An Act Regarding Recommendations For Changing Place Names In The State

This bill establishes a formal process for changing place names in Maine that are found to be offensive by the Maine Human Rights Commission. It creates a new Maine Board on Place Names, composed of eleven members representing diverse fields such as history, linguistics, and civil rights, to advise local governments on renaming. When a name is deemed offensive, local officials are required to consult with this board and follow its procedures to select a new name within a six-month timeframe. The legislation also mandates that these changes be communicated to various state and federal agencies to ensure the new names appear correctly on maps and official documents.