An Act to Amend the Mandated Reporter Laws Regarding Medical
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1316
Committee: Health and Human Services
Sponsors: MOORE, FAULKINGHAM
Amends: 22 MRSA §3477, 22 MRSA §3479-A, 22 MRSA §4012, 22 MRSA §4014

Legislative Document
No. 1316
S.P. 546
In Senate, March 27, 2025
An Act to Amend the Mandated Reporter Laws Regarding Medical 
Records, Additional Information and Immunity
Reference to the Committee on Health and Human Services suggested and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator MOORE of Washington.
Cosponsored by Representative FAULKINGHAM of Winter Harbor and
Senator: BAILEY of York.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  22 MRSA §3477, sub-§2-A is enacted to read:
2-A.  Documentation of abuse, neglect or exploitation in medical records or other 
reports shared with 3rd parties.  This section does not require a reporter under this 
section acting in the reporter's professional capacity to report suspected abuse, neglect or 
exploitation of an incapacitated or dependent adult in the adult's medical record or other 
report shared with a person outside of the reporter's office or place of business.  If a reporter 
under this section documents suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation of an incapacitated 
or dependent adult in the adult's medical record or other report that is shared with a person 
outside of the reporter's office or place of business and the reporter subsequently receives 
additional information that may dispute or counter the documented suspicion, the reporter 
shall, subject to the approval of the involved adult or the involved adult's legal guardian, 
add the additional information to the medical record or other report and forward the 
amended medical record or other report to every person outside the reporter's office or place 
or business that received the medical record or report from the reporter.
Sec. 2.  22 MRSA §3477, sub-§2-B is enacted to read:
2-B.  Subsequent information disputing or countering report.  If a reporter receives 
information that may dispute or counter a report of suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation 
of an incapacitated or dependent adult that the reporter reported to the department, the 
reporter shall forward the subsequent information to the department within 48 hours of 
discovery of the information, referencing any identifying document or report number of the 
initial report, the name and address of the involved adult, the content of the subsequent 
information and any supporting documentation regarding the subsequent information, the 
source of the subsequent information, the reporter's name and occupation and contact 
information for the reporter. This subsection applies regardless of whether the department 
accepted the initial report.
Sec. 3.  22 MRSA §3477, sub-§9 is enacted to read:
9.  Violations.  In addition to a penalty under section 3475, a person who violates this 
section must be investigated by the department.
Sec. 4.  22 MRSA §3479-A, sub-§3 is enacted to read:
3.  Limitations on immunity.  This section does not apply to a person reporting under 
this chapter who violates section 3477 or documents an unverified diagnosis or subjective 
opinion associated with suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation in the involved adult's 
medical record or other report that is shared with a person outside the reporter's office or 
place or business, except for a report that was made solely to the department.
Sec. 5.  22 MRSA §4012, sub-§3 is enacted to read:
3.  Documentation of abuse, neglect or exploitation in medical records or other 
reports shared with 3rd parties.  This section does not require a reporter under this 
section acting in the reporter's professional capacity to report suspected abuse, neglect or 
exploitation of child in the child's medical record or other report shared with a person 
outside of the reporter's office or place of business.  If a reporter under this section 
documents suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation of a child in the child's medical record 
or other report that is shared with a person outside of the reporter's office or place of 
business and the reporter subsequently receives additional information that may dispute or 
counter the documented suspicion, the reporter shall, subject to the approval of the child or 
child's parent or legal guardian, add the additional information to the medical record or 
other report and forward the amended medical record or other report to every person outside 
the reporter's office or place or business that received the medical record or report from the 
reporter.
Sec. 6.  22 MRSA §4012, sub-§4 is enacted to read:
4.  Subsequent information disputing or countering report.  If a reporter receives 
information that may dispute or counter a report of suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation 
of a child that the reporter reported to the department, the reporter shall forward the 
subsequent information to the department within 48 hours of discovery of the information. 
The reporter shall reference any identifying document or report number of the initial report, 
the name and address of the involved child, the content of the subsequent information and 
any supporting documentation regarding the subsequent information, the source of the 
subsequent information, the reporter's name and occupation and contact information for the 
reporter. This subsection applies regardless of whether the department accepted the initial 
report.
Sec. 7.  22 MRSA §4012, sub-§5 is enacted to read:
5.  Violations.  In addition to a penalty under section 4009, a person who violates this 
section must be investigated by the department.
Sec. 8.  22 MRSA §4014, sub-§4 is enacted to read:
4.  Limitations on immunity.  This section does not apply to a person reporting under 
this chapter who violates section 4012 or documents an unverified diagnosis or subjective 
opinion associated with suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation in the involved child's 
medical record or other report that is shared with a person outside the reporter's office or 
place or business, except for a report that was made solely to the department.
SUMMARY
This bill clarifies that mandated reporters are not required to document suspected 
abuse, neglect or exploitation in the subject's medical record or report shared to 3rd parties. 
Reports must still be made to the Department of Health and Human Services. If suspected 
abuse, neglect or exploitation is documented in a medical record or other report that is 
shared with a 3rd party outside of the reporter's office or place of business and the reporter 
subsequently discovers information that may dispute or counter a report of suspected abuse, 
neglect or exploitation, the reporter is required to add the subsequent information to the 
medical record or other report and forward the amended medical record or other report to 
every 3rd party who received the initial medical record or other report.  If a reporter 
discovers information that disputes or counters a report of abuse, neglect or exploitation 
provided to the Department of Health and Human Services, the reporter is required to 
forward the subsequent information to the department within 48 hours of discovery of the 
subsequent information. This bill excepts from immunity persons who violate the reporting 
laws or provide 3rd parties an unverified diagnosis or subjective opinion of abuse, neglect 
or exploitation.