An Act to Clarify the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 0534
Committee: Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Sponsors: HASENFUS
Amends: 17-A MRSA §2110

Legislative Document
No. 534
H.P. 353
House of Representatives, February 11, 2025
An Act to Clarify the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses 
Regarding Professional Investigator Communications
Reference to the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative HASENFUS of Readfield.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  17-A MRSA §2110 is enacted to read:
§2110.  Victim and witness rights when contacted by professional investigator
1.  Definitions.  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the 
following terms have the following meanings.
A. "Professional investigator" has the same meaning as in Title 32, section 8103, 
subsection 5.
B. "Witness" has the same meaning as in Title 15, section 1412, subsection 3.
2.  Disclosures of professional investigator. Prior to communicating with or 
otherwise seeking information from a victim or witness, a professional investigator shall 
disclose the following to the victim or witness:
A. The purpose of the investigation;
B. The name of the professional investigator's client; 
C. The name of any defendant known to the professional investigator's client who will 
benefit from the professional investigator's efforts; and
D. That the victim or witness is not required to communicate with the professional 
investigator.
If a professional investigator is employed by, compensated by or otherwise contracted to 
provide services by the Maine Commission on Public Defense Services under Title 4, 
section 1801 or by any criminal defense attorney for purposes of investigating a crime, or 
is otherwise working at the direction of or for the benefit of a defendant for purposes of 
investigating a crime for which the defendant is charged, the professional investigator shall 
disclose to any victim or witness of the crime that the professional investigator is a 
professional investigator working for the benefit of the defendant prior to communicating 
with or seeking information related to the crime from the victim or witness.
3. Victim or witness request to cease contact. If a victim or witness requests, orally 
or in writing, that the professional investigator cease contact with the victim or witness the 
professional investigator may not attempt any further communication unless expressly 
authorized by the victim or witness. 
4. Victim or witness who is a minor. Prior to communicating with or seeking 
information from a victim or witness who is a minor, the professional investigator shall 
disclose all information required in subsection 2 to a parent or guardian of the minor who 
is not the defendant in the criminal case. The professional investigator shall obtain consent 
from a parent or guardian of the minor who is not the defendant in the criminal case before 
communicating with the minor.
SUMMARY
This bill requires a professional investigator, prior to communicating with a victim or 
witness of a crime, to disclose to the victim or witness the purpose of the investigation, 
whom the investigation is supposed to benefit and that the victim or witness is not required 
to communicate with the professional investigator. This bill also requires a professional 
investigator to cease contact with victims or witnesses who request not to be contacted by 
the professional investigator.