Opinion ID: 2191418
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: I-C The Maine Regulatory Scheme.

Text: In July 1977 the Maine legislature enacted, effective October 24, 1977, the Maine Fair Credit Reporting Act (P.L.1977, c. 514). Essentially, the Maine Act paralleled the Federal Act, except as to particular provisions pertinent to the instant proceeding that we discuss later. The Maine Act was amended in 1978, effective July 6, 1978 (P.L.1977, c. 677). In overview summary the Maine Act differs from the Federal Act as follows. It goes beyond the Federal Act in imposing stricter requirements upon reporting agencies regarding their preparation and dissemination of consumer reports. Whereas the Federal Act requires specific notice be given to a consumer before a user can procure an investigative consumer report, the Maine Act prohibits a user from procuring such a report until prior written authorization of the consumer is obtained. 10 M.R. S.A. § 1314(1). [5] In addition, the Maine Act provides for many more absolute prohibitions against the reporting of information. Whole categories of information, such as race, religion, political affiliation and beliefs, and so forth, are classified as prohibited and to be excluded from reports. See 10 M.R.S.A. § 1321(1). [6] While adopting the prohibition contained in Section 1681c of the Federal Act against the inclusion of certain public record information, the Maine Act adds two more prohibited categories of public record information-relating to drug or alcohol addiction and confinement in a mental institution-and also adds entirely new sections which prohibit information concerned with race, religion, color, national ancestry (and the like). See 10 M.R.S.A. § 1321(1), (4). Furthermore, the Maine Act permits limited disclosures of medical information, 10 M.R.S.A. § 1315(1)(A) whereas the Federal Act excludes such information from disclosure. Maine requires that investigative consumer reports be written, 10 M.R.S.A. § 1319(2), whereas the Federal Act allows them to be oral. The Maine Act fails to confer the qualified immunity given by the Federal Act relative to consumer suits against designated persons for defamation, invasion of privacy or negligence with respect to the reporting of information, cf. 15 U.S.C. § 1681h(e).