An Act To Improve Transportation in the State
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 1753
Committee: Transportation
Sponsors: COLLINS, CEBRA, DIAMOND, THOMAS, BEAVERS, MAZUREK, PEOPLES, ROSEN, WILLETTE
Amends: 6 MRSA §102, 6 MRSA §202, 36 MRSA §1482, 36 MRSA §1484, 36 MRSA §1486, 23 MRSA §73, 30-A MRSA §6006-G, 23 MRSA §1201

Legislative Document 
No. 1753
S.P. 601 
In Senate, January 10, 2012
An Act To Improve Transportation in the State 
Submitted by the Department of Transportation pursuant to Joint Rule 204. 
Reference to the Committee on Transportation suggested and ordered printed. 
JOSEPH G. CARLETON, JR. 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by Senator COLLINS of York. 
Cosponsored by Representative CEBRA of Naples and 
Senators: DIAMOND of Cumberland, THOMAS of Somerset, Representatives: BEAVERS of 
South Berwick, MAZUREK of Rockland, PEOPLES of Westbrook, ROSEN of Bucksport, 
WILLETTE of Mapleton. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
PART A 
Sec. A-1.  6 MRSA c. 4, as amended, is repealed. 
Sec. A-2.  6 MRSA §102, sub-§2, ¶A, as enacted by PL 1977, c. 678, §33, is 
amended to read: 
A.  All aircarrier and commuter aircarrier airports, as defined under chapter 4, shall 
designate a person generally available who shall have has administrative 
responsibility for operation and management of the airport.  All general aviation 
commercial airports, as defined under chapter 6, shall have at least a part-time airport 
manager. 
Sec. A-3.  6 MRSA §102, sub-§2, ¶C, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 76, §1, is 
repealed. 
Sec. A-4.  6 MRSA §202, sub-§5, as repealed and replaced by PL 1977, c. 678, 
§41 and amended by PL 1995, c. 504, Pt. B, §10, is repealed. 
Sec. A-5.  6 MRSA §202, sub-§7, as amended by PL 1977, c. 678, §43, is 
repealed. 
Sec. A-6.  6 MRSA c. 15, as amended, is repealed. 
Sec. A-7.  36 MRSA §1482, sub-§1, ¶A, as amended by PL 2007, c. 627, §31, is 
further amended to read: 
A.  For the privilege of operating an aircraft within the State, each heavier-than-air 
aircraft or lighter-than-air aircraft operated in this State that is owned or controlled by 
a resident of this State is subject to an excise tax computed as follows: 9 mills on 
each dollar of the maker's average equipped price for the first or current year of 
model; 7 mills for the 2nd year; 5 mills for the 3rd year; 4 mills for the 4th year; and 
mills for the 5th and succeeding years.  The minimum tax is $10.  Nonresidents of 
this State who operate aircraft within this State for compensation or hire and are 
required to register under Title 6 must pay 1/12 of the tax amount computed as 
required in this paragraph for each calendar month or fraction thereof that the aircraft 
remains in the State.  
Sec. A-8.  36 MRSA §1484, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2007, c. 627, §33, is 
further amended to read: 
1.  Aircraft.  The excise tax on an aircraft must be paid to the Department of 
Transportation. The Department of Transportation shall distribute the receipts from each 
excise tax payment to the municipality where the aircraft is based except as follows. 
A.  If the aircraft is based at an airport owned by a county, the excise tax payments 
must be distributed paid to that county. 
B.  If the aircraft is based at the Augusta State Airport, the excise tax payments must 
be retained by the Department of Transportation paid to the City of Augusta. 
For the purposes of this subsection, an aircraft is deemed to be based at the location in the 
State where it has been hangared, parked, tied down or moored the most nights during the 
30-day period of active flying preceding payment of the excise tax.  If the aircraft has not 
been hangared, parked, tied down or moored at a location in the State during the 30-day 
period of active flying preceding payment, then the aircraft is deemed to be based at the 
location in the State where it will be hangared, parked, tied down or moored the most 
nights during the 30-day period of active flying next following payment of the excise tax. 
Sec. A-9.  36 MRSA §1486, first ¶, as amended by PL 1995, c. 65, Pt. A, §139 
and affected by §153 and Pt. C, §15, is further amended to read: 
No vehicle may be registered under Title 29-A or Title 6 until the excise tax or 
personal property tax or real estate tax has been paid in accordance with sections 1482 
and 1484. 
PART B 
Sec. B-1.  23 MRSA §73, sub-§6, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 470, Pt. B, §1, is 
repealed. 
Sec. B-2.  23 MRSA §73, sub-§7 is enacted to read: 
7.  Priorities, service levels, capital goals and reporting.  The Department of 
Transportation shall classify the State's public highways as Priority 1 to Priority 6 
corridors using factors such as the federal functional classification system, regional 
economic significance, heavy haul truck use and relative regional traffic volumes.  The 
department shall also establish customer service levels related to safety, condition and 
serviceability appropriate to the priority of the highway, resulting in a system that grades 
each highway as Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor or Unacceptable. 
To provide a capital transportation program that is geographically balanced and that 
addresses urban and rural needs, the department shall include the following goals as part 
of its capital improvement plans and program delivery.  The goals are to: 
A.  By 2022, improve all Priority 1 and Priority 2 corridors so that their overall 
safety, condition and serviceability customer service level equals Fair or better; 
B.  By 2027, improve all Priority 3 corridors so that their overall safety, condition 
and serviceability customer service level equals Fair or better; 
C.  By 2017, implement a pavement program for all Priority 4 corridors that 
maintains their ride quality customer service level at Fair or better; 
D.  Continue the light capital paving program on a 7-year cycle for Priority 5 
corridors outside compact areas as defined in section 754; and 
E.  By 2015, develop and implement a similar asset priority and customer service 
level system of measurement for all major freight and passenger transportation assets 
owned or supported by the department, including capital goals. 
The department shall report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over transportation matters by March 1st of each odd-numbered year 
quantifying progress realized and time that has elapsed since the goals were established.  
The department shall recommend any remedial actions, including additional funding or 
revisions to the goals, that the department determines to be necessary or appropriate. 
Sec. B-3.  30-A MRSA §6006-G, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 470, Pt. D, 
§1, is amended to read: 
1.  Establishment; purposes.  The TransCap Trust Fund, referred to in this section 
as "the fund," is established in the custody of the bank to provide transportation capital 
investment for the Department of Transportation and municipalities in accordance with 
this section.  The purpose of the fund is to provide financial assistance for the planning, 
design, acquisition, reconstruction and rehabilitation of transportation capital 
improvements of all modes including improvements that will forward the capital goals set 
forth in Title 23, section 73, subsection 6 7. 
Sec. B-4.  30-A MRSA §6006-G, sub-§4, ¶B, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 470, Pt. 
D, §1, is amended to read: 
B.  To guarantee or insure, directly or indirectly, the payment of notes or bonds 
issued or to be issued by the State for the purpose of financing capital improvements 
that will forward the capital goals set forth in Title 23, section 73, subsection 6 7; 
PART C 
Sec. C-1.  23 MRSA §1201, sub-§16-A, as repealed and replaced by PL 1983, c. 
323, is repealed. 
PART D 
Sec. D-1.  Reestablishment of Maine-New Hampshire Interstate Bridge 
Authority.  The Department of Transportation shall develop proposed legislation to 
reestablish the Maine-New Hampshire Interstate Bridge Authority in accordance with 
New Hampshire law and provide the authority with additional powers necessary for the 
construction, reconstruction and rehabilitation of the main spans of the Sarah Mildred 
Long Bridge and the Interstate 95 High Level Bridge, also known as the Piscataqua River 
Bridge.  In developing the legislation, the department shall implement the 
recommendations of the Bi-State Bridge Funding Task Force, created pursuant to 
Executive Order 04 FY 11/12, including authorizing annual transfers from the Maine 
Turnpike Authority and the department for the maintenance, operation and capital 
improvement of the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge and the Piscataqua River Bridge.  The 
department shall submit the proposed legislation to the joint standing committee of the 
Legislature having jurisdiction over transportation matters no later than December 16, 
2012.  Following receipt and review of the proposed legislation, the joint standing 
committee may submit a bill to the First Regular Session of the 126th Legislature 
concerning the proposed legislation. 
SUMMARY 
Part A eliminates the requirement that commercial airports, utility airports, private 
airports with commercial activity, heliports and temporary landing areas be registered 
with the Department of Transportation.  It also eliminates the requirement that all aircraft, 
in addition to registering with the Federal Aviation Administration, be registered with the 
State.  It removes the requirement that individuals obtain a permit from the department 
prior to launching a rocket or missile.  Finally, it removes the requirement that the 
department train and certify airport managers. 
Part B refines the capital goals of the Department of Transportation. 
Part C removes, at the request of the New Brunswick provincial government, the 
requirement that there be a sign on Interstate 95 directing travelers to the "Maritime 
Provinces" and "Northern Maritime Provinces" since those are incorrect names. 
Part D requires the Department of Transportation to develop proposed legislation that 
reestablishes the Maine-New Hampshire Interstate Bridge Authority in accordance with 
the recommendations of the Bi-State Bridge Funding Task Force.