APPROVED CHAPTER
JUNE 21, 2021 313
BY GOVERNOR PUBLIC LAW
STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-ONE
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H.P. 996 - L.D. 1345
An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Right To Know Advisory
Committee
Mandate preamble. This measure requires one or more local units of government
to expand or modify activities so as to necessitate additional expenditures from local
revenues but does not provide funding for at least 90% of those expenditures. Pursuant to
the Constitution of Maine, Article IX, Section 21, 2/3 of all of the members elected to each
House have determined it necessary to enact this measure.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 1 MRSA §408-A, sub-§8, ¶A, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 662, §5, is
amended to read:
A. The agency or official may charge a reasonable fee to cover the cost of copying. A
reasonable fee to cover the cost of copying is no more than 10¢ per page for a standard
8 1/2 inches by 11 inches black and white copy of a record. A per-page copy fee may
not be charged for records provided electronically.
Sec. 2. 1 MRSA §411, sub-§2, ¶M, as amended by PL 2015, c. 250, Pt. A, §1, is
further amended to read:
M. The Attorney General or the Attorney General's designee; and
Sec. 3. 1 MRSA §411, sub-§2, ¶N, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 250, Pt. A, §2, is
amended to read:
N. One member with broad experience in and understanding of issues and costs in
multiple areas of information technology, including practical applications concerning
creation, storage, retrieval and accessibility of electronic records; use of
communication technologies to support meetings, including teleconferencing and
Internet-based conferencing; databases for records management and reporting; and
information technology system development and support, appointed by the Governor.;
and
Sec. 4. 1 MRSA §411, sub-§2, ¶O is enacted to read:
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 O. One representative having legal or professional expertise in the field of data and
personal privacy, appointed by the Governor.
Sec. 5. 1 MRSA §412, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2019, c. 300, §1, is further
amended to read:
1. Training required. A public access officer and an official subject to this section
shall complete a course of training on the requirements of this chapter relating to public
records and proceedings. The official or public access officer shall complete the training
not later than the 120th day after the date the official takes the oath of office to assume
assumes the person's duties as an official or the person is designated as a public access
officer pursuant to section 413, subsection 1.
Sec. 6. 1 MRSA §412, sub-§4, ¶F, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 576, §2, is amended
to read:
F. Municipal officers,; municipal clerks, treasurers, managers or administrators,
assessors and code enforcement officers and deputies for those positions; and planning
board members and budget committee members of municipal governments;
Sec. 7. 1 MRSA §412, sub-§4, ¶G, as amended by PL 2011, c. 662, §7, is further
amended to read:
G. Officials Superintendents, assistant superintendents and school board members of
school administrative units; and
Sec. 8. 1 MRSA §432, sub-§2, ¶G-1 is enacted to read:
G-1. Whether public access to the record ensures or would ensure that members of the
public are able to make informed health and safety decisions;
Sec. 9. 1 MRSA §434, sub-§2, ¶G-1 is enacted to read:
G-1. Whether public access to the record ensures or would ensure that members of the
public are able to make informed health and safety decisions;
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Statutes affected:
Bill Text LD 1345, HP 996: 1.408, 1.411, 1.412
Bill Text ACTPUB , Chapter 313: 1.408, 1.411, 1.412