An Act To Amend the Motor Vehicle Laws
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 1341
Committee Amendment CA_A_S255 (Senate)
Amends: 29-A MRSA §2054

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,A, to S.P. 468, L.D. 1341, Bill, "An 
Act To Amend the Motor Vehicle Laws" 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 1. 
Further amend the bill in section 9 in paragraph B in the 
last line 
(page 2, 
line 
in L.D.) 
by inserting after the 
following: 
"1917" the following: 
" 
subsection 3' 
Further amend the bill by striking out all of sections 11 to 
14. 
Further amend the bill by striking out all of section 16 and 
inserting in its place the following: 
'Sec. 16. 29·A MRSA §1912, sub·§6, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 
140, §1, is amended to read: 
6. Exception. 
Subsections 1 and 3 do not apply to a muffler 
or exhaust system that does not emit noise in excess of 
decibels 
as 
measured 
in 
accordance 
with 
standards 
and 
specifications outlined in standard J-1169 adopted by the Society 
of Automotive Engineers in May 1998. 
A person served with a 
Violation 
Summons 
and 
Complaint 
charging 
a 
violation 
of 
subsection 1 or 3 must provide satisfactory evidence that the 
muffler or exhaust system does not emit a noise in excess of 95 
decibels 
as 
measured 
in 
accordance 
with 
standards 
and 
specifications outlined in standard J-1169 adopted by the Society 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
~~fft. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT I~I to S.P. 468, L.D. 1341 
of Automotive Engineers in May 1998. 
Measurements must be made 
by participating certified inspection stations. 
This subsection applies to motor vehicles as defined in section 
101, subsection 42, except that it does not apply to motorcycles. 
Sec. 17. 29-A MRSA §2054, sub-§2, 1fC, as amended by PL 2005, 
c. 15, §l, is further amended to read: 
C. 
The use of amber lights on vehicles is governed by the 
following. 
(1) 
A vehicle engaged in highway maintenance or in 
emergency rescue operations by civil defense and public 
safety agencies and a public utility emergency service 
vehicle may be equipped with auxiliary lights that emit 
an amber light. 
(2) 
A wrecker must be equipped with a flashing light 
mounted on top of the vehicle in such a manner as to 
emit an amber light over a 360' angle. 
The light must 
be in use on a public way or a place where public 
traffic may reasonably be anticipated when servicing, 
freeing, loading, unloading or towing a vehicle. 
(3) 
A vehicle engaged in 
snow 
removal 
or 
sanding 
operations on a public way must be equipped with and 
display at least 2 auxiliary lights mounted on the 
highest practical point on the vehicle and provide 
visible light coverage over a 360' range. 
The lights 
must emit an amber beam of light, be at least 6 inches 
in diameter and be equipped with blinking attachments. 
In lieu of the lights specified, 
a 
vehicle may be 
equipped with at least one auxiliary rotating flashing 
light having 4-inch sealed beams 
and 
showing 
amber 
beams of light over a 360' range or an amber strobe, or 
combination of strobes, that emits at a minimum a beam 
of 1,000,000 candlepower 
and provides visible light 
coverage over a 360' range. 
When the left wing of a 
plow is in operation and extends over the center of the 
road, an auxiliary light must show the extreme end of 
the left wing. 
That light may be attached to the 
vehicle so that the beam of light points at the left 
wing. 
The light illuminating the left wing may 
be 
controlled by 
a 
separate switch or 
by the regular 
lighting system and must be in operation at all times 
when the vehicle is used for plowing snow on public 
ways. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
~~. 
~., . 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT .~. to S.P. 468, L.D. 1341 
(4) 
A vehicle equipped and used for plowing snow on 
other 
than 
public 
ways 
may 
be 
equipped 
with 
an 
auxiliary rotary flashing light that must be mounted on 
top of the vehicle in such a manner as to emit an amber 
beam of light over a 360' angle, or an amber strobe, or 
combination of strobes, that emits at a minimum a beam 
of 50 candlepower and provides visible light coverage 
over 
a 
360' 
range. 
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The light may be in use on a public way 
only when the vehicle is entering the public way in the 
course 
of 
plowing 
private 
driveways 
and 
other 
off-highway locations. 
(5) 
A 
rural 
mail 
vehicle 
may 
be 
equipped 
with 
auxiliary lights. 
(a) 
The lights used to the front must be white or 
amber, or any shade between white and amber. 
(b) 
The lights used to the rear must be amber or 
red, or any shade between amber and red. 
(c) 
The lights, whether used to 
rear, must be mounted at the same 
widely spaced laterally as possible. 
the front or 
level and as 
(d) 
The lights, whether used to the front or 
rear, must flash simultaneously. 
(e) 
The lights must be visible from a distance of 
at 
least 
feet 
under 
normal 
atmospheric 
conditions at night. 
(6) 
A vehicle used or provided by a contract security 
company to assist in traffic control and direction at 
construction or maintenance sites on a public way may 
be equipped with auxiliary lights. 
Effective July 1, 
1996, the auxiliary lights must be amber. 
Prior to 
July 1, 1996, the auxiliary lights must be green or 
amber. 
(7) 
A Department of Public Safety 
a 
motor 
carrier 
inspector 
may 
auxiliary lights that emit an amber 
vehicle operated by 
be 
equipped 
with 
light. 
(8) 
A 
vehicle 
used 
appointed pursuant to 
by 
an 
Title 
animal 
control 
7, 
section 3947 
officer 
may be 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
,.,6" 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ~, to S.P. 468, L.D. 1341 
equipped with auxiliary lights that emit a 
flashing 
amber light. 
(9) 
A refuse, garbage or trash business vehicle used 
by an individual to transport refuse, garbage and trash 
may 
be equipped with auxiliary lights that emit 
a 
flashing amber light.' 
Further amend the 
nonconsecutive 
Part 
consecutively. 
bill by relettering 
letter 
or 
section 
SUMMARY 
This amendment does the following. 
or renumbering any 
number 
to 
read 
1. 
It removes 
language 
that 
amends 
the definition of 
altered vehicle to include motor vehicles with a gross vehicle 
weight of 10,000 pounds or more. 
2. 
It removes language that amends the commercial motor 
vehicle inspection requirements. 
3. 
It removes language that allows for an exception to the 
speed and load rating requirements for tires. 
4. 
It clarifies that 
a 
person who 
is 
served with 
a 
Violation Summons and Complaint for operating a motor vehicle 
with an inadequate or amplified muffler or exhaust system must 
provide satisfactory evidence that the muffler or exhaust system 
does not emit a noise in excess of 95 decibels. 
5. 
It removes language that requires a vehicle used for 
plowing snow on private ways to be equipped with and use a rotary 
flashing IJ.ght when entering a public way while engaged in a 
plowing activity. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 05/20105 .:tvac:.. 
LD 1341 
LR 0410(02) 
An Act To Amend the Motor Vehicle Laws 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment ,A 
Committee: Transportation 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
Minor revenue increase - General Fund 
Correctional and Judicial Impact Statements 
Establishes a new traffic infraction. 
The collection of additional fines may increase General Fund revenue by minor amounts. 
LR041O(2) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1