Maine State Legislature Bill Tracking

LD 208

Representative FAULKINGHAM of Winter Harbor

COSPONSOR(S):  Senators: HAGGAN of Penobscot, HARRINGTON of York, Senator TIMBERLAKE of Androscoggin and Representatives: LYMAN of Livermore Falls, PERKINS of Dover-Foxcroft, WHITE of Guilford.

TITLE:  An Act to Eliminate the 72-hour Waiting Period on Firearm Purchases

SUMMARY:  

This bill repeals the requirement that a seller of firearms wait 72 hours before delivering a purchased firearm to the buyer.

Bill Language

STATUS: 

Referred to the Committee on Judiciary

LD 303

Representative WHITE of Guilford

COSPONSOR(S):  Senator HAGGAN of Penobscot and Representatives: BABIN of Fort Fairfield, CHAPMAN of Auburn, DANA of the Passamaquoddy Tribe, HENDERSON of Rumford, HYMES of Waldo, LEMELIN of Chelsea, LIBBY of Auburn, THORNE of Carmel.

TITLE:  An Act to Repeal the Law Prohibiting Unauthorized Paramilitary Training

SUMMARY:  

This bill repeals the law prohibiting unauthorized paramilitary training.

Bill Language

STATUS: 

Referred to the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety

LD 386

Senator ROTUNDO of Androscoggin

COSPONSOR(S): Senators: CARNEY of Cumberland, RAFFERTY of York, Representatives: CLOUTIER of Lewiston, MCCABE of Lewiston.

TITLE:  An Act Regarding Information That May Be Shared by Law Enforcement Entities with a School Superintendent or a Principal

SUMMARY:  

This bill allows a law enforcement officer or criminal justice agency to share information with a school superintendent or principal pertaining to a juvenile when the information is credible and indicates a substantial danger with the use of a firearm or dangerous weapon.

Bill Language

STATUS: 

Referred to the Committee on Judiciary

LD 411

Representative SACHS of Freeport

COSPONSOR(S): Senator CARNEY of Cumberland and Representatives: ARFORD of Brunswick, CLOUTIER of Lewiston, DOUDERA of Camden, KUHN of Falmouth, LEE of Auburn, MOONEN of Portland, SAYRE of Kennebunk, ZAGER of Portland.

TITLE:  An Act to Amend the Law Governing the Disposition of Forfeited Firearms 

SUMMARY:  

This bill amends the law governing the disposition of firearms that have been forfeited to the State as a mandatory part of a criminal sentence under the general sentencing provisions of the Maine Criminal Code. Current law requires that forfeited firearms used in commission of a murder or unlawful homicide crime be destroyed by the State. The bill extends the requirement to all firearms that have been forfeited as mandated by the general sentencing provisions of the Maine Criminal Code. The bill also eliminates one of the exceptions to mandatory forfeiture applying to cases in which the firearm subject to forfeiture is rightfully owned by another person. The bill amends the provision of law governing forfeiture of firearms within the Maine Juvenile Code to align with the general sentencing provisions as amended by this bill. The bill amends the relevant asset forfeiture laws to align with the narrowed exception for 3rd-party claims to firearms subject to forfeiture as provided by this bill. Finally, the bill directs the Attorney General to update rules governing the disposition of forfeited firearms under state law. 

Bill Language

STATUS: 

Referred to the Committee on Judiciary

LD 424

Representative COLLINS of Sidney

COSPONSOR(S):  Representative POIRIER of Skowhegan and Representatives: FLYNN of Albion, GRIFFIN of Levant, GUERRETTE of Caribou, HAGGAN of Hampden, MCINTYRE of Lowell, SMITH of Palermo, THORNE of Carmel, Senator: HAGGAN of Penobscot.

TITLE:  An Act Concerning the Concealed Carrying of a Handgun by an Individual Who Is 18 Years of Age but Under 21 Years of Age 

SUMMARY:  

This bill removes the exception from the provisions of the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 25, section 2001-A concerning the carrying of concealed weapons for handguns carried by persons 18 years of age or older and under 21 years of age who are on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States or the National Guard or who are honorably discharged veterans and allows a person who is 18 years of age or older who is not otherwise prohibited from carrying a firearm to carry a concealed handgun.

Bill Language

STATUS: 

Referred to the Committee on Judiciary

LD 486

Representative PERKINS of Dover-Foxcroft

COSPONSOR(S):  Senator CYRWAY of Kennebec and Representatives: ARDELL of Monticello, BABIN of Fort Fairfield, CARUSO of Caratunk, EDER of Waterboro, MCINTYRE of Lowell, MINGO of Calais, NUTTING of Oakland, WHITE of Guilford.

TITLE:  An Act to Remove the Duty of an Individual Exercising Self-defense to Safely Retreat or Abstain from Performing Certain Acts upon Demand

SUMMARY:  

This bill removes the duty of a person exercising self-defense in an encounter to, if the person can do so safely, retreat from the encounter or comply with a demand to abstain from performing an act that the person is not obliged to perform before using deadly force.

Bill Language

STATUS: 

Referred to the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety

LD 525

Representative MORRIS of Turner

COSPONSOR(S):  Senator HAGGAN of Penobscot and Representatives: ARDELL of Monticello, CHAPMAN of Auburn, CIMINO of Bridgton, FAULKINGHAM of Winter Harbor, NUTTING of Oakland, PAUL of Winterport, SMITH of Palermo, WHITE of Guilford.

TITLE:  An Act to Strengthen Maine Citizens' Second Amendment Rights by Allowing the Discharge of Firearms on Private Property That Is Within 500 Feet of School Property in Certain Circumstances

SUMMARY:  

This bill provides that the current prohibition on the discharge of a firearm within 500 feet of a school does not apply to a person acting pursuant to the laws governing the use of force in defense of premises.

Bill Language

STATUS: 

Referred to the Committee on Judiciary

LD 543 

Representative ARDELL of Monticello.

COSPONSOR(S):  Representatives: DAIGLE of Fort Kent, NUTTING of Oakland, PAUL of Winterport, PERKINS of Dover-Foxcroft, SWALLOW of Houlton, THORNE of Carmel, Senators: BERNARD of Aroostook, HARRINGTON of York.

TITLE:  An Act to Enhance Maine's Wildlife Conservation Efforts and Preserve Maine's Sporting Heritage by Requiring Hunter Safety Education in Schools

SUMMARY:  

This bill adds a requirement that the elements of a firearm hunter safety course must be taught no later than grade 9 in all public and private schools in Maine. Successful completion of the course will result in the issuance to the student of a hunter safety certificate that satisfies the safety course requirement for obtaining an adult hunting license in Maine. 

Bill Language

STATUS: 

Referred to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs

LD 551

Senator HARRINGTON of York

COSPONSOR(S): Representative SOBOLESKI of Phillips and

Senator BENNETT of Oxford.

TITLE:  An Act to Restore Balanced Emergency Powers

SUMMARY:  

This bill..."requires the emergency powers exercised by the Governor, a person within the executive branch or a municipal official that bind, curtail or infringe on the rights of private parties to be narrowly tailored to serve a compelling public health or safety purpose and to be limited in duration, applicability and scope to reduce any infringement of individual liberty..."

Bill Language

STATUS: 

Referred to the Committee on State and Local Government

LD 677

Senator CARNEY of Cumberland

COSPONSOR(S):  Representative LEE of Auburn and Senators: DUSON of Cumberland, LAWRENCE of York, RAFFERTY of York, ROTUNDO of Androscoggin, Representatives: BECK of South Portland, DOUDERA of Camden, GRAMLICH of Old Orchard Beach, SACHS of Freeport.

TITLE:  An Act to Update the Statutory Definition of "Machine Gun" and Prohibit Possession of a Rapid-fire Device 

SUMMARY:  

This bill modifies the provision of the Maine Criminal Code defining "machine gun" to include any part or combination of parts designed and intended for use in converting a weapon into a machine gun.

The bill enacts a provision that makes it a Class D crime for a person to knowingly possess a rapid-fire device without authority to do so. A rapid-fire device is a device, part or combination of parts that is not a machine gun and that materially increases the rate of fire of a semi-automatic firearm above the rate of fire of the semi-automatic firearm absent the device, part or combination of parts.

With respect to the definitions of "machine gun" and "rapid-fire device," the bill provides a non-exhaustive list of examples describing the types of devices that would satisfy each general definition.

Bill Language

STATUS: 

Referred to the Committee on Judiciary

LD 820

Representative CARUSO of Caratunk.

COSPONSOR(S):  Senator CYRWAY of Kennebec andRepresentatives: ARDELL of Monticello, BOYER of Poland, DILL of Old Town, MORRIS of Turner, SMITH of Palermo, Senators: BRADSTREET of Kennebec, HICKMAN of Kennebec.

TITLE:  RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Establish the Right to Hunt and Fish 

SUMMARY:  

This resolution proposes to amend the Constitution of Maine to provide that the right of the people to hunt, fish and harvest game and fish, including by the use of traditional methods, may not be infringed, subject to reasonable laws and rules to promote wildlife conservation and management and to preserve the future of hunting and fishing. It also provides that public hunting and fishing are the preferred means of managing and controlling wildlife.

Bill Language

STATUS: 

Referred to the Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife

LD 829

Senator HAGGAN of Penobscot.

COSPONSOR(S):   Senator HARRINGTON of York, Representatives: ARDELL of Monticello, FOSTER of Dexter, HENDERSON of Rumford, PERKINS of Dover-Foxcroft, POIRIER of Skowhegan, WHITE of Guilford.

TITLE:  An Act to Standardize the Laws Regarding the Carrying of Concealed Handguns in State Parks (EMERGENCY)

SUMMARY:  

 This bill removes the requirement that a person have a valid permit in order to carry a concealed handgun in state parks, Baxter State Park, the Allagash Wilderness Waterway and Acadia National Park and instead provides that any person who is not otherwise prohibited from possessing a firearm may carry a concealed handgun in these locations. The bill also directs the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Bureau of Parks and Lands to update its rules to remove the requirement that a person have a valid permit in order to carry a concealed handgun in state parks, Baxter State Park and the Allagash Wilderness Waterway.

Bill Language

STATUS: 

Referred to the Committee on Judiciary

LD 863

Representative WHITE of Guilford

COSPONSOR(S):  Cosponsored by Senator FARRIN of Somerset and Representatives: ANKELES of Brunswick, BISHOP of Bucksport, MASON of Lisbon, MONTELL of Gardiner, PARRY of Arundel, RAY of Lincolnville, RUDNICKI of Fairfield, WHITE of Ellsworth.

TITLE:  An Act to Exempt Internet Raffles Conducted by Certain Organizations with Prizes of $2,500 or Less from Registration and Licensing Requirements

SUMMARY:  

This bill removes the prohibition on an agricultural society, nonprofit organization, volunteer fire department or their auxiliaries to conduct Internet raffles in which the total value of the prize offered to the holder of the winning chance does not exceed $2,500 or, if there are multiple winning chances, the total value of all prizes offered do not exceed a value of $2,500 without being required to register with the Department of Public Safety, Gambling Control Unit.

Bill Language

STATUS: 

Referred to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs

LD 885

Representative WHITE of Guilford

COSPONSOR(S):   Senator HARRINGTON of York and Representatives: BISHOP of Bucksport, EDER of Waterboro, FLYNN of Albion, LANCE of Paris, LIBBY of Auburn, PAUL of Winterport, WHITE of Ellsworth, Senator: HAGGAN of Penobscot.

TITLE:  An Act to Allow Certain Persons with a Permit to Carry Concealed Handguns to Possess or Discharge a Firearm on School Property

SUMMARY:  

This bill allows a person to possess and discharge a firearm on school property if that person is not a student at that school, is 21 years of age or older and possesses a permit to carry a concealed handgun.

Bill Language

STATUS: 

Referred to the Committee on Judiciary