Resolve, to Direct the Department of Corrections to Study
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 2235
Committee: Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Legislative Document
No. 2235
H.P. 1511
House of Representatives, March 17, 2026
Resolve, to Direct the Department of Corrections to Study 
Alternative Methods for Operating County Jails
Reported by Representative HASENFUS of Readfield for the Joint Standing Committee on 
Criminal Justice and Public Safety pursuant to Resolve 2025, chapter 73, section 2.
Reference to the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety suggested and ordered 
printed pursuant to Joint Rule 218.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Sec. 1. Working group established. Resolved: That the Department of 
Corrections shall convene a working group to study alternative methods for operating 
county jails, referred to in this resolve as "the working group."
Sec. 2. Working group membership. Resolved: That the working group consists 
of the Commissioner of Corrections, or the commissioner's designee, who serves as chair 
of the working group, and, at a minimum, the following 9 members:
1. Two members selected by the board of directors of the Lincoln and Sagadahoc 
Multicounty Jail Authority;
2. Two members appointed by the commissioner, selected from a list of nominations 
submitted by a statewide association of county commissioners;
3. Two members appointed by the commissioner, selected from a list of nominations 
submitted by a statewide association of sheriffs;
4. One member appointed by the commissioner, selected from a list of nominations 
submitted by a statewide association representing municipalities; and
5. Two members appointed at the commissioner's discretion.
Sec. 3. Duties. Resolved: That the working group shall:
1. Review the legislative history leading to the establishment of the State Board of 
Corrections and the unification of state and county correctional services pursuant to Public 
Law 2007, chapter 653;
2. Review the State Board of Corrections' historical statutory duties and authority prior 
to its repeal pursuant to Public Law 2015, chapter 335; 
3. Examine, to the extent practicable, other states that operate jails and prisons under a 
unified system through a state department of corrections or equivalent state entity to 
determine whether a unified system would be appropriate in this State;
4. Examine, to the extent practicable, county jail management models in other states to 
determine whether there is a more efficient, effective and lower-cost model than the 
existing county jail management system in this State; and 
5. Review historical jail regionalization efforts in this State and determine best methods 
and funding strategies to assist counties that are interested in jail regionalization. 
Sec. 4. Report. Resolved: That, no later than December 1, 2027, the working group 
shall submit a report that includes its findings and recommendations based on its duties 
under section 3, including suggested legislation, to the joint standing committee of the 
Legislature having jurisdiction over corrections matters. The committee may submit 
legislation based on the report to the Second Regular Session of the 133rd Legislature.
SUMMARY
This bill directs the Commissioner of Corrections to establish a working group to study 
alternative methods for operating county jails. The working group must review the history 
of the former State Board of Corrections, examine other states' county jail management 
models, review historical jail regionalization efforts in this State and determine the best 
methods and funding strategies to assist counties that are interested in jail regionalization. 
No later than December 1, 2027, the working group must submit to the joint standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over corrections matters a report that 
includes the working group's findings and recommendations for alternative methods for 
operating county jails. The committee may submit legislation based on the report to the 
This bill is reported out by the Joint Standing Committee on Criminal Justice and 
Public Safety pursuant to Resolve 2025, chapter 73. The committee has not taken a position 
on the substance of the bill, and by reporting this bill out, the committee is not suggesting 
and does not intend to suggest that it agrees or disagrees with any aspect of this bill.  The 
committee is reporting the bill out for the sole purpose of obtaining a printed bill that can 
be referred to the committee for a public hearing and subsequent committee action in the 
normal course.