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An Act To Strengthen Protection from Abuse and Protection from Harassment Laws
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  5 MRSA §4654, sub-§8  is enacted to read:
 
8.  Service of order; use of electronic copies.   Notwithstanding any other provision of law, service of an order may be made pursuant to this section through the use of electronically transmitted printed copies of orders that have been transmitted directly from the court to the law enforcement agency or correctional facility making service. Return of proof of service may be made by electronic transmission of the proof of service directly to the court from the law enforcement officer making service or the chief administrative officer, or the chief administrative officer's designee, of the correctional facility making service.
 
In any subsequent criminal prosecution for violation of this section when the service of an order was made through the use of an electronically transmitted printed copy of the order, with 10 days' advance written notice to the prosecution, the defendant may request that the prosecution call as a witness the law enforcement officer who served the order or the chief administrative officer, or the chief administrative officer's designee, of the correctional facility that served the order.
Sec. 2.  5 MRSA §4655, sub-§6, ¶A  is enacted to read:
 
A.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, service of an order may be made pursuant to this section through the use of electronically transmitted printed copies of orders that have been transmitted directly from the court to the law enforcement agency or correctional facility making service. Return of proof of service may be made by electronic transmission of the proof of service directly to the court from the law enforcement officer making service or the chief administrative officer, or the chief administrative officer's designee, of the correctional facility making service.
Sec. 3.  5 MRSA §4655, sub-§6, ¶B  is enacted to read:
 
B.  In any subsequent criminal prosecution for violation of this section when the service of an order was made through the use of an electronically transmitted printed copy of the order, with 10 days' advance written notice to the prosecution, the defendant may request that the prosecution call as a witness the law enforcement officer who served the order or the chief administrative officer, or the chief administrative officer's designee, of the correctional facility that served the order.
Sec. 4.  19-A MRSA §4006, sub-§6, ¶A  is enacted to read:
 
A.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, service of an order may be made pursuant to this section through the use of electronically transmitted printed copies of orders that have been transmitted directly from the court to the law enforcement agency or correctional facility making service. Return of proof of service may be made by electronic transmission of the proof of service directly to the court from the law enforcement officer making service or the chief administrative officer, or the chief administrative officer's designee, of the correctional facility making service.
Sec. 5.  19-A MRSA §4006, sub-§6, ¶B  is enacted to read:
 
B.  In any subsequent criminal prosecution for violation of this section when the service of an order was made through the use of an electronically transmitted printed copy of the order, with 10 days' advance written notice to the prosecution, the defendant may request that the prosecution call as a witness the law enforcement officer who served the order or the chief administrative officer, or the chief administrative officer's designee, of the correctional facility that served the order.
Sec. 6.  19-A MRSA §4007, sub-§6, ¶A  is enacted to read:
 
A.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, service of an order may be made pursuant to this section through the use of electronically transmitted printed copies of orders that have been transmitted directly from the court to the law enforcement agency or correctional facility making service. Return of proof of service may be made by electronic transmission of the proof of service directly to the court from the law enforcement officer making service or the chief administrative officer, or the chief administrative officer's designee, of the correctional facility making service.
Sec. 7.  19-A MRSA §4007, sub-§6, ¶B  is enacted to read:
 
B.  In any subsequent criminal prosecution for violation of this section when the service of an order was made through the use of an electronically transmitted printed copy of the order, with 10 days' advance written notice to the prosecution, the defendant may request that the prosecution call as a witness the law enforcement officer who served the order or the chief administrative officer, or the chief administrative officer's designee, of the correctional facility that served the order.
 
Effective 90 days following adjournment of the 124th Legislature, Second Regular Session, unless otherwise indicated.