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MaineLD 251132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026)SenateWALLET

An Act to Protect the Confidentiality of Information of Individual Customers of a Public Utility

Sponsored By: Mark W. Lawrence (Democratic)

Became Law

FREEDOM OF ACCESSFREEDOM OF ACCESS - PUBLIC RECORDS

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

Privacy for community well-being programs

Cities and towns must keep your community well‑being check application and personal details private. These voluntary programs make regular contact and send first responders if they cannot reach you. Your personal or health information can be shared with first responders only as needed to run the program.

Stronger privacy for utility and sewer customers

The law strengthens privacy for utility and public sewer customers. Customer data held by a utility, the Public Advocate, or the utilities commission is confidential when the commission adopts a rule naming that data. For sewer systems, your name, contact info, usage, and payment or credit history, and financial or medical details are confidential. If the sewer system is also a water utility, it follows water‑utility privacy rules. Sharing is allowed only in narrow cases: your consent (a social service agency may certify this), lawful process for law enforcement, emergencies, billing between utilities, legally required reports, and for debt collection or credit reporting unless you have given them a protection‑from‑abuse order.

Rail hazmat shipment records kept private

Records about hazardous materials moved by rail are confidential when held by emergency managers, police, fire, or other first responders. This includes shipment routes and how often trains carry those materials. After a derailment or a dangerous release, records about that incident are public. “Hazardous material” uses the federal definition in 49 C.F.R. section 105.5.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Mark W. Lawrence

    Democratic • Senate

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

Actions Timeline

  1. ACTPUB Chapter 99

    5/1/2026

  2. PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence.

    5/21/2025Senate

  3. PASSED TO BE ENACTED. Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.

    5/20/2025House

  4. CONSENT CALENDAR - FIRST DAYUnder suspension of the rules CONSENT CALENDAR - SECOND DAY.The Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (S-49).In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.

    5/13/2025House

  5. Report READ and ACCEPTED.READ ONCE.Committee Amendment "A" (S-49) READ and ADOPTED.Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY Committee Amendment "A" (S-49).Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrence.

    5/7/2025Senate

  6. CARRIED OVER, in the same posture, to the next special or regular session of the 132nd Legislature, pursuant to Joint Order SP 519.

    3/21/2025Senate

  7. The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on JUDICIARY.In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.

    1/21/2025House

  8. Committee on JUDICIARY suggested and ordered printed REFERENCE to the Committee on JUDICIARY Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrence

    1/21/2025Senate

Bill Text

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