An Act To Ensure That Medical Equipment Found in a Repossessed Vehicle Is Returned to the Owner
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 0297
Committee Amendment CA_A_H26 (House)
Amends: 29-A MRSA §665, 32 MRSA §11017

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "4,, to H.P. 237, L.D. 297, Bill, "An Act To 
Ensure That Medical Equipment Found in a Repossessed Vehicle Is Returned to the 
Owner" 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the 
summary and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 
29-A MRSA §665, sub-§6, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 133, § 1, is 
amended to read: 
6. Repossession. Upon the exercise of the right to take possession of a vehicle by a 
lienholder that is a supervised financial organization creditor as defined in Title 9-A, 
section 1-301, subsection 17, or the assignee of that creditor, ownership of the vehicle 
vests in the lienholder, subject to the rights granted to the owner and the duties imposed 
on the lienholder under Title 9-A, AI1icle 5, Part 1 and .. Title 11, Article 9-A, Pal1 6 and 
Title 32, section 11017. 
Sec. 2. 32 MRSA §11017, sub-§3 is enacted to read: 
3. Special treatment for necessary medical device or equipment in a repossessed 
vehicle. A consumer who has unsecured property taken when a vehicle is repossessed 
pursuant to Title 29-A, section 665, subsection 6 may have that property returned by 
complying with this subsection. 
The consumer shall notify the debt collector that: 
A. Unsecured property was taken with a repossessed vehicle; 
B. The unsecured property includes a medical device or equipment necessalY for 
health or welfare; and 
C. The consumer does not have practicable means to retrieve the medical device or 
equipment. 
If the consumer makes a reasonable request for the return of the· medical device or 
equipment, the debt collector shall arrange to have the medical equipment or device 
Page I - 124LR0432(02)-1 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT -A,. to H.P. 237, L.D. 297 
promptly returned to the consumer. 
If the debt collector incurs expenses in actually 
returning the medical device or equipment to the consumer, those reasonable expenses 
are considered a reasonable charge incurred in realizing on a security interest in personal 
property, pursuant to Title 9-A, section 3-402, subsection 1, paragraph B, which may be 
added to the consumer's indebtedness.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment, which replaces the bill, provides that if a consumer notifies a debt 
collector that unsecured property taken with a repossessed vehicle includes a medical 
device or equipment necessary for health and welfare and that the consumer does not 
have practicable means to retrieve the medical device or equipment, then the debt 
collector is required to make arrangements to have the medical device or equipment 
promptly returned to the consumer if the consumer has made a reasonable request that the 
medical device or equipment be returned. It also provides that the debt collector can add 
the cost of returning the medical device or equipm.ent to the consumer's debt. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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Completed: 03/16/09 
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LD297 
LR 432(02) 
An Act To Ensure That Medical Equipment Found in a,Repossessed Vehicle Is Returned to the Owner 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment;4" 
Committee: Transportation 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
Minor revenue increase - General Fund 
Correctional and Judicial Impact Statements 
Increases the number of civil suits. 
The collection of additional filing fees may also increase General Fund revenue by minor amounts. 
LR0432(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1