An Act To Reduce Noise Pollution by Requiring Mufflers on Motorcycles
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 0477
Committee Amendment CA_A_H144 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" 11" to H.P. 370, L.D. 477, Bill, "An Act To 
Reduce Noise Pollution by Requiring Mufflers on Motorcycles" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act Relating to Noise Violations by Motor Vehicles, Including Motorcycles' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and before the summary and 
inserting the following: 
'Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, this Act provides a defense for mufflers or exhaust systems of motor 
vehicles and motorcycles to violations of excessive or unusual noise; and 
Whereas, it is important to enact this law immediately as motorcycle traffic is at its 
peak during the spring and summer months and the effective date of this legislative 
session's enacted laws will likely occur in late summer or early fall; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore, 
Be-it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 29-A MRS A §1912, sub-§6, as amended by PL 2005, c. 314, §1l, is 
repealed and the following enacted in its place: 
6. Defense for noise violations by motor vehicles and motorcycles. The following 
are defenses to a violation of subsection I or 3. 
A. If a muffler or exhaust system of a motor vehicle as defined in section 101, 
subsection 42, not including a motorcycle, does not emit noise in excess of 95 
decibels as measured in accordance with standards and specifications outlined in 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
~. 01CS• 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,,/I "to H.P. 370, L.D. 477 
standard J -1169 adopted by the Society of Automotive Engineers in May 1998, 
subsections 1 and 3 do not apply. A person served with a Violation Summons and 
Complaint charging a violation of subsection 1 or 3 must provide satisfactory 
evidence that the muffler or exhaust system does not emit noise in excess of 95 
decibels as measured in accordance with standards and specifications outlined in 
standard J-1169 adopted by the Society of Automotive Engineers in May 1998. 
Measurements must be made by a participating certified inspection station. 
B. Subsections 1 and 3 do not apply to a muffler or exhaust system of a motorcycle 
that does not emit noise, as measured in accordance with standards and specifications 
outlined in standard J -2825 adopted by the Society of Automotive Engineers in May 
2009, in excess of 92 decibels at an idle and emits noise that does not measure: 
(1) More than 96 decibels using the set RPM test or swept RPM test for an 
engine configuration other than a 3-cylinder or 4-cylinder engine configuration; 
or 
(2) More than 100 decibels using the set RPM test or swept RPM test for a 
3-cylinder or 4-cylinder engine configuration. 
A person served with a Violation Summons and Complaint charging a violation of 
subsection 1 or 3 must provide satisfactory evidence that the muffler or exhaust 
system does not exceed decibel levels as described in this paragraph. Measurements 
must be made by a participating certified inspection station. 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited m the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment strikes and replaces the bill, which requires motorcycles to be 
equipped with certain mufflers approved by the United States Environmental Protection 
Agency. 
Current law provides a defense for owners of motor vehicles charged with 
violations of excessive and unusual noise under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 29-A, 
section 1912, subsections 1 and 3, except that the defense does not apply to motorcycles. 
This amendment makes technical changes to this provision of law and provides a defense 
for motorcycles. This amendment also adds an emergency preamble and emergency 
clause. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 04/27 111 
~ac:.. 
LD477 
LR 1125(02) 
An Act To Reduce Noise Pollution by Requiring Mufflers on Motorcycles 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment" A" 
Committee: Transportation 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor savings - General Fund 
Minor revenue decrease - General Fund 
Correctional and Judicial Impact Statements 
Decreases the number of traffic violations 
A reduction in fines will decrease General Fund revenue by minor amounts. 
LRI125(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1