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132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST SPECIAL SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 1909
S.P. 750 In Senate, May 6, 2025
Resolve, to Provide a Comprehensive Analysis of Criminal Legal
System Data
Reference to the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety suggested and ordered
printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator TALBOT ROSS of Cumberland.
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1Preamble. Whereas, the criminal legal system has an immeasurable impact on and
2 consequences for individuals who interact with it, specifically individuals charged with a
3 crime and victims of crime; and
4Whereas, it is essential that policymakers have an accurate and comprehensive
5 understanding of how the State's criminal legal system policies and laws have been
6 implemented; and
7Whereas, criminal legal system data collection and data sharing has long impeded
8 efforts to provide an accurate and comprehensive understanding of how the State's criminal
9 legal system policies and laws have been implemented; and
10Whereas, improving the State's ability to obtain an accurate and comprehensive
11 understanding of how the State's criminal legal system policies and laws have been
12 implemented requires analysis of how data is currently collected, stored and shared; now,
13 therefore, be it
14Sec. 1. Independent study. Resolved: That, within 30 days after the effective
15 date of this resolve, the Department of Public Safety shall commission an independent
16 study by contracting with an entity outside of State Government, referred to in this resolve
17 as "the contracted entity," with experience and expertise in the collection and analysis of
18 the State's criminal legal system data. The independent study must include an analysis of
19 how entities across the State's criminal legal system are currently collecting and storing
20 criminal legal system data and identification of the specific barriers to obtaining an accurate
21 and comprehensive understanding of how the State's criminal legal system policies and
22 laws have been implemented. The contracted entity shall develop recommendations for
23 steps policymakers can take to address those barriers, including a multiphase plan with cost
24 estimates if feasible.
25Sec. 2. Access to data collection systems. Resolved: That municipal, county
26 and state law enforcement agencies, the judicial branch, the Department of Corrections and
27 county correctional facilities shall, to the extent possible, provide to the contracted entity
28 reasonable access to data collection systems necessary to carry out the independent study
29 under section 1.
30Sec. 3. Report; legislation authorized. Resolved: That the contract entered into
31 with the contracted entity must require the contracted entity to provide a report relating to
32 the contracted entity's findings and recommendations to the Department of Public Safety
33 by October 1, 2026. By November 4, 2026, the department shall submit the report to the
34 joint standing committees of the Legislature having jurisdiction over criminal justice and
35 public safety matters and judiciary matters. Each of the joint standing committees may
36 report out legislation based on the report to the 133rd Legislature in 2027.
37SUMMARY
38 This resolve directs the Department of Public Safety to commission an independent
39 study by contracting with an entity outside of State Government that will provide an
40 analysis of the ways in which public entities in Maine with involvement in the criminal
41 legal system currently collect and store criminal legal system data, identification of the
42 barriers to achieving a comprehensive and accurate understanding of how criminal legal
43 system laws and policies are being implemented and a multiphase plan to address those
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44 barriers. The contract entered into with the contracted entity must require the contracted
45 entity to provide a report to the Department of Public Safety by October 1, 2026. By
46 November 4, 2026, the department must submit the report to the joint standing committees
47 of the Legislature having jurisdiction over criminal justice and public safety matters and
48 judiciary matters. Each of the joint standing committees may report out legislation based
49 on the report to the 133rd Legislature in 2027.
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