MaineAn Act To Strengthen Legislative Oversight Of Government Agencies And Programs By Reaffirming The Legislature'S Access To Confidential Records
The proposed amendment would require the office director to brief the Government Oversight Committee every two years and could let it see final reports early under confidentiality rules.
What it does
The office director would brief the Government Oversight Committee every two years on how the office handles confidential information during program evaluations.
After the evaluated agency or other entity finishes its review and response period, the director could share a confidential final report with the committee before public release. The committee must keep it confidential until then.
Argument forA regular briefing could help committee members understand how the office protects confidential information during program evaluations.
Argument againstCommittee members could see a final report before the public, which might create concerns about fair access even though they must keep it confidential.
More detail
The director would present a briefing to the committee every two years. The briefing would cover the confidentiality and nondisclosure policies, standards, and procedures the office follows during program evaluations. The briefing would be presented every two years; no start date is stated.
The director could share a confidential copy of a final evaluation report with the committee before public release. This applies to final program evaluation reports submitted to the committee. The evaluated agency or other entity must first finish its review and response period. The committee must keep the copy confidential until the director releases the report to the public. Early sharing could happen only after the review and response period ends and before the director releases the report publicly.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 29The Bill was in the possession of the House when the Legislature adjourned Sine Die and was placed in the Legislative Files. (DEAD)Latest
- Vote recorded RECEDE AND CONCUR. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 29Ordered sent down forthwith.
- Apr 29Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 963 Yeas 22 - Nays 9 - Excused 4 - Absent 0
- Apr 29On motion by Senator PIERCE of Cumberland the Senate RECEDED and CONCURRED to The Majority Ought to Pass As Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-630) as Amended by House Amendment "A" (H-1074) thereto and PASSAGE TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY Committee Amendment "A" (S-630) as Amended by House Amendment "A" (H-1074) thereto.Minor
- Apr 29ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- Apr 29In NON-CONCURRENCE and sent for concurrence.
- Apr 29Subsequently, the Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-630) as Amended by House Amendment "A" (H-1074) thereto.Minor
- Apr 29Committee Amendment "A" (S-630) as Amended by House Amendment "A" (H-1074) thereto was ADOPTED.Minor
- Apr 29On motion of Representative BOYER of Poland, House Amendment "A" (H-1074) to Committee Amendment "A" (S-630) was READ and ADOPTED.
- Apr 29On motion of Representative BOYER of Poland, the House RECONSIDERED ADOPTION of Committee Amendment "A" (S-630).
- Apr 29READ the Second Time.
- Apr 29Committee on Bills in the Second Reading Reports no further verbal amendments necessary. Report Accepted.
- Apr 14Subsequently, NEXT LEGISLATIVE DAY ASSIGNED FOR SECOND READING.
- Vote recorded recon of maj rep otp-am by ca-a. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded ACC MIN OTP-AM BY CA-B. Result: fail.Lower
- Vote recorded suspension of house rule 515. Result: fail.Lower
- Vote recorded suspend house rule 515. Result: fail.Lower
- Apr 14(Yeas 74 - Nays 71 - Absent 5 - Excused 0 - Vacant 1)
- Apr 14ROLL CALL NO. 825
- Apr 14Motion of Representative FAULKINGHAM of Winter Harbor, to suspend House Rule 515 FAILED.
- Apr 14Representative MOONEN of Portland OBJECTED to SUSPENDING THE RULES for the purpose of giving this Bill its SECOND READING without REFERENCE to the Committee on Bills in the Second Reading.
- Apr 14Committee Amendment "A" (S-630) was READ and ADOPTED.Minor
- Apr 14Subsequently, the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report was ACCEPTED.
- Apr 14(Yeas 74 - Nays 70 - Absent 6 - Excused 0 - Vacant 1)
- Apr 14ROLL CALL NO. 824
- Apr 14On motion of Representative FAULKINGHAM of Winter Harbor, the House RECONSIDERED whereby the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report was ACCEPTED.
- Apr 14RELEASED.
- Apr 14HELD.
- Apr 14Subsequently, NEXT LEGISLATIVE DAY ASSIGNED FOR SECOND READING.
- Apr 14(Yeas 72 - Nays 72 - Absent 6 - Excused 0 - Vacant 1)
- Apr 14ROLL CALL NO. 820
- Apr 14Motion of Representative FAULKINGHAM of Winter Harbor to suspend House Rule 515 FAILED.
- Apr 14Representative MOONEN of Portland OBJECTED to SUSPENDING THE RULES for the purpose of giving this Bill its SECOND READING without REFERENCE to the Committee on Bills in the Second Reading.
- Apr 14Committee Amendment "A" (S-630) was READ and ADOPTED.Minor
- Apr 14The Bill was READ ONCE.Minor
- Apr 14Subsequently, on motion of Representative KUHN of Falmouth, the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report was ACCEPTED.
- Apr 14(Yeas 69 - Nays 75 - Absent 6 - Excused 0 - Vacant 1)
- Apr 14ROLL CALL NO. 819
- Apr 14Subsequently, motion of Representative KUHN of Falmouth to ACCEPT the Minority Ought to Pass as Amended Report FAILED.
- Apr 14Speaker laid before the House
- Apr 9Later today assigned.
- Apr 9On motion of Representative MOONEN of Portland, TABLED pending ACCEPTANCE of Either Report.
- Apr 9Reports READ.
- Apr 7Sent down for concurrence
- Vote recorded ACCEPT MINORITY OUGHT TO PASS AS AMENDED REPORT. Result: fail.Upper
- Apr 7Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED by Committee Amendment "A" (S-630)Minor
- Apr 7Committee Amendment "A" (S-630) READ and ADOPTED.Minor
- Apr 7READ ONCE.Minor
- Apr 7Subsequently, The Majority Ought to Pass As Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-630) Report ACCEPTED.
- Apr 7Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 900 Yeas 10 - Nays 24 - Excused 1 - Absent 0
- Apr 7Motion by Senator CARNEY of Cumberland to ACCEPT the Minority Ought to Pass as Amended by Committee Amendment "B" (S-631) Report FAILEDMinor
- Apr 7Reports READ
- Apr 3Reported Out - OTP-AM/OTP-AM
- Mar 11Voted - Divided Report
- Mar 11Work Session Held
- Feb 24Work Session Held - TABLED
- Feb 6Work Session Held - TABLED
- Apr 29The Bill was in the possession of the House when the Legislature adjourned Sine Die and was placed in the Legislative Files. (DEAD)Latest
- 2025
- Jun 25Carry Over Approved
- Jun 25CARRIED OVER, in the same posture, to any special or regular session of the 132nd Legislature, pursuant to Joint Order SP 800.
- May 30Carry Over Requested
- May 29Work Session Held - TABLED
- May 22Work Session Held - TABLED
- 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 13Work Session Held - TABLED
- Feb 26Work Session Held - TABLED
- Jan 8In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- Jan 8The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on JUDICIARY.Minor
- Jan 8Committee on JUDICIARY suggested and ordered printed REFERENCE to the Committee on JUDICIARY Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrenceIntroduced
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