Criminal Justice (Domestic Violence)

LD 981 allows victims of crimes to receive electronic notifications (via email, text, or app) instead of only written mail for key updates about criminal cases. It directly affects victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and crimes involving serious physical trauma or financial loss, requiring prosecutors and corrections to seek their consent for electronic notice. Key provisions mandate that electronic notices must include details like court hearing times, sentencing opportunities, and defendant release dates, with a new automated system to handle these notifications 24/7 in English and Spanish. The bill also allocates $575,000 for developing this system, which must provide access to community support resources.

LD 1572 strengthens legal protections in domestic violence cases involving nonfatal strangulation or suffocation. It requires prosecutors to pursue these cases without dismissal or unnecessary delay, prohibits plea deals for lesser charges, and allows victim statements to be admitted as evidence without the victim’s presence. The bill directly affects victims, prosecutors, courts, and law enforcement by mandating annual training on strangulation/suffocation for legal professionals and clarifying that such acts constitute aggravated assault (Class B or Class A crimes) under Maine law. Key provisions include defining strangulation/suffocation in legal terms, requiring prosecutors to review cases for aggravation, and banning plea agreements for repeat offenders in these cases. These changes aim to ensure consistent prosecution of severe domestic violence incidents.

This bill prohibits individuals serving sentences for specific domestic violence crimes from participating in Maine's community confinement monitoring programs. It directly affects people convicted of domestic violence aggravated assault, elevated aggravated assault, or assault on a pregnant person against family/household members or dating partners (under Title 17-A, sections 208-D, 208-E, or 208-F). The law requires jail administrators to conduct thorough risk assessments, contact victims, and document safety considerations before any potential placement, but ultimately bars eligibility for these offenders. The policy change prevents these individuals from accessing community-based supervision programs while serving their sentences.

LD 1536 reverses the 2021 bail code changes by requiring that defendants in custody who cannot pay a $60 bail commissioner fee must be released on personal recognizance or unsecured bond. County sheriffs may establish a fund to cover this fee for indigent defendants, ensuring financial inability does not block release. The bill also modifies the factors judges consider when setting bail, adding domestic violence risk assessment results while removing prior provisions like probation status checks.