# Maine LD 1871: An Act to Permit Sealing Criminal History Record Information of Victims of Sex Trafficking or Sexual Exploitation Maine LD 1871, An Act to Permit Sealing Criminal History Record Information of Victims of Sex Trafficking or Sexual Exploitation, is a 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) Senate bill sponsored by Rachel Talbot Ross (Democratic); status became law, last action 2026-01-11 (ACTPUB Chapter 513) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1871-132 - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Maine LD 1871 - State: Maine - Session: 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) - Title: An Act to Permit Sealing Criminal History Record Information of Victims of Sex Trafficking or Sexual Exploitation - Status: became law - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-05-01 - Last action: 2026-01-11, ACTPUB Chapter 513 - Sponsor: Rachel Talbot Ross (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 9 - Subjects: CRIMINAL HISTORIES, CRIMINAL HISTORIES - CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORDS - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 2 (111 yes, 70 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 5 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Victim-sealed records not automatically unsealed: benefit, medium. If your record was sealed under the victim‑centered path or under the related section 2262‑A, it stays sealed. The usual rule that unseals records after a new conviction does not apply to these sealed records. - Victims can seal trafficking-related convictions: benefit, medium. If you were a victim of sex trafficking or sexual exploitation, and your crime was a substantial result of that abuse, the court must seal that conviction. You can file at any time after the conviction. For these motions, any current or past conviction is eligible for review. The law defines sex tr… - New rules for background check companies: benefit, medium. Background check companies must share only complete, up-to-date records. They must update within 30 days or recheck within 90 days. Reports with records collected on or after July 1, 2010 must show the collection date and warn that some items may now be sealed. You can dispute errors for free, and… - Easier court process for victim sealing: benefit, low. For trafficking‑related sealing motions, you and your witnesses can appear by phone or video unless the court requires in‑person. You do not need official papers to prove victim status, but if you have them, they create a presumption. The court can accept affidavits and sworn statements from clergy… - One-year wait, older sealing rule repealed: cost, medium. For the general sealing path, you must wait at least one year after you fully complete all sentencing alternatives before meeting eligibility under that rule. The law also repeals a prior subsection of the sealing statute, changing how some people qualify. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Rachel Talbot Ross (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Adam LEE - Cosponsor: Anne M. Carney (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: David Boyer (Republican), House - Cosponsor: David Sinclair (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Donna Bailey (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Eleanor Sato (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Holly Stover (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Kristi Mathieson (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Richard A. Bennett (Independent), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-06-17 | House | Enactment | pass | 89 | 58 | | | 2025-06-16 | Senate | ACCEPT MAJORITY OUGHT TO PASS AS AMENDED REPORT | pass | 22 | 12 | | ## Actions (7) - 2026-01-11: ACTPUB Chapter 513 - 2025-07-08: HELD BY THE GOVERNOR. (Senate) - 2025-06-17: PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence. (Senate) - 2025-06-17: PASSED TO BE ENACTED. ROLL CALL NO. 542(Yeas 89 - Nays 58 - Absent 2 - Excused 2)Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-06-16: Reports READ.On motion of Representative KUHN of Falmouth, the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report was ACCEPTED.The Bill was READ ONCE.Committee Amendment "A" (S-408) was READ and ADOPTED.Under suspension of the rules, the Bill was given its SECOND READING without REFERENCE to the Committee on Bills in the Second Reading.The Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-408). In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-06-16: Reports ReadOn motion by Senator CARNEY of Cumberland the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report ACCEPTED. PREVAILED Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 560 Yeas 22 - Nays 12 - Excused 1 - Absent 0 Bill READ ONCE Committee Amendment "A" (S-408) READ and ADOPTED Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED by Committee Amendment "A" (S-408) Sent down for concurrence (Senate) - 2025-05-01: Received by the Secretary of the Senate on May 1, 2025 and REFERRED to the Committee on JUDICIARY pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 (Senate) ## Bill text - Amendment C-A (S-408), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0741&item=2&snum=132) - Enacted: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0741&item=3&snum=132) - Introduced: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0741&item=1&snum=132) ## Related bills - LD 1522: An Act to Establish the Maine Eviction Prevention Program (failed) - LD 2067: An Act to Include Community Mental Health Workers Under the 1998 Special Plan for Retirement (failed) - LD 1665: An Act to Provide Property Tax Relief to Maine Families (failed) - LD 1872: An Act to Reinvest in the Pension Funds of the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (failed) - LD 1611: An Act to Decrease the Retirement Contributions Required for Teachers and State Employees (failed) - LD 1294: An Act to Expand the Dependent Exemption Tax Credit (failed) ## Sources - [Amendment C-A (S-408), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0741&item=2&snum=132) - [Enacted (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0741&item=3&snum=132) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0741&item=1&snum=132) ## Related - [LD 1522: An Act to Establish the Maine Eviction Prevention Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1522-132) - [LD 2067: An Act to Include Community Mental Health Workers Under the 1998 Special Plan f…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD2067-132) - [LD 1665: An Act to Provide Property Tax Relief to Maine Families](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1665-132) - [LD 1872: An Act to Reinvest in the Pension Funds of the Maine Public Employees Retiremen…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1872-132) - [LD 1611: An Act to Decrease the Retirement Contributions Required for Teachers and State…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1611-132) - [LD 1294: An Act to Expand the Dependent Exemption Tax Credit](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1294-132) - [Maine bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/maine/bills) - [Maine state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/maine) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1871-132 (as of 2026-10-19).