An Act To Clarity and Strengthen the State's Motor Vehicle Laws
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 1445
Committee Amendment CA_A_S167 (Senate)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A " to S.P. 530, L.D. 1445, Bill, "An Act To 
Clarity and Strengthen the State's Motor Vehicle Laws" 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 6. 
Amend the bill in section 9 by striking out all of subsection 2 (page 2, lines 20 to 27 
in L.D.) and inserting the following: 
'2. Safe tires required. A motor vehicle may not be operated on a public way unless 
it is equipped with tires in safe operating condition. A tire mounted on a motor vehicle is 
not considered to be in safe operating condition unless it meets the visual and tread depth 
requirements set forth in subsections 3 and 4 and the wheel size requirements in 
subsection 6, the overall diameter of the properly mounted and inflated tire is within 2 
inches of the range of sizes recommended by the manufacturer for the model vehicle and 
the vehicle is in compliance with the frame height requirements provided in section 1920.' 
Amend the bill in section 12 in the indented paragraph in the last line (page 4, line 13 
in L.D.) by inserting at the end the following: 'For the purposes of this section, a posted 
sign must include language sufficiently describing the restriction or prohibition and must 
include the fact that a violation is a Class E crime.' 
Amend the bill in section 16 by striking out all of the last blocked paragraph (page 5, 
lines 10 to 13 in L.D.) and inserting the following: 
'An operator of a vehicle subject to GVW restrictions bus or truck with a registered 
weight or gross vehicle weight rating greater than 10,000 pounds or subject to the Federal 
Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations who fails to stop at the weighing point 
when the signs are operating, unless otherwise directed by a state police officer, commits 
a traffic infraction for which a forfeiture fine not to exceed $500 may be adjudged.' 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
section number to read consecutively. 
Page I - 124LR0488(02)-1 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
~~~ 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to S.P. 530, L.D. 1445 
SUMMARY 
This amendment eliminates the section of the bill that provides flexibility to the State 
Police in taking administrative action against a motor vehicle inspection station's license 
or motor vehicle inspection mechanic's license when the inspection station or inspection 
mechanic violates Maine law or the rules adopted by the State Police. 
The amendment further clarifies the legal requirements concerning tires and wheels. 
The bill makes it a crime for a motor vehicle operator or pedestrian to knowingly 
refuse to follow the direction of a sign clearly posted by a law enforcement officer to 
temporarily close a way to vehicular traffic or to vehicles of a certain description or to 
divert pedestrian or vehicular traffic during a fire, accident, emergency or special event. 
The amendment provides that the posted sign must include language sufficiently 
describing the restriction or prohibition and the fact that a violation is a Class E crime. 
The amendment further clarifies the law regarding signs that must be posted at 
weighing points designated by the Chief of the State Police or a person designated by the 
chief. The amendment provides that the operator of a bus or truck with a registered 
weight or gross vehicle weight rating greater than 10,000 pounds or subject to the Federal 
Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations who fails to stop at a weighing point 
when the signs are operating commits a traffic infraction. 
lB'KSCAL ~OTE REQL1RED 
{~ee attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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Fiscal Detail and Notes 
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Approved: 05/13/09 frac:.. 
LD 1445 
LR488(02) 
An Act To Clarify and Strengthen the State's Motor Vehicle Laws 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment 11" 
Committee: Transportation 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
Additional costs to the Department of Public Safety can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
LR0488(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1