Maine lawmakers pass shield law

Pending Gov. John Baldacci’s signature, Maine is poised to become the 35th state to pass a shield law, which seeks to protect reporters from revealing confidential sources.

Sponsored by Rep. John Hinck (D-Portland), LD 2047 would shield journalists’ confidential sources unless disclosure is of public interest or crucial to a case.

Kevin Burnham of the Maine Press Association praised the bill. “We dissected it and a lot of the Maine Press Association Board worked hard on it,” Burnham said. “I think that it’s a needed entity in a reporter’s job.”

Lawmakers in Maine gave final approval on Tuesday, hours after Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), Barack Obama (D-Ill.), and John McCain (R-Ariz.) endorsed the federal Free Flow of Information Act in separate speeches given at the Capital Conference in Washington, D.C.