Augusta -
A Maine legislator is proposing legislation to make information on concealed-weapons permits confidential.
Republican Corey Wilson, of Augusta, says his bill was prompted by a New York newspaper's decision to publish the names and addresses of concealed-weapons permit holders and maps showing where they live in suburbs outside of New York City. Wilson's bill would also make it illegal for the media and others to disseminate the information if they have access to it. "In New York they used Geocoding and overlaid it over a Google map so you had a nice Google map of where everyone who had a concealed weapons permit was located," Wilson said. "The result of that is you had people who were threatened. Their lives their families lives were threatened. That to me is unacceptable and we need to prevent that from happening in the state of Maine."
Wilson has more than 60 co-sponsors for the bill, including both Democrats and Republicans.
The Maine Press Association's executive director said it's likely the association will oppose the bill because it chips away at access to public information.
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