An Act To Ensure Safety at Motor Vehicle Events
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 0908
Committee: Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Sponsors: HASKELL, HANLEY
Amends: 8 MRSA §561, 8 MRSA §562, 8 MRSA §565, 8 MRSA §566

Legislative Document 
No. 908 
H.P.683 
House of Representatives, March 1,2007 
An Act To Ensure Safety at Motor Vehicle Events 
Submitted by the Department of Public Safety pursuant to Joint Rule 204. 
Reference to the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by Representative HASKELL of Portland. 
Cosponsored by Representative: HANLEY of Gardiner. 
Printed on recycled paper 
'17/~ /J7. 7ild£~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Be it enacted by the People ofthe State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 8 MRSA §561, as enacted by PL 1973, c. 662, §2, is repealed and the 
following enacted in its place: 
§561. License required; issuance of license 
1. Definitions. As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the 
following tenus have the following meanings. 
A. 
"Motor vehicle" means a self-propelled land vehicle operating on 3 or more 
wheels or treads and includes, but is not limited to, an automobile, truck, stock car, 
go-kart, all-terrain vehicle, motorcycle and dragster. 
B. "Motor vehicle event" means an activity in which a motor vehicle is operated or 
displayed for the entertainment of an audience. Such activities include, but are not 
limited to, thrill shows, demolition derbies, monster truck shows and traveling motor 
vehicle events. 
C. "Motor vehicle racing" means an activity involving a motor vehicle when the 
motor vehicle is operated on a prescribed course or displayed in a competition against 
another motor vehicle or against a standard or a set of criteria by which a winner is 
detenuined or when a point system is used to detenuine a winner. A standard or a set 
of criteria by which a winner is determined may include, but is not limited to, a time 
measurement, a measurement of the precision of vehicle perfonuance or an 
assessment of the appearance of a vehicle. "Motor vehicle racing" includes, but is not 
limited to, activities such as on-track racing, drag racing, mud runs, sand drags, all-
terrain vehicle racing, technical driving courses, ice racing, go-kart racing, lawn 
mower racing, practice runs, qualifying heats, winner's runs and demonstration runs. 
2. License reguired. A person or organization may not operate any type of motor 
vehicle racing or motor vehicle event within the State unless that person or organization 
has obtained a license from the Commissioner of Public Safety. 
3. Issuance. A license for the operation of motor vehicle racing or a motor vehicle 
event may be issued by the Commissioner of Public Safety to the person or organization 
applying for that license if the commissioner is satisfied that the person or organization 
has complied with all the provisions of this chapter and all the rules adopted by the 
commissioner pursuant to section 562 and that the person or organization has furnished 
the commissioner, in an amount to be detenuined by the commissioner, a certificate of 
public liability insurance to cover the losses, damages or injuries that might ensue to 
persons or property by reason of the operation of motor vehicle racing or a motor vehicle 
event. 
4. License duration. All licenses issued for the operation of any type of motor 
vehicle racing or motor vehicle event expire December 31 st of each year unless sooner 
revoked by the Commissioner of Public Safety for violation of any provision of this 
chapter or for violation of any rule adopted by the commissioner pursuant to section 562. 
Licenses issued are not transferable or assignable. 
Page I -123LR0908(Ol)-1 
Sec. 2. 8 MRSA §562, as amended by PL 1997, c. 728, §4, is further amended to 
read: 
§562. Rules 
The Commissioner of Public Safety shall make adopt, amend or rescind, after ~ 
hearing, notice of which has been duly advertised in the state paper, reasonable in 
accordance with the Maine Administrative Procedure Act, routine technical rules to be 
enforced with respect to the location, erection, construction and maintenance of 
grandstands, bleachers, stadiums, arenas, fences, safety barriers or other like structures or 
spectator areas intended primarily to support or protect spectators during any type of 
motor vehicle racing or motor vehicle events and with respect to public liability insurance 
coverage required by section 561. 
Rules become effective when re'vie'.ved for fonn and legality by the Office of the 
Attorney General and approved in ""'fiting by the Commissioner of Public Safety and 
when a certified copy of the rules has been filed with the Secretary of State. 
The Commissioner of Public Safety may waive the requirements of any rules to cover 
any special circumstances or conditions when the commissioner is satisfied that the 
special circumstances or conditions provide at least the same amount of safety to 
spectators at motor vehicle races or motor vehicle events that the rules, the waiver of 
which is requested, were intended to provide. 
Sec. 3. 8 MRS A §563, as amended by PL 1997, c. 728, §5, is further amended to 
read: 
§563. Fees 
The fee for the inspection of all structures or areas where motor vehicle racing or a 
motor vehicle event operates and the annual license for motor vehicle race\va)'s is may 
not exceed $300. The fee permits the holder of any motor vehicle raceway the license to 
provide entertainment events such as auto thrill shows, motorcycle acts and other 
spectacular stunts at the licensed raceway motor vehicle racing or motor vehicle event 
area. These events must be included in the certificate of public liability required pursuant 
to section ~ 
561. These fees must accompany the application and be credited to a 
special revenue account to defray expenses in carrying out this section. Any balance of 
these fees does not lapse but is carried forward as a continuing account to be expended 
for the same purposes in the following years. 
Sec. 4. 8 MRSA §565, as enacted by PL 1973, c. 662, §2, is amended to read: 
§565. Penalties 
Any person or organization who operates any type of motor vehicle racing or motor 
vehicle event without a license duly issued therefor shall be punished by a fine must be 
fined an amount of not more than $1,000. 
Any person or organization who operates any type of motor vehicle racing or motor 
vehicle event or who locates, erects, constructs or maintains any motor vehicle racing or 
motor vehicle event structure or spectator area except as provided for in the rules aHti 
regulations of the Commissioner of Public Safety shall be punished by a fine must be 
fined an amount of not more than $500 for each offense. 
Sec. 5. 8 MRSA §566, as enacted by PL 1973, c. 662, §2, is amended to read: 
§566. Injunctions 
In addition to any other remedy set forth in this chapter for the enforcement of this 
chapter or any rule, regulation, order or decision of the Commissioner of Public Safety, 
the Superior Court shall haye has jurisdiction upon complaint filed by the commissioner, 
or any person duly authorized to act for the commissioner, to restrain or enjoin any 
person or organization from operating any type of motor vehicle racing or motor vehicle 
event or doing any act prohibited by this chapter or prohibited by any rule or regulation of 
the commissioner. If it is established upon hearing that the person or organization, or the 
officers, agents, servants or employees of such ~ person or organization, charged has been 
or is operating any type of motor vehicle racing or motor vehicle event in violation of any 
rule, regulation, order or decision of the commissioner, the court shall enter a decree 
enjoining saffi that person or organization and the officers, agents, servants and 
employees of saffi that person or organization and any other person from further operation 
of such motor vehicle racing or motor vehicle event. In case of violation of any injunction 
issued under this section, the court shall summarily try and punish the person for 
contempt of court. The existence of other civil or criminal remedies shall be no is not a 
defense to this proceeding. The commissioner or hts the commissioner's authorized agent 
shall ~ not ~ required to give or post a bond \·/hen making an application for an 
injunction under this section. 
Sec. 6. 8 MRS A §567, as enacted by PL 1973, c. 662, §2, is repealed. 
Sec. 7. Maine Revised Statutes headnote amended; revision clause. In the 
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 8, chapter 22, in the chapter headnote, the words "motor 
vehicle racing" are amended to read "motor vehicle racing and motor vehicle events," and 
the Revisor of Statutes shall implement this revision when updating, publishing or 
republishing the statutes. 
SUMMARY 
This bill makes the laws applicable to motor racing events also applicable to motor 
vehicle events, which are activities in which a motor vehicle is operated or displayed for 
the entertainment of an audience.