LD 2076

APPROVED  CHAPTER
  APRIL 3, 2026  603
  BY GOVERNOR  PUBLIC LAW
  STATE OF MAINE
  _____
  IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
  TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX
  _____
  H.P. 1389 - L.D. 2076
        An Act to Amend the Laws Governing the Reporting of Incidents by
  Municipal Fire Chiefs
    Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
    Whereas, the United States Fire Administration within the United States Department
of Homeland Security has implemented a new fire information and analytics reporting
system; and
    Whereas, the State's fire reporting system does not fulfill modern data analysis and
decision support requirements of fire and emergency responders; and
    Whereas, accurate incident reporting is essential for fire prevention, emergency
planning, firefighter safety and federal grant eligibility; and
    Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now,
therefore,
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
    Sec. 1. 25 MRSA §2395, as amended by PL 2007, c. 82, §2, is further amended to
read:
§2395. Filing statement Incident report of fire or other occurrence
    The municipal fire chief or a designee shall submit to the State Fire Marshal an incident
report for each response made, regardless of whether an actual fire occurred. The Until
January 1, 2026, the report must be submitted in a manner consistent with a national fire
incident reporting system or, as available, a national emergency response information
system. On or after January 1, 2026, the report must be submitted in a manner consistent
with a national emergency response information system or a successor system as
determined by the United States Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency
Management Agency, United States Fire Administration.
  Page 1 - 132LR2890(03)
    Sec. 2. Rules. The State Fire Marshal within the Department of Public Safety may
adopt rules to collect statewide incident response data and facilitate the transition from a
national fire incident reporting system to a national emergency response information
system, including provisions for electronic submission, technical assistance and system
integration with municipal reporting systems. Rules adopted pursuant to this section are
routine technical rules as described in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, chapter 375,
subchapter 2-A.
    Sec. 3. Retroactivity. That section of this Act that amends the Maine Revised
Statutes, Title 25, section 2395 applies retroactively to January 1, 2026.
    Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation
takes effect when approved.
  Page 2 - 132LR2890(03)