An Act To Clarify the Court's Authority To Grant Credit Given for Jail Time toward Payment of Fines
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 1598
Committee Amendment CA_A_H760 (House)
Amends: 17-A MRSA §1304

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "(+,, to H.P. 1204, L.D. 1598, Bill, "An Act To 
Clarify the Court's Authority To Grant Credit Given for Jail Time toward Payment of 
Fines" 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the 
summary and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 17-A MRSA §1304, sub-§3, ~A, as amended by PL 2011, c. 334, §1, is 
further amended to read: 
A. Unless the offender shows by a preponderance of the evidence that the default 
was not attributable to an intentional or knowing refusal to obey the court's order or 
to a failure on the offender's part to make a good faith effort to obtain the funds 
required for the payment, the court shall find that the default was unexcused and may: 
(1) Commit the offender to the custody of the sheriff until all or a specified part 
of the fine is paid. The length of confinement in a county jail for unexcused 
default must be specified in the comt's order and may not exceed one day for 
every $100 of unpaid fine or 6 months, whichever is shorter. An offender 
committed for nonpayment of a fine is given credit toward the payment of the 
fine for each day of confinement that the offender is in custody, at the rate 
specified in the court's order, which may not be less than $25 or more than $100 
of unpaid fine for each day of confinement. The offender is also given credit for 
each day that the offender is detained as the result of an arrest warrant issued 
pursuant to this section. An offender is responsible for paying any fine remaining 
after receiving credit for confinement and detention. A default on the remaining 
fine is also governed by this section; or 
(2) If the unexcused default relates to a fine imposed for a Class D or Class E 
crime, as authorized by chapter 53, order the offender to perform community 
service work, as authorized in chapter 54-C, until all or a specified part of the 
fine is paid. The number of hours of community service work must be specified 
in the court's order and may not exceed g hours for every $25 of unpaid fine or 
the offender must receive a credit against the unpaid fine of no less than $25 for 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "R" to H.P. 1204, L.D. 1598 
every 8 hours of community service work completed, which may not exceed one 
hundred 8-hour days, whichever is shorter. 
An offender ordered to perform 
community service work pursuant to this subparagraph is given credit toward the 
payment of the fine for each 8-hour day of community service work performed at 
the rate specified in the court's order. The offender is also given credit toward the 
payment of the fine for each day that the offender is detained as a result of an 
arrest warrant issued pursuant to this section at a rate specified in the court's order 
that is up to $100 of unpaid fine per day of confinement. 
An offender is 
responsible for paying any fine remaining after receiving credit for any detention 
and for community service work performed. A default on the remaining fine is 
also governed by this section.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment sets a minimum amount of credit a court may grant toward payment 
of a fine at $25 for each day of confinement. It also clarifies the credit regarding 
community service. 
FISCAL .'\(Y)T ~} J".< du::n 
(See attache.d) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
" 
Approved: 03/08/12 
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LD 1598 
LR 2502(02) 
An Act To Clarify the Court's Authority To Grant Credit Given for Jail Time toward Payment of 
Fines 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment Iff' (!-f -" ~ 
Committee: Criminal Justice and Public Safety 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor savings - General Fund 
Minor revenue increase - General Fund 
This bill may result in a mmor increase in General Fund fine revenue. It may also result in minor savings to the 
regional and county jail system. 
LR2502(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1