An Act To Require Motorcyclists To Wear Helmets
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 0453
Committee: Transportation
Sponsors: BEAUDOIN, BOWMAN, BRlGGS, CASAVANT, CONNOR, GOODE, PRATT, TUTTLE, VALENTINO
Amends: 12 MRSA §13106-A, 29-A MRSA §2117

Legislative Document 
No. 453 
H.P.341 
House of Representatives, Febmary 10, 2009 
An Act To Require Motorcyclists To Wear Helmets 
Reference to the Committee on Transportation suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Representative BEAUDOIN of Biddeford. 
Cosponsored by Senator BOWMAN of York and 
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1?1.71!t1£~{ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: BRlGGS of Mexico, CASAVANT of Biddeford, CONNOR of Kennebunk, 
GOODE of Bangor, PRATT of Eddington, TUTTLE of Sanford, VALENTINO of Saco. 
Printed un I'ccyclcd pLlpcr 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §13106-A; sub-§25, ~A, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 655, Pt. B, 
§394 and affected by §422, is am(![lded t~.read: 
A. 
A person operating a snowmobile on a snowmobile trail identified by the 
Department of Conservation, Burea-q of Parks and Lands as having been funded by 
the Snowmobile Trail Fund pursua~t to section 1893, subsection 3: 
(1) If the person is under J 8 years of age, shall wear protective headgear that 
.cohforms toOthe st~ndaFds estahiishe&'undecTitie 29 A, section f083. subsection 
J;and" 
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(2) May not carry a passenger under 18 years of age on the snowmobile unless 
the passenger is wearing protective headgear that conforms to the standards 
estOblished under Title 29,6., section 2083. subsection 3: 
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Sec. 2. 12 MRS A §13157-A, sub-§13, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 655, Pt. B, 
§414 and affected by §422, is amended to read: 
13. Operating ATV without protective headgear. NOt'.vithstanding Title 29 A, 
section 2083, a A person under 18 years of age may not operate an ATV without 
protective headgear. 
A. A person who violates this subsection commits a civil violation for which a fine 
of not less than $100 nor more than $500 may be adjudged. 
B. A person who violates this subsection after having been adjudicated as having 
committed 3 or more civil violations Under this Part within the previous 5-year period 
commits a Class E crime. 
Sec. 3. 12 MRS A §13157-A, sub-§14, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 655, Pt. B, 
§4l4 and affected by §422, is amended to read: 
14. Carrying passenger on ATV without headgear. Notwithstanding Title 29 A, 
section 2083, a A person may not carry a passenger under 18 years of age on an ATV 
unless the passenger is wearing protective headgear. 
A. A person who violates this subsection commits a civil violation for which a fine 
of not less than $100 nor more than $500 may be adjudged. 
B. A person who violates this subsection after having been adjudicated as having 
committed 3 or more civil violations under tills Part within the previous 5-year period 
commits a Class E crime. 
Sec. 4. 29-A MRS A §2062, sub-§8 is enacted to read: 
8. Helmets. A person may not operate a motorcycle or be a passenger on or in a 
sidecar attached to a motorcycle on a public way unless the person is wearing a protective 
helmet that conforms with minimum standards of construction and performance as 
prescribed by the American National Standards Institute specifications Z 90.1 or by the 
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Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 218 for motorcycle helmets and the helmet is 
properly secured to the person's head with a chin strap. 
Sec. 5. 29-A MRS A §2083, as amended by PL 2005, c. 577, §33, is repealed. 
Sec. 6. 29-A MRSA §2117 is enacted to read: 
§2117. Operating a motorcycle without a helmet 
A person commits a traffic infraction for which a fine of not more than $500 may be 
adjudged if that person operates or is a passenger on or in a sidecar attached to a 
motorcycle on a public way without wearing a helmet as required in section 2062, 
subsection 8. 
SUMMARY 
This bill makes statutory changes to require operators and passengers of motorcycles 
on public ways to wear protective helmets. 
This bill also corrects cross-references.