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LD732 • 2025

An Act to Prohibit Copyrights for Works of State Government

An Act to Prohibit Copyrights for Works of State Government

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Representative Jennifer Poirier
Last action
2025-05-28
Official status
Reports Read On motion by Senator BALDACCI of Penobscot the Majority Ought Not to Pass Report ACCEPTED in concurrence. PREVAILED Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 241 Yeas 20 - Nays 14 - Excused 1 - Absent 0 Placed in Legislative Files (DEAD)
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act to Prohibit Copyrights for Works of State Government

An Act to Prohibit Copyrights for Works of State Government Sponsor: Representative Jennifer Poirier Reference committee: State and Local Government Latest committee action: Reported Out; ONTP/OTP-AM

What This Bill Does

  • An Act to Prohibit Copyrights for Works of State Government Sponsor: Representative Jennifer Poirier Reference committee: State and Local Government Latest committee action: Reported Out; ONTP/OTP-AM

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Filed

Plain English: Page 1 - 132LR1315(02) COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 1 L.D.

  • Page 1 - 132LR1315(02) COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 1 L.D.
  • 732 2 Date: (Filing No.
  • H- ) 3STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT 4 Reproduced and distributed under the direction of the Clerk of the House.
  • 5STATE OF MAINE 6HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 7132ND LEGISLATURE 8FIRST SPECIAL SESSION 9 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT “ ” to H.P.

Bill History

  1. 2025-05-28 Senate

    Reports Read On motion by Senator BALDACCI of Penobscot the Majority Ought Not to Pass Report ACCEPTED in concurrence. PREVAILED Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 241 Yeas 20 - Nays 14 - Excused 1 - Absent 0 Placed in Legislative Files (DEAD)

  2. 2025-05-27 House

    Reports READ . On motion of Representative SALISBURY of Westbrook, the Majority Ought Not to Pass Report was ACCEPTED . ROLL CALL NO. 198 (Yeas 70 - Nays 66 - Absent 15 - Excused 0) Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.

  3. 2025-05-22 Committee

    Reported Out; ONTP/OTP-AM

  4. 2025-04-16 Committee

    Work Session Held

  5. 2025-04-16 Committee

    Voted; Divided Report

  6. 2025-02-25 Committee

    Referred to Committee on State and Local Government.

Official Summary Text

An Act to Prohibit Copyrights for Works of State Government
Sponsor:
Representative Jennifer Poirier
Reference committee:
State and Local Government
Latest committee action:
Reported Out; ONTP/OTP-AM

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Printed on recycled paper
132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 732
H.P. 474 House of Representatives, February 25, 2025
An Act to Prohibit Copyrights for Works of State Government
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative POIRIER of Skowhegan.
Cosponsored by Representatives: DUCHARME of Madison, GRIFFIN of Levant, MORRIS of
Turner, QUINT of Hodgdon.

Page 1 - 132LR1315(01)
1Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
2Sec. 1. 1 MRSA §30 is enacted to read:
3§30. Copyright for works of State prohibited
4 Works of the State may not be afforded copyright protection, including under 17 United
5 States Code or any subsequent federal law. This section does not apply to merchandise sold
6 by a department or agency and does not preclude the State from receiving and holding a
7 copyright transferred to the State by assignment, bequest or otherwise or a copyright of a
8 work of the State existing prior to the effective date of this section.
9Sec. 2. 27 MRSA §85-A, sub-§9, as enacted by PL 1987, c. 465, §2, is amended
10 to read:
119. Research and publications. To carry on research to increase knowledge in the
12 several fields of museum activity and to provide interpretive and information services,
13 including the dissemination and recording of information gathered through research.
14 Protection through copyright law may be obtained;
15SUMMARY
16 This bill prohibits the use of copyright protection for any work of the State except for
17 merchandise sold by a department or agency. This bill does not preclude the State from
18 receiving and holding a copyright transferred to the State by assignment, bequest or
19 otherwise or a copyright of a work of the State existing prior to the effective date of this
20 legislation.
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