AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) Maine’s Democratic governor has signed into law bills to require hands-free driving, protect pregnant employees and prevent adults from providing tobacco to minors.
Gov. Janet Mills’ office said Thursday she’s signed into law roughly two dozen new bills. Most will go into effect in September.
That includes a bill originally proposed to prevent clergy members from exploiting others into sexual acts.
Instead, the amended bill says that a licensed counseling professional who engages in a sexual act with a patient is guilty of gross sexual assault, unlawful sexual contact and unlawful sexual touching. Currently, state law just mentions social workers, psychiatrists and psychologists.
Another new law will reduce the mandatory minimum period for suspension of a driver’s license for negligence in causing a fatal accident from three years to one.
