An Act To Extend Certain Insurance Protection to Emergency Responders
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 1636
Committee: Insurance and Financial Services
Sponsors: LUCHINI, LANGLEY, CLARKE, GOODE, MAKER, BRANNIGAN
Amends: 24-A MRSA §2174-B

Legislative Document 
No. 1636 
H.P. 1226 
House of Representatives, December 20, 2011 
An Act To Extend Certain Insurance Protection to Emergency 
Responders 
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
203. 
Received by the Clerk of the House on December 16, 2011.  Referred to the Committee on 
Insurance and Financial Services pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to 
Joint Rule 401. 
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative LUCHINI of Ellsworth. 
Cosponsored by Senator LANGLEY of Hancock and 
Representatives: CLARKE of Bath, GOODE of Bangor, MAKER of Calais, Senator: 
BRANNIGAN of Cumberland. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  24-A MRSA §2174-B, as amended by PL 1997, c. 114, §1, is further 
amended to read: 
§2174-B.  Law enforcement officers' and emergency responders' insurance rates 
1.  Definitions.  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the 
following terms have the following meanings. 
A.  "Law enforcement officer" means any person employed by a governmental entity 
who by virtue of that employment is vested by law with a duty to investigate and 
prosecute violators of the laws of this State and to arrest the offenders of the laws. 
B.  "Emergency responder" means a municipal firefighter as defined in Title 30-A, 
section 3151, subsection 2, an ambulance attendant or an emergency medical 
technician employed by a governmental entity who by virtue of that employment 
responds to an emergency situation.  "Emergency responder" includes an operator of 
an ambulance owned by a private company if a governmental entity contracts with 
the company. 
2.  Law enforcement officers; emergency responders.  No An insurer may not 
increase the premium for a personal insurance policy providing motor vehicle liability or 
collision insurance to a law enforcement officer or an emergency responder on the basis 
of one or more accidents involving a motor vehicle operated by the officer or emergency 
responder if: 
A.  The accident occurred while the officer or emergency responder was operating a 
motor vehicle in the course and scope of employment; and 
B.  There is a policy of insurance other than the personal policy providing motor 
vehicle liability or collision coverage for the accident or accidents. 
3.  Governmental entity.  This section in no way restricts the premium an insurer 
may charge a governmental entity for an insurance policy providing motor vehicle 
liability or collision insurance covering law enforcement officers or emergency 
responders. 
4.  Penalty.  An insurer who violates this section commits a civil violation pursuant 
to section 12-A. 
SUMMARY 
Current law prohibits an insurer from increasing the insurance policy premium of a 
law enforcement officer for a motor vehicle accident that occurs while the officer is 
acting in the course and scope of employment.  This bill extends this protection to 
emergency responders.