Whereas, for the purpose of protection of the citizens of this State, it is necessary that this Act take effect immediately; 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. 15 MRSA §3307, sub-§1-A, as amended by PL 1991, c. 776, §1, is further amended to read:

1-A. Release of identity. No A law enforcement officer, officer of the court or juvenile caseworker may not release the identity of any juvenile until a petition is filed charging the juvenile with a juvenile crime described in subsection 2, except that a law enforcement officer, officer of the court or juvenile caseworker may release the name of a juvenile arrested for the commission of a juvenile crime and identify the juvenile crime or crimes for which the juvenile was arrested, if the juvenile has attained 14 years of age. This section does not preclude the release of the identity of a juvenile to a complainant or victim if a juvenile caseworker decides not to file a petition in accordance with section 3301, subsection 5, paragraph A or B or if the juvenile caseworker requests the prosecuting attorney to file a petition in accordance with section 3301, subsection 5, paragraph C.

Sec. 2. 15 MRSA §3307, sub-§2, ¶B, as amended by PL 1995, c. 470, §7, is further amended to read:

B. The general public is excluded from all other juvenile hearings and proceedings where the juvenile charged had not attained 14 years of age at the time of the offense, except that a juvenile charged with a juvenile crime that would constitute murder or a Class A, Class B or Class C offense and with a juvenile crime that would constitute a juvenile's first Class D offense or Class E offense or with conduct described in section 3103, subsection 1, paragraph B, C, D or E, arising from the same underlying transaction may elect to have all charges adjudicated in one hearing, and, when a juvenile does so elect, the general public is not excluded from that hearing.