An Act To Encourage Responsible Teen Driving
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 1912
Senate Amendment SA_A_S559 (Senate)

SENATE AMENDMENT" A "to S.P. 684, L.D. 1912, Bill, "An Act To Encourage 
Responsible Teen Driving" 
Amend the bill by inserting after section 15 the following: 
'Sec. 16. Task force. The Secretary of State, referred to in this section as "the 
secretary," shall convene a task force to review the laws governing teen driving and to 
make recommendations designed to enhance teen driver safety in the State. 
1. Members. The secretary shall, at a minimum, invite the participation of teen 
drivers, parents of teen drivers, health care practitioners, members of the law enforcement 
community and representatives of the Maine Medical Association. The secretary shall 
make every effort to ensure that the membership reflects the geographic diversity of the 
State. 
2. Chair; convening of initial meeting. The secretary shall designate a person to 
serve as chair of the task force and shall convene the initial meeting no later than 30 days 
following the effective date of this Act. 
3. Duties. The task force shall review the existing laws governing teen driving and 
make recommendations designed to enhance teen driver safety in the State. In developing 
its proposal, the task force shall: 
A. Propose changes to update and enhance the current driver education program, 
including proposing changes to make driver education more accessible to teens 
throughout the State, especially in rural areas; improving the method by which the 
curriculum is delivered; and considering whether to require more practical driving 
experience as part of the driver education program; and 
B. Review the proposals endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics 
concerning a graduated driver's licensing system for teen drivers, including the 
proposal to expand nighttime driving restrictions and improving and enforcing laws 
designed to prohibit the purchase, possession and consumption of alcohol by minors. 
In developing its recommendations, the task force shall review graduated driver's 
licensing systems that have been successfully adopted by other states, including but not 
limited to Massachusetts. 
SENATE AMENDMENT 
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SENATE AMENDMENT "A" to S.P. 684, L.D. 1912 
4. Meetings. The chair, in consultation with the secretary, shall schedule meetings of 
the task force as necessary to complete the task force's assigned duties. The secretary 
shall notify members of the Joint Standing Committee on Transportation and other 
Legislators with a known interest in the issues associated with teen driving safety of all 
meetings of the task force. 
S. Staffing and funding. The secretary shall provide staff support to the task force 
from existing resources and may use contributions of money, services and supplies 
accepted under existing authority to support the work ofthe task force. 
6. Final report. No later than December 5, 2012, the secretary shall submit a report 
that includes the findings and recommendations of the task force, including suggested 
legislation to implement the recommendations, for presentation to the joint standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over transportation matters. 
7. Authority to submit legislation. The joint standing committee of the Legislature 
having jurisdiction over transportation matters may submit a bill pertaining to the report 
under subsection 6 to the First Regular Session of the 126th Legislature.' 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment directs the Secretary of State to convene a task force to review the 
laws governing teen driving and to make recommendations designed to enhance teen 
driver safety in the State. The Secretary of State is directed to report the findings and 
recommendations of the task force, including suggested implementing legislation, to the 
joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over transportation 
matters, which is authorized to report out a bill pertaining to the report to the First 
Regular Session of the 126th Legislature. 
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SPONSORED By:L/ 
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(Senator DILL) 
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COUNTY: cumb\jand 
SENATE AMENDMENT 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Approved: 04112/12 ;tvac:.. 
LD 1912 
LR 2882(07) 
An Act To Encourage Responsible Teen Driving 
Fiscal Note for Senate Amendment" A" S .. 55'i 
Sponsor: Sen. Dill of Cumberland 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - Highway Fund 
Additional costs to the Department of Secretary of State associated with convening the task force can be absorbed 
within existing budgeted resources. 
LR2882(07) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1