An Act To Revise the Laws Concerning Criminal History Record Information and Intelligence and Investigative Information
PART A
Sec. A-1. 16 MRSA c. 3, sub-c. 8, as amended, is repealed.
Sec. A-2. 16 MRSA c. 7 is enacted to read:
CHAPTER 7
CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD INFORMATION ACT
§ 701. Short title
This chapter may be known and cited as "the Criminal History Record Information Act."
§ 702. Scope; application
This chapter governs the dissemination of criminal history record information by a Maine criminal justice agency. This chapter establishes 2 distinct categories of criminal history record information and provides for the dissemination of each:
§ 703. Definitions
As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.
§ 704. Dissemination of public criminal history record information
§ 705. Dissemination of confidential criminal history record information
§ 706. Public information about persons detained following arrest
§ 707. Unlawful dissemination of confidential criminal history record information
§ 708. Inapplicability of this chapter to criminal history record information contained in certain records
This chapter does not apply to criminal history record information contained in:
§ 709. Right to access and review
On receipt of a request, the criminal justice agency shall take necessary steps to determine whether the questioned criminal history record information is accurate and complete. If investigation reveals that the questioned criminal history record information is inaccurate or incomplete, the criminal justice agency shall immediately correct the error or deficiency.
Not later than 15 days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal public holidays, after the receipt of a request, the criminal justice agency shall notify the requesting person in writing either that the criminal justice agency has corrected the error or deficiency or that it refuses to make the requested amendment or correction. The notice of refusal must include the reasons for the refusal, the procedure established by the criminal justice agency for requesting a review by the head of the criminal justice agency of that refusal and the name and business address of that official.
Disputed criminal history record information disseminated by the criminal justice agency with which the requesting person has filed a statement of disagreement must clearly reflect notice of the dispute after the filing of such a statement. A copy of the statement must be included, along with, if the criminal justice agency determines it appropriate, a copy of a concise statement of the criminal justice agency's reasons for not making the amendment or correction requested.
§ 710. Application to prior Maine criminal history record information
The provisions of this chapter apply to criminal history record information in existence before July 29, 1976, including that which has been previously expunged under any other provision of Maine law, as well as to criminal history record information in existence on July 29, 1976 and thereafter.
Sec. A-3. 16 MRSA c. 9 is enacted to read:
CHAPTER 9
INTELLIGENCE AND INVESTIGATIVE RECORD INFORMATION ACT
§ 801. Short title
This chapter may be known and cited as "the Intelligence and Investigative Record Information Act."
§ 802. Application
This chapter applies to a record that is or contains intelligence and investigative record information and that is collected by or prepared at the direction of or kept in the custody of any Maine criminal justice agency.
§ 803. Definitions
As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.
§ 804. Limitation on dissemination of intelligence and investigative record information
Except as provided in sections 805 and 806, a record that contains intelligence and investigative record information is confidential and may not be disseminated by a criminal justice agency to any person or public or private entity if there is a reasonable possibility that public release or inspection of the record would:
§ 805. Exceptions
This chapter does not preclude dissemination of intelligence and investigative record information that is confidential under section 804 by a Maine criminal justice agency to:
As used in this subsection, "agent" means a licensed professional investigator, an expert witness or a parent, foster parent or guardian if the accused person has not attained 18 years of age;
§ 806. Exceptions subject to reasonable limitations
Subject to reasonable limitations imposed by a Maine criminal justice agency to protect against the harms described in section 804, this chapter does not preclude dissemination of intelligence and investigative record information confidential under section 804 by a Maine criminal justice agency to:
The Commissioner of Public Safety may adopt a model agreement pursuant to this subsection for use by criminal justice agencies, sexual assault counselors and advocates.
§ 807. Confirming existence or nonexistence of confidential intelligence and investigative record information
A criminal justice agency may not confirm the existence or nonexistence of intelligence and investigative record information confidential under section 804 to any person or public or private entity that is not eligible to receive the information itself.
§ 808. No right to access or review
A person who is the subject of intelligence and investigative record information maintained by a criminal justice agency has no right to inspect or review that information for accuracy or completeness.
§ 809. Unlawful dissemination of intelligence and investigative record information
PART B
Sec. B-1. 1 MRSA §402, sub-§3-A, as amended by PL 2001, c. 477, §1, is further amended to read:
Sec. B-2. 5 MRSA §19506, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2001, c. 357, §13, is further amended to read:
(1) By reason of a mental or physical condition is unable to authorize the agency to have access and is either under public guardianship or without a legal guardian or other representative who may authorize the agency to have access;
(2) Has a legal guardian, conservator or other legal representative who has been contacted by the agency upon receipt of the name and address of the guardian, conservator or representative, and the agency has offered assistance to that person to resolve the situation, and that person has failed or refused to act on behalf of the individual; or
(3) Is deceased or whose whereabouts are unknown.
Agency personnel must be given access to the records of a person with a disability and other records relevant to conducting an investigation within 3 business days of the agency making a written request. When the agency determines there is probable cause to believe that the health or safety of the person is in serious or immediate jeopardy or in event of the death of a person with a disability, the agency must be given access to records within 24 hours of the agency making a written request.
Sec. B-3. 9-A MRSA §13-115, sub-§1, ¶A, as enacted by PL 2009, c. 362, Pt. B, §1, is amended to read:
Sec. B-4. 10 MRSA §8003-B, sub-§3, as amended by PL 1993, c. 719, §4 and affected by §12, is further amended to read:
Sec. B-5. 15 MRSA §709, sub-§1-A, as enacted by PL 1987, c. 680, §1, is amended to read:
Sec. B-6. 15 MRSA §3308, sub-§7, ¶A, as enacted by PL 1985, c. 426, is amended to read:
(1) "Administration of criminal justice" has the same meaning as found in Title 16, section 611 703, subsection 1.
(2) "Administration of juvenile criminal justice" means detection, activities related to the apprehension or summonsing, detention, conditional or unconditional release, informal adjustment, initial appearance, bind over, adjudication or , disposition , custody and supervision or rehabilitation of accused juveniles or adjudicated juvenile criminal offenders. It includes juvenile crime identification activities and the collection, storage and dissemination of juvenile crime information.
(3) "Criminal justice agency" has the same meaning as found in Title 16, section 611 703, subsection 4.
(4) "Dissemination" has the same meaning as found in Title 16, section 611 703, subsection 6.
Sec. B-7. 16 MRSA §614, sub-§3, ¶D, as amended by PL 2009, c. 181, §2, is further amended to read:
Sec. B-8. 16 MRSA §614, sub-§3, ¶E, as enacted by PL 2009, c. 181, §3, is amended to read:
(1) Permit the advocate to use reports or records that contain intelligence and investigative information for the purpose of planning for the safety of the victim named in the reports;
(2) Prohibit the advocate from further disseminating reports or records that contain intelligence and investigative information;
(3) Require the advocate to ensure that reports or records that contain intelligence and investigative information remain secure and confidential;
(4) Require the advocate to destroy reports or records that contain intelligence and investigative information within 30 days after receiving the report or record;
(5) Permit the criminal justice agency to perform reasonable and appropriate audits in order to ensure that records containing intelligence and investigative information that are obtained by and that are in the custody of the advocate are maintained in accordance with the requirements of this paragraph;
(6) Require the advocate to indemnify and hold harmless the criminal justice agency with respect to any litigation that may result from the provision of reports or records that contain intelligence and investigative information;
(7) Permit the criminal justice agency to immediately and unilaterally revoke an agreement made pursuant to this paragraph; and
(8) Provide sanctions for any violations of this paragraph.
The Commissioner of Public Safety may adopt a model policy to standardize the provisions contemplated in this paragraph . ; or
Sec. B-9. 16 MRSA §614, sub-§3, ¶F is enacted to read:
Sec. B-10. 16 MRSA §632, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 346, §1, is amended to read:
§ 632. Definitions
As used in this subchapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.
Sec. B-11. 17 MRSA §1023, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 422, §13, is amended to read:
Sec. B-12. 18-A MRSA §9-304, sub-§(a-1), ¶(2), as corrected by RR 2001, c. 1, §21, is amended to read:
(i) The criminal history record information obtained from the Maine Criminal Justice Information System must include a record of Maine conviction data public criminal history record information as defined in Title 16, section 703, subsection 8.
(ii) The criminal history record information obtained from the Federal Bureau of Investigation must include other state and national criminal history record information.
(iii) Each prospective parent who is not the biological parent of the child shall submit to having fingerprints taken. The State Police, upon receipt of the fingerprint card, may charge the court for the expenses incurred in processing state and national criminal history record checks. The State Police shall take or cause to be taken the applicant's fingerprints and shall forward the fingerprints to the State Bureau of Identification so that the bureau can conduct state and national criminal history record checks. Except for the portion of the payment, if any, that constitutes the processing fee charged by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, all money received by the State Police for purposes of this paragraph must be paid over to the Treasurer of State. The money must be applied to the expenses of administration incurred by the Department of Public Safety.
(iv) The subject of a Federal Bureau of Investigation criminal history record check may obtain a copy of the criminal history record check by following the procedures outlined in 28 Code of Federal Regulations, Sections 16.32 and 16.33. The subject of a state criminal history record check may inspect and review the criminal history record information pursuant to Title 16, section 620 709.
(v) State and federal criminal history record information may be used by the court for the purpose of screening prospective adoptive parents in determining whether the adoption is in the best interests of the child.
(vi) Information obtained pursuant to this paragraph is confidential. The results of background checks received by the court are for official use only and may not be disseminated outside the court except as required under Title 22, section 4011-A.
(vii) The expense of obtaining the information required by this paragraph is incorporated in the adoption filing fee established in section 9-301. The Probate Court shall collect the total fee and transfer the appropriate funds to the Department of Public Safety and the department.
Sec. B-13. 18-A MRSA §9-304, sub-§(a-2), ¶(1), as enacted by PL 2003, c. 575, §2, is amended to read:
(i) The criminal history record information obtained from the Maine Criminal Justice Information System must include a record of Maine conviction data public criminal history record information as defined in Title 16, section 703, subsection 8.
(ii) The criminal history record information obtained from the Federal Bureau of Investigation must include other state and national criminal history record information.
(iii) Each prospective parent who is not the biological parent of the child shall submit to having fingerprints taken. The State Police, upon receipt of the fingerprint card, may charge the department for the expenses incurred in processing state and national criminal history record checks. The State Police shall take or cause to be taken the applicant's fingerprints and shall forward the fingerprints to the State Bureau of Identification so that the bureau can conduct state and national criminal history record checks. Except for the portion of the payment, if any, that constitutes the processing fee charged by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, all money received by the State Police for purposes of this paragraph must be paid over to the Treasurer of State. The money must be applied to the expenses of administration incurred by the Department of Public Safety.
(iv) The subject of a Federal Bureau of Investigation criminal history record check may obtain a copy of the criminal history record check by following the procedures outlined in 28 Code of Federal Regulations, Sections 16.32 and 16.33. The subject of a state criminal history record check may inspect and review the criminal history record information pursuant to Title 16, section 620 709.
(v) State and federal criminal history record information may be used by the department for the purpose of screening prospective adoptive parents in determining whether the adoption is in the best interests of the child.
(vi) Information obtained pursuant to this paragraph is confidential. The results of background checks received by the department are for official use only and may not be disseminated outside the department except to a court considering an adoption petition under subsection (a-1).
Sec. B-14. 20-A MRSA §6103, sub-§1, as amended by PL 1997, c. 452, §3, is further amended to read:
Sec. B-15. 20-A MRSA §6103, sub-§8, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 452, §3, is amended to read:
Sec. B-16. 22 MRSA §3022, sub-§14, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 221, §5, is amended to read:
Sec. B-17. 22 MRSA §3480, sub-§1, ¶B, as corrected by RR 2009, c. 2, §56, is amended to read:
Sec. B-18. 22 MRSA §4007, sub-§1-A, ¶D, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 351, §2, is amended to read:
(1) A state agency if necessary to carry out the statutory function of that agency;
(2) A guardian ad litem appointed to the case; or
(3) A criminal justice agency, as defined by Title 16, section 611 703, subsection 4, if necessary to carry out the administration of criminal justice or the administration of juvenile justice, and such disclosure is otherwise permitted pursuant to section 4008.
In making such disclosure, the court shall order the party receiving the information to maintain the information as confidential.
Sec. B-19. 22 MRSA §4021, sub-§1, ¶B, as amended by PL 2007, c. 586, §15, is further amended to read:
Sec. B-20. 22 MRSA §4038-E, sub-§7, ¶A, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 402, §15, is amended to read:
(1) The criminal history record information obtained from the Maine Criminal Justice Information System must include a record of Maine conviction data public criminal history record information as defined in Title 16, section 703, subsection 8.
(2) The criminal history record information obtained from the Federal Bureau of Investigation must include other state and national criminal history record information.
(3) Each permanency guardian of the child shall submit to having fingerprints taken. The State Police, upon receipt of the fingerprint card, may charge the department for the expenses incurred in processing state and national criminal history record checks. The State Police shall take or cause to be taken the applicant's fingerprints and shall forward the fingerprints to the State Bureau of Identification so that the bureau can conduct state and national criminal history record checks. Except for the portion of the payment, if any, that constitutes the processing fee charged by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, all money received by the State Police for purposes of this paragraph must be paid over to the Treasurer of State. The money must be applied to the expenses of administration incurred by the Department of Public Safety.
(4) The subject of a Federal Bureau of Investigation criminal history record check may obtain a copy of the criminal history record check by following the procedures outlined in 28 Code of Federal Regulations, Sections 16.32 and 16.33. The subject of a state criminal history record check may inspect and review the criminal history record information pursuant to Title 16, section 620 709.
(5) State and federal criminal history record information may be used by the department for the purpose of screening each permanency guardian in determining whether the adoption is in the best interests of the child.
(6) Information obtained pursuant to this paragraph is confidential. The results of background checks received by the department are for official use only and may not be disseminated outside the department except to a court considering an adoption petition under this section.
Sec. B-21. 25 MRSA §1541, sub-§3, ¶B, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 372, §1, is amended to read:
Sec. B-22. 25 MRSA §1541, sub-§6, as amended by PL 2007, c. 539, Pt. PPP, §1, is further amended to read:
Sec. B-23. 29-A MRSA §2117-A, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 2009, c. 605, §1, is amended to read:
Sec. B-24. 29-A MRSA §2251, sub-§7-A, ¶B, as amended by PL 2011, c. 654, §8, is further amended to read:
Sec. B-25. 32 MRSA §85, sub-§3, as amended by PL 2011, c. 271, §8, is further amended to read:
The board shall obtain criminal history record information containing a record of conviction data public criminal history record information as defined in Title 16, section 703, subsection 9 for an applicant seeking licensure under this subsection. Information obtained pursuant to this subsection is confidential and may be used only to determine suitability for issuance of a license to provide emergency medical services. The results of criminal history record checks received by the board are for official use only and may not be disseminated outside the board. The applicant for licensure shall pay the expense of obtaining the information required by this subsection.
Sec. B-26. 34-A MRSA §1001, sub-§§19 and 20, as enacted by PL 1987, c. 633, §1, are amended to read:
Sec. B-27. 34-A MRSA §1216, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2011, c. 515, §2 and c. 662, §22, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:
(1) The research plan is first submitted to and approved by the commissioner;
(2) The disclosure is approved by the commissioner; and
(3) Neither original records nor identifying data are removed from the facility or office that prepared the records.
The commissioner and the person doing the research shall preserve the anonymity of the person receiving services from the department and may not disseminate data that refer to that person by name or number or in any other way that might lead to the person's identification;
(1) The plan for the statistical analysis is first submitted to and approved by the commissioner; and
(2) The disclosure is approved by the commissioner.
The commissioner and the state agency requesting the information shall preserve the anonymity of the persons receiving services from the department and may not disseminate data that refer to any person by name or number or that in any other way might lead to a person's identification.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the department may release the names, dates of birth and social security numbers of persons receiving services from the department and, if applicable, eligibility numbers and the dates on which those persons received services to any state or federal agency for the sole purpose of determining eligibility and billing for services and payments under federally funded programs administered by the agency. The department may also release to the agency information required for and to be used solely for audit or research purposes, consistent with federal law, for those services provided by or through the department. Agency personnel shall treat this information as confidential in accordance with federal and state law and shall return the records when their purpose has been served.
Sec. B-28. 34-A MRSA §11221, sub-§8, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 371, §7, is amended to read:
Sec. B-29. 34-A MRSA §11221, sub-§10, as amended by PL 2011, c. 299, §2, is further amended to read:
Sec. B-30. 34-A MRSA §11281, sub-§6, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 663, §3, is amended to read:
PART C
Sec. C-1. 7 MRSA §3909, sub-§6 is enacted to read:
Sec. C-2. 17 MRSA §1023, sub-§4 is enacted to read:
PART D
Sec. D-1. 15 MRSA §3308-A is enacted to read:
§ 3308-A. Dissemination of juvenile intelligence and investigative record information by a Maine criminal justice agency
The following provisions apply to the dissemination of juvenile intelligence and investigative record information collected by or at the direction of or kept in the custody of any Maine criminal justice agency.
(1) The responsible prosecutorial office or prosecutor; or
(2) A court rule or court order of this State or of the United States.
As used in this paragraph, "agent" means a licensed professional investigator, an expert witness or the juvenile's parents, guardian or legal custodian;
(1) Statute; or
(2) A court order.
As used in this paragraph, "agent" means a licensed professional investigator or an immediate family member if, due to death, age, physical or mental disease, disorder or intellectual disability or autism, the victim cannot realistically act on the victim's own behalf;