Sec. 1. 34-A MRSA §3003, sub-§1, ¶E, as amended by PL 1997, c. 278, §4, is further amended to read:

E. To persons engaged in research if:

(1) The research plan is first submitted to and approved by the commissioner;

(2) The disclosure is approved by the commissioner; and

(3) Neither original records nor identifying data are removed from the facility or office that prepared the records.

The commissioner and the person doing the research shall preserve the anonymity of the person receiving services from the department and may not disseminate data that refer to that person by name, number or in any other way that might lead to the person's identification; and

Sec. 2. 34-A MRSA §3003, sub-§1, ¶F, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 278, §5, is amended to read:

F. To persons who directly supervise or report on the health, behavior or progress of a juvenile, to the superintendent of a juvenile's school and the superintendent's designees and to agencies that are or might become responsible for the health or welfare of a juvenile, if the information is relevant to and disseminated for the purpose of creating or maintaining an individualized plan for the juvenile's rehabilitation.; and

Sec. 3. 34-A MRSA §3003, sub-§1, ¶G is enacted to read:

G.__To the person who was the victim of the offense for which the client was incarcerated, as verified by the department with the prosecuting authority that convicted the client.__Records concerning the client's incarceration, including information concerning a crime the client has been accused of committing while incarcerated, a disciplinary action the department has taken against the client, a work assignment and release information, must be made available to the victim.

SUMMARY

This bill requires the Department of Corrections to provide information about an inmate's incarceration, such as information concerning offenses committed while incarcerated and release information to a victim upon the victim's request.