Printed on recycled paper
132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST SPECIAL SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 1395H.P. 917 House of Representatives, April 1, 2025
An Act Regarding Human Trafficking Prevention Instruction and
Dissemination of and Access to Obscene Material in Schools
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative PAUL of Winterport.
Cosponsored by Senator HARRINGTON of York and
Representatives: ARDELL of Monticello, BISHOP of Bucksport, HAGGAN of Hampden,
JAVNER of Chester, SIMMONS of Waldoboro, SMITH of Palermo, WHITE of Ellsworth. Page 1 - 132LR1620(01)
1
2 as enacted by PL 1977, c. 410, ยง2, is
3 amended to read:
4 A. This section shall does not apply to any noncommercial distribution or exhibition
5 for purely educational purposes by any library, art gallery, museum, public school,
6 private school or institution of learning, nor to any commercial distribution or
7 exhibition by any art gallery or museum.
8 is enacted to read:
9
10
11 library database resource offered by a school administrative unit, public charter school or
12 postsecondary educational institution to students in kindergarten to grade 12 must prevent
13 a user from sending, receiving, viewing or downloading materials that are child
14 pornography or obscene matter or materials that depict sexual exploitation of a minor as
15 described in Title 17-A, section 282. For the purposes of this section, "obscene matter" has
16 the same meaning as in Title 17, section 2911, subsection 1, paragraph D.
17 Notwithstanding any contract
18 provision to the contrary, if a digital or online library database resource offered by a school
19 administrative unit, public charter school or postsecondary educational institution to
20 students in kindergarten to grade 12 does not meet the requirements described in subsection
21 1, the school administrative unit, public charter school or postsecondary educational
22 institution shall withhold payment to the provider of the digital or online library database
23 resource until the provider demonstrates compliance with the requirements described in
24 subsection 1.
25 If a provider of a digital or online library database
26 resource fails to verify compliance with the requirements of subsection 1 in a timely
27 manner, a school administrative unit, public charter school or postsecondary educational
28 institution shall consider the provider's noncompliance a breach of contract.
29
30
31
32 offer or integrate into its curriculum instructional modules that educate students on the
33 prevention of sexual abuse, child exploitation and human trafficking. An instruction
34 module must include, but is not limited to, instruction on recognizing signs of sexual abuse,
35 sexual exploitation of a minor and human trafficking.
36 A public school or private school may offer training to school
37 employees on the prevention of sexual abuse, child exploitation and human trafficking.
38 The training must include, but is not limited to, instruction on recognizing signs of sexual
39 abuse, sexual exploitation of a minor and human trafficking. Page 2 - 132LR1620(01)
1
2 This bill requires that a digital or online library database resource offered by a school
3 administrative unit, public charter school or postsecondary educational institution to
4 students in kindergarten to grade 12 must prevent a user from sending, receiving, viewing
5 or downloading materials that are child pornography or obscene matter or that depict sexual
6 exploitation of a minor. It directs a school administrative unit, public charter school or
7 postsecondary educational institution to withhold payment if a provider of a digital or
8 online library database resource does not comply with these requirements and to consider
9 noncompliance a breach of contract if the provider does not verify compliance in a timely
10 manner.
11 The bill amends the law that prohibits the dissemination of obscene matter to minors
12 to eliminate the exception that applies to noncommercial distribution or exhibition by
13 public schools for purely educational purposes.
14 The bill also permits a public school or private school to offer or integrate into its
15 curriculum instructional modules on the prevention and recognition of signs of sexual
16 abuse, sexual exploitation of a minor and human trafficking. It also permits a public or
17 private school to offer training to school employees on the same topics.
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10