Judiciary Committee supports Sen. Duson bill to bolster privacy of Maine tenants, protect against retaliation

AUGUSTA — On Wednesday, March 20, a bill sponsored by Senate Assistant Majority Leader Jill Duson, D-Portland, that would bolster tenant privacy rights and provide guardrails against retaliation earned the majority support of the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee. LD 2176, “An Act to Safeguard Personal Information and Strengthen Tenant Rights in Maine,” was advanced by a vote of 7-6.

“Renters living in my district and across the state have limited protections to prevent the sharing of their personal information,” said Sen. Duson. “I’m grateful to my colleagues on the Judiciary Committee for supporting this important bill, which addresses a real gap in state privacy and anti-retaliation law for Maine renters. Everyone in Maine deserves a safe place to call home without fear of harassment or intimidation. I appreciate the work that went into shaping a solution that balances the concerns of all stakeholders.”

The bill prohibits a landlord from disclosing personal information (such as name, phone number, sexual orientation, race or immigration status) about a tenant with the intent to harass, intimidate or get them to leave the property outside of a legal eviction process. The bill includes reasonable exceptions such as legitimate business purposes, judicial processes, property sales and certain requests by local law enforcement or municipal code officers.

“At its core, LD 2176 reinforces a simple principle: information shared in the course of securing and maintaining housing should be treated responsibly,” said Ruben Torres, Advocacy and Policy Manager for the Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition in testimony before the committee. “Housing is one of the most essential relationships in everyday life, and maintaining trust in that relationship benefits both tenants and responsible property owners across the state.”

LD 2176 now heads to both the Senate and House for a series of votes.

###