APPROVED CHAPTER
JUNE 23, 2021 353
BY GOVERNOR PUBLIC LAW
STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-ONE
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H.P. 1095 - L.D. 1480
An Act Regarding the Review of Law Enforcement Use of Deadly Force
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §200-K, sub-§8 is enacted to read:
8. Attorney General's investigation. The Attorney General shall complete an
investigation of and submit to the panel the findings regarding the use of deadly force
pursuant to section 200-A within 180 days of receiving notice of the use of deadly force by
a law enforcement officer. If the Attorney General is unable to complete the investigation
and submit the findings within 180 days, the Attorney General shall notify the panel prior
to the expiration of the 180-day period. The Attorney General's notice to the panel under
this subsection must provide a summary of the investigation up to the date of the notice,
identify the reason for the delay and provide an anticipated conclusion date for the
investigation and findings, which may not exceed 270 days from receiving notice of the
use of deadly force.
Sec. 2. 16 MRSA §806-A is enacted to read:
§806-A. Video depicting use of deadly force
This chapter does not preclude the public dissemination of that portion of a video in
the custody of the Attorney General depicting the use of deadly force by law enforcement
when the public interest in the evaluation of the use of deadly force by law enforcement
and the review and investigation of those incidents by the Attorney General outweighs the
harms contemplated in section 804. Upon receiving a request for video depicting the use
of deadly force, the Attorney General shall issue a decision on whether to release the video
no later than 30 days after the request and, in the event of denial, shall provide written
notice stating in detail the basis for the denial, a time frame for release of all or part of the
video and the process to appeal the decision pursuant to Title 1, section 409.
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Statutes affected:
Bill Text LD 1480, HP 1095: 16.803