden Colonel may furnish a photocopy of the investigating officer's report at the 
expense of the person making the request.
3.  Accident report database; public dissemination of accident report data.  Data 
maintained, administered or contributed to by the Bureau of Warden Service must be 
treated as follows.
A.  Except as provided in paragraph B, personally identifiable accident report data 
maintained, administered or contributed to by the Bureau of Warden Service is 
confidential.
B.  The Bureau of Warden Service may disseminate a snowmobile registration number 
contained in an accident report database maintained, administrated or contributed to by 
the Bureau of Warden Service to a person only if that person provides the Bureau of 
Warden Service an affidavit stating that the person will not:
(1)  Use the snowmobile registration number to identify or contact a person; or
(2)  Disseminate the snowmobile registration number to another person.
C.  The Bureau of Warden Service may publicly disseminate nonpersonally identifiable 
accident report data maintained, administered or contributed to by the Bureau of 
Warden Service.
4.  Reasonable fees.  The Bureau of Warden Service may charge reasonable fees for 
snowmobile accident report data. The cost of furnishing a copy of the report is not subject 
to the limitations of Title 1, section 408-A.
5.  Violation.  A person commits a Class E crime if that person:
A.  Is required to make a report pursuant to section 13106-B or 13106-C and knowingly 
fails to do so within the time required;
B.  Is an operator involved in a reportable snowmobile accident and knowingly fails to 
give a correct name and address when requested by a law enforcement officer at the 
scene;
C.  Is the operator involved in a reportable snowmobile accident under this section or 
is the owner of a snowmobile involved in a reportable accident and knowingly fails to 
produce the snowmobile or, if the snowmobile is operational, return it to the scene 
when requested by the investigating officer; or
D.  Obtains a snowmobile registration number pursuant to section 13104 and 
knowingly uses that snowmobile registration number to identify or contact a person or 
knowingly disseminates that snowmobile registration number to another person.
Sec. 4.  12 MRSA §13157-D is enacted to read:
§13157-D.  ATV accident report data
1.  Definitions.  For purposes of this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, 
the following terms have the following meanings.
A.  "Data" means information existing in an electronic medium and contained in an 
accident report database.
B.  "Nonpersonally identifiable accident report data" means any data in an accident 
report that are not personally identifiable accident report data.
C.  "Personally identifiable accident report data" means:
(1)  A person's name, residential and post office box mailing address, social 
security number, date of birth and driver's license number;
(2)  An ATV registration number;
(3) An insurance policy number;
(4)  Information contained in any free text data field of an accident report; and
(5)  Any other information contained in a data field of an accident report that may 
be used to identify a person.
2.  Accident report information.  An accident report made by a law enforcement 
officer or a report of an ATV accident made by an operator as required by section 13157-C 
is for the purposes of statistical analysis and accident prevention. A report or statement 
contained in the accident report, or a report as required by section 13157-C, subsection 1, 
or a decision made as a result of that report or statement is confidential and may not be 
admitted as evidence in any trial, civil or criminal, arising out of the accident. Such a report 
may be admissible as evidence solely to prove compliance with this section.
Notwithstanding this section, the Game Warden Colonel may disclose the date, time and 
location of the accident and the names and addresses of operators, owners, injured persons, 
witnesses and the investigating officer.
3.  Accident report database; public dissemination of accident report data.  Data 
maintained, administered or contributed to by the Bureau of Warden Service must be 
treated as follows.
A.  Except as provided in paragraph B, personally identifiable accident report data 
maintained, administered or contributed to by the Bureau of Warden Service is 
confidential.
B.  The Bureau of Warden Service may disseminate an ATV registration number 
contained in an accident report database maintained, administrated or contributed to by 
the Bureau of Warden Service to a person only if that person provides the Bureau of 
Warden Service an affidavit stating that the person will not:
(1)  Use the ATV registration number to identify or contact a person; or
(2)  Disseminate the ATV registration number to another person.
C.  The Bureau of Warden Service may publicly disseminate nonpersonally identifiable 
accident report data maintained, administered or contributed to by the Bureau of 
Warden Service.
4.  Reasonable fees.  On written request, the Game Warden Colonel may furnish a 
photocopy of the investigating officer's report at the expense of the person making the 
request.  The cost of furnishing a copy of the report is not subject to the limitations of Title 
1, section 408-A.
SUMMARY
This bill repeals a provision in law that allows an applicant for a hunting or fishing 
license to indicate that the applicant's e-mail address is confidential and that requires that 
information be held confidential by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.  It 
creates a new section of law related to records held by the department and databases the 
department contributes to related to department licenses, permits, registrations and 
applications. The bill also defines "data," "commercial record," "noncommercial record" 
and "personally identifiable information" within a noncommercial record and within a 
commercial record. There is more personally identifiable information held confidential for 
a noncommercial record than for a commercial record.
The bill provides exemptions to holding personally identifiable information 
confidential, including exceptions for law enforcement purposes in accordance with the 
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 16, section 805-A, fish and wildlife management purposes, 
other state and federal government entities and the person who is the subject of the record 
or that person's agent.
The bill provides that data contained in a records database, whether individual or 
multiple records, maintained, administered or contributed to by the department that is 
considered confidential may not be publicly disseminated.
The bill provides that the department may publicly disseminate nonpersonally 
identifiable data that is contained in a records database and may provide copies of 
individual records and whole or partial databases of records to individuals, businesses and 
other entities.
The bill provides that the department may charge reasonable fees for both individual 
record requests and database requests at the expense of the person making the request.  The 
cost of furnishing a copy of the record is not subject to the limitations of the Maine Revised 
Statutes, Title 1, section 408-A. The bill creates all-terrain vehicle and snowmobile 
accident reporting system exemptions that mirror the Department of Public Safety's 
exemption for motor vehicle crash report data that is held in the Maine Crash Reporting 
Online Search and Ordering Service. These provisions allow any nonpersonally identifiable 
all-terrain vehicle and snowmobile accident report data to be released to the public, and the 
cost to process these data requests and release the records is not subject to the limitations 
within the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 1, section 408-A.  These provisions also create 
definitions for "data," "nonpersonally identifiable accident report data" and "personally 
identifiable accident report data."
The bill also provides that all-terrain vehicle and snowmobile accident reports or 
statements contained within have specific uses for law enforcement purposes and the 
agency can disseminate individual records or many records within records databases in 
accordance with this law. All-terrain vehicle and snowmobile registration numbers may be 
released only under an affidavit restricting the use and misuse of registration numbers, and 
failure to comply with reporting obligations is a Class E crime.