---
type: "Bill"
title: "An Act To Prohibit Questions Regarding Criminal History On Certain State Employment Applications"
description: "An Act To Prohibit Questions Regarding Criminal History On Certain State Employment Applications"
jurisdiction: "us/states/me"
legislature: "Maine Legislature"
session: "129"
identifier: "LD 170"
citation: "Maine LD 170 (129)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES", "HIRING", "PRIOR CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Bettyann SHEATS"]
version_count: 2
action_count: 23
vote_count: 1
first_action: "2019-01-17"
last_action: "2019-04-05"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/d6ab3a07-8f9b-4d77-96d1-f8e53ff1cb59"
source_url: "http://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/dockets.asp?ID=280070914"
source_hash: "b0adf9b7a825468c425c31baa255048186ead06f379a58a09b53a27ba7d7c93e"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-me"]
---

# Maine LD 170 (129) — An Act To Prohibit Questions Regarding Criminal History On Certain State Employment Applications

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Documents and Disposition** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0133&item=1&snum=129)
2. **Final Disposition** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0133&item=3&snum=129)

## Votes

- ACC OUGHT TO PASS REP — **94–37** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Bettyann SHEATS — primary (person)
- Joyce McCREIGHT — cosponsor (person)
- Michael SYLVESTER — cosponsor (person)
- Nathan LIBBY — cosponsor (person)
- Shenna BELLOWS — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2019-01-17** Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed.
- **2019-01-17** The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT. `referral-committee`
- **2019-01-17** Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- **2019-01-17** The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT in concurrence `referral-committee`
- **2019-03-14** CONSENT CALENDAR - FIRST DAY
- **2019-03-14** On OBJECTION of Representative STETKIS of Canaan REMOVED.
- **2019-03-14** The Committee Report was READ and ACCEPTED.
- **2019-03-14** ROLL CALL NO. 12
- **2019-03-14** (Yeas 94 - Nays 37 - Absent 18 - Excused 1 Vacant 1)
- **2019-03-14** The Bill was READ ONCE. `reading-1`
- **2019-03-14** Under suspension of the rules, the Bill was given its SECOND READING without REFERENCE to the Committee on Bills in the Second Reading.
- **2019-03-14** The Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED.
- **2019-03-14** Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- **2019-03-19** Report READ and ACCEPTED in concurrence
- **2019-03-19** READ ONCE `reading-1`
- **2019-03-19** ASSIGNED FOR SECOND READING NEXT LEGISLATIVE DAY.
- **2019-03-21** COMMITTEE ON BILLS IN THE SECOND READING REPORTS NO FURTHER VERBAL AMENDMENTS NECESSARY. REPORT ACCEPTED.
- **2019-03-21** READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED, in concurrence. `reading-2`
- **2019-03-21** Ordered sent down forthwith
- **2019-03-26** PASSED TO BE ENACTED. `passage`
- **2019-03-26** Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- **2019-03-28** PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence. `passage`
- **2019-04-05** Signed by Governor `executive-signature`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/d6ab3a07-8f9b-4d77-96d1-f8e53ff1cb59`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Maine legislature records).