An Act to Support Workforce Development for Families That Were
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1922
Committee: Health and Human Services
Sponsors: MEYER
Amends: 22 MRSA §4008-B

Legislative Document
No. 1922
H.P. 1283
House of Representatives, May 6, 2025
An Act to Support Workforce Development for Families That Were 
Involved in Child Protective Activities by Requiring the Sealing of 
Certain Records
(EMERGENCY)
Reference to the Committee on Health and Human Services suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative MEYER of Eliot.
Emergency preamble.  Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, this legislation needs to take effect before the expiration of the 90-day 
period in order to alleviate barriers to employment as soon as possible by requiring the 
sealing of certain records; 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.  22 MRSA §4008-B is enacted to read:
§4008-B.  Sealing reports
1.  Definitions.  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the 
following terms have the following meanings.
A.  "Sealing records" means sealing records so that the records are rendered 
inaccessible to the public but are retained by the department for internal use, such as 
compliance with legal obligations, future child protective investigations or other 
legitimate governmental purposes.
B.  "Serious physical injury" includes, but is not limited to: 
(1)  Broken bones or fractures; 
(2)  Adult-sized human bites; 
(3)  Cases involving children who have been tortured, tied or confined; 
(4)  Suspicious burns or head injuries or significant injuries with an implausible 
explanation; or 
(5)  A physical injury that: 
(a)  Creates a substantial risk of death; 
(b)  Causes serious and protracted impairment of health; or 
(c)  Causes protracted loss or impairment of the function of a bodily organ and 
requires surgical procedures. 
2.  Sealing of child protection records.  The following provisions govern the sealing 
of child protection records. 
A.  The department shall seal the records of an unsubstantiated or indicated report 
immediately upon such classification by the department.  The records of an 
unsubstantiated or indicated report remain sealed unless a subsequent substantiated or 
indicated report involving the individual identified as responsible or possibly 
responsible for the alleged abuse or neglect is recorded during the one-year period after 
the records were sealed.
B.  The department shall seal the records of a substantiated report: 
(1)  If the child was not removed from the child's home by the department, 3 years 
after the date the report was entered, as long as a subsequent substantiated or 
indicated report involving the individual identified as responsible for the abuse or 
neglect has not been recorded during that 3-year period; or
(2)  If the child was removed from the child's home by the department, 3 years 
from the date the child was removed in a case in which a court made a finding that 
the child was abused or neglected or 5 years from the date the substantiated report 
was entered, whichever occurs first, as long as a subsequent substantiated or 
indicated report involving the individual identified as responsible for the abuse or 
neglect has not been recorded. 
C.  If, during the time a prior substantiated or indicated report is recorded, a subsequent 
substantiated or indicated report involving the same individual is entered, the records 
of the prior report may not be sealed until the records of the subsequent report are 
eligible for sealing under this section. 
D.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this section or any other provision of law 
to the contrary, the records of a substantiated report involving the following may not 
be sealed: 
(1)  A child fatality; 
(2)  Sexual abuse; 
(3)  Sex trafficking; or 
(4)  Serious physical injury. 
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation 
takes effect when approved.
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to seal certain child 
protection records, subject to certain exceptions.  Sealing means the records are rendered 
inaccessible to the public but are retained by the department for internal use, such as 
compliance with legal obligations, future child protective investigations or other legitimate 
governmental purposes.