‘An Act To Allow Municipalities To Prohibit Weapons within Municipal Buildings and at Municipal Public Proceedings and Voting Places’
| HP0257 LD 351 |
Session - 128th Maine Legislature C "A", Filing Number H-89, Sponsored by
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LR 1104 Item 2 |
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| Bill Tracking, Additional Documents | Chamber Status | ||
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following:
‘An Act To Allow Municipalities To Prohibit Weapons within Municipal Buildings and at Municipal Public Proceedings and Voting Places’
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 2 and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 2. 30-A MRSA §3015 is enacted to read:
§ 3015. Regulation of weapons within municipal buildings and at municipal public proceedings and voting places
Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a municipality may adopt an ordinance that prohibits the carrying of a dangerous weapon within municipal buildings and at municipal public proceedings and voting places within the municipality. A municipal ordinance adopted pursuant to this section must provide an exception to allow the carrying of a handgun by a federal, state, county or local law enforcement officer. A municipal ordinance adopted pursuant to this section must designate by common name and physical address all municipal buildings and other places within the municipality subject to the ordinance, which may include, but is not limited to, buildings owned, leased, rented or otherwise occupied by the municipality on a regular and ongoing basis. Use of a building, or part of a building, by a nonmunicipal entity does not preclude the building from being designated a municipal building under an ordinance adopted pursuant to this section. A municipal ordinance adopted pursuant to this section may provide exceptions to allow the carrying of certain dangerous weapons within municipal buildings and at municipal public proceedings and voting places, including, but not limited to, an exception allowing the carrying of kitchen knives and other common bladed tools with a blade length of less than 8 inches. If a municipality adopts an ordinance pursuant to this section, the municipality shall post, in a prominent location outside of all municipal buildings and at other places within the municipality subject to the ordinance, notice of the prohibition against the carrying of dangerous weapons, including any municipally adopted exceptions to the prohibition.
For the purposes of this section, "dangerous weapon" has the same meaning as in Title 17-A, section 2, subsection 9, paragraph C, "law enforcement officer" has the same meaning as in Title 17-A, section 2, subsection 17, "public proceeding" has the same meaning as in Title 1, section 402, subsection 2 and "voting place" has the same meaning as in Title 21-A, section 1, subsection 49.’
SUMMARY
This amendment, which is the majority report of the committee, allows a municipality to prohibit the carrying of dangerous weapons within municipal buildings and at municipal public proceedings and voting places. The amendment also:
1. Provides that a municipal ordinance adopted under this provision of law must provide an exception for the carrying of a handgun by a federal, state, county or local law enforcement officer;
2. Clarifies that a municipal ordinance adopted under this provision of law may provide exceptions to allow the carrying of certain dangerous weapons, including, but not limited to, an exception allowing the carrying of kitchen knives and other common bladed tools with a blade length of less than 8 inches; and
3. Requires a municipality that has adopted such an ordinance to post notice of the prohibition against the carrying of dangerous weapons outside of all municipal buildings and other places within the municipality subject to the ordinance.