PRIA Logo™
MaineLD 458132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026)Senate

An Act Regarding the Domestic Violence Advocate Privilege

Sponsored By: Anne M. Carney (Democratic)

Became Law

DOMESTIC RELATIONSDOMESTIC RELATIONS - REGULATIONS

Your PRIA Score

Score Hidden

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to start

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

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

Stronger privacy for victim advocate talks

Conversations between a victim and a trained advocate are private. This covers notes, emails, case files, and personal details like your name, birth date, and Social Security number. You can refuse to let the advocate or their agency share these in civil or criminal cases, except for the law’s listed exceptions. This protects your privacy in court and with agencies.

Safety planning with limited record sharing

Maine justice agencies can give a trained advocate confidential criminal‑history information to plan a victim’s safety. Advocates and sexual assault counselors may use it only for safety planning and may not share it. They must store paper copies securely and destroy them within 30 days. Agencies may audit their handling, and advocates must protect those agencies from lawsuits tied to sharing the records.

Trained advocates and signed statements recognized

The law sets who counts as a domestic violence advocate. You qualify if you work or volunteer for a domestic violence services group and finish at least 40 hours of required training. It also defines which groups qualify as domestic violence services providers. Courts and agencies can accept statements signed by a qualifying advocate where this rule applies.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Anne M. Carney

    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 139

    5/1/2026

  2. PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence.

    5/27/2025Senate

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

    5/27/2025House

  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-104).In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.

    5/22/2025House

  5. Report READ and ACCEPTED.READ ONCE.Committee Amendment "A" (S-104) READ and ADOPTED.Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY Committee Amendment "A" (S-104).Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrence.

    5/20/2025Senate

  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. Received by the Secretary of the Senate on February 5, 2025 and REFERRED to the Committee on JUDICIARY pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2

    2/11/2025Senate

Bill Text

Related Bills

Back to State Legislation