MaineCounty sheriffs set up automated crime victim notices
County sheriffs establish an automated system that offers victims and other registrants available notices about defendants’ releases or escapes.
What it does
County sheriffs, through their statewide association, establish an automated system that lets victims and other registrants receive available notices about a defendant’s release or escape.
Facilities using an automated system must protect victims’ personal information, allow other notice methods, publish plans for outages and complaints, and have staff ready to respond.
A committee with victim service and law enforcement representatives reviews the system and recommends improvements; sheriffs report its findings and progress to lawmakers.
The law transfers $140,000 in settlement funds to the General Fund and provides one-time funding for county sheriffs to develop and maintain the notification system.
Argument forVictims and other registrants could receive available release or escape notices automatically, which may help them stay informed.
Argument againstIf a system sends an inaccurate notice or goes offline, victims may have trouble getting reliable updates while staff respond to problems.
More detail
County sheriffs, working through their statewide association, establish an automated crime victim notification system. The system is for jails, county correctional facilities, and regional correctional facilities, and offers victims and other registrants notices available under state law.
Facilities that use an automated system must follow the listed safeguards. These safeguards apply when a facility that must notify victims about a defendant’s release, escape, or release on preconviction bail uses an automated system. Victims may choose another notification method allowed by law. The system must protect a registering victim’s name, contact details, and other identifying information, with exceptions for certain victim advocates and disclosures required by law or court order. Facilities must publish written rules that cover outages, inaccurate notices, and complaints, and have staff available to respond to victims.
County sheriffs, through their statewide association, convene an advisory committee and send its report to the Legislature’s criminal justice and public safety committee. The committee supports, coordinates, and monitors implementation of the automated notification system. The committee includes representatives of sheriffs, domestic violence prevention projects, sexual assault support centers, and the Department of Corrections’ Office of Victim Services. It reviews community support services, challenges for people using the system, and other ways to implement and maintain it; it may invite and consult others. The committee must meet at least monthly, and sheriffs must submit the report by November 4, 2026.
The State Controller transfers $140,000 to the General Fund, and the Department of Corrections receives $140,000 for system support. The transfer comes from settlement funds in the Attorney General’s Other Special Revenue Funds account. The Department of Corrections’ one-time funding supports county sheriffs’ work to develop, support, and maintain the system. The State Controller must make the transfer by June 30, 2027; the one-time funding is listed for fiscal year 2026–27.
Where do you stand?
Choose your position
Tell your reps
Take a position to see your representatives and ways to contact them.
Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 16Signed by Governor Janet MillsLatest
- Apr 13PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence.Major
- Apr 13Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- Apr 13PASSED TO BE ENACTED.Passed 2nd Chamber
- Apr 13ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- Apr 13The House RECEDED and CONCURRED to PASSAGE TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-384) as Amended by Senate Amendment "A" (S-677) thereto.Minor
- Apr 13Sent down for concurrence.
- Apr 13PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY Committee Amendment "A" (S-384) as Amended by Senate Amendment "A" (S-677) thereto in NON-CONCURRENCE.Minor
- Apr 13Committee Amendment "A" (S-384) as Amended by Senate Amendment "A" (S-677) thereto ADOPTED.Minor
- Apr 13On further motion by Same Senator Senate Amendment "A" (S-677) to Committee Amendment "A" (S-384) READ and ADOPTED.
- Apr 13On further motion by Same Senator the Senate SUSPENDED THE RULES to RECONSIDER their actions whereby Committee Amendment "A" (S-384) was ADOPTED.Minor
- Apr 13On motion by Same Senator the Senate SUSPENDED THE RULES to RECONSIDER their actions whereby the Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED by Committee Amendment "A" (S-384) in concurrence.Minor
- Apr 13On motion by Senator ROTUNDO of Androscoggin taken from the Special Appropriations Table
- 2025
- Jun 25CARRIED OVER, in the same posture, to any special or regular session of the 132nd Legislature, pursuant to Joint Order SP 800.
- Jun 16On motion by Senator ROTUNDO of Androscoggin PLACED ON THE SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS TABLE pending ENACTMENT in concurrence
- Jun 16Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- Jun 16PASSED TO BE ENACTED.Became Law
- Jun 13In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- Jun 13The Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-384).Minor
- Jun 13Under suspension of the rules CONSENT CALENDAR - SECOND DAY.
- Jun 13CONSENT CALENDAR - FIRST DAY
- Jun 13Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrence.
- Jun 13Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY Committee Amendment "A" (S-384).Minor
- Jun 13Committee Amendment "A" (S-384) READ and ADOPTED.Minor
- Jun 13READ ONCE.Minor
- Jun 13Report READ and ACCEPTED.
- Jun 12Reported Out - OTP-AM
- May 19Voted - OTP-AM
- May 19Work Session Reconsidered
- Apr 24Voted - Divided Report
- Apr 24Work Session Held
- Mar 21CARRIED OVER, in the same posture, to the next special or regular session of the 132nd Legislature, pursuant to Joint Order SP 519.
- Mar 11In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- Mar 11The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY.Minor
- Mar 11Committee on CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY suggested and ordered printed REFERENCE to the Committee on CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrenceIntroduced
Criminal Justice