CHAPTER 299
S.P. 354 - L.D. 1173
An Act to Preserve Public Access to Governmental Information through Libraries Regardless of Format or Medium
Emergency preamble. Whereas, Acts of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, public access to public records is immediately threatened by changes in the way the information is prepared and distributed; and
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 1 MRSA §501-A, as repealed and replaced by PL 1987, c. 402, Pt. A, §2, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:
§501-A. Publications of state agencies
1. Definitions. As used in this section, the term "publications" includes periodicals; newsletters; bulletins; pamphlets; leaflets; directories; bibliographies; statistical reports; brochures; plan drafts; planning documents; reports; special reports; committee and commission minutes; informational handouts; and rules and compilations of rules, regardless of number of pages, number of copies ordered, physical size, publication medium or intended audience inside or outside the agency.
2. Production and distribution. The publications of all agencies, the University of Maine System and the Maine Maritime Academy may be printed, bound and distributed, subject to Title 5, sections 43 to 46. The State Purchasing Agent may determine the style in which publications may be printed and bound, with the approval of the Governor.
3. Annual or biennial reports. Immediately upon receipt of any annual or biennial report that is not included in the Maine State Government Annual Report provided for in Title 5, sections 43 to 46, the State Purchasing Agent shall deliver at least 55 copies of that annual or biennial report to the State Librarian for exchange and library use. The State Purchasing Agent shall deliver the balance of the number of each such report to the agency that prepared the report.
4. State agency and legislative committee publications. Except as provided in subsection 5, any agency or legislative committee issuing publications, including publications in an electronic format, shall deliver 18 copies of the publications in the published format to the State Librarian. These copies must be furnished at the expense of the issuing agency. Publications not furnished upon request will be reproduced at the expense of the issuing agency. The agency or committee preparing a publication may determine the date on which a publication may be released, except as otherwise provided by law.
5. Electronic publishing. An agency or committee that electronically publishes information to the public is only required to provide the State Librarian with one printed copy of an electronically published publication. An electronically published publication is not required to be provided to the State Librarian if the publication is also published in print or in an electronic format and is provided to the State Librarian in compliance with subsection 4 or the publication is:
A. Designed to provide the public with current information and is subject to frequent additions and deletions, such as current lists of certified professionals, daily updates of weather conditions or fire hazards; or
B. Designed to promote the agency's services or assist citizens in use of the agency's services, such as job advertisements, application forms, advertising brochures, letters and memos.
6. Forwarding of requisitions. The State Purchasing Agent, Central Printing and all other printing operations within State Government shall forward to the State Librarian upon receipt one copy of all requisitions for publications to be printed.
Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this Act takes effect when approved.
Effective May 28, 1997.
| Revisor of Statutes Homepage | Subject Index | Search | Laws of Maine | Maine Legislature |
