Sen. Hickman bill reaffirming the Legislature’s access to certain confidential records gets initial approval in the Maine Senate

AUGUSTA — On April 7, the Maine Senate voted overwhelmingly in support of a bill introduced by Sen. Craig Hickman, D-Winthrop. The bill, LD 127, “An Act to Strengthen Legislative Oversight of Government Agencies and Programs by Reaffirming the Legislature’s Access to Confidential Records,” reasserts the authority of the Maine Legislature to access certain confidential records that are held by state agencies and departments. After powerful remarks by Sen. Hickman, the Senate advanced the measure in a 24-10 vote.

“This legislation is absolutely vital if we are to protect Maine children from further abuse, neglect and death,” said Sen. Hickman. “My fellow legislators and I have the opportunity to reaffirm our power as an independent, co-equal branch of Maine State Government and ensure that the Government Oversight Committee actually has the ability to conduct full, thorough oversight of Maine’s departments and agencies.”

LD 127 requires the Director of the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability to prepare and present a biennial briefing to the Government Oversight Committee (GOC) on the confidentiality and nondisclosure policies, standards and procedures that the office adheres to when conducting program evaluations.

The majority committee report included an amendment introduced by Sen. Hickman that authorizes GOC to meet in executive session to review, inspect or deliberate working papers that were considered and referenced in a report of the office for the sole purpose of voting on the report. This amendment also requires members of the GOC to sign a code of conduct in order to be authorized to meet in executive session, and authorizes the director of the office to share a confidential draft of a program evaluation report with the committee before it is released to the public.

The bill now faces further votes in the House and Senate.

Sen. Hickman represents Senate District 14, which includes the towns of Chelsea, Farmingdale, Gardiner, Hallowell, Manchester, Monmouth, Pittston, Randolph, Readfield, Wayne, West Gardiner and Winthrop in Kennebec County.

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