An Act To Amend the Laws Governing Ferry Service Travel for Individuals with Catastrophic Illness
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 1738
Committee: Transportation
Sponsors: SAVAGE, MAZUREK
Amends: 23 MRSA §4407

Legislative Document 
No. 1738 
S.P.655 
In Senate, December 30, 2005 
An Act To Amend the Laws Governing Ferry Service Travel for 
Individuals with Catastrophic Illness 
(EMERGENCY) 
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
203. 
Received by the Secretary of the Senate on December 28, 2005. Referred to the Committee 
on Transportation pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 401. 
Presented by Senator SAVAGE of Knox. 
Cosponsored by Representative MAZUREK of Rockland. 
Printed on recycled paper 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted 
as emergencies; and 
Whereas, people 
catastrophic illness 
treatment; and 
living 
on 
must travel 
islands 
who 
suffer 
from 
a 
to and from the mainland for 
Whereas, the Maine State Ferry Service is the c •• ly public 
transportation available to many of these people; and 
Whereas, this legislation provides free transportation to 
those people to allow them to get to their meaical appointments, 
alleviating some of their burden; 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. I. 23 MRSA §4407 is enacted to read: 
§4407. 
Free nonemergency transportation services for 
catastrophic medical reasons 
1. 
Definitions. 
As 
used 
in this 
section, 
unless 
the 
context 
otherwise 
indicates, 
the 
following 
terms 
have 
the 
following meanings. 
A. 
"Catastrophic illness" means an unforeseen, 
prolonged 
and extended illness or medical condition, the medical and 
associated travel expenses of which are not covered by any 
other state or federal program or any insurance contract. 
B. 
"Free 
transportation 
services" 
means 
round-trip 
transportation without charge from an island served by the 
Maine 
State Ferry Service to 
the mainland 
and 
back 
on 
scheduled trips of vessels of the Maine State Ferry Service 
for 
one 
eligible 
resident 
and 
one 
personal 
vehicle 
to 
transport 
the eligible 
resident 
to 
a 
scheduled medical 
appointment. 
"Free 
transportation 
services" 
includes 
transportation for 
one 
adult 
attendant 
to 
accompany 
an 
eligible resident to a scheduled medical appointment. 
C. 
"Medically necessary" means prescribed by a physician 
and reasonably necessary to treat a catastrophic illness. 
Page l-LR2622 (l) 
D. 
"Unforeseen, prolonged and extended illness or medical 
condition" means a severe illness or medical condition of a 
life-threatening nature, the treatment of which is expected 
to 
require 
a 
series 
of 
procedures 
or 
therapeutic 
interventions at regular intervals extending over a period 
of months, including, but not limited to, cancer requiring 
chem~rapy or 
r~i~tiQn treatments 
or 
kidney 
disease 
requiring dialysis treatments. 
2. 
Eligibility. 
Residents of the island communities served 
by 
the 
Maine 
State 
Ferry 
Service 
are 
eligible 
for 
free 
transportation services 
when 
traveling to 
and 
from 
regularly 
scheduled, 
medically necessary appointments with medical 
care 
p_roviders 
if 
those 
appointments 
pertain 
to 
a 
catastrophic 
illness. 
Free transportation services under this section are not 
available for routine visits to medical care providers or to meet 
transportation 
needs 
arising 
from 
an 
emergency, 
medical 
or 
otherwise. 
Free transportation services under this section are 
available 
only 
upon 
approved 
application. 
Reimbursement 
of 
expenses incurred prior to application for services pursuant to 
this section is prohibited. 
3. 
Rulemaking authorized. 
The Maine State Ferry Service 
may, pursuant to the Maine Administrative Procedure Act. adopt 
rules necessary to interpret and administer this section. 
Rules 
adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules 
as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
The ferry 
serviJ;;~ __ also may develop, adopt. use and from time to time amend 
Loxm~_ for 
use in connection with the administration of this 
section. 
The development. adoption, use and amendment of these 
forms is exempt from the rule-making process. 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the 
preamble, this Act takes effect when approved. 
SUMMARY 
This bill allows residents of the island communities served 
by the Maine State Ferry Service free transportation services 
when 
traveling 
to 
and 
from 
regularly 
scheduled, 
medically 
necessary 
appointments 
with 
medical 
care 
providers 
on 
the 
mainland if these appointments pertain to a catastrophic illness.