Bill > LD196

This bill modifies existing Maine state law to establish new confidentiality provisions for documents obtained by the Government Oversight Committee through subpoena. Specifically, the bill amends section 3 MRSA §994 to create a new subsection (11-A) that declares any papers or records received by the committee in response to a subpoena as confidential, regardless of any other existing legal provisions that might otherwise require public disclosure. This means that documents obtained by the committee through its investigative powers will now be exempt from standard public records transparency requirements. The legislation appears designed to protect sensitive information gathered during committee investigations by ensuring that subpoenaed documents cannot be easily accessed through public records requests. By adding the phrase "Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary," the bill emphasizes the absolute nature of this confidentiality protection, creating a strong legal shield for documents obtained through the committee's subpoena power.

Justice

https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?LD=196&snum=132