Sec. 1. 16 MRSA §614, sub-§3, ¶¶B and C, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 532, §2, are amended to read:

B. A state agency responsible for investigating abuse, neglect or exploitation of children under Title 22, chapter 1071 or incapacitated or dependent adults under Title 22, chapter 958-A for use in the investigation of suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation; or

C. An accused person or that person's agent or attorney if authorized by:

(1) The district attorney for the district in which that accused person is to be tried;

(2) A rule or ruling of a court of this State or of the United States; or

(3) The Attorney General.; or

Sec. 2. 16 MRSA §614, sub-§3, ¶D is enacted to read:

D.__A victim or a victim's attorney, at the victim's request, unless the disclosure will result in irreparable harm to an individual or an investigation or is otherwise prohibited by law, in which case as much information as possible must be provided to the victim without resulting in such harm or violating the law.__Whenever a victim's request is denied, in whole or in part, the victim must be notified in writing of the reason for the denial.__Upon denial, the victim may petition the court for access to the information.__ For the purposes of this section, "a victim" includes a person who is injured in a motor vehicle accident.

Sec. 3. 16 MRSA §614, sub-§4 is enacted to read:

4.__Preservation of records.__All records and reports, including notes, containing investigative information must be retained by the investigating agency for a period of 6 years.

SUMMARY

This bill specifies that, upon request, intelligence and investigative information, including police reports, must be disclosed to a victim of a crime or a person injured in a car accident. This bill also requires investigating agencies to retain their records and reports for 6 years.