An Act To Authorize The Release Of Military Records To The Office Of Chief Medical Examiner For The Purposes Of Suicide Reporting And Prevention

132nd Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Morgan Rielly

Authorizes releasing military records to the Chief Medical Examiner to improve suicide reporting and prevention efforts.

Signed by Governor

#confidentiality #militaryforces #servicerecords

Summary — LD 108 (132nd Maine Legislature)

Title: An Act To Authorize The Release Of Military Records To The Office Of Chief Medical Examiner for the Purposes of Suicide Reporting and Prevention
Bill number: LD 108
Sponsor: Rep. Rielly of Westbrook
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Introduced: January 8, 2025
Status: Signed by Governor (May 29, 2025)

Purpose and intent

LD 108 authorizes the release of military records to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) for the specific purposes of suicide reporting and suicide-prevention activities. The stated intent is to improve the OCME’s ability to identify military service status in deaths by suicide and to support prevention, surveillance, and related public-health or investigative efforts.

Key provisions

Permits the release of military service records to the OCME for use in suicide reporting and prevention. (The enacted statutory language itself was amended by Committee Amendment “A” (H‑154); the amendment was adopted before final passage.)

Limits the authorized use to suicide reporting and prevention purposes as described in the bill title (further details of scope, limitations, and any privacy safeguards should be confirmed in the enacted text).

Does not impose new fiscal requirements on state agencies (see fiscal notes).

Who is affected

Office of the Chief Medical Examiner — may receive additional information from military records to improve death investigations and suicide surveillance.

Agencies or entities that maintain military records in Maine (including state National Guard records or other military service records governed by state law) — given authority to release records to OCME under the bill’s terms.

Service members, veterans, and their families — their military service information may be disclosed to OCME for the specified purposes; privacy implications may arise depending on how release and use are implemented.

Public health and suicide-prevention programs — may benefit from improved data for planning and targeted prevention.

Fiscal and procedural notes

Multiple fiscal notes and a preliminary fiscal impact statement (dated Feb–May 2025) report: No fiscal impact.

Legislative actions: Referred to Veterans and Legal Affairs on Jan 8, 2025; work session and committee action in February; reported out with Committee Amendment A (H‑154) in May; passed both chambers (concurrence) May 20–27, 2025; signed by the Governor May 29, 2025.

Caveats and next steps

The summary is based on bill title, legislative history, and fiscal notes provided. The exact statutory wording, definitions, procedural conditions for release, and any confidentiality or data‑handling safeguards are in the enacted text (including Committee Amendment A). Readers seeking operational details or compliance requirements should consult the final enrolled law or contact OCME/the Veterans & Legal Affairs Committee.