An Act To Protect the State's Property Rights in Maine State Museum Research

Emergency preamble. Whereas,  acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and

Whereas,  research projects are ongoing at the Maine State Museum; and

Whereas,  in order to protect individuals' personally identifiable information, it is imperative that this Act take effect immediately; 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,

Sec. 1. 27 MRSA §§86-B and 86-C  are enacted to read:

§ 86-B.  Personal history research

A historical research project conducted by the Maine State Museum that includes an individual's personally identifiable information such as medical, psychiatric, employment, counseling or law enforcement records or information directly related to that individual's parent or child is not a public record for the purposes of Title 1, chapter 13, subchapter 1.

§ 86-C.  Draft research

Unless authorized by the Museum Director, museum draft research, publications and exhibit materials not yet completed and publicly presented, including scientific, archaeological and historical findings, are not public records for the purposes of Title 1, chapter 13, subchapter 1.

Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation takes effect when approved.

summary

This bill exempts from the Freedom of Access Act historical research that includes an individual's personally identifiable information such as medical, psychiatric, employment, counseling or law enforcement records or information directly related to that individual's parent or child. The bill also exempts from the Freedom of Access Act, unless authorized by the Maine State Museum's director, museum draft research, publications and exhibit materials that are not yet completed and publicly presented.